Welcome to Laguna San Ignacio’s premier locally owned and operated Ecolodge – Campo Cortez – located along the shores of San Ignacio Lagoon in the heart of Mexico’s largest protected area, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve. Gray Whales have migrated here for thousands of generations for the purpose of giving birth and mating. Over the years these whales have come to be known as “friendlies” because of their notable behavior approaching our boats encouraging us to scratch, pet and even sing to them and their newly born calves. Over the years, this has become a regular occurrence only at San Ignacio Lagoon. This unique location is the only Gray Whale birthing lagoon in the world that has been left untouched by industrialization and modern civilization and has a local community striving to keep the lagoon a sacred and protected sanctuary. Our low impact Ecolodge is a sustainable way to come and experience this life changing event and interaction with the whales. We are one of the last remaining family-owned operators at San Ignacio Lagoon. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff have guided thousands of life-changing adventures.
Beginning with a night in Loreto, your trip takes you from this quaint coastal town crossing the most picturesque part of the Baja peninsula to the shores of San Ignacio Lagoon, the sanctuary for the Pacific Gray Whales. On the first day, meet your guides and fellow travelers at our welcome Happy Hour and spend the night in Loreto at your seaside hotel with unobstructed views of the Sea of Cortez and desert islands. The next morning you’ll have an early buffet breakfast and then begin your road trip to San Ignacio Lagoon, stopping in the town of San Ignacio for lunch. Late in the afternoon you arrive at Campo Cortez Ecolodge at Laguna San Ignacio where you’ll spend four days and nights in cozy, comfortable, wooden cabins with views of the lagoon, comfortable beds, and electricity to charge your camera or other small devices. Enjoy whale watching twice daily with your local guides and boat captains who are residents of the lagoon that share with you their local knowledge of this peaceful Gray Whale Sanctuary. Days are spent whale watching, bird watching, beach-strolling or joining a guided tide-pool excursion, while evenings are spent discussing the day’s events with informal lectures, videos and discussions. Enjoy delicious authentic lagoon meals made with fresh locally sourced ingredients and you’ll love the sunsets, sunrises, and dark sky constellation gazing at night. On Day 6, say goodbye to Campo Cortez Ecolodge and head into the town of San Ignacio. Once there, you will have an opportunity to hang out in the town plaza, visit the historic 17th century Jesuit mission, grab a cup of coffee and some local treats. Then you continue to Loreto for your final night in the seaside hotel. The following morning after breakfast we say goodbye and shuttle to the airport. Many guests choose to extend their adventure in Loreto either at the beginning or at the end of the trip which is why we love this itinerary.
§ 6 up close whale watching trips
§ 2 nights in Loreto at seaside luxury hotel, La Mision
§ 4 days and 4 nights at our private Ecolodge, Campo Cortez
§ Solar powered beach cabins with lagoon views
§ Naturalist led discussions & field excursions
§ All inclusive: meals, beer, wine, margaritas & happy hour while at Campo Cortez
§ Hiking, beach strolling, tide pool exploration
§ Experienced and knowledgeable local resident staff
§ Evening presentations
§ Bird watching and dark sky constellation gazing
§ Round trip transportation to San Ignacio Lagoon
§ Some meals in Loreto: Breakfast buffets, welcome Happy Hour, lunches
The town of Loreto offers a rich mix of Old Mission traditions, adventure driven lifestyles, with a wealth of Mexican Culture. Loreto was the first capital of the Californias, and the historic “Our Lady of Loreto” Mission, located in Loreto’s town square is still open to the public and for daily use. Loreto’s beautiful location is nestled between the Sea of Cortez and the Sierra de la Giganta Mountain range, giving visitors a unique mix between ocean and mountain activities.
LA MISON HOTEL- THE ULTIMATE LUXURY IN LORETO Discover La Mision Hotel in Baja Sur, a stunning and elegant resort with a contemporary European-Mexican Hacienda Style which shows the “Old Mission” flavor of Baja Mexico. Hotel La Mision offers a luxurious oceanfront experience for those who seek the finest hotel accommodations in Loreto, Mexico.
Seemingly perched on the edge of civilization, Campo Cortez offers modern amenities that are clean, comfortable, and low impact on the environment. Campo Cortez is a completely off the grid solar powered Ecolodge. Constructed from local materials and by traditional building methods, our palapa is the gathering point for all our daily activities and meals. Powered by modern solar generation systems, our electrical system provides 110 ac or 12-volt dc power for all your charging needs. You can charge your phone, video, and camera batteries anytime in the palapa or your cabin anytime during the day. Our facilities include hot showers, flushing marine toilets, and numerous hand washing stations.
