Trip Overview
In February 2017, blow away winter worries and head south to the warmth of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula for an active adventure vacation in Baja combining whale watching, swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and more!
The Baja Peninsula in northwestern Mexico is an extraordinary, easy-to-get-to winter getaway and a destination that is the perfect blend of sand, sea and sunshine. Your week combines gorgeous scenery and colorful culture, as you get up close to wildlife and nature, where the desert meets the sea in Baja.
Beginning in Todos Santos, learn how to make tortillas in the morning (so you have them on hand for our Mexican cooking class this evening!), then hit the beautiful beach at Playa Los Cerritos for surfing lessons, as your instructors teach you how to ride the waves on a surfboard! Spend two days “glamping” (glamorous camping) in safari-style tents with beds and mattresses, as you explore Espiritu Santo National Park in the Sea of Cortez, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best destinations for viewing marine life in the world. Swim and snorkel with sea lions and whale sharks, kayak through dazzling turquoise waters to explore hidden lagoons and desert beaches, try stand up paddle boarding, hiking and birdwatching in what Jacques Cousteau has called the “Aquarium of the World.”
Returning to La Paz, have a great dinner on the Malecon, the beachfront boulevard in La Paz, and overnight in a hotel before transferring to Magdalena Bay for 2 days of whale watching and close encounters from motorized skiffs with California gray whales, the “Gentle Giants of the Pacific!” Ranked as one of the most important coastal habitats for gray whales in Mexico, Magdalena Bay is famous for its excellent whale watching as the Bay serves as a prime calving ground (January to March) for mother whales with their babies. The largest animal to have ever exhibited friendliness towards humans, there is little to compare with the experience of closely observing a gray whale mother nurse her calf, or seeing juveniles leaping exuberantly out of the water. They frolic, breach, spyhop, and lobtail, while spouting heart-shaped clouds of mist into the cool midday air.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to escape from winter, to bond with nature in a treasure trove of marine vitality, and to experience all the best and most fun activities and adventures that are available in Baja, Mexico!
Main Attractions
- Explore deserted beaches, hike, have surfing lessons, and go snorkeling and swimming with friendly sea lions and maybe whale sharks!
- Guided sea kayak excursions from Espiritu Santo Island to outlying islands, through sea arches, and along deserted cliffs and beaches.
- Whale watching for 2 days from guided skiffs in Magdalena Bay.
- Tortilla-making class plus a Mexican cooking class.
- Catered camping ("glamping") at a remote and beautiful safari-style beach camp.
What You'll See and Do
- Birding
- Boat Cruising
- Cooking Class
- Glamping
- Hiking
- Natural History
- Paddleboarding
- Photography
- Sea Kayaking
- Snorkeling
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Whale Watching
- Wildlife Viewing