Whale Watching in Baja California

Whale watching in Baja California is one of the strongest and most beautiful feelings that you can experience on your trip.

Gray whales from the North Pole to the waters of Baja California

In late September or early October, gray whales begin their migration. They leave frigid Alaska to reach the warm waters of Southern California. This is the longest known migration, as they travel 16,000 km to reach Baja California where they start the courtship rites and bring the young that were conceived the previous year into the world.
Since the first contact between a whale and a human being, which occurred in 1977, the Mexican government has promoted a major campaign for the protection and conservation of the marine and terrestrial habitat of these mammals, essential for their feeding and reproduction.

The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources has enacted laws and established regulations for whale watching, granting sighting permits to a small number of vessels and determining a distance and speed to be maintained when approaching the whales. The use of SONAR, the probes to locate them, fishing and any type of aquatic and aerial activity in the protected area has also been prohibited to avoid all kinds of possible discomfort during mating and delivery.
Since the risk of extinction of this mammal in 1850, the conservation success of this species has finally been achieved and has been demonstrated thanks to the whale census promoted by the National Commission of Natural Areas in 2019.

Whale season in Baja California

it is possible to admire them from December to April, Gray whales arrive to Baja California waters towards the end of December and remain until mid-April.

In these months, they give birth to their young, which in a few meters of water rise quickly to the surface to give us their first breath, allowing extraordinary sightings. These cetaceans stare without blinking at the tourist boats and let themselves be observed, approached and even caressed. There are tourists who sometimes even kiss and hug them.

They jump, they blow and the young follow their mothers who try to protect them by swimming alongside them; often it is the little ones who rise to the surface and look at you, just as curious as children.

They look for eye contact, and it is a great feeling to see them rise, breathe and meet their gaze.

Although they are wild animals and there is no certainty of being able to see and approach them, Baja California Travel can organize boat trips to the places where they are most likely to be seen depending on the time of the sighting season (which runs from December to April) that this exciting encounter occurs.