Baja California Expeditions

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25.29° S -112.129° E

Discover the Wild Beauty of Baja California

With its pristine coastlines and vivid sea life, Baja California offers spectacular untamed wilderness. Sail aboard our nimble fleet into the biodiverse waters of the Gulf of California, home to more than a third of the world’s marine life. Enjoy thrilling opportunities for up-close encounters with gray whales and their curious calves on panga excursions in birthing lagoons. Spend days discovering vibrant marine life as you snorkel among playful sea lions or watch a pod of dolphins zip by your Zodiac. Then head ashore to hike amid shifting sand dunes and fascinating flora, from lush mesquite trees to monumental cardón cacti. Discover this awe-inspiring region—blissfully remote yet close to home.

Gray whales have the longest migration of any mammal, traveling 6,000 miles to and from Baja California where we encounter them in their birthing lagoons on the outer coast.

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Expedition Highlights

Sail among pristine islands in search of rare endemic creatures. Encounter whales, possibly up close, for an experience that will never leave you. Snorkel with playful sea lions. Hike up arroyos blooming with life and discover medicinal plants. Get a slice of life in rural Baja towns. Kayak, hike, stand-up paddleboard, snorkel, and actively explore this incredible playground of wildness.

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National Geographic Global Explorers Program

One of the most rewarding sights on an expedition is witnessing the gleam of discovery in a child’s eyes, whether they’re hiking desert islands or snorkeling with sea lions. Moments like these are abundant in Baja California—and they’re especially meaningful when complemented with the learning opportunities offered through our exclusive National Geographic Global Explorers Program for kids and teens 18 and under.

Life On Board

Henry David Thoreau called it the "tonic of wildness." It’s what Baja California, with its beauty and wildness intact, gives you—a spirit lift. To compound this healthful effect, add the luxury of comfort to the privilege of being here—with a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.

This Epic Baja Cruise Includes Ocean Kayaking, Beach Biking, and Whale Watching

Watching grey whales is an experience of a lifetime—and one of the best places to see them is off the coast of Baja California Sur. Read Travel + Leisure magazine's report from National Geographic Sea Bird in Baja California.

Surprising Desert Isles in the Sea of Cortez

Exploring the Sea of Cortez by water alone would make for an incomplete trip. On land, an equally spectacular sort of enchantment awaits if one knows where to look.

The History & Mystery of Baja’s Gray Whales

The planet’s largest creatures, whales spend the better part of their lives deeply submersed in their private watery world. But in Baja California, it’s a different story. There, in the warm protected lagoons, gray whales are equally curious about us as we are of them.

Thrilling Encounters: Wild Life in the Sea of Cortez

Lindblad has been taking guests to Baja California, a UNESCO World Heritage Marine Site that Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s aquarium,” for 40 years. Naturalists have deep knowledge of wildlife habits and ship captains have the freedom to position vessels to maximize wildlife viewing.

Discover Baja California

As one whale spouts in the distance, another spyhops up to take a look around, and yet another might breathe right behind you. You are afraid to turn in another direction because you might miss something. It is immensely exciting because there is so much going on!

Kelly Coursey Gray, Naturalist, February 14, 2022

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Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

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FAQs

FAQs and key information

From climate conditions to water temperature to packing the right footwear, find answers to the questions Expedition Specialists get most often.

Expedition Leader

Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalist

Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

Undersea Specialist

Undersea specialists are your eyes on the world that lies beneath the waves. Using an array of tools, including a high-definition camera, our Cousteau-like undersea specialist dives frequently during the voyage to show you strikingly clear images of the seldom-seen world beneath the ship.

Certified Photo Instructor

Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings, the basics of composition, and more tools and tips to help you become a better, more confident photographer.

The whale sightings were fantastic. Touching the gray whales was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Connie C.

Making a Difference

Lindblad Expeditions supports stewardship efforts in the places we explore, and one way we do that is through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund. Traveler contributions to the LEX-NG Fund in Baja California currently support the Gulf of California Conservation Fund in its efforts to facilitate conservation and research projects across the region.

