KAYAK COASTS AND ISLANDS – EXPEDITION STYLE

Your adventure begins with a pre-trip orientation with your guides in the afternoon before launch day. We will communicate and coordinate in advance with all guests the time and location for a comfortable outside meeting at a convenient location in town. At this orientation session, our guides will explain the trip logistics in more detail and answer any questions you may have. Afterward, you are free to explore Loreto’s 300+ year old history and enjoy the charming shops and rich selection of restaurants.

Your guides will host you for breakfast this morning in town, where we will go over last minute needs and details. You’ll have your carefully selected trip items selected, and we’ll take any leftover luggage for safe storage while you are out with us. At our launch spot, after loading our gear and food in our boats, your guides will teach you the basics of kayak safety and ecologically-friendly camping. For the first paddle day it’s off to either Isla Danzante or Isla del Carmen, both of which have excellent camps. We provide high-quality tents, but the lack of rain or bugs makes sleeping under the stars an excellent option.

When you first wake up to the sound of the waves lapping the shore, and the sight of the sun piercing the horizon, you’ll know your trip has truly begun. Guides allocate 3 to 4 hours a day to traveling by kayak, leaving you the rest of the day to explore each campsite. You can hike the arroyos and desert hillsides discover the rich flora of the Sonoran Desert, take your snorkel gear and marvel at the abundant and exotic marine life in the waters, or learn more about all the area has to offer from the complete natural history library we bring along on every trip. Feel free to ask our guides about Baja’s weather, geography, natural history, or anything else. As locals, they know a lot about the area and are happy to share their knowledge. They are also good at getting you out of camp and into the water early in the day, when the water tends to be calmer and the paddling more pleasant.

After a day or two exploring the coves, bays and beaches of the islands, we’ll cross back over to the shores of the peninsula.  The coastal route, with the majestic Giganta mountain range over our right shoulder offers, among other attractions, longer hiking trails that reveal the inland wilderness. Your guides, who know the route well, can show you the hidden secrets of the peninsula, including many areas worth exploring by fin, foot, or paddle.

Depending on the weather for the week and the pace of the trip, we may be ready for a rest/layover day. You can try your hand at line fishing for triggerfish, pargo, or cabrilla. Or enjoy a guided nature walk in the desert, learning about our rich local flora and fauna. There is also plenty of time for more paddling and snorkeling for those that wish to explore more.

Around the fifth day, you will camp near a small island hot spring that can be visited by wading across a sand spit at low tide. If the weather permits, you can soak in the warm mineral water, letting your muscles and mind relax after active days of paddling your kayak down the Gulf of California. There is a small local ranch in the area and our guides have long-standing relationships with these independent and self-sufficient ranching families. We’ll often have a chance to visit and share a glimpse of this special, remote, and rugged lifestyle.

There’s time for one early morning paddle into the sunrise, and by mid-morning it’s time to load up and head back. Our van arrives at the take-out to bring everyone back to Loreto. A few hours later, you’ll have a taco lunch in town followed by a well-received shower in your hotel room.  That evening, Paddling South hosts a farewell dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and everyone celebrates a fun and successful trip together.

This morning you’ll enjoy exploring our warm and magical pueblo of Loreto on your own time. Perhaps enjoy a delicious breakfast of Huevos Rancheros and fresh local fruit juices at one of the many outside cafes.  Don’t miss visiting the 300+ year old Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto and her museum right off the central plaza. Most flights home are mid day or later, so you’ll have plenty of time for discoveries and creating a list of things to see and do on your next visit.

For now, it is not goodbye…but rather Hasta Pronto!