Luxury Cruises

Mexico Small Ship Packages

10 Days MY 'Safari Quest' - Mexico Tour Package

Duration: 10 Days / 9 Nights
Priced From: $4,695 (Price is per person, based on double occupancy)
Dates: Jan - Apr, Nov - Dec

Mexico's Sea Of Cortés

'Safari Quest' is 120-foot, 22-passenger luxury yacht Intimate and elegant, the 120-foot 'Safari Quest' is an uncommon yacht for the uncommon traveller. Designed for the relaxation and comfort of just 22 discerning guests.

Loreto To San Carlos - The Galapagos Of The North (10 Days)

Arrive in Loreto

Welcome to the historic Mission city of Loreto. Founded in 1697, Loreto's Misión Nuestra Senora de Loreto is the "mother mission" for all of the subsequent California missions that extend as far north as Sonoma in California. Meet your fellow yacht mates and Expedition Leader at Posada de los Flores, and then drive a few miles south to Puerto Escondido to board the Safari Quest. The Captain will anchor for the night at secluded Honeymoon Cove.

Day 2: Isla Carmen and Whale Watching

Today, we'll explore the unpopulated eastern shore of Isla del Carmen. We plan to drop anchor at Salinas Bay where you can enjoy a guided hike into the desert interior, lush with exotic cacti and succulent plants. Beachcombing, skiff rides, swimming and snorkeling are also possibilities. The sea has carved deep sea caves into the limestone cliffs are several points along the way. En route to Isla Coronado join the Captain on the bridge to search for pods of dolphins along with blue, fin, sei, orca and sperm whales as they spout and dive in the surrounding waters. Keep your binoculars close at hand to spot blue-footed boobies, pelicans, cormorants and an array of gulls that make this area their home. We'll anchor at sunset in a secluded cove.

Day 3: Snorkeling

Today should be an absolute delight, full of enjoyment above and in the water. After an introduction to snorkeling after breakfast, we'll cruise north to Punta Pulpito. Anchored in sheltered waters, we'll launch the skiff and sailboat for casual exploration of the rugged shorelines. Snorkel above myriad colorful tropical fish and the occasional manta ray, swim the crystal-clear waters, or soak up the sun's rays on the beach. Or relax on board and soak in the stunning beauty of the Sea of Cortés.

Day 4: Bahía Concepción

Today is another great day for whale watching before we arrive in Bahía Concepción, a sweeping body of water sprinkled with pristine little islets. The entire vast bay is a national marine reserve, and commercial fishing is strictly forbidden. We'll anchor in Coyote Bay for an afternoon of beachcombing, snorkeling and exploration by skiff.

Day 5: Mulegé, Isla San Marcos

One of Baja's very few freshwater streams, the Santa Rosalía River feeds rare groves of figs, dates, bananas, olives and oranges. We'll explore the mouth of the river and its estuary by skiff, an adventuresome introduction to this unique area. Later the yacht continues north to Isla San Marcos where we'll enjoy snorkeling over a reef teeming with tropical fish.

Day 6: Santa Rosalía, Cruising toward the Midriff Islands

Most unusually, Santa Rosalía's hallmark is French colonial architecture, the legacy of a 19th century French copper mining project. A local landmark is an iron-walled church designed by Gustav Eiffel himself (that Eiffel). We'll tour the area, with time for exploration on foot, before reboarding the yacht to cruise north. We're heading for one of the most remote and rarely-visited parts of the Sea of Cortés. We'll anchor at Bahía San Francisquito for the night.

Day 7: Midriff Islands

The Midriff Islands are rarely visited because there are no cities and hardly any villages nearby. Boaters from America have to cruise down the Pacific Coast nearly a thousand miles to Cabo San Lucas - and then hundreds more miles north into the Sea of Cortés to get here! Today's itinerary is flexible, but we may drop anchor off Isla Salsipuedes for a hike, or watch for sperm whales feeding in the sealife-rich waters. Strong currents aerate the water and bring nutrients up from the underwater basins, which reach 2,700 feet deep here. At Raza Island almost the entire world's population of Heerman's gulls and elegant terns make their homes, and we'll enjoy skiff rides up-close to the shorelines. We may have a chance to snorkel with sea lions at Little Raza Rock.

