SEA OF CORTEZ

SERENGETI OF THE SEA

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The beautiful blue seas and desert islands of the Sea of Cortez provide a memorable backdrop to day after day of amazing whale-watching. If close-up encounters with the world's great whales is your thing, then look no further, this holiday is for you. The diversity of cetaceans is quite extraordinary and so too are the numbers. Expect to see a dozen species with Whales numbered in their hundreds and Dolphins in their thousands.

The 'Spirit of Adventure' will take us on a fantastic cruise down the length of Mexico's Baja peninsula stopping at Elephant Seal rookeries, and at colonies of Sea Lions and rare Guadeloupe Fur Seals. We'll spend two days at San Ignacio Lagoon where Baja's entrancing Gray Whales will recently have calved. Some of the mothers sometimes approach our skiffs to have their chins scratched and teach their calves to do the same! Charismatic Humpback Whales are a frequent sight, sometime flipper-slapping or breaching clear out of the water. Bottle-nosed and Common Dolphins bow-ride with us in joyous precision - we hope to see them bow-riding at night, lit up like fireworks by bioluminescence. Rounding Cabo San Lucas, we enter the tropical Sea of Cortez, home to the largest mammal that has ever lived, the rare Blue Whale - our chances of quality views of these immense creatures are very good. New cetaceans will be appearing all the time, with Bryde's, Sei and Fin whales completing an awesome quartet of Baleen Whales. Sperm Whales sound regularly in the San Jose Channel, a fantastic spot where Olive Ridley Turtles and Hammerhead Sharks bask and Manta Rays cartwheel over the sea's surface. There's great snorkelling with Sea Lions and tropical fish and high quality birdwatching too with marvellous Red-billed Tropicbird, Magnificent Frigatebird and Craveri's and Xantus' Murrelets. In fantastic twenty-foot tall Cardon cactus forests are Xantus' Hummingbird, Phainopepla, and Greater Roadrunner!

INFORMATION

Focus

Whales, Dolphins and Birds. Desert Island Landscapes. Snorkelling.

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Leaders

Scott Anderson

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Walking

Although we will be based on board a boat there will be ample opportunity to take shore-based excursions. On these we will cover no more than a couple of miles a day and always at a relaxed paced suited to photographers.

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Included in the Price

All flights. All accommodation, transport and meals on the holiday. Services of your leader and local guides. Please note: Drinks, tips and items of a personal nature, such as travel insurance, are not included.

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Group Size

The minimum is 4 and There are a maximum of 26 spaces available on this boat all of which is chartered by Greentours .

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Accommodation

For the first night we will stay in a good standard hotel in San Diego. The rest of the trip will be aboard the Spirit of Adventure, an 88’ long-range cruising vessel which has been operating whalewatching voyages to this area for twenty years. There are fourteen air-conditioned cabins. These are small with limited storage space but there is a spacious saloon to relax in. There are three hot water showers and toilets. The ‘Spirit’ carries three 22 foot skiffs which are used for whalewatching and for shore excursions.

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Climate

Just glorious. Almost unadulterated sunshine with little chance of any rain at all. Temperatures are pleasant and vary from 14°C to 28°C.

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How To Book

Download a booking form (or contact us and we will send one to you)from the Booking Information section. Complete and send to us. You will receive confirmation of your place and then a detailed information pack will be dispatched to you about twelve weeks before departure. This will also contain up-to-date health news. Trip report and bird and mammal checklists are available.

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