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Mere miles from the shores of Los Angeles lies wildness that surpasses imagination and a gem of the National Park system: the Channel Islands. Exploring it is akin to entering a time machine. To enter a era when the coast of California was lined with the tallest, oldest trees—those that remain are among the rarest on Earth. Its isolation from the mainland has led to the evolution of wildlife found nowhere else. Few dive into the region’s surprising wildness and biodiversity as Lindblad Expeditions is able to by hiking inland over rivers of pinecones and kayaking along rugged coastlines.
Baja California
California Coast
Special Offers
Length
12 days
From
$7,930
Prices are per person
Baja California
California Coast
Special Offers
California Coast
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
Length
5 days
From
$3,200
Prices are per person
California Coast
Wild Escapes
Special Offers
One of the most biodiverse places on Earth, California’s seldom-visited Channel Islands National Park is home to vast wildlife breeding colonies, underwater realms bursting with life, and astonishing sea caves.
The coast of California is proof that a far-reaching adventure is much closer than you think. Go aboard an expedition ship, equipped with tools for in-depth exploration, to sail to protected islands, hike over rivers of pinecones to stands of gnarly, windswept trees, and discover wildlife found nowhere else. Watch as the coast grows wilder and see where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and the Jesuit missionaries who followed in his wake explored, mapped, and catalogued new flora and fauna. Go deep—whether kayaking the rugged shores or hiking to one of the last remaining stands of Torrey pines in the world.
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We love to travel with Lindblad. The naturalists and photographers really make the experience exceptional.
Maureen B.
Dining aboard is delectable. Get nutritionally savvy snacks, juices, menu options, and more, as well as Lindblad Expeditions’ longstanding commitment to locally and sustainably caught seafood, locally sourced produce—and food that rewards.
1/9/2020
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National Geographic Venture
On the morning of Thursday, National Geographic Venture navigated into Puerto los Gatos, a large bay in the Sea of Cortez. Here, guests would spend their day snorkeling, swimming, hiking, or beachcombing in the beautiful Baja sun.
1/8/2020
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National Geographic Venture
As the sun broke over Sierra de la Gigantes, National Geographic Venture pulled into the bay at Agua Verde. As soon as the Zodiacs were in the water everyone began the day’s adventures. There was kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and hiking. After lunch there was a chance to look below the waves as everyone snorkeled. After a fun filled day we watched the as the sun set on Agua Verde, and took Zodiac tours to explore the bay one last time.
1/7/2020
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National Geographic Venture
Today was the first day of our expedition. With the help of one of our favorite local La Paz vendors, we had an incredible experience here in the Sea of Cortez. We joined FunBaja on two of their vessels and went to a sea lion rookery to go snorkeling for the first time! Along the way, we stopped at a tiny island inhabited entirely of sea birds. After our adventure with FunBaja, we boarded National Geographic Venture and set sail to watch for marine life as we head to our next destination, eager to see what is in store for us tomorrow.
1/4/2020
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National Geographic Venture
Understandably, Baja is known for its sunrises, and today did not disappoint. Just before the sun crested the horizon, the mountains of the Baja peninsula were painted with a rosy-pink glow. As we began taking in this epic and beautiful sight, we spotted three bottlenose dolphins swimming towards National Geographic Venture . Occasionally these playful marine mammals will ride on the pressure wave created by the bow of our ship, and we were lucky enough that these three individuals put on a morning show for us. It was a wonderful start to a day full of adventure and beauty. Though small Isla San Francisco is packed with a variety of habitats and remarkable sights. Our first perspective was from the Zodiacs where we cruised through the bays looking at the birds and crabs dotting the shorelines. Our naturalist Adam had set up the ROV (remote operated vehicle) so we could see how he uses one of our many tools of exploration to explore the undersea world. Once on land, some of the more adventurous scrambled up 350 feet to walk along the ridge of the island offering breathtaking views of the bay below. From here we could look down on osprey and vultures while enjoying the wonderful geology before us. On the salt flats we observed many of the plants and animals that presented themselves to us. This island had something to show at every corner. After lunch, we snorkeled and saw schooling fish, an eel, and other examples of the marine life that Baja has to offer. While walking around the island afterwards, Adrian our naturalist showed us a chuckwalla, and Christine another naturalist introduced us to an amazing assortment of the marine life that lives in the intertidal zone. As the sun started to set, illuminating the island in orange hues, we started our beach barbecue. The wind calmed, the bonfire flickered, and we relaxed into another wonderful night on our voyage.
1/3/2020
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National Geographic Venture
A slight breeze greeted those of us on the bow of National Geographic Venture as we watched the sky glow with color as the sun rose above the horizon. Gulls and frigate birds soared overhead, and brown pelicans could be seen on shore. After gathering our snorkel gear, we headed to a protected bay and explored, viewing the world below us. We were fascinated by the wide variety of undersea creatures among the rocks and the coral. Brown urchins dotted the rocks, slate pencil urchins wedged into crevices, and venomous flower urchins collected shells. Among the coral, a few worm snails were spotted as they sent out their mucous webs in search of a meal. Some of the unique creatures spotted underwater were an octopus, a bullseye ray, and a brave eared grebe who dove underwater and approached our masks. All the while, the fish swam in and out of rock hideouts and coral. For the afternoon, the vessel repositioned to Mangle Solo, on the western side of Isla San Jose. The island held multiple shades of green from a distance, but the colors of the flowers popped out at us as we walked through the arroyo. Smaller hedgehog cactus blended in with the volcanic rocks, while cardons stood tall overhead. The arroyo twisted and turned as we made our way through its natural path. Turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks soared overhead, while a few lucky guests saw the endemic Xantus hummingbird. The day ashore culminated with yoga on the beach as rays of light shone down on National Geographic Venture .
This is a great capital of wildness, extravagant beyond description and—incredibly—existing so close to population-dense L.A.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
