Baja California Holiday: A Living Sea and Desert Isles

8 Days

Overview

DEPARTURES: DEC
From: AU$10,080

STYLE: LUXURY/EXPEDITION

Days: 8
Country: MEXICO

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.

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ITINERARY SUMMARY

DAY 1 LORETO, MEXICO

Arrive in Loreto, a picturesque gulfside town dotted with spanish colonial architecture. Transfer to the National Geographic Venture to set sail at sunset.

DAYS 5 – 7 CABO PULMO / LOS ISLOTES

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. Your route 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 blue-footed boobies.

 

Isla San Marcos

At Isla San Marcos there is a beautiful shoreline for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. In the afternoon you’ll again be in rich waters near the mouth of Bahía Concepción. Be on the lookout for pods of dolphins—common and bottlenose dolphins are the most frequently encountered species. With luck these beautiful animals may follow the ship, 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

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, 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 are provided) and swim with curious sea lions. In the afternoon, swim, kayak or hike at Isla San Francisco. Look skyward for yellow-footed gulls, brown pelicans and blue-footed boobies.

DAY 8 LORETO

After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to the Loreto airport for flights home.

Call us today 1300 784 794

 

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