Baja is a land of contrasts, from windy Winters to scorching Summers, from the worlds largest fish to the largest mammal ever, and from huge clear skies to waters full of unimaginable abundance. It’s important to know when to come if you want a specific experience, say whale sharks or gray whales. It’s also important to know what you’ll see if you want to come in a specific season.
All trips are weather-dependent. Baja is full of wonders, but strong winds from the North occasionally blow across our landscapes from Fall to Spring. This leads to port closures and inevitably limits our activities. Regardless, some of our absolute favorite groups and trips have been those in which the winds blew, flexible travelers adapted, and we had a great time. There’s no anticipating these winds, so just hope for the best, and leave the planning for the worst to us.
Winter
Winter can be windy and the waters get cold, but the whales come visiting. So, we start off the year doing our favorite project – researching gray whales in their winter lagoons on the Pacific coast! After the longest migration of any mammal, gray whales arrive to give birth, nurse and mate in our safe, abundant bays. Spend the week watching whales, eating great meals, and going for long evening walks as the setting Sun backlights the whale blows and breaches in the bay. Check out our Gray Whale Research Camp.
We also run day trips out of La Paz, including swimming with whale sharks, paddle-boarding Balandra beach, and a combination trip. All trips include wetsuit, as the waters have gotten much colder than they were in Summer and Fall.
Spring
The air is heating up, the winds start diminishing and we enjoy the evening breezes blowing from the South, known as Coromueles. During Spring, we go back to La Paz and the height of life in these Seas. We run the Sea Kayaking Camp, during which we leisurely explore secluded coves and colorful reefs around Espiritu Santo Island. We then switch to our Marine Megafauna Camp, during which we go look for all the huge wildlife teeming in these waters, including many species of whales and dolphins, as well as huge aggregations of rays, which make for a mesmerizing snorkel!
We also run our day trips. We spend some of our days paddle-boarding Balandra, and others searching for marine megafauna in the thriving Spring waters of the Bay of La Paz. Whale shark tours operate until the animals leave the area when their food source runs out. That tends to happen sometime in April, but it varies yearly.
Summer
Summer arrives and the heat starts rising! The waters get nice and warm, and the visibility is AMAZING. But the heat can be an issue. We only work our Marine Megafauna Camp for the first few weeks of the season. Life is still thriving in the Bay, and we want to make the most of it, looking for bottlenose and common dolphins, and for as many whale species as possible, including humpback, fin, blue, gray, killer and false killer, etc. We also scan the horizon looking for huge aggregations of leaping Devil Rays, hoping to score a snorkel with these mesmerizing animals.
For our day trips, we spend some paddling around Balandra beach, and others searching for wildlife in the bay. Both include a wonderful ceviche or hummus lunch, and lots of hours of wildlife or adventure.
Fall
Fall is probably my favorite season. The waters are still warm from the Summer heats, but the days start cooling down, and life is thriving. The Sea Kayaking Camp is the best way to spend a few days enjoying the spectacular nature of Baja, with its mesmerizing combination of desert and sea ecosystems. Our Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years trips sell out quickly, so book early.
For our day trips, we have to wait until de whale sharks arrive, usually sometime in October or November. But we always run our Balandra paddleboard day trip, and it is a lovely way to spend a day outdoors, exploring the shallow bay and extensive mangrove system, enjoying the beach and a wonderful lunch.
