One of my favorite outdoor adventure trips was a Sea of Cortez kayaking trip I took with OARS over Christmas one year. While OARS is one of the leading whitewater rafting trip leaders, they also organize other adventure travel around the globe. We used OARS to book a small-ship cruise of the Galapagos Islands, and I’ve never had a bad experience booking with them. The tour operators they partner with have been top-notch in my experience. For this Sea of Cortez kayaking tour, Mar Y Aventuras took care of everything from the moment I landed in Cabo San Lucas. If you want an opportunity to combine adventure travel and cultural experience, I strongly recommend one of their Baja tours.
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Baja Adventures
Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula stretches from the U.S. border near San Diego, all the way down to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip. Just 25 to 150 miles wide, you are never far from the ocean when you visit the Baja Peninsula. As such, most Baja adventures involve water of some kind. There is whale watching, scuba diving, kite surfing, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, snorkeling and so much more. Of course, seafood also plays a major role in Mexican food found in Baja – the origin of fish tacos! Baja is also well-known for the Baja 1000, an off-road adventure race that takes place every spring.
Read about whale watching in Cabo San Lucas over at SandInMySuitcase.com!
Baja Tours
Baja has so many adventure opportunities, you couldn’t scratch the surface in a year, let alone one week! The best way to experience Baja is on a long road trip from top to tip, but if you’re like me, trying to eke out several trips per year with allotted vacation time, a Baja tour may be your best bet. There are many options, from day trips to longer adventures. I wanted a full kayaking and camping Baja adventure, so I chose the Quick Getaway by Mar Y Aventuras, listed by OARS as Sea Kayaking Espiritu Santo Island. The OARS package was more comprehensive and included a night before and after in La Paz, as well as some additional meals, so I don’t think you lose out by not booking direct, but you can definitely explore both Baja tour options to see what is a good fit for you.
Browse La Paz Tours from Viator
La Paz Mexico
Prefer to explore the beaches on your own? Globe Guide has the best Baja beaches near La Paz!
I arrived in La Paz via shuttle van after flying into Cabo San Lucas airport. (You can find flights from the U.S. direct to La Paz, however, using miles on American, this was my best option.) I arrived one day early to account for weather delays or baggage issues, and fortunately didn’t have any, so I got to explore La Paz a little bit. I loved what I saw, and would definitely return to this area over Cabo any time! My lodging before and after the kayak trip was at Posada Luna Sol, a charming guest house associated with the outfitter. I spent two nights here before heading out to the Isla Espiritu Santo camping site.
Isla Espiritu Santo Vacations
The trip officially kicked off with an orientation and equipment fitting at the hacienda. Due to high winds, we shuttled to a farther beach (Pichilingue) for a shorter boat ride to Espiritu Santo Island. It was about an hour’s ride before we entered Candelero Bay, our home for the next 4 nights.
When I first heard there would be 17 guests on the trip, that sounded like a crowd, but it was a great group. There were 3 of us solo ladies, 2 travel buddies, 2 families with 2 kids each, a father/son, and one married couple. Many people are wary of group travel, but I find that adventurous, rugged trips like this tend to weed out the high-maintenance types, and you meet people who have some incredible travel tales. I’m always adding to my bucket list after meeting fellow explorers on the travel trail.
We all settled into our cabin tents, enjoyed the first of many meals, and had a practice kayak run.
Isla Espiritu Camping Routine
Each day had a nice rhythm, with what I thought was the perfect balance of activity and downtime. If you are looking for a full-on adrenaline-packed week, I’d suggest one of the circumnavigation trips rather than the base camp option I chose. (Options vary by time of year)
Coffee was ready each morning at 6 am, and breakfast by 8:00. The first daily activity (a kayak or snorkel outing) started around 9 am. We then returned for lunch and a few leisurely hours before the afternoon activity around 3:00. Upon our return, Happy Hour snacks and cocktails were served around 6 pm, followed by a delicious dinner.
Activities included a snorkel, hike, or kayak outing, and sometimes a combination of those. We visited the sea lion colony twice, and were amazed at how friendly and playful the sea lions were! A little too friendly for my taste – I kept my distance!
This trip was a great little getaway from work, winter, and the internet. I found it to be the perfect combination of downtime and activity, although 1 more day of Isla Espiritu Santo camping would have been great. I highly recommend this trip to anyone considering kayak tours in Baja.
Visiting Baja Mexico with kids? Wanderlust Crew has some great suggestions!
Sea of Cortez Kayaking Trip Cost
If you’re thinking about planning your own Sea of Cortez kayak camping trip, here’s what I spent. All told, under $1500 is not bad. Although, I did pay for my flight with miles, so there’s the added expense of getting to La Paz or Cabo San Lucas to factor in.
- OARS cost: $1282 (includes a single supplement for hotel and camping)
- Van Shuttle from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz: $47
- Guide Tips: $100
- Snorkel Rental: $15 (wetsuit and sleeping bag rental also offered)
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It looks amazing. great activity. Thanks for sharing with us this great experience
You had an amazing time! I love reading about your adventures and experiences.
Thank you!
This is such a fun way to travel! I’d love to do more camping, and even better if the tent is already set up for me 😉
Yes, this would be my version of glamping, for sure!
This looks like great fun, and a good combination of relaxing and being active. I spent a weekend down near Cabo once many years ago and found the coastline so beautiful and rugged, but didn’t do any kayaking. Those tents look great: waking up to the sound of the waves is such a special experience!
Yes, it was! I’ve never slept that close to crashing waves before, it was fantastic!
I’ve always wanted to do an OARS trip, this looks like such a great adventure!
They are seriously my favorite – I’m a “frequent floater” now and get an extra discount since I’ve done so many trips with them!
I love that you break down the prices, thanks for that! And beautiful photos, looks like you had a grand time!
Thanks, I did! I am such a numbers nerd, I can’t help myself, but usually the first question I have when reading about a destination is “Can I afford it?”
The seals!!!!! omg!! I would love to have this experience!
Oh, this looks so fun!! I love those little cabins, too. I think group trips for an activity like this are actually ideal, as you might get too lonely going by yourself. And you still have your own little cabin to retreat to! I never knew something like this existed before, so if I’m ever planning a trip to Baja I will check it out!
Love the mention about group trips and weeding out the high maintenance travellers. Looks like a fantastic experience! The sea lion looks adorable, but I would’ve kept my distance too!
This sounds like a really fun trip! I like how you addressed your concerns about group travel but then met fantastic people; this has been my experience of groups I’ve joined in the past and the pros usually far outweigh cons. It sounded like you were treated to some great food too after all your activity, which is a huge bonus in my books!
I took a trip with Mar Y Aventuras in Baja a few years ago. They do a great job; great food, very knowledgeable and friendly guides, I could go on and on. I would love to go again.
yeah, they are great, aren’t they? I would love to join them again, too!