Sea of Cortés - Aquarium of the World

• Destination: American Safari Cruises
• Duration: 8 days/7 nights
• Price: $3,995
• Available: November 26, 2010 — April 20, 2012

Discover Mexico's Sea of Cortés

Unhurried time. Unbridled wildlife.

Flying Dolphins

Snorkeling in Baja

Kayaking in Sea of Cortes

• 
• 
• 

Just south of California lies an inland sea known as the Gulf of California, Sea of Cortez, or Sea of Cortés. A birders paradise, this rich archipelago serves as an important bird refuge and migration corridor. It is a place author John Steinbeck found "ferocious with life" and once described by Jacques Cousteau as "the aquarium of the world." As a UNESCO World Heritage Site & biosphere reserve, it is one of the most biologically diverse marine environments on earth.

Come aboard and discover a world of breathtaking beauty. Kayak, paddle board, snorkel, sail, and ride a skiff in impossibly brilliant turquoise blue waters. Swim with playful sea lions, watch whales, and join a local ranchero for a BBQ on the beach or a mule ride into the arroyos. Explore wildlife-rich waters and go ashore on islands that are home to both plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Coastal mangroves and dunes along with desert scrub and red rock cliffs provide the backdrop on your 7-night island hopping journey. Hike nearby shores, rimmed with white-sand beaches and cactus-clad ridges. And visit a tiny village of fishermen, still living the life of a bygone era. To explore this extraordinary place is to know firsthand how small the human presence on earth truly is.

Adventure & Cultural Highlights

• Extensive exploration of this UNESCO World Herritage Site.
• Unhurried time for watching whales and dolphins.
• Snorkeling with sea lions.
• Trail ride into the arroyos with a local ranchero.
• Special visit on a tiny island with a local fisherman.
• Expedition Leader / Naturalist guided adventure activities.
• All American crew: 1 per 2 guests.
• Kayaking, snorkeling, paddle boarding, sailing, and skiff rides.
• Nights spent at anchor in remote bays and coves.

Itinerary

Day 01: La Paz, Baja California Sur - Embarkation

You will be met at the airport and transferred to board the Safari Quest. The Captain and crew greet you with hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and a sumptuous dinner.

Day 02: Isla Partida - Beach Activities

After breakfast, go ashore at Ensenada Grande beach, a crescent beach on Isla Partida and recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world. Explore the natural beauty of its pink volcanic coastline by skiff and kayak, slip into the crystal-clear water for swimming and snorkeling, or take a guided hike into the interior of the island, which abounds in exotic desert cacti and succulents.

Day 03: Whale Watching

We'll have the skiff "on the ready" for closer observation of flying manta rays, pods of dolphins and blue, pilot and fin whales. Later in the afternoon we'll drop the kayaks and skiff to explore large mangrove lagoons that are nursing grounds for many species of tropical fish and invertebrates.

Day 04: The Nature of the Sea of Cortés Exploration

Picturesque ledges of pink, orange and red bluffs and more marine life are on tap today. With binoculars in hand, join the Captain on the bridge to search for pods of dolphins, blue, fin, sei, orca and sperm whales as they spout and dive in the surrounding waters. Blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, cormorants and gulls also make this area their home. If conditions permit, we'll drop anchor in a remote cove for snorkeling, kayaking and beachcombing.

Day 05: Bahia Agua Verde Mule Ride

Get underway this morning for Bahia Agua Verde, whose clear waters are bordered by sparse craggy mountains hemmed in green. For a true taste of adventure, join your yachtmates on a mule trail ride into the arroyos of the peninsula. Converse with a local ranchero and his family while you explore canyons, enjoy scenic vistas and experience the breathtaking sights of the "real Baja."

Day 06: Isla Coyote / Isla San Francisco

Step ashore on Isla Coyote, the only permanently inhabited island and smallest community in the Sea of Cortés. Only about 200 yards in diameter, the islet is home to twenty members of the Cuevas family. It consists of about ten buildings that include homes, a small chapel, and a one-room schoolhouse with two desks and a chalkboard. Beyond the weathered structures is a whale bone yard where enormous vertebrae are scattered for up-close investigation. Our crew delivers water to the residents, as fresh water is unobtainable on the island. Conversations with this remarkable group of people reveal how they make their living as fishermen "in the middle of nowhere." At Isla San Francisco, enjoy a guided hike among a forest of the world's tallest cactus-the Cardón, laze on the beach, or kayak and snorkel in the calm waters.

Day 07: Los Islotes / Isla Espiritu Santo

This morning, set sail for Los Islotes, a steep rocky outcropping leaping straight from the sea. Observe a sea lion colony from the yacht and skiff, or slip into a wetsuit to snorkel with agile young sea lions. Swim through a rock arch where orange fan and white fire coral sway in the current, while high overhead, brown and blue-footed boobies perch on the cliffs. Later, we'll cruise to Isla Espiritu Santo for your last opportunity to enjoy a guided hike along a colorful desert ridge, or perhaps kayak or snorkel in the protected crystalline waters. After tonight's special Farewell Dinner, your Expedition Leader will recap the journey with a slideshow of the week's experiences.

Day 08: La Paz, Baja California Sur - Disembark

After breakfast we'll bid you "adios." A transfer to the airport is included. You may have time for a stroll along the extensive beachfront promenade here in Baja's most traditional city. Due to the nature of our explorations, itineraries are guidelines and will change in order to maximize wildlife and natural encounters. Variations in itinerary and the order of days may occur.