San Ignacio

The answer is that it depends on whether it’s ok to touch whales! We don’t mean to cop out on this, but it really does depend. The skin of whales is actually soft and very thin and loaded with nerve receptors. Because of the heavy layer of blubber on whales, most of us imagine that […]

Pachico was out alone in his panga, fishing for grouper when a gray whale surfaced beside him. Local fishermen were well acquainted with the whales, very aware of the gray whale’s power and ferocious temperament and like everyone else in San Ignacio Lagoon, he always tried to keep a cautious distance. He was surprised when the animal lingered and felt himself compelled to place a hand in the water.

We love and respect the gray whales of San Ignacio Lagoon. But make no mistake, these are animals up to 45 feet long, weighing more than 40 tons, with a fiery temper and the instincts of a street brawler… All of which makes our interaction with them even more freakin amazing.

There is a beautiful vista of salt flats extending in all directions and very visible when flying into our airstrip at San Ignacio Lagoon. Located in the far northern reaches of pacific coast of Baja California, the lagoon provides the perfect environment for salt flats.

Whether witnessing these giants defy gravity as they corkscrew out of the ocean or the tender interaction between a mother and calf, whale watching regularly tops the bucket list for travelers. One of the best places in the world for whale watching, Baja California is home to a wide variety of cetaceans – in fact, over one third of the world’s whale species spend time here each year. Read on to discover the whales of Baja making a splash…

Hidden in the vast desert landscapes of Baja California, San Ignacio lagoon is the last remaining pristine gray whale breeding and birthing lagoon in the world. Each winter, gray whales migrate up to 5,000 miles from the cold waters of Alaska to San Ignacio to deliver their new calves in the shallow, protected lagoon waters.