This trip takes you into the heart of Baja and showcases the region's wild, natural beauty. It's an especially appealing trip for those who prefer their travels with a generous dose of activity in the mix.
Day 1: Arrive in Loreto
Upon arrival in Loreto, take the afternoon to explore this small, lovely town and stop in the Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto, the first mission established in Baja, dating back to 1699, and in the Museo de las Misiones, next door. The town is easy to navigate, with one main road that runs parallel to the waterfront boardwalk. Most attractions are near the central square and old mission, but take the time to walk the cobbled pedestrian-only length of Salvatierra to look at the wooden homes that date back to the 1800s. For your first evening in town, try some local seafood in the garden at El Papagayo Cantando.
Day 2: Isla del Carmen
You'll need to arrange this trip through one of Loreto's tour companies, but plan on an enchanting day of kayaking, snorkeling, or hiking at Isla del Carmen, the largest of Loreto's offshore islands. Even if your preference is for water-bound activities, it would be a shame to miss a walk or a nap on the white-sand beaches of this or Coronado Island.
Day 3: San Javier
Explore mid-Baja's wild interior by visiting the Misión San Francisco Javier, about 2 hours from Loreto along the old Camino Real dirt road. From here, if you're traveling with an authorized guide, you can stop to visit some of the cave paintings.
Day 4: Magdalena Bay or Loreto's Islands
Although Magdalena Bay is on the opposite side of the peninsula (on the Pacific coast), it's an easy 2-hour drive and, once there, you can board a skiff and spend the day communing with calving gray whales. It's a remarkable sight, one that visitors count among their most thrilling, ever. If you're here out of whale season (which runs Jan–Mar), book a trip to whichever of Loreto's offshore islands you missed on Day 1, stopping at La Picazón on the way back for sunset drinks or an early dinner.
Day 5: Fishing Trip
Now that you've settled in, do as the locals do and go fishin'. There's a species for every season, and you're guaranteed to come home with at least a fishing tale or two.
Day 6: Mulegé & Santa Rosalía
Road trip! On the way north, speed past Mulegé and go straight 61km (38 miles) to Santa Rosalía so you get there in time for the best offering at the El Boleo bakery. Thus fortified, walk down the two blocks to Gustave Eiffel's Iglesia de Santa Barbara, and through the narrow streets lined with French-colonial wooden houses. If you prefer activities to sightseeing and sneakers to dress shoes, you may want to forego Santa Rosalía and concentrate your time in Mulegé instead, where you can visit, with a guide, the series of cave paintings in La Trinidad, a remote ranch 29km (18 miles) west of Mulegé, or at San Borjitas. Literally an oasis in the desert, Mulegé is a small, run-down town with a large English-speaking community, but beyond the Misión Santa Rosalía de Mulegé and the Museo Regional de Historía, the town itself doesn't offer much in the way of sightseeing. Time spent here generally revolves around visiting its lovely surrounding beaches. The return trip from Mulegé to Loreto is 137km (85 miles), taking about 1 1/2 hours.
Day 7: Departing Loreto
Use your final day to relax, or, if it's your pleasure, play a round of golf at the Campo de Golf Loreto or tennis at the Loreto Bay Tennis Center. The renowned spa at the Posada de las Flores will do the trick, too.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