While we encourage you to unplug, we know it’s helpful to stay connected. We offer:
Always available in the palapa are:§ Book and video library of Baja & marine mammals & plants § Large screen TV to view daily videos & presentations § Science and weather monitoring station § Coffee and hot tea § Snacks and fruit § Sodas, beer, and wine § Clean, reverse osmosis drinking water§ Gift shop of locally crafted goods including t-shirts and headgear
Our beachside cabins come equipped with electricity, comfortable beds and are well protected from the often harsh wind and elements of the coastal desert. Twelve of our cabins are double occupancy with a mixture of single and double beds while three cabins offer triple occupancy with a double and single bed. All our cabins are supplied with fresh linens, pillows, shelving and a countertop area with a small mirror. They are cozy, efficient and leave a small footprint on the land. You’ll find charging stations inside of each cabin with standard a USB connection as well as two USB C connections.
Special Accommodations: If you have any special needs, let us know and we will do everything we can to make your stay comfortable.
CPAP users: we offer two cabins that provide standard a/c power throughout the night for your medical device.
Special Diets: We happily accommodate special diets like Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free or others.
Trip Begins and ends: Loreto, Baja CA Sur La Mision Hotel
Day 1:
Meet for happy hour today at the hotel for Orientation and Happy Hour at 5pm (check-in available by 3pm, sometimes earlier). This evening is free for you to tour the plaza and have dinner on your own or join our guide at the hotel for a group dinner (dinner not included).
Day 2:
Early morning buffet breakfast overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The buffet includes regional cuisine, eggs, fresh fruit, juices, coffee and a wide variety of options. After breakfast, we depart for San Ignacio Lagoon on a scenic road trip stopping at the town of San Ignacio for lunch. You arrive San Ignacio Lagoon for orientation in the afternoon, Happy Hour and then dinner.
Days 3, 4, 5:
3 full days & nights including 6 whale watching trips. Group led tide-pool exploration, guide presentations after happy hour and home-made tortillas and local meals. Beer/Soda and wine are all included.
Day 6:
Depart Campo Cortez after breakfast and drive to San Ignacio Town where you will have a chance to walk around the town plaza, see the historic Jesuit 17th century mission, and have lunch before departing for the return road trip to Loreto. Dinner on your own in the evening or join our guide for farewell group dinner (dinner not included)
Day 7:
Buffet Breakfast included at Hotel La Mision. Some guests will stay on and continue their adventure in Loreto on their own or we have a morning shuttle to the airport for individual flights home
OPPORTUNITES TO EXTEND YOUR BAJA ADVENTURE
Baja CA Sur has many amazing activities based out of Loreto: cave painting tours, sea safaris, island exploring, visiting Mission San Javier, golfing, sportfishing, e-bike tours in the park and desert and many more. This trip is the perfect itinerary to add extra days and activities to your Baja Adventure. If you have questions or want some suggestions, we are happy to help! Just ask us for recommended providers of adventure.
7:00am Coffee, cereals, fruit
8:00am Hot breakfast
8:45am Whale watching
12:00pm Lunch
2:00pm Whale watching
5:00pm Happy hour
6:00pm Dinner
9:00pm Lights out-Palapa
Schedule WILL vary day to day based on tide movements and weather
§ Guided tide pool exploration & critter hunts
§ Naturalist led excursions & lectures
§ Up close whale observation & petting
§ Happy hour & incredible sunsets
§ Hike to Gray Whale boneyard
§ Beach strolling and dark sky constellation gazing
§ Bird watching
Because we value a small group size, availability is on a limited basis. Please make your reservations well in advance to secure your spots. Many of our guests plan and book their trips at least six to fourteen months in advance. For your comfort, space is limited at camp and all our reservations are made on a first come basis. Please call or email us to check our schedule for availability.
Before your departure, you’ll receive from us:
§ Comprehensive itinerary package & travel information
§ Camp guidelines & whale watching information
§ Guide information & contact information
§ Detailed packing list
We are consistently rated the #1 Travelers’ Choice on Trip Advisor year after year for one reason, our Staff and Owners - who are residents and locals to San Ignacio Lagoon. We are four generations of family living and working in the lagoon since the settlement of San Ignacio Lagoon. We take pride in our efforts at our Ecolodge to have a low-impact environmentally and the responsibility that we carry as Ambassadors to the lagoon and its many wildlife residents.
