Last updated on March 8th, 2025
Going down to Baja California to see the gray whales in the lagoons where they give birth has been on my must-do list for a few years now, ever since Chris Christensen over at the Amateur Traveler talked about seeing them on a cruise. It sounded unbelievable, with the whales coming right up to the boat so you could touch them. But cruises were really expensive and most of the camps I found online were equally so. (I actually found a glamping trip that looked great and was priced right for the 2022 season, but for 2023 they were changing it to a all luxury trip that was even more expensive per day than a cruise. Ouch!)
I gave up for awhile, before stumbling on Baja Jones, on an independent adventure wildlife tour operator who seemed to have a trip that covered what we wanted to see at a price we could almost justify. It still wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t quite as basic as I thought it might be. And the whale watching was AMAZING! I definitely want to return to Baja for more time with the gray whales.
Whales, whales, and more whales in Baja Sur, Mexico
10 days, perfect weather, and hundreds of whales. (Plus a few missions, birds, coyotes, dolphins, and margaritas.)
Petting whales was the primary focus of the trip, but there was so much more!
This was a trip booked through Baja Jones Adventure Travel (a new website that doesn’t always load, so you can also try the Grey Whale website which seems to be about equally up-to-date). As I’ve mentioned before, I was a little nervous about how this trip would go. Keith was super responsive — but sketchy websites, almost no reviews, a liability waiver that ran many pages, a destination that was NOT one of the usual places to see these whales, and the ever-present possibility of bad weather making whale watching impossible left me mentally preparing for the worst. And it could have been a big waste of time, as the group behind us hit a lot of windy days that took some whale watching out of the picture. But the biggest problems we had were a lack of water for washing hands (which made it impossible to wear contacts some days), heaters that were still awaiting parts (and not needed once I got an extra blanket), and margaritas that literally knocked you off your feet. So nothing to complain about.
Day 1: San Diego to Guerrero Negro
The tour began in the parking lot of our hotel so we got to meet a few other participants while we waited for our early morning pickup. All together we were a group of 12. (Once we got into Mexico were were always accompanied by one or two guides or other staff, so usually there were about 14 of us.)
No pictures from the drive down across the border and on to Ensenada because I was tired. In Ensenada. Once our driver figured out that we were going to the airport and not to a cruise ship (we were the first group of the season for the whale watching tour and most of the groups he gets are headed to a cruise ship), we got to the airport in plenty of time for our flight.
The airport we flew out of is very small. So was the plane.
It’s a new plane and (once we squeezed through the “aisle”) it was very comfortable. And the flight was fantastic! Very smooth with interesting scenery.
Along the coast of Baja.
Once on the ground, we had another 45 minute or more drive out to the camp along Laguna Ojo de Liebre.
This is a sort of weird area — much of it is part of the Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it’s also the site of the world’s largest commercial saltworks. So the drive to camp took us through undeveloped wilderness areas where pronghorn still roam as well as part of the saltworks.
Salt ponds near our whale camp.
Some of it looks pretty surreal.
But the camp is along the sea some distance from the saltworks.
The Baja Jones whale camp. You can hear the whales from camp.
Along the lagoon behind our camp.
(Sometimes you can see and hear whales in the lagoon from shore.)
While the heaters were yet to be installed because not all the parts arrived, with extra blankets our wood “tents” were warm enough even as night-time temperatures dipped into the 40s.
Day 2: The whale watching is incredible
The reason to go to Baja to see the gray whales is because they come right up to the boats and you can pet them.
So, that first morning we got up before sunrise, ate a hardy breakfast, and headed to the nearby dock where we split into two groups to go out on the water.
I have to say that — even though I know someone who has done this — I was still a little skeptical about the whales getting close enough to touch. But sure enough, once we got out to an area where there were a lot of whales, our captain turned the engine to idle and several whales started swimming over to us.
If you don’t pet them, they tend to wander off in search of other boats.
Of course, everyone wants to see (and pet) baby whales, and we got to see and pet a few of those on our first trip out too!
Even baby gray whales are still pretty big at 1000-2000 pounds.
By the time we went in for an early lunch I already felt that I’d gotten my money’s worth for the entire trip. Even if we didn’t have another experience like this, it would be worth it.
The afternoon whale watching was similar, although we didn’t interact with quite as many whales.
And that was just day one.
Day 3: On the road to Loreto
The trip I booked included whale watching on both the Pacific Coast (gray whales) and in the Sea of Cortez (blue whales, but also orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, dolphins and porpoises). So after an amazing day with the gray whales, we climbed into a brand new but horridly uncomfortable mini-bus to spend most of the day driving across the peninsula to Loreto.
Our only stops were a couple of bathroom breaks, a stop to take in the desert, and a lunch stop in Mulegé. But the scenery was pretty interesting — especially after we got to about the center of the peninsula.
I saw lots of Mexican giant cardón (Pachycereus pringlei), which look a lot like saguaros (that’s what I thought they were when I first saw them at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix years ago), but branch differently and can grow to 80 feet tall.
Mexican giant cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) cacti along the way.
