Highlights…
• Easy get-away
• You can be as active as you desire
• Snorkeling with sea lions
• Exploring this beautiful island
• Great for beginners and advanced kayakers


The island of Espiritu Santo renders the perfect opportunity to experience the essence of Baja. Just 18 miles from La Paz, it is surrounded by turquoise waters in its many coves. Start your day with a morning paddle then spend the afternoon snorkeling or hiking the hidden canyons of this desert paradise.

You will navigate along the sheer volcanic cliffs on the eastern coast of the island and visit Los Islotes, to snorkel with rambunctious sea lions, which is always a delight.

Our friendly crew and added creature comforts at camp make your days effortless. All gear is provided, just pack your clothes and come on down. Once your guide takes you through a quick orientation and basic kayak instruction it is time to go explore.
If you love kayaking, camping, snorkeling and hiking, then you will surely reap the rewards of our sea kayaking expedition to Espiritu Santo Island.

Itinerary
Day 1... Arrive in La Paz and transfer to hotel. On your own for the evening.

Day 2... Meet in hotel lobby and transfer to our boat for ride to Espiritu Santo, lunch in route. Upon arrival at our basecamp, orientation and kayak instruction.

Day 3-5... Days will be spent exploring by kayak. Visit a fresh water well for a rinse, hike, explore and snorkel with sea lions at Los Islotes.

Day 6... Mid-morning departure to La Paz. Night in hotel. On your own for the evening.

Day 7... Group taxis to airport.


Trip fee: $1345/per person (does not include airfare)
Group Size: 6 people
Dates: See schedule below
Trip fee includes: Sleep kit (sleeping bag & pad), snorkel gear, related trip equipment (tent, kayak), hotels mentioned in trip itinerary, all meals prepared by our crew, beverages, and happy hour.


More Info:
Qualifications:
Our expeditions are designed to be fun, active, adventuresome and educational. If you enjoy the outdoors, have a sense of adventure and are fairly fit you should have no problem participating in any of our expeditions even if you have never kayaked or camped. Some trips spend more hours kayaking while others are more multi-activity oriented. We have a wide variety of trips and therefore suggest you check out our web page, Need help choosing a trip and check the sea kayak ratings on each trip description or talk to our office prior to choosing a trip to be sure you choose the right expedition according to your interests and kayak skill level.

Kayak Equipment:
Our fleet of kayaks on each trip is comprised of approximately 2/3 double kayaks and 1/3 single kayaks. Most are made by SEDA products of fiber glass construction and ALL are equipped with rudders. We do have a few rotomolded or plastic boats in our fleet for variety in seat construction as some of our guests find the plastic boat seats more comfortable. Based upon your experience, size and group composition your guide will help determine what kayak you will paddle, double or single, fiberglass or plastic. As well we encourage the group to rotate kayak seats so everyone has a chance to paddle to their desire. If you are particularly tall (over 6'2") or large (over 200 pounds) please let us know well in advance as we may have to arrange a special kayak to be brought to camp. We now offer exclusive use of a single kayak on most trips for a fee of $50 although you must be fit and experienced in kayaking and screened by our office. This option is NOT available on the Islands or Magdalena Bay and Espiritu Santo Island Combination trip. Light weight Swift and Nimbus paddles, PFD's (Personal flotation device otherwise known as a lifejacket), nylon spray skirts, paddle floats and bilge pumps are all provided on our expeditions.

Fishing:
We offer fishing as a side activity on our Sea of Cortez trips only, not on our Magdalena Bay whale watching trips. If you want to fish, please come prepared with your own lures. Small minnow-type lures are suggested such as a Rebel jointed Fastrac or mid size Rapala Magnums (4.5 to 5 inches or 9-12cm in length). Suggested colors include: blue/silver, black/silver, black/gold, green mackerel/gold or blue mackerel/silver. We supply the rod and reel. Fishing is done by trolling behind a motorized skiff (two rods at a time) from one to two hours before breakfast on certain mornings or from your kayak.

Camping facilities:
Sea of Cortez trips: We camp on gravel and sand beaches along the coast and islands of Baja. On skiff supported trips a large dome tent is set up by our staff and used for cooking. A shade tarp is also set up for taking breaks from the noon day sun. Chairs are provided but not dining tables. Quality 3 person tents are provided for double occupancy but it is not necessary to sleep in a tent and many folks choose to sleep out under the starry night sky.

