small ship adventure cruises®Baja California
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small ship adventure cruises®
8 day / 7 night —
Round Trip Loreto, Mexico
From: $7,240
On this 8-day A Living Sea and Desert Isles cruise aboard the 100-passenger National Geographic Venture,” transport your holiday traditions to Baja California for a spectacular celebration of wildness.
With a flexible itinerary, rely on our expert staff to follow the seasonal movements of migrating birds and feeding whales ensuring excellent wildlife sightings. Hike forests of giant cacti, snorkel with sea lions, and discover rare wildlife among desert islands.
Designated by UNESCO as a marine world heritage site and dubbed “the world’s aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau, the waters and islands of the Sea of Cortez are places of legendary biodiversity. This is an expedition of pure discovery, sailing to islands that lie in close proximity to the peninsula but have a palpable feel of rugged isolation. This geographic isolation is the major contributing factor to the long list of endemic plants and animals. And the seas, roiling with productivity, beckon whales—this is, arguably, the best time and place in the world to see a vast variety of whale species plus massive pods of dolphins, leaping Mobula rays, and seabirds.
Hike along shores of smooth red rock and through a forest of towering cacti. Armed with a flexible itinerary and 40 years of knowledge of the places where whales, dolphins, and seabirds congregate, we’ll go where conditions are best to get close to the region’s epic wildness. Hike desert dunes. Zodiac, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard along the shore. Put yourself in the best place on Earth to see a great variety of whales. Each day join a different naturalist as you choose; there are no assigned groups.
Arrive into Loreto by early afternoon and transfer to National Geographic Venture to set sail at sunset.
Meals Included: Dinner
Writer and longtime Lindblad naturalist Stewart Aitchison refers to this sliver of the Pacific Ocean as the Vermillion Sea, and notes it is “a romantic name that conjures up visions of fiery sunsets, leaping dolphins, and deserted beaches.” It is all this and so much more. Our routing is designed with flexibility in mind to maximize opportunities for wildlife sightings. It most likely includes the islands and activities listed below, although the order may vary.
Walk up a desert wash to search for desert songbirds such as the handsome black-throated sparrow, listen for the cascading song of the canyon wren, and search for the endemic pinto chuckwalla—a plump, harmless desert lizard. Later, visit Isla San Pedro Mártir, a 1,000-foot-high guano-covered island that is home to thousands of seabirds: brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds, Brandt’s cormorants, and California sea lions.
At Isla San Marcos there is a beautiful shoreline for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. In the afternoon we are again in rich waters, near the mouth of Bahía Concepción. Here we are on the lookout for pods of dolphins—common and bottlenose dolphins are the most frequently encountered species. With luck these beautiful animals may join us as we go, riding the bow wave, sometimes twisting and turning, and sometimes leaping from the water.
One of the larger islands in the Gulf of California, San José offers several landing possibilities depending on conditions and the whim of the moment. Photograph the ochre cliffs of the island’s eastern shore, hike an enchanted, cactus-laden arroyo, or visit the abandoned salt works to the west. Snorkel with sea lions and discover rare wildlife among desert islands.
This morning we search for marine life in the waters south of Isla Carmen, an area offering the possibility of encountering fin whales, which researchers have recently concluded may be part of a resident population. Bottlenose and common dolphins are frequently encountered. In the afternoon we visit one of the islands of Bahía Loreto Marine Park, with ample time for kayaking, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, and possibly hiking. In the evening, enjoy a beach barbecue under the desert sky.
At Los Islotes, don flippers, a mask, and snorkel (which we gladly provide) and swim with curious sea lions. We have a leisurely afternoon to swim, kayak, or hike at Isla San Francisco. Look skyward for yellow-footed gulls, brown pelicans, and blue-footed boobies.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Disembark and explore Loreto, where we will have the opportunity to visit the first mission in Baja California, as well as the nearby museum to learn more about what makes this town so special. Enjoy free time to explore quaint shops and vibrant side streets. After lunch, transfer to Loreto Airport for flights home.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Please note: All day-by-day breakdowns are a sampling of the places we intend to visit, conditions permitting.
| Dates | Cat. 1 | Cat. 2 | Cat. 3 | Cat. 4 | Cat. 5 | Single 1 | Single 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, April 10, 2023 | $7,020 | $7,730 | $8,250 | $9,130 | $10,070 | $10,500 | $11,510 |
| Wednesday, December 20, 2023 | $7,380 | $8,110 | $8,660 | $9,590 | $10,580 | $11,030 | $12,090 |
| Wednesday, December 27, 2023 | $7,240 | $7,950 | $8,500 | $9,400 | $10,380 | $10,820 | $11,860 |
| Saturday, December 14, 2024 | $6,990 | $7,730 | $8,250 | $9,130 | $10,070 | $10,500 | $11,510 |
| Saturday, December 21, 2024 | $7,240 | $7,950 | $8,500 | $9,400 | $10,380 | $10,820 | $11,860 |
| Saturday, December 28, 2024 | $7,240 | $7,950 | $8,500 | $9,400 | $10,380 | $10,820 | $11,860 |
The 100-guest National Geographic Venture is modern, cleaned-lined, with large expanses of glass to keep you connected to the extraordinary views. She has dual boarding platforms, enabling our team to load two Zodiacs at once means guests get off ship quickly, to take advantage of wildlife sightings and maximize exploring time.
More information on the National Geographic Venture …
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