Trip Overview

Float eye-to-eye to gray whales in Magdalena Bay while whale watching, swim with sea lions, and explore the pristine sun-kissed beaches of  Baja, Mexico! 

Refresh and de-stress the AdventureWomen way, where a bit of pampering, mouth-watering meals, and outdoor adventures are enjoyed with other women who are as enthusiastic about the adventure as you are! Touch down in Mexico and head to Los Colibris Casitas in the heavenly seaside Todos Santos. Set high on a hill, this beautiful property features airy rooms with breathtaking ocean views, while its terraced landscapes and quiet spaces reach all the way down to the shoreline. In the evening, celebrate the flavors of Baja with a spectacular welcome dinner that makes getting to know the women in your group easy.

Todos Santos

Over your eight days in Baja, get to know your expert Mexican guide, who will help you learn about local traditions and foods, as well as about the local wildlife and the best way to interact with sea lions underwater. You are also accompanied by an AdventureWomen Ambassador, committed to helping make your experience a fun and personally rewarding adventure, and cheering you on as you reach beyond your comfort zone to take on new challenges in your own unique way!

Your first full day includes an enriching two-part cooking lesson in which you’ll all work together to prepare local dishes for dinner. In the morning, meet with Chef Iker Algorri to learn the traditional method of making tortillas! Finished cooking? Shake off the cornmeal and head to the beach for surfing lessons with the pros on Playa Los Cerritos, one of the best surf breaks in Baja. Later, meet up with Chef Iker on the beach. You’ll help him select fish right from the boats because tonight everyone learns how to make Punta Lobos Fish Stew with the fish you picked and the tortillas you made. Add Chef Iker’s perfected margarita and you’ve got a meal fit for las reinas.

Isla Espiritu Santo and Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay

Sea lions and starlit nights await you on Isla Espiritu Santo, reserved exclusively for AdventureWomen to provide beachside camping where your tent opens right onto a view of the sparkling ocean. Surrounded by the cerulean Sea of Cortez, you and your new friends can stroll the island, kayak the protected blue waters, and master the stand-up paddleboard, then wind down at night counting the stars that swirl overhead. For some real undersea magic, swim with the island’s inquisitive and playful sea lions. You may even have a nose-to-nose encounter!

Depart camp for Magdalena Bay and the warm calving waters preferred by gray whales. Enjoy a day of whale watching from boats that sit low in the water to provide an up-close look at these very gentle giants. February is the best time to be in Magdalena Bay for the largest seasonal migration of gray whales. You might just be able to observe a mother nurse her calf or get a splashy visit from the very curious and carefree juveniles who sometimes even come up to your boat to look at you! Stay in a comfortable camp in a lagoon that is home not only to whales, but to dolphins, sea lions, pelicans, and a variety of shorebirds. From Magdalena Bay, return to Todos Santos for a final Baja sunset over an exquisite group dinner where you and your new friends can reflect on this amazing trip. From surfing and sea lions to camping and cooking, it’s a tropical adventure you’ll always hold close to your heart.

Main Attractions

  • Interact with the gray whales who migrated 6,000 miles to mate and give birth in Magdalena Bay on the Pacific Ocean
  • Get “up close and personal” with a sea lion underwater while swimming and snorkeling in Baja’s warm waters
  • Learn how to make delicious Mexican cuisine from a talented Mexican “Maistro” using fresh local produce and seafood
  • Get active in Baja with hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and Baja-style beach camping experience on a remote beach in the Sea of Cortez

What You'll See and Do

  • Boating
  • Kayaking
  • Paddleboarding
  • Surfing
  • Swim with Sea Lions
  • Swimming
  • Whale Watching
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If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary

Trip Itinerary

The AdventureWomen itineraries are subject to change depending on the chosen departure date. To view a specific departure itinerary, simply click on the "Browse Detailed Itinerary" button above and select your date.

Day 1

Arrive in Todos Santos
Welcome to Baja, AdventureWomen! Bordered by both the wild Pacific Ocean and the protected Sea of Cortez, this finger-like desert peninsula is a haven for exotic plants, birds, and animals (both terrestrial and marine) and is home to friendly and welcoming people.

Over your eight days in Baja, you’ll get to know your expert Mexican guide, who will help you learn about local traditions and foods, as well as about the local wildlife and even the best way to interact with sea lions underwater. You are also accompanied by an AdventureWomen Ambassador, committed to helping make your experience a fun and personally rewarding adventure and cheering you on as you reach beyond your comfort zone to take on new challenges in your own unique way!

You will be picked up at the San Jose del Cabo airport by your guide and transferred to your hotel. You will receive specific instructions on the exact meeting location about a month prior to your trip. The Cabo airport is very busy, but AdventureWomen will make sure you know where you’re going!

Get to know your guide, your AdventureWomen Ambassador, and your fellow travelers over a delicious welcome dinner this evening.

