For 600 pesos I was on the boat with 2 lovely couples. On my recent trip to Sri Lanka we went on a whale trip too, but those were blue whales and we kept some distance in order not to disturb them. I was so happy for that great deal only 55 USD per night for such a luxury. It was a very quiet bay, a wide stretch of white sand embraced by the rocky mountains and only a few people enjoying the cloudy sky. And everything I feared, manifested exactly as I have imagined. My arrival at Los Cabos airport was smooth, mostly because I was on a domestic flight so no immigration hassle. I asked for a deal and I ended up staying for 2 nights. Besides I loved to explore the town when everybody was still asleep. The first hour was quite boring, the landscape was flat and tedious. Oh yes, I am now at peace with Los Barriles indeed. There are many trails that you can hike and also 7 old missions to visit. Day 6 – On the road to Adolfo Lopez Mateos – Chasing Whales. Our second step was the mission of San Javier, at one hour drive from Loreto. I just need to stand still and admire it without talking. You are allowed to snorkel for only 30 minutes per site. Day 1 – … You can see its harsh red hills from the scenic winding road that cuts across Baja, and you cannot help but pull over and stop driving for a few minutes to admire such beauty. I tried a couple of times but the wheels would slide and I was scared to break the car. I didn’t dare go on my own and I had a very quiet day in Los Barriles. I took a walk around the lovely town of Loreto but not before checking in with another tour agent to organize my next tour to Coronado Island. San Javier is a tiny village in an oasis in the middle of the desert. I wasn’t feeling comfortable and I was not guaranteed that I wouldn’t have been in a boat full of people, another time. It’s a piece of history and the views from the rooftop are worth the stairs. Road trip! The freezing cold water got into my bones and lungs. In BAJA CALIFORNIA, ITINERARIES IN MEXICO, MEXICO, SOLO TRAVEL by IsabellaApril 24, 202010 Comments. When I called them the previous days to book my tour, I was told that the road to the lagoon was in bad condition due to recent flooding. Here we had all the time to swim and snorkel again, bask in the sun or take a short walk. I recall breathtaking viewpoints from the last time and I didn’t want to miss them. I thought he was from the hotel but I would find out later that he and his wife are habitual customers as they come here often to go fishing with a local guide. Prices. Opposite to it, a short lane will take you to the old church and the local museum. You could stay in San Jose del Cabo or Los Barriles and drive to Santiago de following morning as the tour leaves at 9 which gives you plenty of time. It lasts from 9 am to 3 pm, approximately. Last updated: 19 November, 2020. Suggested Itineraries in Los Cabos and Baja California Most visitors to Baja never see more of it than a high-energy day trip over the border to Tijuana or a fly-in hedonistic beach week in Los Cabos. MEXICO CALIFORNIA HAWAII CARIBBEAN ISLANDS GUATEMALA ECUADOR PERU ITALY UK NOMADIC LIFE SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL TRAVEL PLANNING AIRBNB BOOKING GUIDE PACKING TIPS MY PHOTOGRAPHY. I am sure I just chose the wrong dish. But they have great snorkeling so you must come and live without coffee for a couple of days, or just pour a lot of sugar to hide the burn taste. Day 7 – The last goodbye to the whales in Adolfo Lopez Mateos and off to the next destination. The Baja California road trip runs down Highway 1 from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas. Yes, they are very friendly, they love the sound of the motor of the boat and come close and they are very curious to see who’s inside the boat! Not so many people were there but just enough to share the boat ride and go out for whales. The Ultimate Guide to a Baja, Mexico Road Trip. After spending two months living in Mérida and years of trips traveling through the Yucatán Peninsula, I’ve finally put together the best itinerary for two weeks in Mexico. But my gut feeling told me not to go. I walked to my hotel where my car was parked and left for my next destination. I just found out they are also visible all along the northwest coast of Mexico. We have just been talking about going to Baja to see the gray whales so it was great to find this post. Where to Stay in Baja California, Mexico I recommend staying in the La Misión area, as it is conveniently-located halfway between Ensenada and Rosarito. There you can either camp for a small fee or just spend the day for only 40 MXN. I have seen here people renting polar cars and ATV and get to a nearby waterfall. I am scared to death of snakes but being with a group gave me the courage to face my fears. The tour was great, we saw huge schools of fishes and other solitary ones browsing around the colorful corals. I will talk about it more in a separate post with more details, if you see this message it’s because I haven’t completed