2 Nights in Luxury Hotel La Mision
4 Nights at Campo Cortez in Seaside cabins
Meals, snacks, beer, wine & soda while at Campo Cortez
Breakfast, Welcome Happy Hour, lunch on travel days are included
Ground Transportation to San Ignacio Lagoon
Naturalist led walks & discussions. All of our boat trips have Naturalist guides to answer any questions you may have on whale behavior or activities.
Enjoy a short ride to the whale observation area from our location. Enjoy a morning and an afternoon whale watch daily.
When the tide is low we provide boots for you to use for exploring the tide pools.
Entrance fee to Vizcaino Biosphere – (added to your invoice)
We will pick you up and drop you off at the airport if you arrive and depart on our trip dates. If you come early or stay later, then you are on your own. Taxis are readily available in Loreto .
The restaurants are wonderful in Loreto and there are many located within a 5-minute walk from the hotel. In order to give you some independent time, dinners are on your own a great chance to explore!
Premium liquor or call drinks are at a separate cost
Transportation to & from Loreto, Baja CA Sur
We highly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance
If you'd like to leave a gratuity for our staff, you will have the opportunity to do so at the end of the trip.
Arrive on your own to Loreto, Baja CA Sur Mexico.
Meet for happy hour today at the hotel for Orientation and Happy Hour at 5pm (check-in available by 3pm, sometimes earlier). This evening is free for you to tour the plaza and have dinner on your own or join our guide at the hotel for a group dinner (dinner not included).
Early morning buffet breakfast overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The buffet includes regional cuisine, eggs, fresh fruit, juices, coffee and a wide variety of options. After breakfast, we depart for San Ignacio Lagoon on a scenic road trip stopping at the town of San Ignacio (oasis in the desert) for lunch. You arrive San Ignacio Lagoon for orientation in the afternoon, Happy Hour and then dinner.
Experience Whale watching twice daily with total of 6 whale watches to give you the best opportunity to see the whales up-close. After whale watching, simply relax and absorb the ancient unbroken rhythms of the lagoon and its splendid wildlife; wander the shell-strewn beaches; join an afternoon low tide exploration; play games; take a natural history excursion with our guides; or simply relax. All Activities & times will be listed in the Palapa on our Activity Board.
Depart Campo Cortez after breakfast and drive to San Ignacio Town where you will have a chance to walk around the town plaza, see the historic Jesuit 17th century mission, and have lunch before departing for the return road trip to Loreto. Dinner on your own in the evening or join our guide for farewell group dinner (dinner not included)
Buffet Breakfast included at Hotel La Mision. Some guests will stay on and continue their adventure in Loreto on their own or we have a morning shuttle to the airport for individual flights home.
Enjoy views of the Sea of Cortez from your room at this beautiful hotel. Take a stroll on the Malecon or the beach, browse local shops and eat in delicious local restaurants all a short walk from our hotel. Breakfast buffet for both mornings of your stay is a delight with fresh juices, fruit, breads, full service hot breakfast.
Our beachside cabins come equipped with electricity, comfortable beds and are well protected from the often harsh wind and elements of the coastal desert. Twelve of our cabins are double occupancy with a mixture of single and double beds while three cabins offer triple occupancy with a double and single bed. All our cabins are supplied with fresh linens, pillows, shelving and a countertop area with a small mirror. They are cozy, efficient and leave a small footprint on the land. You’ll find charging stations inside of each cabin with standard a USB connection as well as two USB C connections.
Special Accommodations: If you have any special needs, let us know and we will do everything we can to make your stay comfortable.
CPAP users: we offer two cabins that provide standard a/c power throughout the night for your medical device.
Special Diets: We happily accommodate special diets like Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free or others.
One thing we are passionate about is respecting and honoring the whales that come here each winter. Our boat captains are all local residents of San Ignacio Lagoon and they each have decades of experience. Why does that matter? Well, maneuvering close to whales and keeping the panga steady and in perfect position is truly an art. They make it look easy but if you observe less experienced captains, you can see the difference. We respect the rules of the Lagoon to not overcrowd the whales and are considerate of other boats. Not many other camps own their own pangas or are as fortunate to have the excellent captains that we have. Our pangas are specially designed with low sides and cushioned benches to make the up close experiences easy and comfortable for our guests. Owning our boats ensures that we can keep small group sizes on each whale watch.
