Many of the tour operators in the southern half of the Baja peninsula, in the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico base out of Loreto or La Paz; coastal communities on the Sea of Cortes side of the peninsula. Most of the tours visit uninhabited islands and coastlines near those two starting points. The reason no multi-day tours go out of Cabo San Lucas is because there are no nearby islands to paddle to and the sea is much more exposed there.

Loreto & La Paz comparison

Loreto is a sleepy Mexican fishing village about 8 hours by car from Cabo San Lucas. It was the original capital of the peninsula until 1828 when a hurricane leveled the town and the capital was permanently moved to La Paz. La Paz, a city of 250,000, is the main ferry terminus to mainland Mexico, and is located approximately half way between Loreto and Cabo.

Loreto has limited flights arriving daily from Los Angeles or San Diego on Aero Mexico, Alaska and Aero California. La Paz has more options of flights in and out on those carriers and others. Loreto is a 2-day drive south from San Diego in California, USA. Some guests elect to fly into Cabo San Lucas to take advantage of cheap flights, and take an air-conditioned bus to either Loreto or La Paz for a fraction of what it would cost in USA.

Both Loreto and La Paz have several large uninhabited islands nearby that are exquisite for paddling and exploring. Both Loreto and La Paz are within reach of Magdalena Bay, the gray whale lagoon on the Pacific side of the peninsula. All the islands in the Sea of Cortez and all three gray whale lagoons on the Pacific Coast have Mexican national park status, and all outfitters and private parties must have the proper permits. Be sure to go with an outfitter than has the proper operating permits, or if you are in a private party do obtain the proper permits from the national park office in both communities, as federal officers do regular site inspections in the park areas.

Private parties are not permitted at all in Magdalena Bay, although they are allowed with permits in the Sea of Cortez. Permitted outfitters are committed to preserving the laws and environment in which they operate and must pay all appropriate taxes to Mexico, must hire and train locals to be sea kayak guides and logistics managers, and have proper liability insurance and safety procedures/training.

Self-supported vs. motorboat supported tours

Most sea kayak tour operators fall into either of these two camps, so be sure you inquire about what kind of tour the company runs, and what they include in the tour price. Most tour outfitters have mostly double kayaks since the majority of guests are fairly new to kayaking, but some will have single kayaks along, too, for folks to rotate into. So this is another issue to explore. Weather in Baja California Sur

Daytime temperatures late December through February range from the 70