Mexico
Whales, Seas & Desert: Stunning Baja California Peninsula
Program No. 24399RJ
Get a local’s look at Mexico’s incredible Baja Peninsula, known for its pristine desert landscapes and idyllic lagoons, whale migrations, artist communities and fascinating culture.
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Participant Reviews
Based on 23 Reviews
SHOWING
This trip was a very mixed bag for me. The four boat trips were the absolute highlights, particularly the day trip to Coronado Island from Loreto, (where we saw dolphins, sea lions, a huge brown pelican colony and even blue-footed boobies), the first whale watching trip where we were up close and personal with hundreds of gray whales and their calves, and the whale watching trip in the Santiago Lagoon. I had never expected to be that close to gray whale and their calves, and it made for an unforgettable experience. One of our boats had the incredible experience with petting a friendly gray whale who sidled up to their side of their boat. The second trip out of Catavina, to Scammon's Lagoon was also memorable, although the wind and rough seas made it a little uncomfortable.
As advertised, this trip include many, many hours on the bus, often driving through mostly desert to the next destination. Although singing and games were promised to help break up the hours, none were offered by the leader with no explanation, or was the dropping of a trip to an ice cream store on the itinerary. On all my previous trips with Road Scholar the leaders were outstanding, but I can't say the same for this one. Although our leader, Cristina, was very knowledgeable about the culture and history of the area, her pronounced Italian accent made it very difficult for many of us to understand her. On the bus trips especially, her accent (adding "a" to many, many words) coupled with her habit of holding the microphone too close to her mouth (causing the audio to be distorted) made the much of the narration on the bus very hard to understand, and many of us finally just tuned her out. This definitely limited the educational nature of the trip.
Two short hikes in the desert were very educational, although at the first one, at a turnout on the highway, we had to walk through piles of trash to see the flora.
Other that, food and accomodations were mostly up to par.
— Review left April 21, 2025
A wonderful program. The whales are the stars. Isabel Sanchez was the best Group Leader I've had in all my experiences with Road Scholar and Nkko, her assistant, was so helpful to everyone.
— Review left March 23, 2025
Loved interacting with the whales! The hotels were comfortable and I enjoyed having seafood everyday. Some of the bus rides were long (3 days were over 5 hours of travel); they were broken up nicely, but it was a lot of sitting. Our driver was excellent, but I would have felt more comfortable with seatbelts. Because the bus didn't have power outlets, I was glad I brought a power backup. Two nights we arrived after dark and left early the next day, and we wished we had some time to enjoy the nice hotel, pool and surroundings. I learned a lot about Baja and Gray whales and loved all the boat rides. Casual dress is fine everywhere--bring layers!
— Review left March 4, 2025
If you like the outdoors, we had four excursions by small boats to fascinating locales, as well as multiple short hikes in the desert. Our guide Luka is the best -- try to get her on your trip!
— Review left February 22, 2025
This program includes a wide spectrum of activities: visiting historic sites, walking the trails of a desert like no other, and be up front and personal with the majestic Grey Whales. Our tour guide, Luka (Veronica) is the best guide I have ever had in all my trips: super knowledgeable, funny, organized and approachable. I will be looking for other programs that she might lead.
— Review left February 17, 2025
This Road Scholar trip was amazing. Wonderful sights, great food, and, of course, the whales!! We experienced very chilly evenings and moderate daytime temperatures. It was colder than expected.
Isabel, the group leader, was very knowledgeable about Baja, the wildlife, and the desert. She is delightful and very enthusiastic .
This trip requires a great deal of driving, since we went from Cabos to San Diego. Keep that in mind, it makes for very long days. Several times we arrived at the destination hotel too late to see the gorgeous views. We only stayed 2 nights at 2 hotels, so there were many early departures.
Lastly, the whales! We were in small boats with 13 or less passengers. We got very near to the gray whales. We were doused by the blowholes more than once. I have “whale watched” many times and this is by far the closest I have been to whales.
If you are a good sport and prepared for the unexpected, you will enjoy this trip.
— Review left February 17, 2025
This is the perfect place for lifelong learners!
— Review left February 9, 2025
My first RS trip. Baja - the whole enchilada - was stunning. Artemio was a very enthusiastic guide. The others: driver (Arvid), naturalist (Norma) and assistant (Miriam) were very friendly and helpful. The group size (24) was larger than I am used to on such trips. We stayed at some lovely hotels without much chance to use them as the days were long and packed with activities. Interacting with the gray whales in Guerrero Negro lagoon was really special. I'm happy that I took the trip.