Dinner

Overnight: Los Colibris Casitas

Day 2

Todos Santos
Start off your first day with a terrific Mexican breakfast prepared by a local chef. Begin your tortilla-making lesson right after breakfast to ensure that there are plenty of tortillas on hand for your cooking class tonight.

Take a surfing lesson today. No experience? No problem! Your instructors guarantee that you will stand up – at least for a moment – during your very first lesson!

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant where you will meet with a local female restauranteur who is a chef, entrepreneur, mother, grandmother, and daughter of a local artist. Hear about her experience cooking traditional, homestyle Mexican cuisine.

Take a Mexican cooking class this evening. Start your class by learning to make the perfect margarita! Make sure you pay attention as you learn from the chef – you are making your own dinner!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Los Colibris Casitas

Day 3

Todos Santos to Isla Espiritu Santo
Drive to La Paz, stopping to try on your wet suit and get your snorkeling gear. From La Paz, you will get on a boat for your 60-minute ride to your exclusive camp on the beach. Wear your bathing suit this morning, just in case there is a chance to swim along the way!

Spend your afternoon kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding exploring hidden lagoons and desert beaches.

Enjoy sunset happy hour with your group as you sip a cold drink and sit with your toes in the sand.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Baja-Style Beach Camping

Day 4

Isla Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo National Park in the Sea of Cortez is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the best marine life viewing destinations in the world. Whales, dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, and plenty of beautiful tropical fish call the surrounding waters home, while a terrific range of bird species including Blue-footed Boobies, Reddish Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Yellow-footed Gulls frequent the island’s skies and shores. The island itself is stunning, with magnificent towering cliffs, spectacular sandy bays, amazing lava rock formations, and rock art left by the now-extinct Guaycura and Pericu Indians.

Swimming with sea lions is magical, with unforgettable nose-to-nose encounters. Grab some provided snorkeling gear and jump in with them.

Enjoy a dinner from the camp kitchen and a relaxing night on the beach. Share stories about your experiences with the curious sea lions earlier today.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Baja-Style Beach Camping

Day 5

Isla Espiritu Santo to Magdalena Bay
Depart your beautiful camp by boat for La Paz. Once you arrive in La Paz, drive about five hours to Magdalena Bay, enjoying a picnic lunch along the way. This is a long drive, but Magdalena Bay is the premier place to see the gray whales.

Enjoy a couple of hours of whale watching on your way to the beach that you’ll call home for the next few nights.

This camp will have similar style tents to your last camp, but the tents are a bit more rustic, with cots and sleeping bags, since the location is even more remote!

Once you settle in, go on a guided nature walk to explore your surroundings. This evening you can relax with your group on the beach and if you’re lucky, observe whales from the shore.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Magdalena Bay Camp

Day 6

Magdalena Bay
Head out onto the water for a morning of interacting with whales. Highly experienced staff will ferry you through the waters of Magdalena Bay to whale watch from motorized skiffs, perfect conveyances from which to have a “whale’s eye view” of the great grays!

Enjoy lunch and a nature walk after your morning on the water.

Head out for another afternoon of whale watching. It is impossible to predict anything with wildlife, but in the past, AdventureWomen guests have seen mother whales bringing their babies up to the boat to say hello, males sidling up and spouting water on the boat, and gray whales bringing their heads out of the water to look women in the eye.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Magdalena Bay Camp

Day 7

Magdalena Bay to Todos Santos
Enjoy another couple of hours of whale watching, spending a little bit more time with these majestic, gentle creatures.

Drive about five hours back from Magdalena Bay to Todos Santos. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant along the way.

Start your farewell dinner with a mezcal tasting. Reminisce over all of the memories you have made and celebrate the end of an incredible trip with your new AdventureWomen friends!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Los Colibris Casitas

Day 8

Depart Todos Santos
Say goodbye to your new AdventureWomen friends as you transfer to the airport for your flights home.

Breakfast

Please note: AdventureWomen will attempt to adhere to the itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, and cultural) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. AdventureWomen reserves the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participants. 

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
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Traveling to Baja



Arrival and Departure Information

February 22, 2025 Departure:

Arrive: Arrive at San Jose del Cabo Airport (SJD) on February 22, 2025, before 3:00PM

Depart: Depart San Jose del Cabo Airport (SJD) on March 1, 2025, after 12:00PM

We are happy to help you make your flight and travel arrangements. If you’d like to do anything prior to or following the AdventureWomen trip, we’d be delighted to help you arrange any trip extensions you’re interested in.

Note: The recent trend in travel is for travelers to finalize their plans much closer to departure time than was customary in the past. While we try to be as flexible as possible in booking last-minute registrants, we must release hotel rooms two to three months prior to departure! Please keep this in mind when making your travel plans.

Preparation and Packing  

Please use the following guides as a reference when preparing for your adventure. We also encourage you to adapt the guides to your travel style as well as the destination’s forecasted weather.  

