Trip Description
Baja boasts spectacular diving, countless opportunities for adventure and a festive culture, and it's just a two hour flight from Los Angeles. Imagine swimming alongside sea lions, giant manta rays with 15-foot wingspans, hammerheads, huge schools of jacks and, if you're lucky, an awe-inspiring 40-foot whale shark. See pods of pilot whales and dolphins as you sea kayak along rugged coastline. Learn how to surf on the waves of the Pacific. Camp on postcard perfect beaches and hike through stunning desert highlands. Do all this and more on an extraordinary expedition "south of the border".
An incredible diversity of marine life
The Gulf of California, better known as the Sea of Cortez, is home to well over 800 species of fish living in a variety of environments from rocky shores and patch reefs to submerged pinnacles and sea mounts. Large pelagic species from the cold, nutrient rich waters of the Pacific mix with marine life from the warmer, tropical waters of the Sea of Cortez. The unique ecosystem created is loaded with an incredible diversity of life ranging from gigantic blue whales to tiny frogfish.*
Lots of spectacular diving
Dive El Bajo, where schools of tuna, barracuda and dorado swarm around underwater seamounts that peak in 60 to 110 feet of water. Drift through canyons where sailfish and mantas cruise through the blue. Explore the Salvatierra, a 300-foot ferry lying in 60 feet of water. Swim into the wreck's open chambers to discover octopi, 25-pound groupers, green sea turtles, jeweled morays and arrow crabs hiding inside. The remote island of Los Islotes is home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the Sea of Cortez, attracting divers from all over the world. Swim with hundreds of playful sea lions that follow you throughout your dive, begging you to play.
Baja offers wonderful diversions above the waterline as well. Head to the highlands to discover the beauty of the arid landscape surrounded by cacti, lizards and cool rock formations. Hike through desert canyons and swim in a freshwater oasis. Visit Todos Santos to explore markets, mingle with local artists and practice your Spanish. Ever tried surfing? A multi-day clinic on the coast will teach you how... Prepare to have a blast riding Baja's ideal waves.
More fun to be had
The Sea of Cortez is also world famous for its outstanding sea kayaking, and we take a couple of afternoons to paddle around the island of Espíritu Santo. Encounter pods of dolphins playing in turquoise waters and families of sea lions sunbathing on unusual rock formations. Climb ashore and hike up to the cliffs for magnificent views of desert canyons. The beauty and diversity found in Baja is astounding.
* The fluctuating conditions in the Sea of Cortez permit the upwellings of cold oxygen and nutrient-rich water that sustain a remarkable biomass of plankton in the region, which in turn supports the area's tremendous concentrations of large marine animals. It should be noted, however, that this dynamic environment is unpredictable and occasionally our diving will be significantly better, or worse, than expected.
