MEet the FRIEndly
Gray Whales
in magdalena bay
FEBRUARY - MARCH
Meet the FRIENDLY GRAY whales in baja
Bahia Magdalena is home to one of the most intimate wildlife experiences on earth. The gray whale encounters in this area can only be described as life-changing! Imagine leaning over the edge of the boat, looking eye-to-eye with a 20-ton gentle giant, only for this whopping great gray whale to place its head under your hand, asking you to stroke its nose.
These lagoons have some of the largest aggregations of whales in the world; some days, we have over 100 sightings, and each trip is always different. On some trips, the mothers will show off their calves and bring them close to the boat for you to see. On some trips, we see lots of spy-hopping, and on others, we get lucky and see breaches… all big reasons as to why many people return each year and sometimes multiple times each season!
Tour Information…
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Time:
Start: 6am from La Ventana / 6.45am from La Paz
(Timing depends on conditions for the day)
Finish: around 5pm
(times may vary depending on chosen location)
Location:
Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Tour Meeting Point:
From La Ventana:
In front of Playa Central:
https://goo.gl/maps/e7gWtPTomPJ4x39t5
From La Paz:
Walmart/Autozone Car Park: https://goo.gl/maps/dk8u5jS9swnDigyV8
Nearest Airport: La Paz (LAP), Los Cabos International (SJD)
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1 day trip = 3 hour boat ride
3 day trips available
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This Trip includes transfer from La Ventana/La Paz to the Whale Lagoons and back.
Light meal after tour in local restaurant.
Boat Tours and activities mentioned
Marine Park entrance fees
Guide and Captains
Photos and Videos
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Flights/transfers to La Ventana/La Paz
Single Occupancy room
Extra food & drinks not mentioned in itinerary
Tips/gratuity - we are not fans of the forced tipping culture. So, if you feel inclined to leave a tip because you had an amazing time and you feel we did an exceptional job, the team would be delighted and grateful for your generosity :)
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Warm clothing - it can get cold in the early morning and with the wind.
Waterproof clothing - if it’s windy the water can splash into the boat
Sunscreen/protection - it can also get really sunny and warm during the day
Sea sickness pills if you are prone to nausea - it can get quite wavey on the boat.
A good attitude - this is nature, there are no guarantees with what we can see, we will use our experience and expertise to put you in the best places possible for sightings but there is always a chance that you won’t see anything.
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1 Day trip: 5000 MXN per person. (Group discounts available)
3 Days: accommodation + food icluded.
100,000 pesos for 1-4 people. 25,000 pesos per person extra
Min Deposit to Reserve: 50%
*day trips require a minimum of 4 people.
**you can book individually and join a group for day trips. For 3 day trip we can try to match you with a group if available.
MAGDALENA BAY WHALE WATCHING Itineraries
*Please note that the itinerary may change slightly due to weather, current marine life sighting reports, and other factors out of our control.
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Leave La Ventana at 4/5am, the drive takes around 3-3.5 hours so feel free to stare at the inside of your eyelids for a few hours zZzZ
Pick up any extra guests from La Paz on the way.
Arrive at the Lagoon where we will meet our Captain for the day.
Leave the small fishing village down the mangrove river into the lagoon in search of the Gray Whales for 4 hours. Depending on Whale action and conditions, we can also check out the Bird life and the mangroves during the tour.
Lunch will either be eaten from the boat in the middle of the lagoon while the Whales watch us eat, or if the conditions are a bit rough we will find a nice calm area either in the boat or on land.
Return back to the port.
Option to eat locally caught food from the village.
Back on the road to return back to La Ventana around 5-6pm.
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Day 1
Leave La Ventana at 5.30 with packed breakfast to arrive at Fishing Village in Southern Magdalena Bay Location .
Boat trip in search of Grey Whales and Mangrove tour, packed Lunch served on tour and aguachile (scallop ceviche) served after tour at Captains family house.
Leave and drive 1.5 hours to Central MagBay Location.
Check in to first night accommodation.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Hangout and Grey Whale talk/presentation.
Day 2
Breakfast
Morning boat trip in search of Grey Whales in Central location
Lunch at restaurant after boat trip
Drive to final Northern MagBay Location (1.5 hours)
Check into accommodation.
Dinner at restaurant and hangout.
Day 3
Breakfast
Morning boat trip in search of Grey Whales in Northern location
Lunch
Long drive back to La Paz/La Ventana (4.5 hours) with a stop midway for toilet break and snacks.
Arrive back, swap contact details with all your new friends, organize add on trips together and then come back and do it all again next year!
Available Dates:
1-day trips: Every day between mid-January and the end of March (only if we hear of whales being in the area) minimum of four people.
3-day trips: Mid-January until the end of March (only if we hear of whales being in the area) minimum of four people.
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Baja has a sunny, dry climate and only sees about 25cm/10 inches of rain in an entire year.
Most of this rain falls from late August through September. The rest of the year we barely see rain.
MAGDALENA BAY LOCAL Information
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*Averages
Apr: Day 28°C/82°F - Night 15°C/59°F
May: Day 32°C/90°F - Night 17°C/63°F
Jun: Day 34°C/93°F - Night 19°C/66°F
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Southern Baja has 2 international airports close to La Ventana;
Los Cabos International (SJD) 2.5-3 hours away and La Paz International (LAP) 45 mins away.
Anything Else?
Please note that our Magdalena Bay Whale Watching tour is not a swimming/snorkel/scuba trip. It is prohibited to swim with the gray whales in the lagoon, so the full tour will be from inside the boat.
Please feel free to bring your camera, although we take photos and videos for you it’s always fun to take your own.
Bring warm clothing!
