Humpback Whale

In winter. Humpbacks migrate from cold North Pacific waters down to the Mexican Pacific to mate and calve. In Magdalena Bay we look for them between December and mid-January; the 2026-2027 season runs December 17 to January 14.

The humpback is the acrobat: it breaches, slaps the water with its fins and sings, and you know it by those enormous pectoral fins. The gray is more coastal and calmer, with no dorsal fin and barnacle-marked skin, and it's the one that approaches boats with its calf. In Magdalena the seasons nearly touch: humpbacks through January, grays from January to April.

Males sing through the mating season, and it's one of the most complex sounds in the animal kingdom. You can't always catch it from the surface, but what you do see often are full breaches, fin slaps and mothers teaching their calves to breathe.

No — these are free animals in open water, and nobody serious will promise otherwise. What we do is go out at the peak of the season, two Ocean Safaris of six-plus hours, with a marine biologist reading behavior and captains who know this bay by heart.

Dolphins, sea lions, seabirds, and the mangroves and dunes of Magdalena Bay. Day 3 includes a visit to a community oyster farm, where you eat shellfish minutes out of the water and see how they're grown.

No. Flights are on you, and you fly into La Paz, Baja California Sur. Book your arrival before the day-1 meeting time and your return after the trip ends on day 4 — if your flight leaves early, plan an extra night in La Paz.

Four days, three nights. It includes round-trip transport from La Paz, nine full meals plus snacks, two Ocean Safaris of six-plus hours, the oyster farm visit, a luxury tent with a queen-size bed, and certified local staff.

We meet on day 1 at 10:00 AM at Paradiso Bakery in downtown La Paz and drive to camp together. On day 4 we have breakfast, check out and head back to La Paz. You'll get a briefing seven days before with the exact return time, and your guide calls to confirm.

Luxury tents with a queen-size bed set among the dunes, with proper bedding. There are five full bathrooms with toilets and hot-water showers. Cell signal is nearly nonexistent across the bay — that's part of the deal.

Days are warm; nights and morning boat runs are cold — wind over water drops the feel by several degrees. Pack in layers: quick-dry long sleeves, a fleece and a windbreaker, plus mineral sunscreen, a cap and sunglasses. You get the full list after booking.

Yes. Booking more than 60 days out, you can split it into two payments: a first one that holds your spot and the balance before departure. Inside 60 days, the full amount is due at booking.

Yes. After booking you fill out a form with allergies and restrictions, and the camp kitchen builds your menu around them. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free: handled on site, not with a backup granola bar.

Yes, and they do. The minimum age depends on the trip: what matters isn't the number but how much time in the water and on a small boat a kid can enjoy. Tell us their ages and we'll be straight with you about whether this is the right trip.