Watch leaping dolphins and soaring manta rays from our remote beach camp. Snorkel through turquoise waters, stand in the shadows of towering cacti, and discover forgotten villages. Ride this Tortoise classic and transform your winter blues into sunny beaches.
Leaving San Francisco on Friday night, we stop briefly in Los Angeles and San Diego to pick up a few last minute passengers and provisions. Over the border, you can sample fish tacos, visit the steam baths, and bring in the evening with fresh lime margaritas at Hussong's Cantina in Ensenada. Back on the bus with your new friends, kick back and take in the cactus-coated landscape as the Tortoise crawls through northern Baja, and wake up to a fresh continental breakfast in the stark desert of central Baja.
If in season, we may whale watch at Ojo de Liebre before dining under the stars by a freshwater lagoon on the outskirts of San Ignacio. Take a dip in the fantastic swimming hole, or visit the sleepy town square and the beautiful Mission San Ignacio. Our final night drive brings us to Playa Escondida, our hidden beach camp where the Sierra Gigante meets the Sea of Cortez.
By night, you can camp right on the beach in your own tent or under the stars; by day, numerous activities await you! A short trek will take you through the narrow slot canyons for panoramic views of our beach and surrounding islands. The snorkeling here is some of the best in all of Mexico and should not be missed--we highly recommend you bring your mask and snorkel.
A two-hour hike from camp brings you to tidal hot springs nestled in an azure cove. Other optional activities include a coastline boat trip to a small fishing village, sea kayaking to offshore islands, or a mule ride into the surrounding mountains. To wrap up our stay in the area, we enjoy an authentically prepared Mexican meal at Rancho San Cosme.
If you are on a 9-day trip, our journey home begins with a breakfast stop at Cataviña, where cave paintings are nestled within the cacti and boulders. We arrive in Ensenada in time for dinner and last chance souvenir shopping, cross the border for early morning drop-offs in San Diego and Los Angeles, and roll home to San Francisco through California's Central Valley.
If you are on a 15-day trip, we head for the excitement of city life in La Paz, the capital of Baja Sur. Enjoy a fresh lobster dinner, shop for Mexican arts and crafts, and dance the night away in a salsa club! We spend the next couple of days at Cabo Pulmo, a marine preserve with an untouched coral reef near the southern tip of Baja. Here, you can bask in the sun, stroll the beach for seashells, and maybe spot a breaching whale before we begin our return northward. Optional activities include a fishing trip and scuba diving!
After sleeping in, we cross the Tropic of Cancer and check out the original Hotel California in Todos Santos, an interesting artist community. Bahia Concepcion, with its postcard view, is where we stop for brunch. Stroll to Mission Santa Rosa from our dinner stop in the oasis town of Mulege and watch the sun set over the palm-saturated river.
Our journey home begins with a breakfast stop at Cataviña, where cave paintings are nestled within the cacti and boulders. We arrive in Ensenada in time for dinner and last chance souvenir shopping, cross the border for early morning drop-offs in San Diego and Los Angeles, and roll home to San Francisco through California's Central Valley.
Whale-Watching Special!
For lovers of Baja and the Green Tortoise alike, this once-a-year trip combines all the highlights of our 9- and 15-day trips plus Bahia Magdalena and Ojo de Liebre for mind-blowing whale watching! Come eye to eye and hand to fin with the immense yet gentle gray whale. Extra time in Mulege for a side trip to Baja's best cave paintings adds a final twist to this expedition. This trip promises to be an unrivaled encounter with nature and humanity that will resonate for years to come.
Flexible Itinerary means that we may alter an itinerary depending on weather, local events, etc. Although we make every attempt to run our trips as advertised, please be aware that the itinerary may change to give you the best trip possible.
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