Baja California Expeditions

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February 10, 2022

Boca de Soledad, Baja California Sur

25.29° S -112.129° E

Berit Solstad, Naturalist

Starting in 2023, we are pleased to offer complimentary beer & wine aboard National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Sea Bird, and National Geographic Sea Lion. See our new Free Bar Policy under special offers for details.

Go Remote Next Holiday Season

This year skip the Nutcracker in favor of a different kind of ballet. In a place Jacques Cousteau dubbed “the world's aquarium,” you’ll have a front-row seat to an unforgettable performance: pods of bow-riding dolphins, acrobatic sea lions, and graceful mobula rays leaping out of the water. And after each thrilling day there’s one last encore—a spectacular golden hour that lights up the desert landscape, changing colors until the sun slips behind the horizon and a curtain of stars envelops the night sky.

Departing Dec. 20 & 27, 2023. Get there with airfare, solo, or group savings.

Celebrate in the Vermillion Sea

‘Coastal Baja California is a natural paradise largely devoid of development, and the remarkably rich sea teems with life. I first discovered it in 1977 and it’s been a love affair ever since.’ —Sven Lindblad, Founder

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Baja California

California Coast

A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islands to Baja California

Special Offers

Duration

12 days

Dec

From

$8,330

Prices are per person

Special Offers (3)

Highlights

Baja California

California Coast

A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islands to Baja California

Duration

12 days

Dec

From

$8,330

Top Highlights

Discover the incredible biodiversity of Channel Islands National Park, home to over 2,000 species including 145 endemics.
Go behind the scenes and enjoy a private lunch at a boutique vineyard in the world-renowned Valle de Guadalupe.
Explore the waters and experience the wildlife of peninsular Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve; meet the fishermen of Isla Natividad’s model fishing co-op.
Observe breaching humpbacks and acrobatic dolphins from the bow of a small ship.
Snorkel in Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, the only hard coral reef in North America; featuring over 220 species of fish.

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Special Offers

FREE BAR POLICY
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
$600 AIR CREDIT

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Baja California

Baja California: A Remarkable Journey

Special Offers

Duration

15 days

Mar
Apr

From

$12,240

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Baja California

Baja California: A Remarkable Journey

Duration

15 days

Mar
Apr

From

$12,240

Top Highlights

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.
Snorkel the living sea: observe large schools of vibrantly colored fish, swim among playful sea lions, and much more.
With more time for adventure, rely on your expedition leader to take you where wildlife will be at its best—including the remote oceanic island of San Pedro Mártir with clouds of nesting seabirds and crowds of sea lions onshore, and expanses of sea where huge pods of dolphins gather.

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Special Offers

FREE BAR POLICY

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Baja California

Baja California: Among the Great Whales

Special Offers

Duration

8 days

Jan
Feb
Mar

From

$6,930

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Baja California

Baja California: Among the Great Whales

Duration

8 days

Jan
Feb
Mar

From

$6,930

Top Highlights

See Gray whales and their newborn calves up close in lagoons, and witness breaching humpbacks from the bow of our ship, or on Zodiac excursions
Snorkel amidst the vibrant sea life and pristine coral reefs of Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, a conservation success story
Hike desert islands and sculpted sand dunes, and witness a variety of desert flora and fauna
Conditions permitting, swim with playful sea lions at Los Islotes
Get steeped in culture walking the quaint maze of streets and sun-drenched promenades in lively La Paz

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Special Offers

FREE BAR POLICY

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Baja California

Exploring the Gulf of California: A Living Sea & Desert Isles

Special Offers

Duration

8 days

Apr
Dec

From

$7,020

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Baja California

Exploring the Gulf of California: A Living Sea & Desert Isles

Duration

8 days

Apr
Dec

From

$7,020

Top Highlights

Search for large pods of dolphins and a variety of marine wildlife including sea lions and, with luck, leaping mobula rays, which flap for a moment before belly-flopping back in the water
Explore water-level caves by kayak, hike uninhabited beaches, and snorkel among fish and acrobatic sea lions
Photograph the landscape as the light changes and the golden hour approaches, with its deep red hues that seem to engulf the desert environment
Conditions permitting, visit Isla Rasa. Composed of Pleistocene and Holocene basalt lava flows, this is where 90 percent of the world’s Heermann’s gulls and a large population of elegant terns come to breed
Visit the old mining town of Santa Rosalia, with its wooden homes and historic steel church, designed by Gustave Eiffel

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Special Offers

SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS

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Baja California

Wild Baja California Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

Special Offers

Duration

6 days

Jan
Feb
Mar

From

$4,040

Prices are per person

Special Offers (2)

Highlights

Baja California

Wild Baja California Escape: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

Duration

6 days

Jan
Feb
Mar

From

$4,040

Top Highlights

Live among gigantic gray whale mothers and their calves in the nursery waters of Bahía Magdalena. See them from the ship and local pangas, delighting in up-close encounters
Kayak and paddleboard stunning mangroves, or beachcomb along endless beaches
Explore diverse landscapes; fat-tire bike along desert island terrain
Scan the skies for bird species, from diving pelicans to magnificent frigatebirds

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Special Offers

$500 AIR CREDIT
COMPLIMENTARY PRE-VOYAGE HOTEL STAY

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Expedition Highlights

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.

