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.
We enjoyed another amazing sunrise this morning, with the addition of multiple sightings of sperm whales just before breakfast — what a way to start our last day in Baja on National Geographic Venture ! After breakfast we had a landing at Punta Gato, in an area with a lovely long sand beach and incredible sandstone formations, for walks through Baja’s unique desert landscape. A number of guests enjoyed a refreshing dip in the ocean, while others just relaxed on their last landing of the voyage! All afternoon we cruised the rich Sea of Cortez waters looking for more marine life, and we were finally rewarded with a sunset encounter with multiple blue whales, the largest creatures on our wonderful planet. Another perfect day in Baja!
A breathtaking sunrise of pink, gold, and blue greeted the guests of National Geographic Venture upon their arrival at Los Islotes. A small, protected rock of an island, Los Islotes is famous for its colony of playful California sea lions. They more than delivered, with leaping acrobatics and up-close greetings for our snorkelers. Our birders were delighted with several yellow-footed gulls, a peregrine falcon, magnificent frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, Cocos boobies, and of course turkey vultures, all among the rocks of the islands. The bow was filled multiple times as our guests gazed upon the breaching humpbacks along the way to La Paz. And once we arrived, what a tremendous fiesta awaited us! After a rousing cultural dance performance, we crossed the street to the restaurant, which was fully booked just for our guests. What a great way to experience the capital of Baja.
This morning the other half of the world — the half that lives under the sea — came into view through snorkel masks. Damselfish, sergeant majors, Moorish idols and many, many more swam in vast schools or darted between rocks. Cabo Pulmo National Park is a marine paradise. Back in the pangas, wrapped in towels and sharing fish stories, we experienced another natural wonder: a mother humpback whale, and her just-weeks-old calf, slowly swam in front of us. Mom seemed interested in a nap, but her young one rolled over, seemingly wanting to play. Then, to our amazement, a third whale appeared and gave us a full-body breach! Scanning the waters of the Sea of Cortez, we watched gulls, jaegers, and the distant blows of whales. Looking back from the water, we observed a small head, pointy nose, and long whiskers. To our surprise it was a rare animal to find: a Guadelupe fur seal. Staying only a moment, it soon went about its life, leaving us to wonder where it was going next. Lisa Hornak, our National Geographic Certified Photo Instructor, taught us photographic storytelling that helped us see our photos beyond just light and composition. The sun set over the mountains of Baja California Sur, and we glowed as much as it did with the memories of our day.
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!
Our second full day exploring Mexico’s Baja California peninsula was a wonderful one. We spent the morning watching several individual gray whales in the southernmost portion of Magdalena Bay, at a place called Almejas Bay. We followed the whales in the glassy waters and watched as they raised their flukes up in the air before a deeper dive; we even gasped in awe as some breached a couple of times. During lunch National Geographic Venture sailed north and anchored off the oldest settlement in all of Magdalena Bay, a sleepy fishing and tourist village called Puerto Magdalena. We spent the afternoon ashore, hiking and exploring the area, and then came back on board to enjoy a delicious Mexican fiesta dinner, finishing a great day in Baja California.
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.