Day 8: Exploring the Midriff Islands

We'll make time today for all manner of water activities - skiff rides, snorkeling, sailing, swimming, beachcombing. This is enjoyment of a unique maritime desert environment at its finest.

Day 9: San Carlos Area

Having crossed the Sea of Cortés to the shores of Mexico's mainland, today we'll find remote spots to enjoy skiff rides and water activities. There is a large colony of sea lions at Isla San Pedro.

Day 10: San Carlos

A transfer is included to the Guaymas Airport for your flight home.


Loreto To La Paz - The Aquarium Of The World (8 Days)

Arrive in Loreto

Welcome to the historic Mission city of Loreto. You'll be met at the airport and taken on a private tour before boarding the Safari Quest. Founded in 1697, Loreto's Misión Nuestra Senora de Loreto is the "mother mission" for all of the subsequent California missions that extend as far north as Sonoma in California.

Day 2: The Nature of the Sea of Cortés, Gray Whales

In order to get the maximum benefit from visiting this spectacular area, we'll travel by coach all the way across the Baja Peninsula and the rugged Sierra de la Giganta to the Pacific Coast. Here, an extensive network of lagoons radiates north and south from Bahía Magdalena. These are the winter calving grounds for gray whales, which migrate annually some 10,000 miles from the Bering Sea. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is up-close whale watching from a small outboard boat called a "panga." Gray whale mothers and their calves often approach very close indeed.

Day 3: Bahia Agua Verde Mule Ride and Exploring

This morning we'll search for whales and dolphins around Isla Carmen. Then we'll enter Bahia Agua Verde, whose green, clear waters are bordered by craggy peaks. For a true taste of adventure, join your yacht mates on a mule trail ride into the arroyos of the peninsula. Converse with a local Ranchero and his family while you explore canyons, enjoy scenic vistas and experience the breathtaking sights of the "real Baja."

Day 4: Whale Watching

Today, the focus is on whale watching and other marine mammals. Join the Captain on the bridge as we search for pods of dolphins along with blue, fin, sei, orca and sperm whales as they spout and dive in the surrounding waters. Keep your binoculars close at hand to spot blue-footed boobies, pelicans, cormorants and an array of gulls that make this area their home. En route we'll pass Puerto El Gato, a picturesque spot, sheltered by sandstone cliffs with ledges of pink, orange and red. We may drop anchor in a remote cove for beachcombing.

Day 5: Isla Coyote (Isla San Jose)

We'll step ashore at the smallest village in the Sea of Cortés today. Enjoy a conversation with a remarkable group of people who make their living as fishermen "in the middle of nowhere." Then we'll experience a guided hike among a forest of the world's tallest cactus, the cardón. To the south, a mangrove-lined lagoon borders gentle, white sand dunes and untracked beaches. Paddle with your Expedition Leader through the narrow lagoon for a closer look at these tenacious trees of the sea. This evening we'll anchor in a pristine bay.

Day 6: Los Islotes

At Isla San Francisco enjoy a guided hike along a hook-shaped ridge, or perhaps kayak or snorkel in the protected crystalline waters. Just north of Isla Partida we'll pull close to Los Islotes, a steep rocky outcropping leaping straight from the sea. Observe a sea lion colony from the yacht and launch, or slip into a wetsuit to snorkel with agile young sea lions. Swim through a rock arch where orange fan and white fire coral sway in the current, while high overhead, brown and blue-footed boobies perch on the cliffs. We'll anchor overnight at Ensenada Grande, a rocky cove on Isla Partida with a lovely crescent beach at its head.

Day 7: Isla Partida and Beach Activities

Ensenada Grande is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Explore the remote coastline by skiff or kayak, enjoy a guided hike amid the exotic desert cacti and succulents, or slip into the water to swim and snorkel. If you're ready for something adventurous, try windsurfing or sailing a laser sail boat from the yacht. Tonight we will recap our weeklong journey through the Sea of Cortés with our fellow travelers during a special farewell dinner followed by a slideshow of the shared experiences.

Day 8: La Paz

After breakfast on board we'll bid you "adios." A transfer to the airport for connections home is included. You may have time for a stroll along the extensive beachfront promenade here in Baja's most traditional city.|

Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252

12/09

Expert Mexico Small Ship Vacation Planners

Book or Plan Your Cruise Vacation Here