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Life Aboard

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.

Surprising Desert Isles in the Sea of Cortez

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 History & Mystery of Baja’s Gray Whales

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.

Discover

Discover Baja California

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!

Kelly Coursey Gray, Naturalist, February 14, 2022

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Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

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FAQs

FAQs and key information

From climate conditions to water temperature to packing the right footwear, find answers to the questions Expedition Specialists get most often.

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.

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Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

3/10/2023

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Sand Dollar Beach

Our day was amazing! Take a look at our photos and read the captions to learn more.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/9/2023

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur

We started the morning with a magnificent full moon. According to a pre-Hispanic legend, one day Priestess Coatlicue (Maternal Earth deity) was sweeping her shrine when a ball of hummingbird feathers fell from the sky. She snatched them up, placed them at her waist, and became pregnant with the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. Her pregnancy embarrassed her other children, including her eldest daughter, Coyolxauhqui, who decided to kill Coatlicue with her brothers, the Centzon Huitzinahuas. Miraculously, when Coatlicue gave birth to Huitzilopochtli, he was grown and armed. He beheaded Coyolxauhqui and tossed her head in the sky. Her head became the moon, and her brothers became the stars. After a beautiful sunrise, we went in search of gray whales near Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, a quite village to the north of Magdalena Bay. We encountered cows training their calves to migrate to their feeding grounds in Alaska. The 9,000-mile voyage will last at least two months. On the way to Boca de la Soledad, we visited a marsh where magnificent frigatebirds nest among other species. We concluded our day with cocktails and dinner by the gorgeous dunes of Magdalena Island.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/9/2023

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National Geographic Venture

Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Baja California Sur

The day began with a lovely stretch class led by our wellness specialist as the sun rose over Bahia Magdalena. National Geographic Venture made its way into Puerto San Carlos, and we watched pelicans swoop and dive near the shore. After a hearty breakfast, we loaded into buses and made our way to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos. The plaza at the docks is always a festive, colorful place, and we were greeted by Mexican music and traditional dancers. One couldn’t help but dance. Excited, we loaded into the pangas of local, certified whale watching guides and set out toward the mouth of Boca de Soledad. On our way, we slowly passed by the mangroves that play such an important role in the immense amount of life found within Bahia Magdalena. Magnificent frigatebirds roosted in the upper branches while double-crested cormorants were seen diving and fishing in the shadows of the trees. We headed out farther into the bay and began to see blows. Several adult gray whales and a few cow/calf pairs dove and logged and blew and swam in the vicinity of our pangas for the rest of the morning…some off in the distance and some close enough to cover our glasses with spray. It was such a special experience to be in this part of the bay where so many pregnant whales come to give birth. All that whale watching caused us to work up an appetite. We went to a restaurant for a delicious, authentic Mexican meal while Los Coyotes, a musical group, serenaded us with traditional tunes. Full and happy, we returned to the plaza to ready ourselves for our afternoon whale watching tours. It’s amazing how much difference just a few hours can make while observing nature. On this trip, we saw less whales, but those we saw came much closer to the boats. The trip ended perfectly with around ten bottlenose dolphins playing across the bow. We returned to National Geographic Venture with great stories and great recaps from our staff to remind us of all the beauty we witnessed that day.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/8/2023

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National Geographic Sea Bird

El Barril and Puerto López Mateos

The day dawned overcast and cool, but it soon warmed up and turned partly sunny. These were perfect conditions for our morning operations. We started with kayaking and standup paddleboarding, followed by Zodiac cruising. Both activities took place in the mangroves of El Barril (‘The Barrel’). We saw several species of birds and learned about the often neglected and abused mangrove ecosystem, which is tremendously important to coastal communities and areas. We returned to National Geographic Sea Bird for lunch. While eating, we weighed anchor and began sailing through the ‘unnavigable’ Canal de Soledad under the expert guidance of Sergio, a third-generation local pilot. National Geographic Sea Bird is the only vessel that can navigate the treacherous and shallow canal because of the ship’s small size/draft and the fact that Sergio annually charts the safest passage. The canal is a hotspot for birds as well as bottlenose dolphins; some of the dolphins briefly ‘surfed’ our bow wave. Just after emerging from the shallowest portion of the canal, we saw a breaching gray whale. Later, we determined the whale to be a mom with a small calf alongside her. We arrived at our anchorage near Puerto López Mateos and went ashore to explore the beautiful beaches and sand dunes of Isla Magdalena. Some of us walked along the dunes, while others walked inland to view the Pacific Ocean. Dinner followed the traditional recap. Afterwards, we were entertained by The Desert Flowers, a trio of enthusiastic dancers from Puerto López Mateos. The music and dancing were infectious and joyous, inspiring many to join the festivities! It was another excellent day of activities, wildlife, and exuberant culture! More to come tomorrow.

