Kayak Coasts & Islands & Whale Watching – Expedition Style

Your adventure begins with a pre-trip orientation with your guides in the afternoon before launch day. We will communicate and coordinate in advance with all guests the time and location for a comfortable outside meeting at a convenient location in town. At this orientation session, our guides will explain the trip logistics in more detail and answer any questions you may have. Afterward, you are free to explore Loreto’s 300+ year old history and enjoy the charming shops and rich selection of restaurants.

Have a hearty breakfast and prepare to check out of your accommodations. Your guides will pick up you and your gear and take possession of your leftover luggage for safekeeping during the week while you are out with us.  After loading our gear and food in our boats at the launch spot, your guides will teach you the basics of kayak safety and ecologically friendly camping. For the first paddle day, it’s off to either Isla Danzante or Isla del Carmen, both of which have excellent camps. We provide high-quality tents, but the lack of rain or bugs makes sleeping under the stars an excellent option. If the weather and logistical conditions are right, your guides will include a whale watch excursion on this day, and you will have the chance to view blue and/or gray whales as they migrate for calving season. If this day does not work for whatever reason, you will have a chance to view whales on the sixth day instead.

When you first wake up to the sound of the waves lapping the shore, and the sight of the sun piercing the horizon, you’ll know your trip has truly begun. On the average, guides allocate 3 to 4 hours a day to traveling by kayak, typically a couple of hours before lunch, and often 1-2 more after lunch, leaving you the rest of the day to explore each campsite. Day 1 will usually be slightly shorter. You can hike the arroyos and desert hillsides discovering the rich flora of the Sonoran desert, take your snorkel gear and marvel at the abundant and exotic marine life in the waters, or learn more about all the area has to offer from the complete natural history library we bring along on every trip. Feel free to ask our guides about Baja’s weather, geography, natural history, or anything else. As locals, they know a lot about the area, and are happy to share their knowledge. They are also good at getting you out of camp and into the water early in the day, when the water tends to be calmer and the paddling more pleasant.

After a day or two exploring the coves, bays, and beaches of the islands, we’ll cross back over to the shores of the peninsula.  The coastal route, with the majestic Giganta mountain range over our right shoulder, offers longer hiking trails that reveal the inland wilderness. Your guides, who know the route well, can show you the hidden secrets of the peninsula, including many areas worth exploring by fin, foot, or paddle.

Depending on the weather and the pace of the trip, we may be ready for a rest/layover day. You can try your hand at line fishing for triggerfish, pargo, or cabrilla, from which your guides will make a delicious fresh ceviche.  Enjoy a guided nature walk in the desert to learn about our rich local flora and fauna. There is also plenty of time for more paddling and snorkeling for those that wish to explore more.

Around the fifth day, you will camp near a small island hot spring that can be visited by wading across a sand spit at low tide. If the weather permits, you can soak in the warm mineral water, letting your muscles and mind relax after active days of paddling your kayak down the Gulf of California. There are small local ranches in the area, and our guides have known these families for many years. Depending on the family’s presence, and what is going on in their lives that week, we will sometimes have an opportunity to visit, and share a glimpse of this special, remote, and self-sufficient lifestyle.

There’s time for one early morning paddle into the sunrise, and by mid-morning it’s time to load up and head back. Our van arrives at the take-out to bring everyone back to town. We’ll experience a beautiful rugged and dramatic drive up from the coast into and through the majestic Giganta mountain range, as we work our way back north towards Loreto. If your guides have not provided a whale-watching excursion yet, this is the day they will try to do so. While it’s possible that at this time of year you will encounter whales in the natural course of your week of paddling, the fact of mating season and the special excursion will make it a near certainty that you get to see whales during your trip. If we head over to Magdalena Bay this morning, you will be dropped off at the hotel of your choice in Loreto and reunited with your personal luggage in the afternoon.

This morning, you’ll enjoy exploring our warm and magical pueblo of Loreto on your own time. Perhaps enjoy a delicious breakfast of huevos rancheros and fresh local fruit juices at one of the many outside cafes.  Don’t miss visiting the 300+ year old Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto and her museum right off the central plaza. Most flights home are midday or later, so you’ll have plenty of time for discoveries and creating a list of things to see and do on your next visit.

For now, it is not goodbye…but rather hasta pronto!