 |
|
Destination
|
|
Your Cruise West small-ship launch crew carefully navigates the network of lagoons radiating north and south from Bahía Magdalena-the gray whale nursery. Killing the engines, you drift with the wind and the tide, marveling at the turquoise waters. Suddenly below you a great gray shadow rises, a barnacled head pops above the water and an eye, eerily human, gazes back at you, inviting your touch. Welcome to the Sea of Cortés.
Over 140 million years ago the Baja peninsula began to move slowly away from the mainland, forming the Sea of Cortés-the planet's newest sea. In this region more than 900 species of fish, one-third of the world's species of whales and dolphins, hundreds of varieties of birds and thousands of species of marine animals flourish. Many of them found only here. And many of them as curious to learn about you as you are to learn about them.
Stand on the deck as hundreds of dolphins welcome us into their midst. Swim with playful sea lions in their home waters. Kayak over gently flapping butterfly rays and schools of sergeant majors. And go ashore on islands that are home to both plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
To explore this extraordinary place is to know firsthand how small the human presence on earth truly is.
Recommended for:
- Guests who are fascinated by the unique ecology and friendly marine life of Baja Mexico.
- Travelers who want to explore this region in more intimate and casual ways - by kayak, launch, snorkeling, or hiking.
Join us on our exclusive “Through the Eyes of Steinbeck Cruise”, featuring guest lectures to enhance this unique Steinbeck-cruising perspective. http://www.cruisewest.com/cortes/resources/SteinbeckCruise.pdf
Your Cruise West voyage is highlighted by visits to these unspoiled islands, teeming with plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. We'll take you to breathtaking private beaches, to turquoise coves that invite you to dive in, and inland to where the giant cardón cactus grows. Our Cruise West family welcomes you into this special world. When your voyage ends, you will take part of this place away with you, embedded deep in your spirit. And you will leave a part of yourself behind.
 |
The
Ship: At home in the tropical climes of the Baja, the Spirit of
Endeavour offers a comfortable respite from the day’s adventures.
Cruise West's 102-guest Spirit of Endeavour is one of Cruise West's fastest overnight vessels, allowing for maximum flexibility while en route. The décor is sleek and stylish, with light wood accents and artistically etched glass. Ample outside space on three decks and expansive picture windows in the Explorer Lounge invite you to watch the scenery pass by, while the Lounge's cozy banquettes and conversation circles are perfect for getting to know your fellow travelers. Staterooms feature a wide picture window or porthole, private facilities, and a TV monitor/VCR. |
Highlights:
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Walk among the tangle of exotic cacti, or swim, snorkel and kayak the crystal waters of Isla Espiritu Santo, one of the most biologically diverse marine areas in the world
- Seek close encounters with gray whales from mid-January to mid-March, as they congregate in the shallow lagoons of Baja's Pacific shore
- Visit the mission in Loreto, the original "mother" church from which all other California missions were founded
- Swim and snorkel with the California sea lions on Los Islotes
- Hike Isla Partida's rugged canyons, or kayak up-close to rock-walled headlands
- Enjoy the Old Baja atmosphere of La Paz, founded in the 1530's
|
|
Flexibility is a hallmark of the Cruise West experience. Take time and strike out on your own kayak adventure. |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Discover the Wildlife-rich Waters of Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés
Visit an Eden teeming with exotic plants and animals. Touch the back of a curious whale, swim with playful sea lions, and go ashore to explore charming mission towns rich with colonial atmosphere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
The contrast invokes awe. The starkness of the desert landscape drops sharply into the brilliant azure of the sea. First-time visitors to the Sea of Cortés almost always remember that moment of vivid recognition when they recognize with certainty that this is one of the world's few truly special places.
Connecting with both the land and the sea.
Our style of cruising affords myriad opportunities to immerse yourself, sometimes quite literally, in the magic of the Sea of Cortés. Step into a DIB launch - the ship's inflatable excursion craft - to travel to a nearby island shore without a trace of human habitation. You might choose to kayak through aqua blue waters, over gently flapping butterfly rays and schools of sergeant majors. Along the side of the cove, tuck your kayak's nose into sea caves. All snorkel gear is provided, allowing you to marvel at the teeming undersea showcase you'll find off every beach.
Venture inland, as Exploration Leaders join you on nature walks and hikes. Each step will reveal uniquely adapted desert plants and flowering cacti - galloping pitahaya, cholla, organ pipe cactus and the gigantic cardón, which can reach as high as 60 feet.