Gratuities  

Gratuities are a personal decision and are at your own discretion based on your level of satisfaction with the service provided. Gratuities are dependent upon the number of guests on your departure, and they vary greatly from trip to trip. As a general reference, AdventureWomen suggests you plan for $425-$475 (or more) worth of gratuities for this adventure. Specific tipping recommendations for your trip will be provided to you closer to your departure date and may fluctuate due to inflation, exchange rates, and the number of travelers on your trip. 

Passports and Visas

Citizens of the United States must have a passport valid for six months beyond their travel dates with at least two blank-facing pages. If you do not have a passport, please apply now!

Activity Level

We rate this trip as Active. Our Active adventures get you on your feet. You should be in good physical condition and be prepared to hike for up to five hours, multiple days in a row, on uneven surfaces with some steep ascents and descents. Please note that this is a general description of what you might encounter; for specific details about your trip, please consult the itinerary.

We recommend training before your trip (with your doctor’s permission) to make the most of your adventure. With this itinerary in mind, we have a partnership with Trailblazer Wellness, a woman-owned, women-run company that will design an individualized fitness plan just for you! Best of all, AdventureWomen guests get a 10% discount with the code AVW. Learn more on the Trailblazer Wellness website.

Health Considerations

Make an appointment with a travel clinic, as they may have recommendations for vaccines and medications based on the destination as well as your age, health, and past vaccination history.

For more health information, go to www.cdc.gov/travel and navigate to the page about Mexico.

How to Register

Call the AdventureWomen office at (800) 804-8686 to determine space availability and register for this trip. We can complete your registration, including taking your credit card deposit over the phone.

If you prefer, you can register online by clicking “Sign Up for this Trip” on the trip page.

Please be sure to read the AdventureWomen policies before registering!

Forms and Final Payment

The deposit for this trip is $800. You can transfer your deposit to another trip with no additional fee if you notify us within 120 days of the original trip departure date. We can hold your deposit for up to six months as a credit. Failure to book a new trip within this timeframe will result in the forfeiture of your deposit.

Once you book, you will need to fill out and return to AdventureWomen:

  • Information Form
  • Booking Conditions Form
  • Copy of Flight Information
  • Copy of Issuing Page of Passport (Photo Page)
  • Supplemental Health and Safety Form

Final payment is due to AdventureWomen in a cash form (check, money order, or wire transfer). A maximum of $1,500 per person can be put on a credit card, which includes your deposit.

February 26, 2024 Departure, Final Payment Due Date: November 28, 2023

February 22, 2025 Departure, Final Payment Due Date: November 24, 2024

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
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What's Included

Included

  • Accommodations as per itinerary based on double occupancy
  • All meals as listed in the itinerary
  • Guided sightseeing and activities as indicated in the itinerary
  • Bi-lingual, naturalist guides throughout the trip
  • All ground transportation
  • One group transfer on arrival and departure
  • Drinking water available in large jugs to refill personal bottles
  • Happy hour on Isla Espiritu Santo
  • Gratuities for drivers, hotel staff, wait staff, and luggage porters

Not Included

  • International airfare to and from Baja
  • Optional activities
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages (unless otherwise specified)
  • Fees for passport, visas, immunizations, or travel insurance
  • Cost of hospitalization or evacuation
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Gratuities for main guides, island staff, and boat captain

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
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Accommodations

Los Colibris Casitas

Los Colibris – The Hummingbirds – is in Todos Santos, just a ten-minute walk from the area's beautiful beaches. The property features two big casas (houses), two casitas (little houses), and 5 suites. Each building and room is configured and decorated in a unique way. The accommodations all include a balcony, porch, or patio, lovely views of the Pacific Ocean and lagoon, a small refrigerator, and a ceiling fan. The property has a water filtration system, so you can safely drink from the water from the tap.

Amenities: en suite bathrooms with soap, shampoo, hair dryer, electricity, a coffee maker, and Wi-Fi.

Baja-Style Beach Camping

You will love your base camp on one of the Isla Espiritu Santo’s most beautiful beaches! It features tents with twin beds, mattresses, pillows, and sheets. The accommodations are so comfortable and beautiful that you won’t want to leave. There is a kitchen tent where your on-site chef makes wonderful meals for you every day, and there are sun showers and portable toilets in separate cabanas.

Amenities: Composting toilet cabanas (not en suite); sun shower cabanas with soap and shampoo; solar charging station for small devices; campsite is off-grid

Camping in Magdalena Bay

This remote camp has safari-style tents with cots and sleeping bags. There is a washroom tent with a portable toilet, but you should bring biodegradable shower wipes to freshen up, as there is no fresh water available for bathing. The island you’ll stay on is near where the lagoon mouth meets the ocean, and you should be rewarded with whales swimming and playing all around the camp.

Amenities: Composting toilet cabanas (not en suite); no showers (we recommend dry shampoo and body wipes); no electricity or charging stations; campsite is off-grid

Please note that all amenities were current when written and are subject to change at any time.

 

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686
Email Us
Browse Detailed Itinerary

Download Extended Itinerary