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5 Day Gray Whale Watching & Camping, March 23 - 27 2014 Group Trip

Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Baja, Mexico

Not privately escorted: by Cindi LaRaia

COST: USD $2295.00 per person adult
$1722.00 per person child (will advise on the ages allowed for this price!)

Itinerary

Day #0:

1 night at Holiday Inn Bayside, own arrangements.

Day #1:

Leave the border bright and early, a 4:30 a.m. departure. Travel by van to Guerrero Negro, arriving in the late afternoon. We make an excellent lunch stop near the remote village of Catavina. There we have the opportunity to visit an interesting ancient cave painting site. Then a short three hour drive gets us to our destination. This first night we will stay at La Posada de Don Vicente hotel for the evening. After getting situated in our rooms we meet for dinner and an orientation talk telling you the latest on local conditions. (B, L, D)

Day #2:

This morning after breakfast in the café next to our hotel we journey to the newest observation area #3, just opened in 2004. Undeveloped and still undiscovered by most whale watchers this area is reminiscent of whale watching 20 years past. This is a really great location that Baja Jones considers to be the number one best location for whale watching of any kind, anywhere in the world.

You will have time to drop your gear at the campsite, then we head out for our first whale watch of the morning. Lunch will be served by the friendly Baja Jones crew. Then a second trip out onto the lagoon is planned after lunch. Dinner tonight will be prepared by an excellent local cook. Be prepared for some really tasty Mexican meals while in the camp. Here in Baja, Mexican food very much includes "mariscos" or seafood Mexican style. Living on a peninsula only 100 miles wide almost every Baja citizen grows up eating seafood as a basic food source.

We'll have time this afternoon for in depth discussions about the Gray Whales and about the lagoon and local environment. (B, L, D)

Day #3:

Breakfast will be ready by 7:30 a.m. Eggs, pancakes, hot & cold cereal and other American style breakfast foods are available. You will receive a brief questionnaire to complete regarding your meals at camp, as part of your sign up package.

Today you enjoy two whale watching trips in a repeat performance of our first whale watching day. Tonight at dinner we'll review the day's trip experiences. We'll also advise you about preparations for departure from camp tomorrow after a morning whale watching trip and lunch at the lagoon shore. (B, L, D)

Day #4:

Today you enjoy one morning whale watching trip as you have time to say your goodbyes to the gray whales. Tonight we return to the La Posada de Don Vicente hotel for the evening in preparation for an early morning departure on our last day. We'll have a nice dinner at a local restaurant tonight. (B, L, D)

Day #5:

All good trips eventually end. This is our travel back to the U.S. day. We'll leave early and arrive in the USA at the Holiday Inn in the late afternoon, depending on the border crossing. Expected arrival time is 5:00 PM, but this can vary greatly. (B & L)

Notes about this first season of the Baja Jones Adventure Camp whale watching trip.

Fortunately for us, this part of Baja does not get much rain, summer or winter. The weather in February and March is usually cool, not hot. Days are mild and comfortable shirtsleeve temperatures on land, cooler to cold on the boats. In the afternoon wind is common, but not unbearable.

In your confirmation packet will be information regarding suggestions for clothing and camp gear to bring along.

If you're interested in birds, your time at the camp will give you the opportunity to see a wide variety of birds. We have a resident population of shore wading birds who flock and hang out together and sometimes give us awesome displays of synchronized flying. Birds you might see include curlew, godwits, sandpipers, skimmers (they sometimes fly alongside the other birds, but never join in the aerial displays. We have many osprey, sometimes see oyster catchers or an occasional blue footed booby. Here at Laguna Ojo de Liebre you will also probably see both white and brown pelicans.

Odds are you'll hear if not see some of the local coyote population. They frequent the shore of the lagoon in search of birds and sea life. There are some of my favorite little desert animal around, the kangaroo rats, who aren't really a rat at all, but a very long tailed rodent in the mouse family.

The camp facilities are a combination of existing and temporary facilities. The toilets are enclosed normal toilets, not plywood seated outhouse style. They are clean and a short distance from the sleeping tents. The shower is a canvas enclosure style. The dining area is an existing cabin on the shore with a nice porch to sit and watch the whales while enjoying breakfast.

For more information
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Dive Discovery
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1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
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