KAYAK COASTS AND ISLANDS – EXPEDITION STYLE

If you fly into Loreto, we will be there to greet you at the airport and arrange transportation to your waterfront hotel. Let us know if you plan on arriving via some other method of transportation. Once you’re at the hotel, we’ll have an orientation session, in which our guides will explain the trip in more detail, and answer any questions you may have. Afterward, you are free to explore Loreto for a place to get dinner—the guides will be happy to provide some recommendations!

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 packed, 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 some 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 around the land near the campsite, take your snorkel gear and explore life in the waters, or learn more about the land 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 wildlife tends to be most active.

The wind levels around the islands can be unpredictable and affect travel times, so in the second half of the trip, we head back toward the coast, where the route is easier to predict. The coastal route offers 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, which your guides will make a delicious fresh ceviche out of. 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. Soak in the warm mineral water, letting your muscles and mind relax after days of paddling your kayak through the ocean. Near the hot springs sits an authentic local ranch. Our guides have longstanding connections with the ranchers in the area, and they will be happy to show you around, teaching you about the realities of ranching life in Baja California. After the tour comes a meal courtesy of the ranchers, with beans, rice, fish, stew, and homemade tortillas.

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

The next morning, you can find a spot for breakfast and leave on your own time. If you have an early-morning flight, the hotel can accommodate your schedule, and if you need more transportation info, the guides can help you out. Be sure to come back soon for another Baja adventure!