Visit remarkable ports of call, such as Cabo San Lucas, a gateway to the Sea of Cortéz and the Pacific Ocean, to Loreto and La Paz, the picturesque city dating back to 1535 founded by Hernan Cortés.
|
You will have plenty of time ashore to enjoy and participate in local festivals and celebrations. |
|
Become one with the landscape and colorful regional history - connected with the very essence of the Sea of Cortés. |
Whales & Wildlife Cruise (34A)
8 Days, 7 Nights
Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas: Round Trip
- Whale watch and possibly visit the famous gray whale nurseries of Baja
- Step back in time as you tour Loreto's 17th century mission
- Go snorkeling among colorful tropical fish
- Count some of the almost 400 species of birds
- Wonder at magnificent sunsets and sunrises
- Appreciate one of the most amazing parts of this trip - the orange desert land
Day-to-Day
Itinerary
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 1 Transfer to Cabo San
Lucas
Transfer from Los Cabos Airport to Cruise West's Hospitality Room at Cabo’s inner harbor. This ship sets sail into the Sea of Cortés.
D
Day 2 Isla Espiritú
Santo
This 23,383-acre island near La Paz is centered in one of the most biologically diverse marine areas in the world – and is a major environmental success story. Several plants and animals are found nowhere else in the world, including the blacktailed jack rabbit and antelope squirrel. Drop anchor at Espiritú Santo’s Bahía Bonanza for a day ashore. Take a guided walk among the tangle of exotic cacti, or swim, snorkel and kayak the crystal clear sea here that supports 900 species of fish.
BLD
Day 3 Whale Watching
This whole day is spent pursuing up-close meetings with marine life. The Sea of Cortés is home to huge schools of common and bottle-nosed dolphins, as well as humpback, minke, fin, and blue whales. From mid-January to mid-March hundreds of gray whales congregate in the shallow lagoons of Baja’s Pacific shore. When our local contacts tell us the whales are present, you cross the peninsula by motorcoach to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos. There board an outboard-equipped panga to observe the grays, who have migrated some 6,000 miles from Alaska’s Bering Sea to mate, give birth, and rear their young. When whales are not present due to migration patterns, we will look for whales in the Sea of Cortés.
BLD
Day 4 Island Exploration
Guided by the weather and tides, visit one of the beautiful and special islands of the Sea of Cortés. Exploration will include nature hikes, kayaking and snorkeling.
BLD
Day 5 Loreto
Founded in 1697, Loreto’s Nuestra Señora de Loreto Mission was the original “mother” church from which all the other California missions were founded, eventually leading as far north as Sonoma, California. A museum adjacent to the mission displays historical artifacts and paintings from Baja’s colonial era. Stroll the streets and plazas of this picturesque seaside village, capped by a reception with musical entertainment at the mission.
BLD
Day 6 Los Islotes & Isla Partida
Los Islotes is a steep seamount punctured by sea caves. Blue-footed boobies reside on the cliffs, and a large colony of California sea lions lives on the rocks below. Weather permitting, swim and snorkel as the female sea lions and their curious young pups swirl about you in the sea. Continue to Isla Partida nearby, to hike the island’s rugged canyons, kayak up-close to rock-walled headlands, or just relax on the beach. In the sheltered cove of Ensenada Grande, the silky sandy bottom shelves out very gradually for hundreds of feet, as gentle waves lap onto the mangrove-backed beach. BLD
Day 7 La Paz
Today, your ship ties up at the central waterfront of Baja California Sur’s capital and largest city, which was founded in the 1530's. Enjoy the Old Baja atmosphere of La Paz, as you explore the shops, gelaterías, and the miles-long waterfront malecón or promenade. Options here include sea kayaking, mountain biking, and diving (for certified divers). Enjoy an exclusive reception, complete with Mexican music, dancers, and piñatas. Later, depart La Paz to sail overnight to Cabo San Lucas.
BLD
Day 8 Arrive in Cabo San Lucas
Cruise past the spectacular rock formation Los Arcos at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula. After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Los Cabos Airport. B
Known as "Mexico's Grand Canyon," the Copper Canyon is four times larger and nearly 1,000 feet deeper than its Arizona counterpart. An adventure by rail through the canyon to the heights of the Sierra Tarahumara is a spectacular continuation of your Sea of Cortés cruise.
