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Get in touch with nature with an active holiday on the balmy coast of Baja Sur. Spend your days kayaking and snorkeling in the calm Sea of Cortez and hiking in the Sonoran desert and the Giganta mountain. Camp on islands devoid of crowds and enjoy their unspoiled beauty. Sleep under the stars and wake up to the sound of waves on remote beaches. Find an escape from everyday life in Mexico.
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Your adventure starts in Loreto, a charming town in the southeastern part of the Baja California peninsula. In the afternoon, you will have a pre-trip orientation with the guides where you will go over the itinerary in more detail. Afterward, you can explore the town with its many historical sites and go out for dinner.
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Your guides will pick you up at your hotel in Loreto in the morning. They will take your luggage and valuable possessions for safekeeping while you are on your adventure. Before loading the gear and food onto the boats, the guides will teach you the basics of kayak safety and ecologically-friendly camping. For the first couple of days you will be based on the del Carmen and Danzante islands, both of which feature excellent camps. While on the islands, you will paddle for 2 to 4 hours each day. Apart from that, you will also get familiar with the area’s vegetation and wildlife through hiking and snorkeling. The best thing about camping in the wilderness is the chance to connect with nature away from civilization.
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After exploring the islands and its bays and beaches, it’s time to get back to the peninsula. You will kayak along the coast of the Gulf of California with the Giganta mountain range as your backdrop. The mountain provides a chance to go on longer hikes, apart from usual kayaking and snorkeling. Day 4 is usually a good time to take a rest day during which you can go on leisurely walks through the desert or try fishing! The next day you will visit a small self-sustainable ranch where you can get a glimpse of the lifestyle in remote areas.
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In the morning, you will get the last opportunity to kayak or snorkel before you leave the wilderness and go back to Loreto. Once you are in town, grab lunch with your guides and the rest of the group and celebrate your successful 6-day expedition in Baja. Say goodbye to Mexico or continue touring on your own.
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What you get on this adventure:
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- An experienced, local guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Six days of kayaking and other activities in Baja California Sur
- All meals and snacks during the adventure
- Transportation during the adventure
- Sun shade
- Natural history books about the area
- Kayaking equipment
- Fiberglass doubles and fiberglass/plastic singles
- Lightweight Werner paddles,
- PFDs
- Sprayskirts, pumps, paddle floats and paddling jackets
- Tents
- Wetsuits and snorkeling gear
- First aid kit
On expedition style trips such as these, double fiberglass kayaks are mainly used for their stability and carrying capacity. A limited number of fiberglass and plastic singles is available for intermediate to experienced paddlers. If you are interested, please leave a message for the guide during the booking process.
What’s not included:
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- Sleeping bag (can be rented from the guide for an additional charge of $30)
- Hotel accommodations before and after the adventure
- Transportation to and from Loreto, Mexico
Hotel accommodations are not included in the trip package. You will want to book accommodations for at least the night before the first day of the trip and again for the night of the last day of the trip.
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The kayaking adventure in Baja California Sur is suitable for most people in fairly good physical condition. You don’t need any prior experience in kayaking and hiking to go on this trip, but you should be comfortable with 2 to 4 hours of paddling and a few hours of hiking each day (with breaks in between).
The trip is not designed to be overly physically intense, but you will probably feel tired after a few days of daily physical activities—for that reason, there will be a possibility of taking a rest day during the adventure. The guides will adjust the daily amount of physical activity to meet your group’s desires and fitness levels.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- 1 medium clothing bag or two small bags (max 20 L)
- 1 sleeping bag and pad
- 1 daypack (10 L)
- Small day pack or belt pack
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Tennis shoes, sport sandals, or dive boots
- 1 pair of sturdy walking shoes (or hiking shoes if you are planning to hike a lot during the adventure)
- Synthetic long underwear, top and bottom
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Warm layer (fleece, sweater or jacket)
- A pair of long pants
- Lightweight long-sleeve shirt
- Quick-dry shorts
- T-shirts
- Socks (1 pair synthetic or wool)
- Underclothes
- Bathing suit
- Towel, medium size
- Bandana
- Cap
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Insect repellent
- Biodegradable soap
- Personal medications, seasick medication
- Wipes
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Water bottle per person
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
If you don’t have a sleeping bag, you can rent it for $30 per week. Please bring your own sleeping pad. Most travelers prefer an inflatable pad as a comfortable cushion on beaches that can range from soft sand to light gravel. Your guides will provide sturdy one and two person tents (A frames and domes), first aid and repair kits, and all other camping and commissary equipment.
A medium size zippered nylon duffel, approx. 20 x 12 should be about the size of your largest bag, or two small duffels half that size. They work great with a plastic garbage bag stuffed inside for waterproofing, or you can use small or medium size dry bags. Two 20 litre and one 10 litre are ideal. Nothing larger than 20 – 30 litre please.) A small day or belt pack with plastic bag liner will allow you to keep notebook, camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. handy while we’re traveling.
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Your guide will provide a creative menu each day, consisting of a great breakfast sand lunch, plus a hearty main meal each evening prepared by your staff. Snack selection typically consists of fruit and nut mixes, trail mixes and “Locals energy bars” such as peanut and amaranth bars.
They can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other diets, but due to the nature of camps and kitchens, they can’t guarantee an environment completely free of cross contamination, and as such, can’t accommodate those with Celiac disease.
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Group sizes and prices:
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- For the private adventures, the usual client to guide ratio is 4:1.
- It takes at least 2 persons for this tour to run.
- The maximum number of people for this adventure is 14.
- The cost is per person and doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
Kayaking in Baja California Sur can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 12, you’re good to go.
- Children younger than 12 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis
If your group has children under the age of 12, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to Loreto, Baja California Sur most people fly into Loreto International Airport. Your guides will suggest the best place to meet, usually somewhere in the town center.
If you are driving to Loreto, you may store your vehicle at a campground where it will be secure during the trip. Be sure to notify your guides of your driving plans in advance. It is also a good idea to purchase Mexican auto insurance.
Please, to secure best experience possible, arrive at Loreto a day before “Day 1” of your tour itinerary.
Upon arrival at the Loreto International Airport after clearing customs, look for a “Paddling South” sign held up by your guide. You and your luggage will be transferred to your hotel along with the rest of the arriving group guests. This transfer is included in your Baja trip cost only if you arrive in Loreto on the day before “Day One” of your trip itinerary. If you are arriving prior to this, please arrange your own transportation to your extra nights lodging choice.
Transportation is not provided to the airport on your “Fly Out” day. You will typically have the morning to mid-day to yourself in town, and we suggest arranging with the taxi drivers who are usually in front of our hotel for your on time delivery to the airport ahead of time.
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There is no need to buy pesos before your arrival, as most merchants will accept U.S. dollars. Change will be given to you in pesos, however, so it’s best to have small bills for easy exchange and to avoid leaving with excess pesos.
In town, you will be able to charge your devices with standard (US/Canadian) electrical outlets. On the trip, try to limit the usage of electronics. If you want to recharge your electronics on the trip, please bring a battery or solar based travel charger sufficient to recharge your electronics for the number of days you will not be in town.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Baja California Sur please refer to the US Embassy’s COVID-19 information site for Mexico.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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