President’s Trip: Baja | Swimming with Whale Sharks | Adult Only

Early morning meet up at Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego • We fly from San Diego by private air carriage to San Felipe to clear Mexico customs • Then we continue our flight taking in jaw-dropping aerial views of the Sea of Cortez and the magical Midriff Island Region • Eventually we land at Bahia de Los Angeles (LA Bay) where we transfer to our boats • Scenic boat ride past desert islands and magical bays to Las Animas Wilderness Ecolodge, arriving in the early afternoon • We have time to explore our home and its surroundings by boat, snorkel and swimming, of course keeping an eye out for the gentle Baja Whale Sharks we’ve come to see! • Enjoy dinner at the lodge and settle into your comfortable, private beachside yurt

About Las Animas Wilderness Ecolodge

The Las Animas Ecolodge is a self-sustaining, solar-powered retreat consisting of eight well-appointed beachside yurts. It’s is a year-round, mosquito-free (and Zika-free) destination ideally suited for anyone seeking total immersion in nature and a desert-to-sea environment.

Comfortably accommodating on the average only a dozen visitors per week, guests sleep in well-appointed beachside yurts with the sound of the gentle surf lapping a private beach just yards from the door. Here nature takes full stage and it isn’t uncommon to see rays, sea lions and dolphins cavorting just off-shore, or a sea turtle scurrying back to the water after depositing a nest full of eggs.

Today, our morning will be spent in search of the rare, elusive whale shark • With the help of radio reports from local fishermen, we’ll likely come across anywhere between 3 to 8 whale sharks! • Although Mother Nature can’t guarantee sightings every outing, her track record has been very high! • When we find these gentle giants, we’ll swim and snorkel alongside them, marveling at their overwhelming size and beauty! • Head back to the lodge for a fresh, delicious lunch • This afternoon gives us plenty of opportunities for more fun in the sun • You may choose to snorkel with the nearby sea lions or take advantage of world-class sea kayaking, incredible hiking, fishing, birding, offshore island exploration by boat, or sailing • You might also opt to just relax in a hammock, beer in hand, while taking in the peace and serenity of this truly untouched wilderness area • Fill your evening with fantastic food, a campfire at the beach, star-filled skies, tranquility and solitude.

The beauty of staying in one place is the depth of exploration it offers. This morning, we will head out again in search of whale sharks. If we are granted a sighting, we’ll slide into the water and join them for their gentle swim. •  A freshly prepared lunch awaits at our lodge. • Try something new this afternoon, be it sea kayaking, hiking, birding, fishing, sailing, or exploring offshore by boat. • The option is always available to simply relax, too. Hammocks provided. • After a busy day, enjoy a delicious meal and conversation by the oceanside campfire.

Whether we saw a plethora or just a few whale sharks yesterday, we believe it wasn’t enough! As such, we’ll head out again this morning with keen eyes for our gentle friends. Should our luck allow, we’ll snorkel and swim, enjoying the thrill of proximity to such magnificent creatures. • Fuel up with a hearty lunch and choose your afternoon adventure: snorkeling with nearby sea lions, kayaking, a vigorous stroll, or the pursuit of the most peaceful nap you’ve ever had. • Enjoy another fantastic dinner and fill your evening as you wish.

Once again, we rely on the generous help of our fishermen friends to find more whale sharks. We just can’t get enough of these gentle giants! Use your honed snorkeling skills to make the most of this, our last day to swim with whale sharks. • By now, our mouths should be watering for the scrumptious meal to come, so head back to the lodge and enjoy. • What sun-filled activity have you not done yet? This is your afternoon to get it in, be it hiking, offshore exploration, fishing, sailing, birding, world-class sea kayaking, or  more snorkeling with our sea lion friends. • Enjoy one last dinner at the lodge and reminisce about your unforgettable adventure with your new friends by the campfire. Don’t forget to soak in those star-filled skies and the tranquility of waves lapping the shore as you drift to sleep one last time in your beach-side yurt.

After a scrumptious breakfast and some free time this morning, we reluctantly say our goodbyes to Las Animas Ecolodge and board our boat to head back to LA Bay • Along the way, we’ll enjoy a packed lunch and hopefully view more whale sharks, dolphins, sea lions, and other whales on our return trip • The afternoon brings an incredible, scenic flight along the shores of the Sea of Cortez on our way to San Felipe for a brief landing and then onward to San Diego • Upon landing in San Diego, clear customs and give your hugs goodbye to your fellow travelers.