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.
New
Baja California Discovery: Exploring Mexico’s Gulf of California
Duration
11 days
From
$10,128
Top Highlights
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
Baja California Holiday: A Living Sea and Desert Isles
Duration
8 days
Dec
From
$6,045
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
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.
We awoke to another amazing Baja California sunrise, with the warm glow illuminating the hills of Isla Partida. We took to the water at Los Islotes for a choice of two excellent options, snorkeling and Zodiac cruising. Playful California sea lions were visible both above and below the water, as pelicans and magnificent frigatebirds soared above. After lunch, we landed on the long sandy beach at Bonanza Bay for a shoreline exploration. Many took a nice long independent beach stroll, while others had a nice swim in refreshing waters.
Beautiful sunrise colors reflected off the water as we anchored at Los Gatos, ready for a morning of hiking and snorkeling. Hikers enjoyed cholla and cardon cactus, as well as some beachcombing beneath rainbow-colored layers of ancient sandstone. The beaches were covered in beautiful shells and intriguing sandstone rings. In the afternoon, we moved to the south end of San Jose Island, anchored National Geographic Venture , and took to Zodiacs. We explored a narrow channel leading into a tidal lagoon with egrets, herons, osprey, curlews, ibis, and a sea turtle. The sun dropped low, giving beautiful lighting to the mangroves and the lagoon, a beautiful end to a great day.
Guests aboard National Geographic Venture awoke to glorious sunshine and picturesque sandstone cliffs beside Punta Colorada. The morning’s highlights were a snorkeling trip where pufferfish and sea fans were on full display and Zodiac cruises laden with playful dolphins. A midday sail complete with leaping devil rays and bow riding dolphins brought us to Isla San Jose where we hiked under the afternoon sun.
National Geographic Venture awoke to an encapsulated bubble around us. Most of the morning was spent going in and out of fog, but just before lunch it lifted to reveal a glorious look at common dolphins, hundreds of them. Cameras clicked and whirred as we spent the late morning in the presence of these magnificent cetaceans! While some went snorkeling at Isla Coronados, a few of us went on a Zodiac cruise late this afternoon. We picked up a small pod of about 40 common bottlenose dolphins who played with our Zodiac and kept us all entertained. There were at least three calves with the adults, surfacing right beside their mothers. Truly a Day of the Dolphin!
Today we visited two of the most iconic islands of the Gulf of California and also two of my favorites, San Esteban and San Pedro Martir. On San Esteban we enjoyed the fantastic landscape, desert vegetation, and endemic inhabitants, including the spiny-tailed iguana, whiptails, chuckwallas, and a species of pincushion cactus. For the afternoon activities, National Geographic Venture sailed southbound to San Pedro Martir where our guests and expedition satf explored by Zodiac to discover the amazing geology of the island and its varied inhabitants. Sea lions, thousands of nesting red-billed tropic birds, brown pelicans, blue and cocos boobies, and cormorants were all encountered. It was truly impressive, and in this instance, “A picture is worth a thousand words” couldn’t be more true.
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.