Daily Expedition Reports

3/8/2023

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National Geographic Venture

Magdalena Bay

Last night, we rounded the cape that forms the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and began making our way north through the open waters of the Pacific towards Magdalena Bay. The norteño winds were blowing, and the sea conditions were quite different from the flat, glassy waters we experienced earlier in the week. After breakfast, as National Geographic Venture advanced over the swells, a masked booby flew alongside us for several minutes, affording us excellent views of this beautiful seabird. Over a third of our guests this week are part of a group organized by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and this morning we enjoyed talks from two TNC guest presenters. Tom Dempsey’s talk, “Building Ocean Conservation Solutions for Scale,” focused on actions his team is taking to reduce two different types of adverse human impacts on whales – entanglements in fishing gear and ship strikes. TNC has partnered with fishing communities along the California Coast to create a robust recovery system for lost crab fishing gear, the loose vertical lines of which are one of the more common entanglement threats to whales. Containerships striking whales are often an invisible cause of whale mortality, and Tom also described his team’s vision to bring a “whale safe shipping” certification to the international container shipping industry. Having such a standard would recognize compliance with ship routes and speed restrictions and would allow merchandisers to apply market pressure to reward good behavior. Soon after Tom finished fielding questions from guests, the expedition leader made an exciting announcement over the ship’s public address system: a killer whale had been sighted near the ship! National Geographic Venture slowed down and turned around to allow guests to come out to the bow to enjoy this sighting. The very tall, angular dorsal fin was indicative of an adult male killer whale, and it stayed near us for some time. Our position at the time was just offshore of the southern tip of Isla Margarita, near the Rehusa Channel, which forms the southernmost entrance to Magdalena Bay. Although gray whale calves and their highly protective mothers are inside the shallow waters of the bay, killer whales very rarely enter Baja California’s gray whale lagoons. Although we don’t fully understand why, our naturalists shared theories of why this might be. Once we got underway again, TNC’s Frank Hurd shared a great talk titled, “Sustainability through Partnership – Working with Fishing Communities to Ensure a Better Future for Marine Ecosystems & Everyone that Depends on Them.” Frank has worked closely with local fishing communities here in Baja California Sur and has helped them use scientific tools to create size limit restrictions that can protect their marine resources and future livelihoods. As we witnessed yesterday in Cabo Pulmo, the key elements to efforts like this being successful are initiation and ownership of regulations from within the community. TNC and its partners are working in many other geographies around the world to scale this community-driven, relationship-based approach to marine conservation. Over lunch in the dining room, we breathed a sigh of relief as National Geographic Venture passed through La Entrada, the principal opening of Magdalena Bay to the Pacific. The seas calmed as we entered protected waters and saw our first gray whales of the trip. We enjoyed a presentation from naturalist Rich Kirchner on the “Birds of Baja” before anchoring just offshore of one of the narrowest parts of Isla Magdalena. Excited to stretch our legs and explore this new environment, we loaded Zodiacs to shuttle guests to the beach. In front of us, a sweeping expanse of barchan dunes formed an isthmus connecting Isla Magdalena’s rugged mountains of metamorphic rock to our south and north. These rocks are exotic terranes, accreted onto the edge of the continental plate millions of years ago. Ocean currents then deposited huge quantities of sand in this area, and these rocky outcrops were connected by dunes to form the barrier islands that separate Magdalena Bay from the open Pacific. We broke into smaller, naturalist-led groups to explore this spectacular landscape of shifting sands. We saw shell middens left behind by inhabitants of this area thousands of years ago, fine grains of powdery sand blowing and cascading over the crescent-shaped dunes, succulents that are slowly managing to stabilize their dynamic environment, tracks of kangaroo rats, lizards, foxes, and coyotes, interesting plants such as satiny locoweed and Magdalena twinevine, and a loggerhead shrike perched atop an island of desert thorn. We crested the dunes and took in the sweeping views of Sand Dollar Beach and the waves of the open Pacific with all our senses. Now it was time to beachcomb! In addition to hundreds of sand dollar skeletons – and a few sand dollars that were still alive – we found an abundance of sea turtle ribs, crabs, bird skeletons, and shells left behind by mollusks such as cockles, scallops, and pen oysters…and much, much more. Exhilarated by the beauty of this special place and the joy of exploration, we eventually walked back across the dunes towards National Geographic Venture , glowing in the soft light of the late afternoon sun. After cocktail hour and evening recap, the hotel team treated us to a Mexican fiesta in the dining room. We enjoyed ceviche, guacamole, tamales, and enchiladas mineras. We somehow managed to save a little space for delicious tres leches cake, and then we returned to the forward lounge one last time for a presentation by naturalist Megan Wehrenberg on mangrove ecosystems. Today was yet another full day, and we are excited for the opportunity to spend time searching for gray whales tomorrow!

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.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

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Baja California 2023-24

Baja California

Baja California 2023-24

2023-2024 Voyages