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
$7,944
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.
Today we traveled to the northern-most destination of our journey, the island of Angel de la Guarda. The largest island in the Gulf of California, it is found just offshore of Bahia de Los Angeles. We spent the day in the anchorage El Refugio, which provided us with flat glassy seas on which to explore. In the morning, we kayaked and paddle boarded from a sandy beach, navigating around rocky points, spying on schools of fish, rays, and starfish from above. We then boarded Zodiacs and went for guided tours around smaller islets looking for wildlife. And find it we did! CA sea lions barked and frolicked and chased our boats. We were even lucky enough to see a male northern elephant seal, which is a rare sight in the gulf. Ospreys soared overhead and a peregrine falcon could be seen in a nest. After lunch we headed back to shore where we set off on desert hikes. Here we walked over open land dotted with giant cardon and cholla cacti and hillsides populated with elephant trees with various lizards scurrying about. It was a lovely day full of life.
We spent the gorgeous morning exploring the town of Santa Rosalia, very prominent in the 1900’s as a French established copper mining town. The French company La Compania El Boleo leased the land from the Mexican government in 1855, and even though the mine closed in 1985, they created the small, bustling town we know today. We enjoyed exploring the town, local church, and museum. Guests also had the opportunity to enjoy local pastries and ice cream in the warm Baja California sunshine. We set sail at lunch and began to make our way up north toward the mid islands, encountering many seabirds, jellyfish, and stunning views along the way. After dinner we took advantage of the dark night sky, stargazing on the bow with Naturalist Dan Olsen.
With the warm welcome of Loreto trailing our wake, we arose to our Baja California ad-Venture with a classically Cortéz-ian sunrise. Fiery light illuminated brown pelicans, Cocos boobies, Heermann’s and Bonaparte’s gulls while a pod of common dolphins raced to catch up to the stretch class. Rounding Isla San Ildefonso a mysterious splash revealed an unidentified shark concluding a kill near the surface beneath a buzzing horde of endemic yellow-footed gulls. Copious gelatinous animals—jellyfish, siphonophores, and comb jellies—streamed by as we rounded the corner into Bahía Concepcíon. A delicious meal while anchoring opened the floodgates to our first seaside activities on a rising tide, with some cruising in Zodiacs and others walking the shoreline amidst the mangrove’s oyster-soaked, soaring stems. Ospreys, least sandpipers, and swallows joined in the bio blitz while Cortez stingrays, flatworms, and giant Pinna mussels rounded out the intertidal explorations. Tonight, we sail northward. The Baja blast has just begun!
Our final day of this amazing journey in Baja California was spent at Puerto Los Gatos on the Baja California Peninsula and cruising north to Loreto. Today was magically calm so we took full advantage and dropped the kayaks and paddleboards one last time! This bay was such a great place to spend the morning, and the water was refreshing enough to take a fall off the paddleboards and enjoy a swim. We had wonderful wildlife encounters, including five species of whales, lots of mobula rays, a few unidentified pinnipeds, and my personal favorite was a breaching thresher shark! We also went looking for small invertebrates on an intertidal walk where we discovered a tide pool full of snails and krill! Today was a great end to an amazing trip!
We awoke navigating on the Cerralvo Canal, between Cerralvo Island and the peninsula, searching for wildlife. We were not disappointed, as two different pods of common dolphins came to visit and bow ride with us for a long time. After lunch, we anchored at Pichilingue Port and disembarked the vessel to visit the capital city of Baja California Sur, La Paz, where we had the chance to interact with the locals in some of the most popular places, like La Fuente, a traditional ice cream parlor, and the Jardin Velasco in downtown. Then guests enjoyed a fiesta, dinner, and returned on board National Geographic Venture .
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.