Baja San Ignacio Lagoon & Sea of Cortez

Description:

Baja California  offers not only tremendous scenic and ecological variety, but the waters are a refuge for blue, gray, fin, humpback and Bryde's whales, as well as several species of dolphins.  Our Baja California landbased expedition provides superb whale watching opportunities in the gray whale calving lagoon of San Ignacio and the blue whale breeding area  of the Sea of Cortez.

In San Ignacio Lagoon, one of the major gray whale calving lagoons of Baja, we expect to see large numbers of gray whales - including cow-calf pairs, courting whales and others, from our small boats.  San Ignacio is renowned for "friendly" gray whales which often approach our  skiffs.

Off Loreto,  we may encounter blue whales, the largest mammal ever to live on earth, as well as  other species of whales, including fin, Bryde's whales, Sperm whales and killer whales, and herds of dolphins. We explore one of the  remote islands, and snorkel the clear waters of the Sea of Cortez amongst colorful tropical fish.   

Our base for our Sea of Cortez whale watching and snorkeling with be in Loreto in comfortable and spacious hotels. Our San Igancio Lagoon cabanas are ideally situated on the water's edge and meals are in the common cantina.  All excursions are in private boats, offering excellent whale watching by day and enjoying terra firma landbased accommodations each night.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Afternoon arrival in Loreto, Baja California.  Transfer to our comfortable hotel.  Welcome dinner and briefing with the naturalist.

Day 2:
Morning whale watching in the Sea of Cortez searching for blue, fin, humpback, sperm and Bryde's whales, and large schools of dolphins including the acrobatic common dolphins.  Lunch in town. Afternoon departure for San Ignacio Lagoon by private bus to our cozy cabanas on the beach.  Our leisurely 3-hour drive includes stops to observe birdlife and sites of interest.

Day 3,4,5:
San Ignacio Lagoon.  Three full days of observing gray whales from our small skiffs which provide excellent opportunities to approach the awesomely graceful gray whales closely and unobtrusively. We use sturdy, twenty-two foot Mexican panga boats, operated by local fishermen,  under the guidance of our naturalist; photographic opportunities are excellent. The Lagoon environ, part of the Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, is a wintering ground for migrating birds, and we will look for White Ibis, Elegant Terns, Reddish Egrets, Brown Pelicans, and Brandt's Cormorants and Brant Geese.  

Day 6:
San Ignacio Lagoon/Loreto. Final whale watching with the gray whales.  We then  visit the town of San Ignacio and its historical mission before continuing to the Sea of Cortez.  Check into comfortable beachfront hotel. 

Day 7:
Sea of Cortez.  Full day for whale whatching by private excursion boat, island exploration with a picnic lunch on the beach,  and snorkeling.  Farewell dinner.

Day 8:
Morning at leisure for exploring the town.  Afternoon flight home.

Optional Extensions: