Baja, Mexico Whales & Wine

Day One

Arrive in San Diego today. Transfer from the airport or arrive via motorcoach with pickups in Phoenix and Yuma. Join your tour manager this evening for a welcome cocktail and briefing at the hotel.

Day Two

Depart this morning for Northern Baja California, Mexico. Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico, crossing the border into Mexico via Tijuana, the world’s busiest land border crossing. Visit Tijuana’s bustling Mercado Hidalgo before continuing on scenic Highway 1 to Ensenada for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, return to Highway 1 traveling south through Northern Baja’s tomato, strawberry and pepper fields along the way. Then off to San Quintín for tonight’s Welcome Dinner.

Day Three

Continue on Highway 1 to Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, through the Desierto Central de Baja California with its unique desert vegetation. Stop in Cataviña along the way to take a short walk through this fascinating desert with rock formations and granite boulders to nearby caves. You will view cave paintings that offer a glimpse into the indigenous human and animal life that once populated the region. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Guerrero Negro, which will serve as base camp for our next days whale watching. Dinner this evening at the hotel.

Day Four

Early this morning depart for Guerrero Negro’s nearby lagoon, Ojo de La Liebre. These lagoons serve as the magnificent Gray whale’s first calving stop on the journey from the Bering Strait. Aboard small, non-intrusive boats captained by local guides, experience an up-close encounter with these gentle and curious giants. Lunch at a local restaurant after today’s excursion. Then, returning to the hotel for a short relaxing time before taking an afternoon excursion to the salt works, the largest evaporative salt production facility in the world. Back to the hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening.

Day Five

Mid-morning departure back to Ojo de La Liebre, also known as Scammon’s Lagoon, for the second time to experience this unique opportunity to enjoy close encounters with these magnificent and curious sea creatures. Home to more than just our giant friends, the nearby lagoons are teeming with sea life, such as dolphins, sea lions, and seals. Also, surrounded by giant osprey nests and frequented by a variety of other migratory birds. Return to town to board the motorcoach, returning north for an overnight in the village of Cataviña. Dinner this evening at the hotel

Day Six

This morning, continue north to the bustling port city of Ensenada. Lunch along the way, arriving this afternoon to your hotel and after checking time permitting join your Tour Manager for an orientation walk of downtown Ensenada. This evening is yours to relax or explore the charming shops, cafes and taquerias this charming town has to offer.

Day Seven

Today after breakfast your choice to relax and explore Ensenada or take a side tour to La Bufadora a local attraction and one of the largest natural Ocean geysers in North America. This afternoon, continue to the heart of México’s premier wine country, the Guadalupe Valley and its wineries that nowadays rival those of Napa Valley in the USA, here we will visit a locally owned and operated winery for tastings and our farewell dinner.

Day Eight

After breakfast, return to the USA crossing through Los Algodones Port of Entry. Continue on the motorcoach to the selected drop-off location. (B)

FB=Full Breakfast, L=Lunch, BL=Box Lunch, D=Dinner