At a glance
- Duration:
- 8 Days
- Start/End:
- Round Trip Loreto
- From:
- $7,056
- Time of Year:
- December
On this 8-day A Living Sea and Desert Isles cruise aboard the 100-passenger National Geographic Venture,” transport your holiday traditions to Baja California for a spectacular celebration of wildness.
Designated by UNESCO as a marine world heritage site and dubbed “the world’s aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau, the waters and islands of the Gulf of California are places of legendary biodiversity. This isolated region is, arguably, the best place in the world to keep watch for a vast variety of whale species plus massive pods of dolphins, leaping mobula rays, and seabirds.
Baja California Holiday: A Living Sea and Desert Isles Highlights
- Spend your holiday season in search of large pods of dolphins, blue and humpback whales, and other marine mammals including sea lions and leaping mobula rays
- Explore the sculpted desert shoreline by kayak, hike uninhabited beaches, and snorkel among fish and acrobatic sea lions
- Take in the stunning hues of a Baja California sunset at a festive, holiday-themed beach barbecue
- Conditions permitting, visit Isla Rasa, where 90 percent of the world’s Heermann’s gulls come to breed
- Visit the old mining town of Santa Rosalía, with its wooden homes and historic steel church, designed by Gustave Eiffel
- With National Geographic Global Explorers, our exclusive family program, kids and teens will learn about this vibrant part of the world—from migrating gray whales to desert plant species
Baja California Holiday Voyage: A Living Sea and Desert Isles Details
Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Home / Loreto, Mexico / Embark Ship
Arrive into Loreto by early afternoon and transfer to National Geographic Venture to set sail at sunset.
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2-7: Exploring the Gulf of California
Writer and longtime Lindblad naturalist Stewart Aitchison refers to this sliver of the Pacific Ocean as the Vermillion Sea, and notes it is “a romantic name that conjures up visions of fiery sunsets, leaping dolphins, and deserted beaches.” It is all this and so much more. Our routing is designed with flexibility in mind to maximize opportunities for wildlife sightings. It most likely includes the islands and activities listed below, although the order may vary.
Isla San Esteban and San Pedro Mártir
Walk up a desert wash to search for desert songbirds such as the handsome black-throated sparrow, listen for the cascading song of the canyon wren, and search for the endemic pinto chuckwalla—a plump, harmless desert lizard. Later, visit Isla San Pedro Mártir, a 1,000-foot-high guano-covered island that is home to thousands of seabirds: brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds, Brandt’s cormorants, and California sea lions.
Isla San Marcos
At Isla San Marcos there is a beautiful shoreline for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. In the afternoon we are again in rich waters, near the mouth of Bahía Concepción. Here we are on the lookout for pods of dolphins—common and bottlenose dolphins are the most frequently encountered species. With luck these beautiful animals may join us as we go, riding the bow wave, sometimes twisting and turning, and sometimes leaping from the water.
Isla San José
One of the larger islands in the Gulf of California, San José offers several landing possibilities depending on conditions and the whim of the moment. Photograph the ochre cliffs of the island’s eastern shore, hike an enchanted, cactus-laden arroyo, or visit the abandoned salt works to the west. Snorkel with sea lions and discover rare wildlife among desert islands.
Bahía Loreto Marine Park
This morning we search for marine life in the waters south of Isla Carmen, an area offering the possibility of encountering fin whales, which researchers have recently concluded may be part of a resident population. Bottlenose and common dolphins are frequently encountered. In the afternoon we visit one of the islands of Bahía Loreto Marine Park, with ample time for kayaking, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, and possibly hiking. In the evening, enjoy a beach barbecue under the desert sky.
Los Islotes and Isla San Francisco
At Los Islotes, don flippers, a mask, and snorkel (which we gladly provide) and swim with curious sea lions. We have a leisurely afternoon to swim, kayak, or hike at Isla San Francisco. Look skyward for yellow-footed gulls, brown pelicans, and blue-footed boobies.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Loreto / Disembark Ship / Home
Disembark and explore Loreto, where we will have the opportunity to visit the first mission in Baja California, as well as the nearby museum to learn more about what makes this town so special. Enjoy free time to explore quaint shops and vibrant side streets. After lunch, transfer to Loreto Airport for flights home.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
