Kayak & Whale Watching Combo

10 days
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5/5 Excellent
31 reviews  
97%
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Private Guided
Our 10-day kayaking and whale watching combo tour is the ultimate Baja experience, combining watching the gray whales as they test the waters of the Pacific Ocean with their calve, exploring the beautiful desert islands in the Sea of Cortez by kayak and snorkeling along isolated coves in warm, turquoise waters. It's truly the ultimate Baja tour.  Enjoy 3 da...
From$2,135
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Overview

Trip type
Private Guided
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • January through March, hundreds of gray whales mate and bear their young in the protected waters of Magdalena Bay after traveling over 5000 miles from the Bering Strait. A motorized skiff will take you swiftly and safely into the deeper parts of the bay, where you won't just view the "mommy and me" action, you may be able to actually pet some of the whales that swim by.
    • Staying on the island at our camp provides you with the opportunity to be delighted by a host of other wildlife such as dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea gulls, pelicans and more often right from camp! Plush camping allows you to relax and enjoy the scenery while your professional naturalist guides provide you with dinner, drinks, and plenty of education.
    • After you have had your fill of breaching, and spy hopping whales then head back over to Loreto or La Paz for five days of Baja sea kayaking and camping on remote islands in Loreto Bay National Marine Park or Espiritu Santo, where the surrounding water is a sanctuary for blue-footed boobies, fin and blue whales, dolphins and sea lions.
    • Visit the Sea of Cortez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers the perfect blend of Baja kayaking, hiking and snorkeling. Abundant wildlife, massive whales, sunny weather and warm, crystalline waters make the Sea of Cortez one of the best winter adventure destinations in North America and Mexico.
    • With each of these tours, your first and last nights will be hotel-based in Loreto or La Paz with an extra hotel night between kayaking and whale watching.
    • All activities are led by naturalist guides, who dish out tasty chile relleno and margaritas in tented beach camps at days end. You'll bring home a lifetime of memories.

What's this trip about?

    Our 10-day kayaking and whale watching combo tour is the ultimate Baja experience, combining watching the gray whales as they test the waters of the Pacific Ocean with their calve, exploring the beautiful desert islands in the Sea of Cortez by kayak and snorkeling along isolated coves in warm, turquoise waters. It's truly the ultimate Baja tour.  Enjoy 3 days of plush beach side camping at our exclusive Gray Whale Camp on Santo Domingo Island in Magdalena Bay; where you will get four chances to go eye-to-eye with gray whales then cross the Baja Penninsula to spend five days kayaking in either the quaint town of Loreto or the beautiful island of Espiritu Santo in La Paz.

Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeOperator does not provide
Age range12 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityLoreto or LaPaz, Baja California
End CityLoreto or LaPaz, Baja California

Travel Themes

  • Family Friendly
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing

Destinations

  • North America
  • New Mexico

Attractions

  • La Paz
  • Mexico City

Activities

  • Adventure & Adrenaline
  • Bird watching
  • Dolphin Swim
  • Hiking
  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
  • Whale watching
  • Wildlife viewing

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day1: Arrive in Loreto or La Paz

Accommodations Loreto: La Mision

Accommodations La Paz: Seven Crown Centro

After checking into pre-assigned rooms (included in trip cost), you're on your own for sightseeing until the orientation meeting (6 or 7 PM) in the hotel lobby, where your guides will answer questions and review the morning plan.

Day 2:

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Depart 7:30am sharp for van transportation two hours to the Pacific coast, to Puerto Lopez Mateos on Magdalena Bay. Your first whale watching session will start immediately upon arrival. You might even see whales right from the dock! At ...

Day 3:

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tea and coffee greet you with the morning sun, and you’re welcome to stroll along the beach and watch whales while your guides prepare a hot breakfast. You will have two whale watching sessions by federally-licensed skiff today, ...

Day 4: Return to Loreto or La Paz

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations Loreto: La Mision

Accommodations La Paz: Seven Crown Centro

You’ll enjoy one final whale watching session after breakfast in the morning before you are returned to Puerto Lopez Mateos by panga. After a chance...

Day 5: Time to go kayaking

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Please eat breakfast and be packed by the meeting time, where you will be shuttled to the kayak put-in site. After loading the boats, your guides will teach you the basics of paddling and thoroughly review safety procedures. The group won't...

Day 6-8: Camping and kayaking in the Sea of Cortez

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The days begin with spectacular sunrises and end with delightfully cool evenings, enjoying sunsets, star-gazing, moonrise, or even bioluminescence in the sea on moonless nights. You will paddle and explore the scenic cliffs and c...

Day 9: Return to Loreto or La Paz

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations Loreto: La Mision

Accommodations La Paz: Seven Crown Centro

After a final breakfast and breaking camp, you will paddle to the take-out site and unpack your kayak while the guides prepare lunch. A van will ret...

Day 10: Departure

There are no activites planned for this day so feel free to depart at any time.

Have some extra time? Add a day tour extension to lovely La Paz, Loreto or San Ignacio.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,135
Price per day$214
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with ROW Sea Kayak Adventures.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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ROW Sea Kayak Adventures Reviews & Ratings

5/5  Excellent
Excellent
30
Great
1
Average
0
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Other ROW Sea Kayak Adventures Reviews

K

Karen

Mar 2020

Written on

one of the best things we had ever done

When my partner and I went on a whale watching trip with Sea Kayak Adventures five years ago, we concluded that it was one of the best things we had ever done - espe...

