Whales guaranteed! Of the whale watching tours we offer in Baja Mexico, this one is best for seeing whales at very close range, and plenty of them! Enormous Magdalena Bay is home to thousands of breeding gray whales. Dolphins and more than 100 species of marine birds spend the winter in the sheltered lagoons, including huge white pelicans, brant geese, and many waders. Emerald mangrove forests line the lagoons and shelter many birds and smaller marine life. On the other side of the dunes and barrier islands that separate Magdalena Bay from the Pacific Ocean is a surf-pounded beach studded with countless shipwrecks and tragic history.

This Baja whale watching tour uses a basecamp on a remote shore where gray whale activity is excellent. We should see them breaching and spyhopping from our camp, but due to federal protection we won’t be able to kayak among them. Instead, we use a motorized boat operated by a certified whale watching guide to move within the herd and possibly get close enough to pet some of the friendly whales who seek our company. A motor boat will also be used for transport to the basecamp.

A few points to note about this Baja gray whale watching tour. This adventure does NOT use sea kayaks like our other Mexico trips. Although you may swim in Magdalena Bay, the water is silty and snorkeling is poor. This region is substantially windier and colder than our Sea of Cortez kayaking locations on the other side of the Baja Peninsula. But the gray whale watching is the best in the world and the importance of this area as a major winter habitat for huge bird concentrations can make up for those shortcomings. Besides, where else can you pet a whale?!

Whale Watching Baja – Gray Whale Tour Itinerary

Please note: The Magdalena Gray Whale Watching Tour is available in both 5-day and 6-day versions. The 6-day version of the tour is the same except that the 5th day includes a boat excursion from Loreto to Isla Coronado in the Sea of Cortez where we will snorkel in the tropical waters and have a beach picnic. Departure from Loreto would then take place on Day 6 for this extended tour.

Day 1 - Arrive in Loreto Mexico. Our ground service takes you to a Loreto hotel. Your Baja tour guides meet you that evening for an orientation. Dinner this evening is a no-host affair.

Day 2 - First day of whale watching in Baja California. Tour leaders meet you at 8am for the two hour drive across the Baja Peninsula. After climbing the scenic mountains and traversing a broad plain we reach Puerto Lopez Mateos where we board a motorized boat for a ride to basecamp on a remote barrier island. The boat will also take us out for close up looks at the gray whales where we will hopefully encounter some "friendlies" who enjoy human contact. Basecamp is located in a high whale activity zone so expect to see and hear the whales right from your tent! Great hiking is found in the dunes and beaches. Your guides will be available at all times to identify flora and fauna, and discuss the natural history of the Baja California region.

Visit our Baja Mexico kayak map page to view or print a larger version of this Baja whale-watching tour map.

Day 3 - Mornings are spent gray whale watching from a motor boat. Afternoons are free to explore the remote and wild setting.

Day 4 - Last day of whale watching in Mexico. After morning whale watching, the boat will return us to Lopez Mateos for lunch and the van ride back to Loreto. We traditionally gather for a no-host farewell dinner at a local Loreto restaurant this night.

Day 5 - Departure from Loreto, Mexico. Arrive at the Loreto airport at least two hours before your flight departs, unless you have arranged to spend extra time vacationing in Mexico after your Baja whale watching adventure ends. If you are doing the extended tour you will be boating to Isla Coronado in the Sea of Cortez on Day 5 for some wonderful snorkeling in tropical waters and a beach picnic. After one more night of included hotel in Loreto, the extended tour allows you to depart on Day 6.

Quick Tour Facts: Available from late January through mid-March. The 6-day tour operates weekly from Sunday-Friday; fee $1179. The 5-day tour operates twice weekly Sunday-Thursday and Friday-Tuesday, fee $999. Youth discounts of 10% for children aged from 8 to 17 years. See our Kayak Tour Schedule page for dates.

Join us Gray Whale Watching in
Baja Mexico's Magdalena Bay this Winter!