the post yet, so you can ask me in the comments below if you have any question or send me an email and I will be happy to assist. However, with this itinerary you will see the best that Baja California has to offer. I felt so dumb. Didn’t complain though. Come join us on this Baja Custom Tours special trip to see Whales, the Sea of Cortez, and the mountains of the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. The hotel is simple but nice and clean, for 700 pesos it was a real luxury. I remembered if from the last time I was there and I had a good feeling about it. I finally arrived at Cabo Pulmo and I was desperate to find a coffee that could have helped relieve the pain. You got to see SO much and experience a little bit of everything. The following day was even better than I would have ever hoped for. Ending Location: Seattle area, WA. We are hoping to get to Baja as part of a six month travel adventure…now postponed to 2021. During the trip, you have a snorkeling stop when you can swim with the Sea Lion. That’s the hub from which you would start your hikes into the rocky desert of Baja Sur in the Sierra de la Laguna. She said the road was fine and I could have made it. I had asked around and after a few disappointing answers, I have finally found a lovely place at a low rate. I checked in in the hotel that I had previously booked, La Huerta, nice and comfortable, and went for a walk in town and find a place for dinner. I woke up early and had a nice short run. Before renting a car, you might want to check out my post on the honest truth about renting a car in Mexico. Share close encounters with the Gray Whales in Scammon’s Lagoon, meet local vendors and eat incredible ethnic food, and have a great time with old and new friends in this all-inclusive 8 day/7 night Tour. There is a guided tour available that takes you on a mild hike all the way south and you will snorkel all the way back. Log in, you can sign up with this link and get up to $35 off your first booking, the best places to eat seafood in Ensenada, « Shopping Online in Mexico: Stores for Home Delivery in Mexico, A Guide to International Removals for a Stress-Free Move Overseas ». It’s tiny but worth a visit if you are interested in learning a little history of Loreto and the area. It was a great slow walk in the dry vegetation of the desert. I passed two military checkpoints which always make me nervous. I hope you’re well and safe now. He saved me from spending 1 hour trying to change it myself. That’s the way I live my life and the way I face my fears. After reading this post, you will be ready for your road trip in Baja California Sur. The scenic road was sneaking through a spectacular valley, with tropical vegetation, boulders, and hills, some goats here and there. They were so enthusiast about their guide and keep praising him and trying to convince me to go on a tour with him. My full insurance would have covered it but I would have wasted so much time waiting for them to come. Todos Santos, is a charming historical town on the Pacific coast, one of the two Pueblos Magicos of Baja California, the other one being Loreto. It was a nice house from the outside, in a quiet area, the room was ok, and clean, but the kitchen, although with a lovely view, was kind of shabby. Drive 30 minutes inland, heading east on Mexico 3, from Ensenada to the nearby Valle de Guadalupe wine region and spend the day wine-tasting at boutique wineries and eating farm-to-table cuisine at outdoor campestre restaurants. What was meant to be a Baja California discovery itinerary, became Baja California whale watching road trip. It felt like they wanted to communicate something. I settled into my hotel, the only one in town, Don Julio (Mob +52 6241591909), and I walked around in search of some food. There is a restaurant serving only in the high season from Easter through October. However, since I had promised a 14-days itinerary and I am presuming that if you are planning your trip it means that things have gone back to normal in the meantime I will tell you how I would have ended my original itinerary. We spent the rest of the day there and saw so many of such rituals, some from very close some other from afar, but it was always a very emotional moment. At the time when I did it, it was freezing cold but I faced the pain and boldly jumped in the water. I am glad you have enjoyed it. . Like puppies. I have no specific travel goals if not just to travel because the journey is my destination. Drive off the road and explore the small villages like Miraflores, Santiago, and El Triunfo if you want to see the real Mexico.If you wanted to add another two days to the itinerary, drive 4 hours north of La Paz to Loreto.The town and scenery is unforgetable! The following is the itinerary, with some additional suggestions added in so that you can craft your perfect Baja Sur adventure: So I head back to the other beach, closer to Cabo Pulmo, Playa Arbolito. But I didn’t manage to take many pictures because we were all squeezed together