Magdalena Bay: We camp on the lee side of barrier islands nestled in sand dunes. Camp faces the bay and often provides a great view of whales and dolphins as they swim by. The kitchen and dining area is comprised of large wall MASH tents complete with table and chairs for eating. Large (8'x10') walk-in canvas tents are provided for sleeping accommodations, each complete with two cots, pads and tables. Please note, the larger tents in Mag Bay are for double occupancy. Smaller tents may be used for singles.
Cooking is performed by our staff yet you are welcome to lend a hand at any time. It's a great way to practice your Spanish! Special diets are not a problem as we are stocked with copious amounts of all types of foods.

Bathing is available daily in the sea using a biodegradable soap that lathers in salt water (Dr. Bronners does NOT lather in salt water. Campsuds, Joy or Dawn work well and are biodegradable). Fresh water will be available for a quick rinse from a sun shower to complete the process.

The toilet is a porta-potty system. It is basically a small self-contained toilet basin that even uses water to flush. It is placed in a secluded spot at each camp and is available from the time you arrive until you depart.

Weather:
Spring and fall are the most ideal times for enjoying the Sea of Cortez. The strong northerly winds blow longest and strongest from late Nov through early March so spring and fall are characterized by calmer, warmer days.
Fall trips (Oct & Nov) offer warm (80-85 degrees F), clear (visibility up to 80 feet) waters for great snorkeling with daytime highs in the 80's and 90's and little chance of rain or strong wind. An added attraction on fall trips is the opportunity to observe the Baja desert in bloom which follows the rainy season of August and September.
Winter trips (Dec, Jan & Feb) tend to be cooler with more chance of wind and some chance of rain, water temperatures are in the mid 60's and daytime highs from the 60's to 80's. The weather in Magdalena Bay on the Pacific coast during whale watching season in mid winter does tend to be windy and chilly. Daytime highs may be in the 70's but with the wind may feel more like the 50's.

Spring trips (Mar, Apr & May) offer 68-75 degrees F waters with warm calm days being common, air temps are in the mid 80's to 90.
Summer in Baja (June-September) is hot and humid with chance of hurricanes.

Insects:
Due to the dry desert nature of Baja, and most of the beaches we camp on, it does not tend to be buggy. Although, certain years can provide sufficient precipitation to support mosquitoes, gnats and no-see-ums. It is a good idea to bring some form of insect repellent along just in case, especially on fall trips (October, November) which follow the rainy season.

Level of Difficulty
We rate each of our trips as "Easy", "Moderate", "Challenging" and "Strenuous" based on the level of physical ability and prerequisite skills required. This rating system is designed to help you decide which trip is most appropriate. Some trips may be a combination of different activity levels. In these cases we do our best to approximate the general difficulty level for the entire trip. Our trip ratings are subjective and relative to fluctuating environmental conditions as well.

	easy	moderate	challenging	strenuous
description	most days involve fairly easy travel and easy activity, if required at all.	these trips combine a moderate level of activities for both "off the beaten track" and basecamp exploration	these trips are physically challenging and usually set in remote and rugged wilderness regions. challenging terrain encountered.	these trips involve strenuous activity in remote and rugged terrain and encounters with wildlife, loose footing, rough seas, extreme weather, etc.
activities and weather	day hikes, 4wd, flat-water kayaking, average weather conditions	trekking. sea kayaking, white water rafting, camping, single pitch rock climbing, moderate weather conditions	backpacking (light loads under 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing, cold or hot weather conditions	backpacking (heavy loads over 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing
experience required	no experience required	some experience required	previous experience often recommended	previous experience strongly recommended and sometimes required
fitness required	good	very good	excellent	excellent
activity per day	4 - 6 hours	6 - 8 hours	6 - 10 hours	8 - 12 hours
highest altitude	5,000 feet	6,500 feet	9,000 feet	13,000 feet

Physical Fitness
Except on a few trips support vehicles, rafts or kayaks carry all our gear. We do, however, recommend that you be in good physical condition to enjoy our trips to the fullest. If you are not optimally conditioned, we recommend that you start a training program at least 3-6 months before departure, gradually increasing the intensity and duration. We further advise you to check with your doctor before undertaking any new fitness program. For our more difficult trips, we also require a doctor's certificate of good health.

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