J

Jacquie

Feb 2020

ROW Sea Kayak Adventures Company Reviewsby ROW Sea Kayak Adventures

This was a very magical trip!

This was a very magical trip! Sherman, Edgar, Amaranta, and Monica were so passionate about the whales, birds, flora, and kayaking it was contagious. We so enjoyed s...

B

Barbara

Feb 2020

Written on

had an amazing time

I was recently on a trip with your company from Mag Bay on the Gray Whale tour 2/10-2/15 and had an amazing time. I was on this trip with my 9 year old granddaughter...

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Tour Operator

ROW Sea Kayak Adventures

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ROW Sea Kayak Adventures, founded in 1993, was born out of a passion for whale watching, sea kayaking, and wanting to share the experience with fellow nature-lovers. For over 20 years now, Sea Kayak Adventures has been providing unique kayak tours for active, outdoor-minded travelers to world-renowned destinations and some of the most celebrated natural areas, including Alaska, British Columbia, Baja, the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia, Quebec, Scotland and Corsica. Each destination has its own unique wilderness experiences and most offer once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. Travelers head home at the end of their trip feeling rejuvenated by their time spent in nature, meeting great people, kayaking amidst wildlife and sleeping under the stars.

At ROW Sea Kayak Adventures, we select the very best places on Earth to whale watch and sea kayak. And we don’t just watch whales; we join them! Many of our trips are in UNESCO World Heritage Sites and National Marine Parks, providing unparalleled whale and wildlife encounters, and calm paddling waters.

Kayaks are largely non-intrusive to wildlife, which mean you’ll have a rare view of animals that normally scatter at the approach of humans and large boats. In sturdy kayaks you’ll be at eye level with playful dolphins, inquisitive sea lions, and incredible whales.

Whether you are an avid sea kayaker, or it is your first time, you’ll enjoy these incredible trips, and share in our passion for adventure, commitment to conserving the environment, and relishing unique experiences. For those new to the sport, kayaking is easy to learn in the sheltered waters that we visit, and we provide all of the camping gear, kayaking equipment and guidance needed. In addition, we keep our groups small to allow you to not only travel intimately among nature, but to ensure you receive the necessary attention from our guides.

Most of our guides are with us for the long-term, despite the seasonal nature of the industry. Our top-notch equipment, unique itineraries, and perfected operations attract extraordinary guides, many of whom are highly sought after in the industry. ROW Sea Kayak Adventures guides know their outdoor skills as second nature. Each trip has 2-3 guides to assist, inform and lead the way so you get the most out of your adventure. They love to share conversations, knowledge, games and laughter – and they’re great cooks!

We know that it’s our job to provide uncompromising comfort & safety and quality service & gear. We provide all of the gear you need – kayaks, camping gear, etc – teach you necessary skills to perform the various activities, and always have your safety in mind. In addition, our legendary wilderness meals, prepared daily by our guides using fresh, healthy ingredients, include savory dishes like chiles rellenos, baked salmon and vegetable lasagna. We even serve delicious desserts like brownies and pineapple upside-down cake! Each morning, we serve up freshly brewed coffee. Throughout the day we provide an abundance of local fruits and vegetables. Wine and mixed drinks are served with hors d’oeuvres each evening for happy hour. We also accommodate special dietary requests. “Camping Plus” is all about truly “getting away,” but not quite “leaving it all behind!”

While we provide certain creature comforts, we are all about practicing “Leave No Trace” ethics. Respecting not only the wildlife we encounter, but also the environment we visit is of utmost importance. Rest assured you will leave the special places you visit as pristine as you found them. 

In 2013, we furthered our conservation and responsible tourism efforts by becoming the first kayak tour operator to join the Responsible Whale Watch Partnership. We represent the organization with just 30 other companies in an effort to raise the standards of whale and dolphin watching worldwide.

We make unique and meaningful trips easier for you by taking care of the details so you can just show up and focus on being totally engaged in your adventure.

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Logistics

Cancellation policy

Cancellations

All cancellations must be received in writing. All monies are non-refundable 75 days or less prior to trip departure. You are welcome to find a suitable replacement for yourself, who would then reimburse you, and send us their own reservation, health and assumption of risk forms well in advance of the trip. Please strongly consider purchasing travel insurance upon booking as every year someone regrets not doing so.  PLEASE NOTE:  DEPOSITS ARE NEVER REFUNDABLE.

Cancelled Trips

Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc. reserves the right to change an itinerary or cancel any trip due to: Acts of God, weather, inadequate sign up, or any unforeseen problems. If we cancel a trip, clients will be offered either transfer to another comparable trip, credit towards a future trip, or a full refund. Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc. is not responsible for your travel expenses such as airline tickets (including fees/change fees/penalties/air flight cancellation), hotel charges, medical and emergency expenses, equipment purchases, delays or changes in your travel to and from our tour.

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

6 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 6 Dinners

Age Requirements
12 years and up
Additional Information

Please Note: This tour involves transportation to and from Loreto or La Paz to the whale camp at Magdalena Bay. An additional transportation fee will be added to any combo trips running in LaPaz. Guests requesting a trip arriving in La Paz and departing in Loreto (or vice versa), if the option is available, may also be subject to additional fees for shuttle transportation. Please discuss this with our office staff if it's something you're interested in.

Trip ID
rowsea-kayWhaRow

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