Wilderness Travel 2017 Catalog of Adventures

Baja: Exploring the Sea of Cortez WHALES, SNORKELING, AND SEA KAYAKING

HIGHLIGHTS • Active adventures from aboard our classic wooden boat, with gorgeous sunsets, delicious sea-to-table cuisine, and the magic of the starlit desert sky at night • Sea kayak amid mangrove lagoons and remote bays, and the beaches of Isla Espiritu Santo • Snorkel with sea lions, watch pods of dolphins, observe nesting frigatebirds, and hike island trails • Special departures to the gray whale breeding and birthing lagoons, with up-close whale encounters! DETAILS • 9-, 11- or 12-day trip begins in La Paz and ends in Loreto (or reverse, depending on itinerary) • 6 nights aboard a historic 86-foot boat 2 nights hotels, 1 night camping (depending on itinerary) • All meals included DATES Nov 19-27, 2016* Whale Shark Swim Nov 27-Dec 8, 2016** Cave Paintings Dec 10-18, 2016* Whale Shark Swim Dec 18-29, 2016** Cave Paintings Dec 29, 2016-Jan 6, 2017* Whale Shark Swim Jan 27-Feb 7, 2017** Gray Whale Watching Feb 7-17, 2017* Gray Whale Watching Mar 10-21, 2017** Gray Whale Watching Mar 21-31, 2017* Gray Whale Watching Nov 24-Dec 2* Whale Shark Swim Dec 2-13** Cave Paintings Dec 13-20* Whale Shark Swim

The Sea of Cortez, called “nature’s aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau, offers phenomenal adventure, and our classic wooden boat is the best way to explore its wonders. PHOTO: WENDY SHATTIL

Set between the brilliant turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean and the exquisite Sea of Cortez, Baja is a remote realm and the perfect place for our odyssey. With a classic 86-foot wooden ship as our base, we’ll sea kayak alongside white-sand beaches, snorkel with playful sea lions, and track whales in the “Blue Triangle.” Two of our itineraries visit ancient cave paintings and track massive whale sharks, while two others bring you to the lagoons of the Pacific coast where we can come within an arm’s length of gray whales who migrate here every year—an unforgettable experience! Days 1-3 11-day La Paz to Loreto Bahia Magdalena itinerary La Paz / Bahia Magdalena From La Paz, we head to Bahia Magdalena, a remote

lagoon for birthing and breeding gray whales. From our beachside hotel, we set out by panga (skiff) for remarkable up-close encounters with these gentle giants. Days 4-5 Isla Espiritu Santo / Sea of Cortez We embark on our historic wooden motor yacht in La Paz and navigate to enchanting Isla Espiritu Santo, with its white-sand beaches, keeping an eye out for pods of dolphins. Sea kayak past mangroves brimming with blue herons, and snorkel with playful sea lions near the tiny uninhabited islands that dot the Sea of Cortez. Days 6-11 Sea of Cortez / Blue Triangle Exploring along meandering shorelines, we’ll visit unique island and peninsula sites on land and in the water. Our intrepid vessel brings us to the “Blue Triangle,” where we’ll watch for breaching blue, sperm, and humpback whales feeding on plankton. We’ll also hike along the same beaches described by author John Steinbeck during his travels with legendary marine biologist Ed Ricketts in 1940. Depart from Loreto on Day 11. ON OUR WEBSITE SNORKELING WITH THE HUMPBACKS OF THE SILVER BANK A full week of encounters with humpback whales in the waters off the Dominican Republic. Mar 11-18, 2017; Mar 17-24, 2018. From $4995.

*La Paz to Loreto **Loreto to La Paz

TRIP COST From $5250, depending on itinerary

TRIP LEVEL 1 + 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hiking, swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and whale watching excursions by skiff

MICHAEL S. NOLAN

FOR A DETAILED ITINERARY: 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL LATINAMERICA@WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM 119