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Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

4/11/2025

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National Geographic Venture

Isla Carmen

Today, on the last full day of our journey, we woke up in the Loreto Bay National Marine Park. Calm winds and clear skies welcomed us to Playa Blandra on the west side of Isla Carmen. We began our day with a series of hikes up the arroyo into the heart of the island. As we ventured into the thick vegetation at the start of the hike, we began to see a variety of plants, lizards, birds, and remnants of bighorn sheep, species that characterize this part of the peninsula. As the day grew warmer, we cooled off by spending time in the shallows of the beach while enjoying a cold beverage. Once we returned to National Geographic Venture , we set out to explore the islands of this park in search of charismatic megafauna. It didn't take long before we were surrounded by hundreds of common dolphins. As our explorations continued, sightings of mobulas, humpback whales, and even hammerhead sharks offered a spectacular way to say goodbye to such a special place in this part of the world.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/10/2025

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National Geographic Venture

Santa Rosalia, Baja California Sur, Mexico

After enjoying an astonishing sunrise by Isla Tortuga, an extinct volcano, we headed towards the historic town of Santa Rosalia, founded by copper miners in the 1800s. It seemed that time had stopped as we walked through the main street with its houses built from wood imported from California in the U.S. Now labeled “Pueblo Magico” by the Mexican government, the town will be preserved and promoted as a tourist destination. We visited the “El Boleo “Museum, the former office of the mining company, as well as Santa Barbara Church, designed by Gustav Eiffel, a world-famous civil engineer. After having lunch aboard the ship, we sailed in search of marine life. We observed humpback and fin whales, marine birds, and a couple of dolphin pods. It was the perfect end to another day in paradise itself. Gracias, Baja California Sur.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/9/2025

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National Geographic Venture

Isla San Pedro Martir, Isa Rasa & Bahia de Los Angeles

This morning, we awoke east of one of the most isolated islands in the Gulf of California, Isla San Pedro Martir. The abundance of guano here tells the story of the sea's productivity, as this island serves as a nesting ground for a variety of birds that feed on nearby fish. These include brown boobies, blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, brown pelicans, and Herrmann's gulls. After circumnavigating San Pedro Martir, we returned to National Geographic Venture and navigated to our next stop, Isa Rasa. The elegant terns were so loud we could hear them as we approached at a great distance: this island hosts nearly 90% of all the world's elegant terns and Heermann's gulls. They’re especially plentiful from April through August, as they form breeding colonies and raise their chicks here. We then continued onward to Bahia de Los Angeles on the Baja California Peninsula. After driving inland for 20 minutes, we pulled aside and began exploring the surreal landscape of this part of the peninsula. Perhaps the most iconic plant species spotted here is the cirio, also known as the boojum tree.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/8/2025

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National Geographic Venture

Puerto Refugio, Angel de la Guarda Island

National Geographic Venture anchored early this morning at Puerto Refugio, on the northernmost part of Angel de la Guarda. It is one of the most interesting islands that compose the Midriff of the Gulf of California. Our guests and naturalists explored the coastal plains that lead to the eroded and steep hills made of red and orange volcanic rocks from the Comondu Formation. We discovered the fascinating vegetation of one of the driest parts of the Baja Californian Desert, including gigantic multibranched cardon cactus, lomboy, copalquin, brittle bush, hojasen, desert lavender, teddy bear cholla, and many others. We then boarded Zodiacs for guided tours in the ocean. We encountered curious Baja Californian sea lions, flying pelicans, Heermann’s gulls, Pacific loons, eared grebes, Brandt’s cormorants, and more. Admiring the beautiful landscape completed a long, fruitful day of exploration.

Daily Expedition Reports

4/7/2025

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National Geographic Venture

Puerto San Francisquito, Baja California, Mexico

We sailed north from Bahia Concepcion towards Puerto San Francisquito, right in front of the Midriff Islands. We enjoy a peaceful morning exploring the bay by kayaks and Zodiac tours. After returning aboard for lunch, we searched the beach and a couple of canyons in search of treasures, and sure enough, we found many. From coyote tracks to pinniped carcasses, as well as a variety of endemic plants, and even some Pliocene period mollusk fossils, perhaps six to two and a half million-years-old embedded in the rocks. What an extraordinary day full of discoveries.

Baja California is arguably the best place in the world to see whales in good conditions—humpback, gray, fin, blue, pilot—to name the most likely.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

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Baja California 2026-27

Baja California

Baja California 2026-27

2026-2027 Voyages

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