Whale Watching Mexico

Arrive in Loreto and transfer to your hotel. At one time the capital of California under Mexico’s rule, Loreto was founded in 1697 and is the region’s oldest permanent settlement. On the Sea of Cortez, Loreto boasts fine beaches, reef snorkeling, and excellent hiking in the nearby Sierra de la Giganta Mountains. This evening you gather for dinner and an orientation to the magnificent gray whales of Baja.

You drive across the desert to the Pacific Ocean today, arriving by late afternoon or early evening. Your “whale cabana” accommodations at the edge of San Ignacio Lagoon are a special feature of your trip. Secluded on a quiet stretch of beach, the cabanas are well-built thatched structures, rustic but inviting, each with two beds and a window overlooking the placid bay. Showers and toilets are shared. While basic, these are the best remote lodgings available, with the opportunity to experience the wilderness of the Vizcaino Desert, a UN Biosphere Reserve, in genuine comfort.

Whales have been revered as mystical creatures by many cultures, and an intimate encounter with them is a dream realized for wildlife lovers. Watch whales from skiffs – small motorized boats – that allow you to closely observe their fascinating range of behaviors. You may see them breach, spy-hop or come close to present their backs for a scratch. In general, you spend two hours whale watching per excursion and take two excursions per day (due to conservation regulations, these numbers may vary, depending on the total number of boats on the water at a given time), with a total of six whale-watching excursions during your stay.

Your skiff drivers are experts at positioning the boats to maximize your encounters with the whales without disturbing them. Numerous whales enter this particular lagoon, and your small boat allows you to get incredibly close. Sensitivity to the animals’ demeanor is shown before approaching them. You may see males competing for females, young adults playing, and mothers protecting and teaching their calves, perhaps the most endearing of all our encounters. Babies are 14 to 16 feet at birth about them, they often come within arm’s length of our boats. Your Expedition Leader and expert local guides provide interpretation about their remarkable journey and habits. Other activities available while you’re on shore include bird watching and hikes led by naturalists, where you may find fossils, bones and shells. If weather and tides cooperate, you may explore the local mangrove estuaries.

After a final chance to visit the whales, depart San Ignacio by road, returning to Loreto in time for dinner and your final evening together.

Transfer to the airport for flights home. An extra day is recommended to explore Loreto, a historic town and beautiful, little-developed region.