— Review left March 11, 2024
This trip, which was our sixth with Road Scholars was certainly accurately described as Keep the Pace. Most days involved repacking for different days events and often required 3- 5 hour bus rides over twisty roads, so it at times was rather exhausting. Having said that, our guides Christina and Pamela did an outstanding job of preparing for us for each days events, arranging generally good accommodations even in remote locations, and providing frequent restrooms stops even where options were limited. Meals were generally good, with the notable exception of the hotel restaurant in San Ignacio. During our long drives, Christina shared an amazing wealth of knowledge about the geology, natural and cultural history of the area. Pamela did an excellent job supporting her by handling the complex logistical details and was a very nice person to interact with. Of course, the main attraction for the trip was the amazing experience of observing Grey whales very close up, but we also enjoyed visiting the churches, learning about the Missions and our nature walks in the desert. Finally, we especially enjoyed interacting with the local people who were always very friendly and welcoming. All in all, it was a fun and positive learning experience and we would certainly recommend it to others who are up to Keeping The Pace.
— Review left March 9, 2024
This is a terrific trip if you are interested in learning about our southern neighbors. And maybe even seeing a whole bunch of whales!
— Review left March 8, 2024
Both guides were great
— Review left February 22, 2024
I highly recommend this program for those who want to see the grey whales of Baja California and the whole pennisula! Beautiful countryside,and lots of time on boats! Very informative as well. We had the best guides and a great group of fellow travelers!
— Review left February 22, 2024
This is the second program I have done with Road Scholar for the Gray Whale Migration. I really enjoyed starting the program in Los Cabos this time and visiting the other small towns in the southern part of the Baja, especially Loreto. Isabel was a fantastic leader and really has a passion for the Baja and especially the Whales. She told us the Whales are the Abuelas of the Earth and she seems to have a great connection with them. Ana and Joel were also great! This is a wonderful program to be able to enjoy the desert and play with the whales. I highly recommend this program.
— Review left February 16, 2024
Had a great time experiencing the Baja with our guides, Isabel and Ana and the other members of our group.
— Review left February 13, 2024
Despite my initial lack of enthusiasm for the Baja trip, I decided to join my friend, a frequent travel companion, on many adventures. Having explored several deserts in the past, I didn't anticipate anything extraordinary about visiting Baja. How mistaken I was! The Baja peninsula turned out to be an incredibly unique and diverse region, boasting an array of landscapes, flora, and fauna that left me in awe. While Los Cabos didn't quite capture my interest due to its commercialization, my perspective shifted dramatically as we ventured further north.From then on, our journey unfolded into a captivating exploration of unspoiled beaches, stunning oases, towering cardon cacti, a Baja’s most famous plant, Boojum, majestic mountains, and centuries-old missions. As a plant biologist, I was particularly impressed by the abundance of endemic vegetation and the vibrant array of local and migratory birdlife. It was a testament to the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, a harmony that Baja's inhabitants clearly cherish. Of course, how could I forget the unforgettable boat excursions to interact with the gracefully gentle Gray Whales? To have these magnificent beings come so close to our boats, allowing us to touch them and observe them in such close proximity, felt almost surreal. It was as if we were part of a miracle, a moment of profound connection between humans and nature that words can hardly capture. It was a privilege beyond words, and I will forever cherish the memory of those extraordinary encounters. We were incredibly fortunate to have Artemio Sicilia as our guide. Artemio's passion for and deep knowledge of Baja were truly infectious. His enthusiasm and expertise illuminated every corner of this stunning region, and it was impossible not to be swept up in his excitement.
Natasha
— Review left February 9, 2024
The whale experience as well as dolphins, sea lions and tropical fish was beyond my hopes. I loved learning more about them as well as the fascinating history of the Baja!
— Review left February 5, 2024
A great trip - good sights, good group, great guides, good times. Highly recommend it.
— Review left February 3, 2024
This trip is a fantastic adventure. The Baja Peninsula is amazing in its terrain, culture, history, friendly grey whale encounters, welcoming people, and so much more
— Review left April 8, 2023
Very thorough and enjoyable experience in Baja with Road Scholar, highly recommend to everyone!
— Review left March 28, 2023
An incredible trip with great food, great educational value, and life changing experiences. All of the trip was enjoyable, but getting up close and personal with grey whales is certainly the highlight of this program.
— Review left March 8, 2023
This program exceeded my expectations in every way. The food, culture, off the beaten path outings, boat trips and, of course, the whales were amazing. We also learned a lot about the geography and plant life.
— Review left March 7, 2023
A fun and informative tour with grat guides and support staff. Well worth the time and cost.
— Review left February 17, 2023
The whales are amazing. I had no idea that they would actually play with us.
— Review left February 6, 2023
