Adventure travel in Baja California and more

Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event and Whales

It's a 15 day adventurous trip dedicated to the discovery of Baja California and its surroundings. This is where you'll get in contact with the extraordinary biodiversity and the enchanting land- scapes of this area. Remote beaches, multicolored deserts, breathtaking landscapes, centennial cacti, endemic , and the wonderful grey whales that often approach you.

Day 1 Right after the initial meeting at the hotel and getting the cars ready, the first destination will be heading towards Loreto, driving on the legendary Carretera, Highway 1. During the journey, there will be various stops at especially fascinating locations where you will admire the desert's immensity, ancient canyons hollowed out by the water, and the wonderful centennial cacti. We arrive to the south of Loreto Bay and will set up a camp for the first night under the stars. Dinner at the camp – overnight at the camp. Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales

Day 2 In the morning, a boat will take us from the Bay to explore Catalina Island. During the boat ride, we’ll be able to watch the dolphins and admire the Bay’s rock formations, among them the famous “lonely rock” and “Piedra elefante”. Once on the island, we will explore an exclusive habitat of endemic plants where you will be able to appreciate the famous digueti with specimens as tall as 10 feet! The characteristic flora and wildlife exclusive to this island and its biodiver- sity make it an interest of international magnitude. Return to the camp in the evening – Overnight at the camp.

Day 3 This day is going to be a back-up in case the meteorological conditions during the second day don’t let us explore the island. In case the island’s excursion is done as per schedule, we will anticipate what’s planned on the fourth day. If there be any unexpected problem, we will find a solution according to accommodation’s availability.

Day 4 The fourth day we’ll head north, towards the heart of Baja California. We will visit Bahia Concepcion’s enchanting beaches and we’ll drive through Santa Rosalia, a wonderful French colonial town, site of a late 1800 copper mine and a metal church designed by Gustave Eiffel. We’ll then move on to a beautiful valley with centennial cacti. In the evening, we will arrive at our next destination, San Ignacio. A small town built around a palm tree oasis on top of a native Cochimi settlement, it hosts an important mission. During the drive, the terrain will be scanned in search of the Mammillaria (Cochemiea) poselgeri and the Mammillaria shurliana. Dinner of your choice – Night at San Ignacio Hotel

Day 5 In the early morning, we will explore one of San Ignacio’s peculiar surroundings, the Cerro Colorado area. We’ll be hiking by the Cerro where Mammillaria setispina, Ferocactus emoryi ssp. Rectispinus (with thorns nearly 8 inches long!), Ferocactus peninsulae, and several hy- brids can be found. Later on, after driving on a trail both paved and dirt, we’ll reach the heart of the Vizcaino desert, the Biosphere’s natural reserve. Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales

It’s a unique ecosystem in the world where animals and plants have adapted to the extreme desert conditions of this region, with scarce rains and strong winds. This ecosystem has given life to thousands of endemic and to animals that can’t be seen anywhere else. We’ll be able to admire the Valle de los Cirios whose name is derived from the peculiar endemic plants that characterize the landscape: the charismatic Fouquieria columnaris (Cirio or bojum tree), which belongs to the fouquiracee family, looks like a big carrot planted upside down and wrapped in little stems that can sometimes grow into curious shapes. In addition to the the bizarre “Cirios”, this semi desert area contains various Ferocactus gracilis, var coloratus, Mammillaria hutchin- soniana, in addition to the omnipresent “cholla”, opuntie, and Echinoc- ereus brandegeii. We’ll set up a camp among the pink rocks, right in an old dry creek bed that was formed in the desert. During the night we’ll be able to admire a fabulous sky with shining stars. Dinner at the camp – Overnight at the camp

Day 6 On the sixth day, we’ll keep on exploring the northern part of the Vizcaino desert, among centennial cacti and the delicate colors of this incredible vastness of sand. We will then continue our journey entirely by jeep to visit wonderful beaches along the way to Bahia de los Ange- les where we’ll set up a camp for the night. For those of you who prefer, there are hotels and posadas (for an extra charge) around the area. Dinner of your choice – Overnight at the camp.

Day 7 In the morning, we will see the beautiful San Borja, one of the most ancient and fascinating missions. There is a nice church built in white stone which has been recently restored and kept by a family of natives that for a small charge, will happily guide us to admire groups of Mam- millaria (Cochemiea) setispina, and other cacti. We’ll then head north to an area where you can appreciate the both notorious and elusive Echi- nocereus Lindsayi. We will eventually arrive in the village of Catavina, one of the most spectacular landscapes on the peninsula, with huge white and pink granite stones (some the size of small houses), Cirios and Ferocactus gracilis with red thorns. Dinner at the camp – Overnight at the camp Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales Day 8 In the morning, we will head back to the south, to the Pacific to visit a small village of lobster and crab fishermen, Santa Rosalita. Here is where the Mammillaria blossfeldiana grows. We’ll then keep going south on paved roads up to the Sierra in order to admire breathtaking landscapes together with the wonderful deserted habitat. There, we will see the magnificent Canyons and endemic plants. In the afternoon, we will visit a fascinating village that guards some important UNESCO Heritage “Cave Paintings” left by the early inhabitants of this Peninsula. Once again, we will be able to appreciate the Foquierie columnaris (Cirios), Ferocactus gracilis, several Mammilliarie, Echinocereus, and the local wildlife. We have two options for the night: setting up a camp or rest at the cottage-like Hotel. Dinner at the camp – Overnight at the camp.

