| Gray whales are 52 feet long and weigh 36 tons, | | | | accommodations at the camps. It also offers |
| yet are gentle enough to touch… and Baja | | | | seven-day combined kayaking and whale-watching |
| California's Pacific coast is the perfect place to | | | | programs to Magdalena Bay, meeting at the La |
| experience the thrill! | | | | Paz International Airport. Programs run from |
| Every year in November, more than 10 thousand | | | | February to end of March. |
| gray whales trade the freezing waters of Alaska's | | | | Baja Discovery Tours: Boasting more than 20 |
| Bering Sea for the warmth of Mexico's Baja | | | | years experience, Baja Discovery Tours it offers |
| California Peninsula. Traveling along the Pacific | | | | all-inclusive service from the San Diego |
| coastline at top speeds of five mph and with | | | | International airport, including ground service to |
| pregnant females in the lead, the whales take | | | | Tijuana, charter service to San Ignacio and |
| about four months to make the 10 thousand | | | | accommodations at the San Ignacio camp. |
| miles roundtrip. | | | | Five-day programs run from February to end of |
| Once the whales reach the Mexican coast, they | | | | March. |
| mate, bask in soothing lagoons and give birth, | | | | Lindblad's Special Expeditions: This provider offers |
| making January through early April the peak time | | | | nine-day cruises featuring whale-watching at |
| to whale watch. During these months, boat | | | | Magdalena Bay along with other destinations and |
| excursions are available all along Baja California, | | | | activities. Groups meet in Los Cabos. |
| giving tourists the chance to observe these | | | | Miramar Adventures: Offers three-day excursions |
| magnificent creatures in their natural environment, | | | | to the Ojo de Liebre lagoon. Tourists arrive by |
| see the newborn calves and enjoy the blowhole | | | | car. |
| water shows. | | | | For those not interested in signing up for a |
| Gray whales are so friendly that on many | | | | whale-watching package, Puerto Lopez Mateos or |
| occasions they swim right up to the boats and | | | | Puerto San Carlos at Magdalena Bay are quaint |
| even allow human contact. In early spring, the | | | | sleepy villages where boats can be rented for |
| calves and their mothers are the last to head | | | | US$50 a day, skipper included, and are located |
| back up north, and without the presence of the | | | | two hours by car from the Loreto International |
| males, mothers are less protective, often allowing | | | | Airport. |
| their young to approach tour boats more freely. | | | | Gray whales aren't the only species to see while |
| Where to watch | | | | in Baja. Sea Kayak Adventures: also offers |
| Although a small percentage of whales, particularly | | | | kayaking/camping adventures out of Loreto on |
| those that are not giving birth, make it as far | | | | the Sea of Cortez, located on the eastern side of |
| south as Cabo San Lucas and the East Cape on | | | | the Baja Peninsula. Tourists can watch finback and |
| the southern tip of the Baja, most whale-watching | | | | blue whales, along with dolphins, sea lions and |
| takes place in three major lagoons all the coastline | | | | exotic fish. Apart from paddling among islands, |
| of the Baja Peninsula. | | | | additional activities include snorkeling and hiking up |
| Laguna Ojo de Liebre: Also known as Scammon's | | | | scenic canyons offering breathtaking panoramas. |
| Lagoon, this body of water is located half-way | | | | More on gray whales |
| down the peninsula on the Pacific side in Guerrero | | | | Hunted for their oils, blubber and other valuable |
| Negro, about 440 miles south of the border. It | | | | products, gray whales were once victims of |
| was the principal hunting lagoon used by | | | | massive slaughters in the 1800s and early 20th |
| commercial whale hunters in the 19th century. | | | | century. The hunting continued until the numbers |
| Today tourists arrive to the lagoon by car, but a | | | | were reduced to only a few hundred, and the |
| national airport is also available for tourists flying in | | | | whales were subsequently placed on the |
| from other destinations in Mexico. | | | | endangered species list. |
| Laguna San Ignacio: Located 100 miles south of | | | | Thanks to an international protection agreement |
| Laguna Ojo de Liebre, access to this site is | | | | made among several countries in the 1940s, the |
| mostly through charter air service from | | | | whales' numbers have grown at an incredible rate. |
| international airports such as San Diego and | | | | Today, more than 20,000 gray whales exist and |
| Tijuana. | | | | although still protected, they were removed from |
| Bahia Magdalena (Magdalena Bay): This bay in | | | | the endangered species list in 1975. Gray whales |
| becoming increasingly popular for whale-watching | | | | are among the oldest species of mammals, |
| due to its proximity to the La Paz and Loreto | | | | inhabiting the Earth for about 30 million years. |
| International airports. | | | | About the Mexico Tourism Board |
| How to get there | | | | The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together |
| Tourists can arrive by charter plane and/or | | | | the resources of federal and state governments, |
| ground to the lagoons. Loreto's International | | | | municipalities and private companies to promote |
| airport is the closest international airport to the | | | | Mexico's tourism attractions and destinations |
| lagoons, with limited service provided by | | | | internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is |
| Aeromexico and Aero California. Baja California's | | | | Mexico's tourism promotion agency, and its |
| capital, La Paz, is located approximately halfway | | | | participants include members of both the private |
| between Loreto and Cabo and its larger airport | | | | and public sectors. The MTB has offices |
| offers more flight options. | | | | throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin |
| Whale-watching options | | | | America. |
| Gray whale excursions comprise half-day or day | | | | FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a |
| trips, packages based out of whale-watching | | | | story or general travel and tourism information |
| camps, and cruise programs that allow tourists to | | | | about Mexico, please contact the MTB's North |
| sleep onboard ships. There are various tour | | | | American Press Room directly at 1-800-929-4555, |
| operators that specialize in whale-watching, | | | | by e-mail at , or visit our press Web site at To |
| including some major ones below. | | | | access an online warehouse of free, downloadable |
| Baja Expeditions: Based in La Paz and one of the | | | | b-roll, visit |
| oldest and largest whale-watching outfitters, Baja | | | | # # # |
| Expeditions service both the Magdalena Bay and | | | | Erick Laseca |
| San Ignacio lagoons. It offers charter flights | | | | Mexico Tourism Board |
| directly from San Diego to San Ignacio and | | | | 312-228-0517erick. |
| five-day, all-inclusive packages, including | | | | |