We also some areas with a lot of Joshua trees, but they didn’t look nearly as healthy as most I’ve seen in California and Nevada.
Joshua trees and mountains offered interesting scenery.
We stopped at a spot where a few flowers were blooming — not just brittlebush, but also lupines, poppy mallow, and a few others I couldn’t identify. The bluff over the road reminded me of the Fish Creek area on the Apache Trail in Arizona.
Scenery that reminded me of Arizona.
(But the road in Mexico is way better than the Apache Trail!)
And, of course, there were a few stunning views of the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) when we reached the other side of the peninsula.
The Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) as we approach Loreto.
We arrived in Loreto just in time for margaritas and dinner.
Day 4: Whale watching on the Sea of Cortez
Like the lagoons on the Pacific Coast, the islands off Loreto are also part of a UNESCO site — this one consisting of 244 islands, islets and coastal areas that make up the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California.
Five of those islands are located off Loreto. But whale watching on the Sea of Cortez is nothing like whale watching on Laguna Ojo de Liebre. It’s over an hour just to get to where the whales are and the water is often rough. And the whales aren’t particularly eager to meet you — especially the blues — and the whole experience is a lot more stressful for both whales and whale-watchers alike.
Our first day out was a little windy with lots of swells — and with a captain who always had to be first, there was a lot of had thumps as we bumped over the swells. But that was better than when we stopped to actually see a whale and bobbed in the swells. (I can’t take any of the standard nausea meds any more, so was experimenting with a herbal remedy that helped, but but was just barely enough.)
I did get to see some interesting scenery as we bumped along looking for whales that were elsewhere.
Yeah, I think I could spend some time at a resort here!
And our wonderful guide Hasan was sitting where we could talk, so he pointed out some of the features we were passing — including a nearly hidden marina that really made me wish I could sail here!
There’s a marina back behind those rocks.
And, after spending a long time watching and waiting in an area where there were no whales, we moved to an area where we did see a few blue whales — even a mother and calf. But from quite a ways off, so mostly we saw spouts, backs, and tails.
A blue whale tail.
Sadly, there was a lot of chasing — racing at top speed to where a spout was seen and then racing toward the whale again when it surfaced somewhere else. There were too many boats and too many captains who didn’t know how to anticipate what the whale would do next and so wouldn’t just pick a good spot and wait. It was cool to see the whales, but it was also really icky because the whales were clearly trying to get away from all the boats.
Luckily, just before we had to go in for the day (time on the water is limited by when the wind comes up each afternoon) we ended up passing through a bay with a few humpbacks and a lot of dolphins and we got to just enjoy them without chasing for a few minutes.
Bottlenose dolphins at play.
We were supposed to stop for lunch on one of the islands. But it had taken too long to find the whales, so it was top speed again so we could be the first ones back to the dock. I barely got a chance to even see the beaches!
Some islands have lovely white sand beaches.
(If I’d gone whale watching again the next day, I would have gotten to explore one of these beaches, but I had other plans.)
Day 5: On a mission to see missions
Between the chasing, rough ride, long periods of boredom, and nausea, neither Lane or I were particularly excited about another day of chasing blue whales — even though the weather was supposed to be perfect.
And there was a mission about 20 miles out of town that I really wanted to see. So I asked Oscar, our brilliant fixer and arranger of everything, if he could help me arrange a cab so Lane and I to go out to Mission San Javier (Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó).
Turns out that he loves going out there and hadn’t been there for a few years so offered to arrange a driver and go with us. So, while the others went off for what turned out to be a perfect day for whale watching, five of us, Oscar, and a driver headed up into the mountains to the mission.
The drive itself turned out to be quite spectacular.
Dramatic scenery near Loreto.
(Of course, Oscar knew exactly where to stop to get the best view of the mountains, a palm oasis, and the Sea of Cortez.)
Mission San Francisco Javier
Founded in 1699, Mission San Francisco Javier was the second mission established in Spanish California. A stone church and other buildings were constructed, but the mission was relocated to a nearby location with a more reliable source of water in 1710. The church that stands today was constructed in the new location around 1750. It was abandoned by 1817. I’m not sure when it was restored, but it’s lovely today.
Mission San Francisco Javier near Loreto.
(Unfortunately, mid-day sun and cars mean my photo isn’t very lovely.)
The interior is relatively plain for something Spanish. And it’s hard to say exactly what it actually looked like when first built.
Inside Mission San Javier.
It’s an interesting site. And after looking through the mission and grounds, we had a snack with the rest of our little group. And then the scenic trip back through the mountains to Loreto.
Loreto
Back in Loreto we explored the city a bit and then headed over to the mission located in town.
Mission Loreto has been rebuilt a few times. . . the tower is a later addition.
Loreto was the first mission established in Baja. It was founded in 1697 and the church that stands today was completed in 1744 — but a hurricane and earthquake mean that much of what we see today was reconstructed over time. (And that bell tower was a much later addition.) Today the interior is relatively plain.
Inside Mission Loreto.
And then it was time for a beer.
Great brewery!
(I had a fabulous dark beer with “Monk” in the name that isn’t listed on their website.)