Day 9 Our journey will continue to the San Ignacio Lagoon, UNESCO Heritage and the Sanctuary of the Eschiritius Robustus Grey Whale. This day will be dedicated to watching the majestic cetaceans that migrate to the lagoon to mate and give birth to the calves. The relationship between humans and these animals is traced back 40 years ago when a grey whale leaned it’s head on the side of one of the fishermen’s small boats. He insisted it wanted to be friends, which was shocking considering they were slaughtered in this Lagoon just 60 years before. But, that was the case, and they continue to approach visitors and want to play, be scratched, petted, and kissed. In the afternoon, part of the Lagoon will be explored until we return to the camp. Dinner at the camp – Over- night at an equipped camp

Day 10 In the morning, we’ll set sail for a second visit with the marvelous Cetaceans, then lunch at the main camp and then we will continue south through an alternative path that lies along one of the beautiful valleys of Baja California, also used at one time for the legendary Baja 1000 off-road race. We’ll then reach an important bay, and a meeting point for surfers, then head to an ancient Pueblo where a camp will be set up by the riverbank. Dinner at the camp – Overnight at the camp Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales Day 11 The tenth day we’ll drive to the empty area of islands, inlets, and beaches around Bahia Magdalena, after a journey with the jeep. We’ll explore this almost unspoiled land, characterized by a complex maze of mangroves that give shelter to cormorants, ospreys, great blue herons, little egrets, and petrels. In this area, it is possible to find the Ferocactur townsendianus var. santa Maria, the Bursera laxiflora, Fouquiera sp , gummosus, Stenocereus eruca, Opuntia comonduensis, O. cholla, Pachycereus pringlei, Pereskiopsis porteri, . We will spend the night at the camp situated in the deep part of the Bahia. Dinner at the camp – Overnight at the camp

Day 12 This day is dedicated to a boat trip to Isla Magdalena. Here we’ll be able to watch the whales, the Cormorant’s colonies, and the sea lions. We’ll also visit the Island’s dunes which form a barrier to the Pacific ocean. This is where it is possible to find other specimens of Ferocactus penin- sulas ssp. Santamaria. We’ll go back for lunch, then will keep on explor- ing the Bahia later on. You can also see the charismatic cactus Stenocereus eruca, also called creeping devil because it has long, sharp thorns and it grows horizontally in the sand having only the tip standing out of the sand. Dinner of your choice – Overnight at Hotel Puerto San Carlos

Day 13 Time to go back to La Paz driving alongside the ocean and admiring its spectacular deserted beaches and the wildlife that lives in their vicinity. We’ll then go through old paths in the desert to appreciate the centen- nial Cacti. Dinner of your choice – Overnight at Hotel La Paz

Day 14 The day is dedicated to the exploration of the Sierra south of La Paz where we will appreciate this beautiful landscape and enjoy the Mam- millaria petrophila, Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. pacificus, and var. pensilis. In the afternoon, we will visit San Jose del Cabo’s estuary and will overnight in a Posada. Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales

Day 15 On the last day, we will go through the southeastern part along a track that will give us the possibility to admire the deep colors and beauty of Mar de Cortez. We’ll see Cabo Pulmo Marine Park, known not only for its magnificent coral reef: it was designated as a Protected Marine Area more than 20 years ago. You can now observe an incredible quantity of different marine species and a very well preserved reef. Return to La Paz is scheduled in the evening – Overnight at Hotel La Paz.

Costs included in the trip

● Allianz global Insurance ● All Guides

● Vehicle rental ● Fuel consumption

● Lodging: in Hotel q La Paz q San Inacio q Puerto San Carlos q San Jose Cabo q Fully equipped camp, San Ignacio Lagoon

● Boat passage for q Isla Catalina q 2 Whale Watching in San Ignacio Lagoon q Bahia Magdalena tour q Cabo pulmo snorkeling tour

● Dinners, lunches and breakfasts only in the remote camps

● Equipment included in the trip: q tent, sleeping bags and inflatable mattress q all cooking and tableware q Portable radio q Fridge Baja California adventure 15 Days Special event Cactus and Whales

Cost Not included

● Airfare ● Tips (usually 10%) ● Alcohol ● Dinner and lunch of your choise ● Meals where not indicated

For more informations, contact : [email protected]