Experience a 12-day journey from Cabo to La Paz aboard the Safari Voyager, exploring Baja California Sur and the Sea of Cortez. Begin with a sunset departure from La Paz, then spend Thanksgiving discovering the region’s landscapes and wildlife. Visit Punta Marcial, Isla San Esteban, and Bahía de los Ángeles for guided hikes, snorkeling, and kayaking. Search for blue, fin, and sperm whales, and explore historic Steinbeck sites. Discover the birdlife of Isla San José, relax on Bonanza Beach, and stargaze under clear desert skies. End the voyage at Isla Espíritu Santo within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve before disembarking in La Paz.
Highlights
Explore Punta Marcial’s intertidal zone and snorkel near Elephant Rock
Visit historic Steinbeck sites and observe marine and desert life
Kayak and hike around Bahía de los Ángeles’ marine oasis
Hike Isla San Esteban and see desert wildlife and sea lions
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Arrive at Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) and transfer to La Paz. Board the Safari Voyager and settle into your cabin. Watch the sunset from the deck as the ship departs for the remote islands of the Northern Gulf of California.
Skip the usual Thanksgiving preparations and spend the day exploring Baja California Sur. Enjoy time with family, friends, or fellow travelers through outdoor activities, then return to the ship in the evening for a relaxed holiday dinner.
Early this morning, you anchor off Punta Marcial. You have a chance to go ashore and search the intertidal zone for critters of all kinds. This is also your chance to learn safe practices while kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and skiffing. Punta Marcial is a historic Steinbeck site. Maybe you are up for a snorkel at Elephant Rock, or an afternoon relaxing on deck with a cocktail.
Spend the morning searching for blue and fin whales that frequent the corridor between Isla Catalina and Santa Rosalia. Your captain decides the day’s adventure, which may include more time at Isla Smiths, Isla Coronado, or exploring Puerto Refugio further north.
This is a very rarely visited area without easy access. Great snorkeling, beach walks and hikes in the interior of the Baja Peninsula are available. Also, to the north is Roca el Rasito which is a great spot for bird life and for experienced snorkelers. The guides take you to areas that Steinbeck visited and logged the marine and terrestrial life he found. If conditions allow, you may choose the first longer kayak outing of the cruise.
This bay and the little town are considered the “Marine Oasis of Baja California” due to the abundant aquatic life. This lovely area is also one of the finest boating areas in the Baja area. Perfect for kayaking and small boat excursions and ventures ashore such as hikes to Punta Gringa, this is also a great chance to take guided walks and hikes or be on your own. This area is also known as one of the few places in Baja where the famed, and huge, Leatherback Turtle can be spotted. For those who enjoyed reading the “Log from The Sea of Cortes” you have the opportunity to visit a nearby Stenbeck site.
This is the most northern extent of the journey and a treat the owner, Captain Dan, has relished returning to. This tight and protected area is known to local fishermen and yachties as one of the most protected and scenic areas in the Northern Sea of Cortez. You have all day to enjoy this yachter’s paradise. All activities are on for today, and perhaps a chance for a campfire before dinner?
Explore Isla San Esteban on a guided hike up its main arroyo, where you may see pinto chuckwallas and other desert wildlife. Hundreds of sea lions haul out along the shores, while pelicans, boobies, cormorants, and osprey fill the skies. Later, sail through the Canal de Salsipuedes, also called “the Trench,” where sperm whales gather to feed on Humboldt squid. It is one of the most dramatic whale-watching areas in the Sea of Cortez.
Day 9: Captain's Choice - Marine Mammal Search & Playa Punta San Basilio
Today is a Captain’s Choice day. Depending on conditions, you may continue searching for blue, fin, sperm, orca, and pilot whales, or anchor at Playa Punta San Basilio. This calm and protected bay offers excellent opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling. The captain and expedition team select the best mix of activities to maximize your experience.
Arrive at Isla San Jose and explore its unusual shallow interior lagoon, a prime spot for bird watching and kayaking. Steinbeck found this desert landscape remarkable, and you too. Outside the lagoon, long beaches invite you to beachcomb or relax. With no ambient light nearby, this is also one of the best stargazing nights of the trip.
Day 11: Isla Espiritu Santo & Punta Lobos or Bonanza Beach
Spend the full day exploring Espíritu Santo and nearby Punta Lobos or Bonanza Beach, all within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. All activities are available, from snorkeling and kayaking to hiking. This evening, enjoy the Captain’s Dinner and a slideshow of highlights from your voyage.
Day 12: La Paz | Disembark | Transfer to Cabo
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, bid farewell to your crew and fellow travelers. Disembark in La Paz and transfer to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) for your flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$7,5002-3 travelers
Navigator Cabin
Queen or twin beds, desk & chair, view window, private bath with shower. #103-108
Trailblazer Cabin
Queen or twin beds, desk & chair, view window, private bath with shower. #205-206, 209-212, 215-222
Initial deposit is 20% of the cruise plus port taxes and fees and 50% of any land services, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Visa, Mastercard or Discover
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
