With its pristine coastlines and vivid sea life, Baja California offers spectacular untamed wilderness. Sail aboard our nimble fleet into the biodiverse waters of the Gulf of California, home to more than a third of the world’s marine life. Enjoy thrilling opportunities for up-close encounters with gray whales and their curious calves on panga excursions in birthing lagoons. Spend days discovering vibrant marine life as you snorkel among playful sea lions 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.
Gray whales have the longest migration of any mammal, traveling 6,000 miles to and from Baja California where we encounter them in their birthing lagoons on the outer coast.
Baja California Holiday: A Living Sea and Desert Isles
Duration
8 days
Dec
From
$7,056
Top 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
Experience pristine desert landscapes and abundant wildlife
Board local pangas to get up-close views of gray whale mothers and their growing calves as they prepare for their journey back to Arctic feeding grounds
Kayak clear blue waters to search for wildlife, including magnificent frigatebirds, and investigate the intricacies of the shoreline
Board local pangas to encounter California gray whales and their newborn calves up close in lagoons, and witness breaching humpbacks from the bow of our ship, or on Zodiac excursions
Hike desert islands and sculpted sand dunes, and look for a variety of wildlife
Snorkel with sea lions (conditions permitting) and search for superpods of dolphins amid the pristine coral reefs of Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park
Sail among pristine islands in search of rare endemic creatures. Encounter whales, possibly up close, for an experience that will never leave you. Snorkel with playful sea lions. Hike up arroyos blooming with life and discover medicinal plants. Get a slice of life in rural Baja towns. Kayak, hike, stand-up paddleboard, snorkel, and actively explore this incredible playground of wildness.
One of the most rewarding sights on an expedition is witnessing the gleam of discovery in a child’s eyes, whether they’re hiking desert islands or snorkeling with sea lions. Moments like these are abundant in Baja California—and they’re especially meaningful when complemented with the learning opportunities offered through our exclusive National Geographic Global Explorers Program for kids and teens 18 and under.
Henry David Thoreau called it the "tonic of wildness." It’s what Baja California, with its beauty and wildness intact, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, add the luxury of comfort to the privilege of being here—with a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
This Epic Baja Cruise Includes Ocean Kayaking, Beach Biking, and Whale Watching
Watching grey whales is an experience of a lifetime—and one of the best places to see them is off the coast of Baja California Sur. Read Travel + Leisure magazine's report from National Geographic Sea Bird in Baja California.
Exploring the Sea of Cortez by water alone would make for an incomplete trip. On land, an equally spectacular sort of enchantment awaits if one knows where to look.
The planet’s largest creatures, whales spend the better part of their lives deeply submersed in their private watery world. But in Baja California, it’s a different story. There, in the warm protected lagoons, gray whales are equally curious about us as we are of them.
Thrilling Encounters: Wild Life in the Sea of Cortez
Lindblad has been taking guests to Baja California, a UNESCO World Heritage Marine Site that Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s aquarium,” for 40 years. Naturalists have deep knowledge of wildlife habits and ship captains have the freedom to position vessels to maximize wildlife viewing.
As one whale spouts in the distance, another spyhops up to take a look around, and yet another might breathe right behind you. You are afraid to turn in another direction because you might miss something. It is immensely exciting because there is so much going on!
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades. Go with an expedition leader, naturalists, and more.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Naturalist
Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
Undersea Specialist
Undersea specialists are your eyes on the world that lies beneath the waves. Using an array of tools, including a high-definition camera, our Cousteau-like undersea specialist dives frequently during the voyage to show you strikingly clear images of the seldom-seen world beneath the ship.
Certified Photo Instructor
Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings, the basics of composition, and more tools and tips to help you become a better, more confident photographer.
The whale sightings were fantastic. Touching the gray whales was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Connie C.
Making a Difference
Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Baja California currently support the Gulf of California Conservation Fund in its efforts to facilitate conservation and research projects across the region.
After a gorgeous sunrise in Magdalena Bay, our guests disembarked National Geographic Venture to explore Punta Belcher on Isla Magdalena, one of the barrier islands that protects the bay. We set out with our natural history staff on various walks: birding, photography, beachcombing, and some walked up the hillside identifying desert plants along the way. Back on board, the guests had a wonderful lunch followed by a series of informative and engaging lectures as we sailed through La Entrada, the mouth of Magdalena Bay, and headed south to continue our journey. Our afternoon at sea included a talk by Adrian Cerda called, “Ghosts of the Dunes” on coyotes, and Marylou Blakeslee spoke about the ecology of Baja. We topped it off with a fun cocktail hour and recap, another fabulous dinner, and an evening presentation by Steve Backus on desert adaptations titled, “Beating the Heat.” What a fantastic and educational day!
We awoke to a gentle breeze as National Geographic Venture lifted anchor and set out to sea. As the sun crested the mountains, seabirds departed their roosts to feed on the morning’s bounty. In our time offshore, hundreds of dolphins paid us a visit while grey and humpback whales passed us by. For the afternoon, we set out to get up-close experiences with the marine life. Being in a small boat with our local Mexican guides was a great experience as they navigated the shallow waters of Bahia Almejas and provided us with amazing views of multiple gray whales. With a wonderful first day behind us, we look forward to what tomorrow brings.
Closing out our last day of this amazing voyage, we returned to Bahia Almejas for another session with the gray whales. Once again it did not disappoint, as we were surrounded by gorgeous spyhopping gray whales. After lunch our guests had the opportunity to enjoy kayaks and hikes at Punta Belcher. After our beach time we enjoyed the music of Los Coyotes, followed by our fiesta dinner, and finally the guest slide show to close out the week. An unbelievable journey!
At the break of dawn, National Geographic Venture weighed anchor at the northern end of Margarita Island and cruised south, enjoying an amazing sunrise. Today’s destination was Bahia Almejas, where after breakfast we boarded local pangas to get close views of gray whales showing off their spyhopping prowess. One whale even did a full spin for us, very close to our boat!! After getting up-close-and-personal with many whales, we changed course and headed to the sandy point and nearby mangroves; there we observed brown pelicans, double-crested and Brandt’s cormorants, and yellow-footed gulls. It was an epic whale watching and birding session, with many amazing pictures taken for our slideshow. Back on board we were treated to an interesting talk about coyote research from Adrian Cerda, and a fun trivia team challenge from our naturalist Luke. The day ended with cocktail hour, fun recaps, an amazing meal, and finally stories from Carlos Navarro about his 30 years of adventures in the Gulf of California. It was another epic Lindblad day!!
After a nocturnal navigation along the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula from the Los Cabos area, National Geographic Venture reached Magdalena Bay, our final destination of the expedition. While navigating this morning, our guests and staff observed the profile of Margarita Island, which flanks the southern section of Almejas Bay. Along the way, we found several humpback whales breeching and travelling to their breeding grounds. We also observed long-beaked common dolphins and sea birds taking part in a feeding frenzy. By noon, the ship entered Magdalena Bay, and we felt the quietness of this coastal lagoon. Later, our guests had the opportunity of walking on the dunes of Magdalena Island, reaching the Pacific side, and had the privilege of watching their elusive inhabitants, including sea and shore birds, a suite of wadders, and a couple of coyotes! Our Global Explorers, led by Naturalist Mauro Butron, had the chance to discover the mangroves, sand dunes, and other wonders of this impressive environment.
Baja California is arguably the best place in the world to see whales in good conditions—humpback, gray, fin, blue, pilot—to name the most likely.