One of the Great Rail Trips of the World
The Copper Canyon, which is deeper than Arizona's Grand Canyon, remains one of Mexico's least-explored regions, due to the very rugged terrain and the absence of a significant network of roads.
|
|
Because this area is remote, be sure to bring your sense of adventure. If you explored this region just 30 years ago, it would have required a saddle and boots. Today, the trail of the trusty burro has been replaced with one of the greatest engineering feats of our time: a rail journey featuring 89 tunnels, countless trestles and complete circle turns to gain elevation.
All of this is punctuated by first-class service, delightful cuisine, air-conditioned comfort and panoramic windows.
Whales & Wildlife Cruise + Copper Canyon (34B)
12 Days, 11 Nights
Cabo San Lucas to Chihuahua: Round Trip
-
Continue your memorable vacation with our travel partners in the breathtaking Copper Canyon
-
Connecting flight from La Paz to Los Mochis
-
See the sights of historic El Fuerte and Chihuahua, where Pancho Villa lived
-
Take a scenic railroad trip through Copper Canyon in first-class comfort
-
Visit a traditional Tarahumara village, where Indians still live as they did hundreds of years ago
Day-to-Day
Itinerary
BLD = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 1 Transfer to Cabo San
Lucas
Transfer from Los Cabos Airport to Cruise West's Hospitality Room at Cabo’s inner harbor. This ship sets sail into the Sea of Cortés.
D
Day 2 Isla Espiritú
Santo
This 23,383-acre island near La Paz is centered in one of the most biologically diverse marine areas in the world – and is a major environmental success story. Several plants and animals are found nowhere else in the world, including the blacktailed jack rabbit and antelope squirrel. Drop anchor at Espiritú Santo’s Bahía Bonanza for a day ashore. Take a guided walk among the tangle of exotic cacti, or swim, snorkel and kayak the crystal clear sea here that supports 900 species of fish.
BLD
Day 3 Whale Watching
This whole day is spent pursuing up-close meetings with marine life. The Sea of Cortés is home to huge schools of common and bottle-nosed dolphins, as well as humpback, minke, fin, and blue whales. From mid-January to mid-March hundreds of gray whales congregate in the shallow lagoons of Baja’s Pacific shore. When our local contacts tell us the whales are present, you cross the peninsula by motorcoach to Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos. There board an outboard-equipped panga to observe the grays, who have migrated some 6,000 miles from Alaska’s Bering Sea to mate, give birth, and rear their young. When whales are not present due to migration patterns, we will look for whales in the Sea of Cortés.
BLD
Day 4 Island Exploration
Guided by the weather and tides, visit one of the beautiful and special islands of the Sea of Cortés. Exploration will include nature hikes, kayaking and snorkeling.
BLD
Day 5 Loreto
Founded in 1697, Loreto’s Nuestra Señora de Loreto Mission was the original “mother” church from which all the other California missions were founded, eventually leading as far north as Sonoma, California. A museum adjacent to the mission displays historical artifacts and paintings from Baja’s colonial era. Stroll the streets and plazas of this picturesque seaside village, capped by a reception with musical entertainment at the mission.
BLD
Day 6 Los Islotes & Isla Partida
Los Islotes is a steep seamount punctured by sea caves. Blue-footed boobies reside on the cliffs, and a large colony of California sea lions lives on the rocks below. Weather permitting, swim and snorkel as the female sea lions and their curious young pups swirl about you in the sea. Continue to Isla Partida nearby, to hike the island’s rugged canyons, kayak up-close to rock-walled headlands, or just relax on the beach. In the sheltered cove of Ensenada Grande, the silky sandy bottom shelves out very gradually for hundreds of feet, as gentle waves lap onto the mangrove-backed beach. BLD
Day 7 La Paz
Today, your ship ties up at the central waterfront of Baja California Sur’s capital and largest city, which was founded in the 1530's. Enjoy the Old Baja atmosphere of La Paz, as you explore the shops, gelaterías, and the miles-long waterfront malecón or promenade. Options here include sea kayaking, mountain biking, and diving (for certified divers). Enjoy an exclusive reception, complete with Mexican music, dancers, and piñatas. Later, depart La Paz to sail overnight to Cabo San Lucas.
BLD
Day 8 Arrive in Cabo San Lucas
Cruise past the spectacular rock formation Los Arcos at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula. After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Los Cabos Airport. B