Day 6: A much better day of whale watching
The day we were out looking at missions was super still and sunny. But the next day is pretty still too, with little wavelets, but none of the nausea-inducing swells of the first day.
Isla Carmen in the Sea of Cortez/Gulf of California.
It didn’t take very long to find a few whales either.
Whales ahead!
With fewer boats out and most captains willing to take a guess at where the whales were headed and just wait there instead of zipping over to each one as it appeared, the experience was a lot better for the whales and whale watchers alike.
We were seeing mostly humpbacks and blue whales, and all you ever see of a blue whale is the tale.
It was so quiet that we could hear — but not see — a whale near the shore exhaling. So we asked our captain to take us over there where we had a lovely time just sitting and watching a blue whale go about its business without any chasing.
But, while it was fun to see the whales, the real treat was on our way back to the harbor. We suddenly found ourselves in a sea of common dolphins leaping around. A few started to follow the boat, playing in the wake and racing alongside.
Dolphins playing alongside our boat.
Then, all of a sudden, in almost complete unison they took off in another direction, fleeing as if their lives depended on getting out of there as fast as possible.
Dolphins in full panic mode. (We learned later there were orcas in the area.)
They changed directions several times, all 200-300 of them reacting at the same time. We assumed there were orcas in the area (orcas with babies were spotted the day before), but we never saw any.
And then it was back to shore for our last evening in lovely Loreto.
Day 7: Back across the peninsula
The next day was another driving day.
The coast north of Loreto.
But with a few more tourist stops this time to take a closer look at the scenery and a few small towns along the way.
Back on the road.
Santa Rosalia
On the way to Loreto we made a short detour to dive by a metal church in Santa Rosalia designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame). It was literally a drive-by, and those of us on the other side of the bus could hardly see it. But someone (not me this time, although this was on my list of things I hoped to see) wanted to actually get out and go inside. And we got to do that this time.
Mexico’s metal church may or may not have been the work of Gustave Eiffel.
San Ignacio
Lunch and the Mission in San Ignacio was also on the day’s schedule.
San Ignacio is a very pleasant-looking town in an oasis filled with date palms. (The dates are fabulous!) Along the shady central square, the 18th century church of Mission San Ignacio is one of the most interesting-looking of the mission churches I’ve seen in the USA or Mexico.
Mission San Ignacio in the center of the city.
The inside was a lot simpler than I was expecting, although, of course, there was gold around the altar!
Inside Mission in San Ignacio.
Day 8 and 9: I do love those gray whales
Our last two days in camp were spent with the gray whales. I had hoped to squeeze in some bird watching and check out some other areas included in the UNESCO site, but timing was tough and the gray whales were too awesome to miss! (And we did get frequent close-up views of some birds, including the osprey nesting above the dock.) The whale watching was at least as good as the first day, with plenty of whales coming up for petting, mom’s showing off their babies, plenty of spy hopping, and lots of amorous activity near the water’s surface.
Gray whales swim right over to the boats — no need to chase after them!
And that was the end of our whale watching for this trip. But I definitely want to come down here to see the whales again some day!
You can read more (and see more pictures) of the grey whale watching part of this trip at Petting whales in Mexico.
Day 10: A very long drive to San Diego
We were supposed to return to San Diego the same way we arrived, but in reverse: Drive an hour to a military airfield, fly a couple of hours to Ensenada, then drive from Ensenada across the border back to San Diego.
However, Keith has made other arrangements as the airline canceled our flight because of an equipment issue. They only have one plane and Keith suspects they got a better offer from someone paying for a private charter (our tickets were for the regularly scheduled flight), since none of the other flights he has for booked for today or tomorrow were affected.
That means that, instead of flying a big part of the way, we are back in the horrid crowded bus that bounces and sways. And there will be no sightseeing stops, as we leave at 5:30 a.m. and don’t expect to reach the border until evening. So we begin and end in the dark.
We are supposed to drive up the west coast of Baja, but the driver tires of passing and repassing a slow-moving military convoy (we have to stop at all the military checkpoints and, although it only takes a few minutes to get through, it’s enough time for the convoy to get by us). He stops near a key crossroad and waits for the convoy: If it turns to go toward Mexicali we’ll continue on our planned route, if it continues straight toward Ensenada we’ll cross over the peninsula and go up the east coast. Unfortunately it passes us, and we turn east to take the longer, but theoretically faster, eastern route.
Once it is light, the desert scenery is interesting for many parts of the trip, but even I eventually tire of cool cacti and piles of rock.
I like cacti a lot, but even I tire of it after enough hours.
There are only a few places with wildflowers, but the desert is a carpet of purple near the coast.
These purple flowers were fun to see.
And there are vineyards and agave fields near Ensenada!
We did not get to stop and sample at either a vineyard or agave plantation.
We eat a quick lunch in Ensenada (camp cook Patti sent us off with a whole cooler filled with delicious hot breakfast burritos for breakfast along the way) and then switch to a mini-van and car for the rest of the route.
We had a fabulous sunset, but it was a little hard to watch as our driver zipped here and there and back and forth to somehow get us across the border in 40 minutes.
