Baja Ultimate Whale Safari 2025 Trip Report

Trip Leader: Dan Bishop. Images by Dan Bishop and Guests

In February of 2025, nine intrepid guests joined Bluewater’s 8-day Ultimate Whale Safari in Baja for an unforgettable adventure...

Arrival & First Whale Watching Excursion

Day 1 – Feb 12, 2025

Having flown in a day or two prior, we all met at the SeeCreatures office in Cabo San Lucas to get signed in and ready for our first whale watching adventure. Our group was shuttled to the marina to begin our first 5-hour whale watching session in the Cabo area. We were treated to plenty of action, including breaching humpbacks and a number of gray whales (somewhat uncommon for this area). In the afternoon, we boarded a bus that took us to La Paz, where we checked into the Marea hotel and had dinner as a group.

Snorkeling with Sea Lions & A Change in Course

Day 2 – Feb 13, 2025

After breakfast at the hotel, we boarded a panga which took us to our boat for the day and headed out to check out some nearby sea lions at Rafaelito. This site is home to small colony of sea lions which mostly consists of adults. Our group donned our wetsuits and snorkel gear and jumped into the water to snorkel around the small rock island to get a closer look at the sea lions and other fish in the shallow waters. We then had lunch on board the boat and headed back to the hotel. Our original itinerary had us boarding the Gallant Lady in the afternoon. However, due to an earlier incident with the Gallant Lady, our next 3 nights would be land based in the Loreto area instead. We were flown by private charter from La Paz to Loreto, where we checked in to the Loreto Bay Golf Resort and Spa and had dinner as a group. The resort is situated at the southern end of Loreto on a picturesque beach.

Blue Whales & Aerial Spotting in Loreto

Day 3 & 4 – Feb 14-15, 2025

After breakfast at the resort, we were shuttled to the marina to board our whale watching boat. The Westerly was our primary boat, supported by a super-panga and RHIF speedboat. We also had a dedicated spotter airplane to help locate the whales. In this area, we were treated to close encounters with the enormous blue whales, as well as fin whales and more humpbacks. Delicious lunches and plentiful snacks were served on the Westerly each day. We had the whale watching area and nearby rugged coastline mostly to ourselves both days. On day four, the group ventured outside of the resort to have a fun dinner at a local restaurant.

Private Flight to San Ignacio & Up-Close Gray Whale Encounters

Day 5 – Feb 16, 2025

Following breakfast at the resort, we boarded another private charter flight that would take us to the lagoon at San Ignacio. The ‘airport’ is a dirt runway which is located near our camp, which would be our home for the next 3 nights. We were greeted with champagne and shuttled to the camp. After a quick lunch in the dining tent, we boarded our panga for an afternoon of incredible gray whale encounters. Our group of 10 shared a single panga, along with our naturalist guide and captain. After returning to the camp, we were shown our tents. This is glamping at its finest – the tents have king size beds, couches, bathrooms, and heat (since it gets quite cool at night). After a nice dinner, we all headed to bed to get ready for the next day.

Two Full Days of Intimate Whale Interactions

Days 6 & 7 – Feb 17-18, 2025

Days 6 and 7 followed a similar schedule: breakfast, morning whale watching, lunch, afternoon whale watching, happy hour, naturalist presentation, and dinner. There were lots of gray whales in the area (~55), some of which came quite close to us. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the mothers and calves are the friendliest, coming right up to our boat to check us out. This area is highly regulated, which means that there are never many boats competing for the whale’s attention. The guides recognize and have named individual whales and know each whale’s personality. In addition to the whales, bottlenose dolphins were plentiful. On the afternoon of day 7, our group decided to skip the whale watching to enjoy what the camp had the offer – scenic walks along the water, board games, and an early happy hour. We were also treated to beautiful sunsets each night.

Final Whale Watching & Farewell

Day 8 – Feb 19, 2025

We had one final whale watching opportunity on the last morning. Our group then boarded another private charter which would take us back to Cabo San Lucas where we said our goodbyes. Some guests flew out that afternoon, while others opted to overnight in Cabo before heading home the next day. We left feeling thankful for an incredible adventure, great whale sightings, perfect weather for the entire trip, and great comradery within the group.

Learn more about the unforgettable Pacific gray whale experience in San Ignacio Lagoon.