At a glance
- Duration:
- 11 Days
- Start/End:
- Loreto, Mexico to La Paz, Mexico or reverse
- From:
- $8,930
- Time of Year:
- March - April
On this 11-day Baja California Discovery: Exploring Mexico’s Gulf of California cruise aboard the 100-passenger National Geographic Venture, journey deep into the Gulf of California to discover its hidden treasures.
This encompassing expedition is the result of years of careful exploration by our veteran naturalists and features the best destinations this rich sea has to offer. It truly captures the exploratory spirit of our earliest days on the peninsula, more than 40 years ago, when Sven Lindblad first introduced intrepid travelers to its wild waters and desert shores.
With its pristine coastlines and vivid sea life, Baja California offers spectacular untamed wilderness. Sail aboard the nimble National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions fleet into the biodiverse waters of the Gulf of California, home to more than a third of the world’s marine life. Led by local experts, naturalists and photographers, you’ll have thrilling opportunities for up-close encounters with gray whales and their curious calves on panga excursions in Magdalena Bay. Spend days discovering vibrant marine life as you snorkel among playful sea lions off the island of Los Islotes or watch a pod of dolphins zip by your Zodiac. Then head ashore to hike amid shifting sand dunes and fascinating flora, from lush mesquite trees to monumental cardón cacti. Discover this awe-inspiring region—blissfully remote yet close to home.
Baja California Discovery: Exploring Mexico’s Gulf of California Highlights
- Immerse yourself in striking desert landscapes, pristine coastal waters, and extraordinary biodiversity
- Embark on regular marine safaris in search of dolphins, sea lions, up to six species of whales, and—if we’re lucky—whale sharks
- Explore the lesser-visited Midriff Islands including Isla Rasa, where half a million nesting sea birds occupy a 150-acre island
- Visit multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites and snorkel in the crystalline waters of protected marine reserves
- Enjoy a rare opportunity to see and photograph one of the strangest plants on earth, the otherworldly Boojum tree
- Kayak and paddleboard clear blue waters to search for wildlife, including magnificent frigatebirds, and investigate the intricacies of the shoreline
Baja California Discovery: Exploring Mexico’s Gulf of California Details
Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Loreto, Mexico / Embark Ship
Arrive in the charming seaside town of Loreto by early afternoon and explore on your own by visiting the first mission in Baja California or sampling local cuisine. Embark the National Geographic Venture in the evening and begin your journey along the Gulf of California.
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2: Bahía Concepción
Awake in Bahía Concepción, one of the largest bays of the Baja California peninsula, with over 50 miles of beaches. Take your coffee to the deck to witness the colorful landscapes revealed by the first of many gorgeous sunrises. This biodiversity hotspot is ripe for exploration. Board Zodiacs in search of whales and other marine life, kayak through lush mangrove systems and snorkel in turquoise waters. On land, join an invigorating hike among towering cacti or stroll the pristine beaches and learn about the ecology from your naturalists.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Santa Rosalía / Cruising
After breakfast, disembark in Santa Rosalía, established as a French copper mining town in 1884. The French influence remains in the architecture—including a steel church designed by Gustave Eiffel—and the mining facilities have been left intact, with old locomotives and machinery visible throughout. Engage with the city’s culture and cuisine as you walk the streets, stopping in at a world-famous French bakery for a sweet or savory treat. Back on board, take in the desert landscapes and search for a variety of whales as you cruise to your next destination.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Bahía de los Ángeles
Get active this morning with options to hike, kayak, swim, snorkel or beachcomb within the Bahía de los Ángeles Biosphere Reserve. Board Zodiacs to seek out this protected reserve’s diverse marine population, including endangered species such as fin whales, California sea lions and five species of sea turtles. Whale sharks have also historically been known to populate these waters. Later, enjoy a rare opportunity to see one of the strangest plants on earth, the Boojum tree. Sacred to indigenous people, and believed to have supernatural powers, this evolutionary oddity takes its name from a Lewis Carroll poem. Capture the experience with help from your Certified Photography Instructor.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 5-7: Exploring the Midriff Islands / Bahía Loreto Marine Park
The islands of the Midriff region in the northern Gulf of California are favorites among naturalists for their remoteness as well as their exceptional wildlife and birdlife. With nature as your guide, you will actively explore these areas by Zodiac, kayak, paddleboard, snorkeling and hiking. Some of the locations you may visit include:
Isla San Pedro Mártir
This 1,000-foot-high, guano-covered island is home to the world’s largest nesting colonies of blue-footed and brown boobies. The surrounding waters boast 14 species of marine mammals, including fin whales, Bryde’s whales and a resident group of sperm whales.
Isla San Esteban
Featuring volcanic slopes and cliffs, Isla San Esteban is home to spiny-tailed iguana and chuckwallas, cohabitant lizards with fascinating evolutionary traits. As you hike the broad arroyo, keep an eye out for the spiny-tailed iguana feeding on flowers atop cardon cacti, while the chuckwalla dines on the leaves and fruits of low-lying plants.
Isla Rasa
This legendary uninhabited island is less than 0.21 square miles wide and yet is crucial to the survival of two species of seabirds. Historically 95% of the world’s Heermann’s gulls and elegant terns use the island as their nesting grounds, creating a cacophonous avian spectacle seen nowhere else on earth.
Bahía Loreto Marine Park
One of Mexico’s natural treasures, this protected area offers a variety of pristine landscapes and a plethora of marine life. Search for bottlenose and common dolphins, with the possibility of encountering blue or sperm whales.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8-10: Exploring Southern Gulf Islands
Venture south to discover the gems of the southern Gulf. These islands and surrounding waters are celebrated for their conservation stories, marine life and the many thrilling experiences on offer. Some of the locations you may visit or enjoy by Zodiac include:
Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park
Set out to snorkel the pristine reefs of Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, one of the most successful national marine parks in the world. Chat with locals about their advocacy to protect this unique place, including a cessation of fishing to protect the reef.
Isla Espíritu Santo
A national park as well as UNESCO World Heritage Site with volcanic rock formations, scenic beaches and coral reefs. This magical island offers excellent hiking opportunities and crystal-clear waters for snorkeling. It’s a popular destination for researchers monitoring sea turtles.
Los Islotes
Located at the northern tip of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Los Islotes is largely inaccessible to people and home to a large colony of sea lions. Conditions permitting, anchor off the rocky island where you’ll don flippers, a mask and snorkel (which are provided) to swim with these curious inhabitants.
Isla San Jose
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. Discover rare wildlife among desert islands.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: La Paz / Disembark Ship / San José del Cabo
Disembark in La Paz after breakfast and transfer to Los Cabos airport for flights home. You may opt for a post-voyage extension exploring the region’s culture and cuisine.
Meals Included: Breakfast
