discover the giants of baja california

February is the peak season for whales in Baja! An especially for these three species : 

Humpback whales : Reaching up to 18 meters, humpback whales are easily recognized by their large white pectoral fins and humpback dorsal fin. They are the most active of the whale species, often leaping fully out of the water, breaching, fin flapping, and singing melodious songs that can be heard through our hydrophone. During the mating season, they exhibit competitive behaviors, and you might witness the famous “heat runs” where many males chase after a single female. The Gulf of California serves as a vital area for them to give birth, allowing you to witness the heartwarming sight of a mother teaching her newborn calf how to survive in the ocean.

Grey Whales: Experience unforgettable interactions as friendly grey whales approach your boat, making direct eye contact and inviting you to interact with them. Every year, these colossal 40-foot whales (12 meters) travel from Alaska to Magdalena Bay to give birth, mate, and interact with human visitors in the calm, protected lagoon.

Blue Whales: The blue whale, the largest animal on the planet (even bigger than the largest dinosaurs!), can reach lengths of nearly 90-foot (30 meters) and weigh up to 200 tons. Witnessing such a magnificent creature in its natural habitat is a breathtaking experience!

But it won’t be only about whales ! Out at sea we will be attentive to every living being 🙂 

Common marine wildlife : common dolphins (delphinus delphis), bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus), sea lions, mobula rays (mobula munkiana)
More exceptional but could also happen: orcas, Risso’s dolphins, pantropical spinner dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins  

If we are super lucky : sperm whales, pilot whales, false orca, fin whale and minke whale
The desert being everything but empty, there are also plenty of birds, mammals (coyote, lynx…) and reptiles to discover 

Keep in mind that the sea is not an aquarium, we can not guarantee you sightings ! But with an experienced guide, local captain and marine biologist on board and… all the eyes of the participants, you can be sure that we will do our best to find the animals if they are around !

 No prior knowledge is necessary. Anyone who wants to learn and discover scientific work can join the expedition. We’ll provide an initial briefing on how to collect data and identify the animals; and will share everything we can with you so that you feel useful

Swimming with whales is prohibited throughout Mexico, so we won’t attempt to go into the water with them. However, experiencing these magnificent creatures from the surface of the boat is already a tremendous opportunity. Humpback whales are often very active, breaching, tail slapping, and singing. Grey whales can come incredibly close to stationary boats, allowing for easy eye contact, while hearing the powerful blow of a blue whale, which can reach up to 10 meters high, is guaranteed to be a sensational experience !

Contributing to humpback whale studies adds an extra layer of excitement! You won’t just witness a whale breaching; you’ll gain insights into their competitive mating behaviors with other males. You’ll learn to identify the ten males competing for a single female and differentiate between escorts and competitive males. Every encounter will feel unique, each with its own story!

Additionally, during our safari days, if we encounter other species besides whales, we may have the opportunity to swim with them, such as sea lions, dolphins, and mobula rays.

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On a monitoring day, you’ll immerse yourself in marine biology with Dr. Hiram Rosales Nanduca. We will help him with its ongoing studies and learn a lot from the species we encountered. The focus is on learning field techniques for studying cetaceans (dolphins and whales), including data collection from the surface such as photo identification, morphometrics with drones, acoustics, and if possible, genetics. We can stay a while with the same group of individuals to understand the behaviors and see interesting details. Here, the aim is not to go underwater as all the data collection is from the surface.

A sea safari emphasizes exploring various marine wildlife. While we will still look for cetaceans, the primary goal is to discover and interact with other species like large schools of Mobula rays, sea lions, sharks… We’ll spend the day on the water, seeking opportunities to snorkel and engage with marine life if possible

Dr. Hiram Rosales Nanduca will be our scientific expert for the expedition. With over 20 years of experience studying cetaceans in Mexico, he is a Doctor of Science and the founder of the MMAPE research group (Marine Megafauna and Fisheries). His research focuses on biological knowledge, population ecology, interactions between marine megafauna and human activities, species vulnerability to climate change, and population structure. 

Focus of the expedition: Collecting data to better understand the ecology of humpback whales, including their migration patterns, movements within the gulf, and the different reproductive strategies of males. The aim is also to assess their growth and body condition, analyze the impact of human activity on this population, and compare it with another congregation in the Revillagigedo Archipelago, which experiences significantly different levels of disturbance.

Founded in October 2018, MMAPE is a Marine Megafauna and Fisheries Research Program aimed at generating fundamental and applied knowledge about marine megafauna species and their interactions with fisheries and anthropogenic activities. The program focuses on conservation strategies, regional and national development, and supporting coastal communities that depend on marine resources through research and education.

English will be the preferred language for the talks and on the boat, if we have people with different backgrounds. But our captain and biologist are Mexican, and all our guides speak English, Spanish and French if any translation is needed

 If you have, bring your Personal camera, laptop, or binoculars. They would help you participate in the monitoring and analysis of the daily data. USB so we can share pictures with you.

It can be hot during the day, to protect yourself you can bring biodegradable sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, a lightweight long-sleeved top and pants. You will also need cash (few ATM in La Ventana).

By choosing Te Ma’o, you support local communities through fair revenue sharing and economic development. You’ll enjoy an educational and responsible experience while contributing to local science. Te Ma’o is committed to empowering local communities to become future guardians of their environment through various initiatives beyond our sea activities. Check “our story” to know more about our actions.

Baja has sunny and desert climate. There will be practically no rain but it can be windy and cool at night. Temperature is about 25°C to 10°C at night. 

La paz International airport – Baja california (1h from La Ventana) or Los Cabos International Airport – San jose del cabo (3h30 from La Ventana)

Arrive Before 3pm (La Paz / 1pm (Los Cabos). For those leaving from Los Cabos, keep in mind that there is 3h30 driving from La Ventana.

Normally between 3 to 6 participants, so that everybody feels involved in the scientific monitoring, is comfortable on the boat. Smaller groups for better interaction also in the water !

 Normally between 6 to 8 hours. But sometimes it can last longer or shorter depending on the weather, people’ condition on the water, and on the wildlife we see.

To keep things crystal clear and ensure a smooth sailing experience, we’ve laid out these terms and conditions. Dive in for all the details here! 

We will do our best to head out to sea whenever possible, scheduling early or later outings and adjusting our itinerary based on the weather (as some of our four destinations are more sheltered from the north wind than others).

Winter is a little more windy in Baja, and sometimes conditions at sea are too rough to ensure your safety. Unfortunately, for multi-day expeditions, we cannot offer a partial refund, as we pay for the package in advance. However, in such cases, we will provide alternative desert activities instead of the missed boat trip, such as artisanal pottery, horseback riding, mammal and bird watching, among others.