Welcome to Baja California Sur!
Today you'll arrive at the airport in San Jose del Cabo where you will be met by your guide. Please go with him/her 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 guide will host a trip briefing, outlining the adventures to come. Overnight at Los Colibris Casitas with an ocean lullaby.
Surfing / Horseback Riding
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 in one of Todos Santos' many fabulous restaurants.
Pacific Bluffs Cliff Walk / Mexican Cooking Class
Glorious scenery, fascinating local history and encounters with strange and wonderful flora and fauna.
Our Pacific bluffs cliff 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!
In the evening we'll have our Mexican Survival Cooking Class with Chef Iker, author of Cooking Adventures in Baja California Sur. First, learn to make a great margarita. Second, pay attention because you have to eat what you make!
Sea of Cortez and Camp Cecil Adventure!
We're off to Isla Espiritu Santo and Camp Cecil today! After breakfast we'll drive the 90 minutes to La Paz, 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!
Whale Sharks!
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.
In the afternoon we'll head back to our lovely La Paz hotel, Hotel Blue. We'll have dinner at a terrific local restaurant and start dreaming of the wondrous possibilities that await us the next day with the gray whales of Magdalena Bay.
Magdalena Bay (Bahia Magdalena) Whale Watching Adventure
Magdalena Bay is the largest wetlands ecosystem on the west coast of Baja and one of the most important in North America. The World Wildlife Fund ranks it as one of the most important coastal habitats in Mexico. The Bay is the prime calving ground for the gray whale, and January to March it is possible to see a large number of whales, including mothers and calves. Magdalena Bay also has mangrove forests, barrier beaches and sand dune islands, all of which contribute to the incredible scenery and biological diversity of the area.
This morning we'll transfer the 4.5 hours to Magdalena Bay, have lunch, then head out onto the water for 3 hours of interacting with the amazing gray whale mothers, babies, young couples and sporting males. We'll have dinner and spend the night in a simple local hotel.
Whale Watching / Transfer to Todos Santos
Things that often happen to us in Magdalena Bay:
- Gray whale mothers bring their babies right up to the boat to say hello
- Gray whale babies present themselves for a good rub or a pat
- Gray whale males sidle along the boat and spout water on us – they clearly think it´s very funny
- Gray whales of all types bring their huge heads out of the water and look us straight in the eye
And that´s just to give you an idea! Today we'll have 3 more hours of interacting with the gray whales then we'll head back to Todos Santos, enjoying a celebratory lunch along the way. Back in Todos Santos we’ll check into our hotel, then enjoy a fabulous farewell dinner at one of the town's many great restaurants.
Say adios but not good-bye. Transfer to airport.
