Welcome to Baja California Sur!
Today you'll arrive at the airport in San Jose del Cabo (please see INFORMATION page for arrival details and procedures) where you will be met by your guides for the 90 minute transfer to Todos Santos and Los Colibris Casitas. Upon arrival we'll get you get settled into your lovely rooms with beautiful ocean views, then we'll have a gourmet taco welcome dinner on the Los Colibris grounds at Iker's Colibris Cafe. During dinner your guides will host a trip briefing, outlining the adventures to come. Overnight at Los Colibris Casitas with an ocean lullaby.
Horseback Riding / Surfing
Todos Santos boasts 70 miles of beautiful beaches, a perfect spot for a morning horseback ride along the waves. We'll have lunch at a terrific local joint, then it's off to ride the waves at Los Cerritos, one of the best surf breaks in Baja. Our instructors guarantee that you'll stand up on your board - at least for a moment - during your hour of instruction. It's a total blast!
This evening we'll have dinner at one of the town's many great eateries.
Pacific Bluffs Cliff Walk / Mexican Cooking Class
We’ll continue our adventure today with a Pacific bluffs walk along the rugged Todos Santos coastline. This walk starts at Punta Lobos, the sweeping Pacific beach where the local fishermen of Todos Santos launch their boats each morning and bring in the daily catch each afternoon. A quick walk up the hill brings us to breath-taking views of a different kind of coastline, with dramatic rocky outcroppings and crashing surf. We´re likely to spot whales from this high vantage point during several months of the year.
Throughout the walk we´ll have the stunning combination of desert landscape running to the sea. We´ll pass an active sea lion colony, as well as the ruins of the shipping port Los Algodones. Your guide will offer in-depth commentary on the terrific variety of flora and fauna you see, as well as the history of the area from the human perspective. After about 3.5 hours of walking we´ll arrive at the idyllic beach of San Pedro where a picnic lunch will be waiting. San Pedro features a beautiful marsh filled with bird life and a protective cove ringed by towering palms. Here we´ll eat, relax, sunbathe, swim, read - just enjoy the bliss of being in Baja!
This walk includes a 600-foot elevation gain at the beginning, hiking over loose, uneven terrain, and some bouldering.
This evening chef Iker Algorri, author of Cooking Adventures in Baja California Sur and chef-in-residence at Los Colibris Casitas, will share some of his secrets in this wonderful Mexican Survival Cooking Class. The emphasis is on having as much fun as humanly possible, learning to make the perfect margarita, and gaining the skill to make some truly memorable Mexican dishes following Chef Iker’s cooking philosophy, the Magnificence of Simplicity. You’ll also probably learn about some great Latin music you’ve never heard before. But be warned – dancing often known to follow!
Camp Cecil and Sea of Cortez Adventures!
We're off to Isla Espiritu Santo and Camp Cecil today! After breakfast we'll go to our bodega to get snorkeling gear and wet suits, then it's on to the boats and out into the Sea of Cortez!
Camp Cecil is on Isla Espiritu Santo which is in a National Marine Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the best marine life viewing destinations in the world. Whales, dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and plenty of beautiful tropical fish call the surrounding waters home, while a terrific range of bird species including Blue-footed Boobies, Reddish Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Yellow-footed Gulls frequent the island’s skies and shores. The island itself is stunning, with magnificent towering cliffs, spectacular sandy bays, amazing lava rock formations, and rock art left by the now-extinct Guaycura and Pericu Indians. There’s even an endemic ring-tailed cat, the babisuri. It’s a remarkable place to explore. We’ll spend the days doing exactly what pleases us - kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, swimming with sea lions, stand up paddle boarding, bird watching, and exploring hidden lagoons and desert beaches. Hanging around doing nothing, reading trashy novels and sipping margaritas also highly encouraged.
More island bliss - who know what adventures the day may bring! Perhaps paddle board with sea turtles, or snorkel with sea lions, maybe spot some whales, or dance with some Blue-footed Boobies. Whatever surprises the day may hold, you can be sure that it will also include magnificent food and drink!
Today we'll depart from Camp Cecil and head for one of the most amazing experiences yet - swimming with the largest fish in the world - the whale shark! Of course, you may be asking yourself: is it a whale or is it a shark? Hint: whales are mammals and sharks are fish. These gentle giants feed on plankton in the Bay of La Paz (so all human flesh is safe), and it is here that we have the remarkable experience of observing and swimming with them.
We'll spend our last afternoon enjoying the town of La Paz, then have our farewell dinner at the wonderful Tres Virgenes restaurant. A great celebration of a wonderful trip!
Say adios but not good-bye! Transfer to airport.