and we couldn’t move around, besides there were a bunch of kids jumping all over and I was even scared that the boat would turn around. It was kind of awkward and at that moment I thought I should have stayed in my room, instead. But with a little bit of effort, there's much more to discover. I would recommend eating in the restaurant by the church and just enjoy village life. The trail was a very easy one almost all flat, but I still managed to sting my hands with some cactus needles. Check out my brand new site Let’s travel to Mexico. You will love Baja! So much fun as the path is not very well marked and you need to find a way through boulders of different dimensions. The original plan to stay for two nights immediately changed to one night, as I just wanted to run away. You can find them all along the west coast of Baja where they come from the north to bare their babies, finding shelter from the predators in the bay. Ensenada may not be the prettiest of Baja California’s towns, but it has two big things going for it: excellent seafood and a tonne of wineries. Once we reached the bay where the whales normally hang out, we stopped the motor and waited. It’s indeed a full guide about Baja with links to other related posts to elaborate on a specific topic. I enjoyed the company so much I was even sorry to leave them although excited to continue with my journey and curious to see how it would unfold. What started as a general Baja California road trip, became a whale watching tour as I grow my addiction for the whales after my first sight in Cabo Pulmo. This is a relaxing trip to the nearby island of Coronado. from Alaska. We went back around midday and after saying goodbye to my new temporary friends, I went for a good brunch and then off to my new destination. I was feeling so blessed and excited both for what I have seen and what was to come after. Todos Santos benefits from the streams of water coming from the Sierra de La Laguna a mountain chain right in the middle of the southern region of Baja California Sur. Breakfast was delicious there, though, except coffee, but you don´t find good coffee in all Cabo Pulmo so, just live with it . After driving for about 10 minutes at the foot of the Sierra, we parked the car and start walking in a canyon shaped trails. I kept walking and noticed a few pretty beach houses, each one with its own motor home parked inside the porch. Paperwork and delivery were fast and seamless, with no fee surprises. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t meet any rattlesnakes along the way, as I was told they are coming out at this time. Right before the curve onto the coastal road I remember there was a detour to a beach called Agua Verde. So I turned around and I went back to La Paz where I checked in to my new apartment, which would have been my home for the next couple of months. I managed to sneak away from my group, and especially from a way too talkative lady that was messing up my mystical moments, those that I have when I am looking at such beauty of nature. . By the time we returned to Loreto, it was mid-afternoon and I ended my beautiful day with a walk in the Malecon and a nice coffee in the plaza. We got up to a certain point where my climbing skills were not good enough to go any further. The following morning I left early and went back to the Marina because I wanted to take another tour. I actually didn’t expect it to be so green. Those were grey whales. It was nice to catch up and speak about our travels while eating pizza. I hope you will join me in this exciting neverending journey that is life. The tour started off in the best way when I saw we were only 7 on the boat and continued even better when we had our first encounter. Trip Dates (2021)March 4-14 (full)March 22-31April 5-15 Discover one of the world’s best new cycling and ultimate social-distancing destinations, all close to home. I was excited for the next day as Roberto managed to book a whale watching trip for me. I hoped I was fit enough. So I managed to buy some fruits and crackers for my first dinner in Baja. Only later on I understood why he was not so clear about the itinerary. Dolphins, whales and penguins are my favorite animals and today I covered two of them in one day. I’m so excited to see them. In this detailed post, I explain everything about Snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo and every little detail of this cute little village, a paradise for sea lovers, where you can find a community of locals dedicated to sea conservation in Baja California.. So I accept my limits and I go regardless. This will give you the time to explore the beautiful bays that you will encounter along the way. It was hard because we were at the end of the season and not many tourists, so the tour agency wouldn’t have enough people to fill a boat. After a 30 minutes walk we went down in a small canyon where I could show my absolute clumsiness in dealing with boulders, especially the ascent. 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