Ah the vagaries of weather! Two days of unusual rain just before our arrival and then high winds during the following days dictated many changes in the itinerary, challenging group leader Lela to the utmost. But when life gives you limes and lemons…. We all adapted to changing conditions and enjoyed tasting the lemonade (and margaritas) we made out of the conditions. Best wildlife sightings: offshore of Cerritos Beach, just south of Todos Santos. Sardine balls and humpback whales feeding as they moseyed down toward the Gulf of California. The sea turtle hatchlings release in Los Barriles was worth seeing as well. Best museums: the mining museum and vaquero museum in El Triunfo. Best explorations: old silver/mineral mine in San Antonio, uncatalogued Cochimí petroglyphs and pinturas outside Loreto, and prehistoric tools and even sharks teeth in one of Mexico’s ejidos on the way back to La Paz. Certainly a trip off the beaten track offering many rewards for those with a spirit of adventure and a willingness to adapt to conditions.

Everything worked out for a wonderful experience from the Ranch glamping to the Sea of Cortez adventures. The people we met we so helpful and interesting, providing insights into their culture, food and nature....from birds to whales! Our guides were very helpful and considerate, making sure we had everything we needed and they planned our time together so we experienced all we had hoped for. Eight days was just the right amount of time to take in everything and left us wanting to come back for more!

This was a well planned and executed cruise by a competent staff. The Naturalist, Lela Sankeralli, was 100% concerned with the guests comfort and experience. She is a knowledgeable lover of the Sea of Cortez and was complimented by Cultural Geologist, Myra, who brought her knowledge and helped with all activities. We liked the small group size (8 guests), the delicious food and the attentive staff. We loved our cabin (although our friends had a problem with Diesel fuel smell in theirs which Lela remedied by moving them to a smaller, odor free cabin). While this was a pricey cruise, for us, we would definitely recommend it as worth the experience and the lasting memories!

Eco Glamping in the Sierra La Laguna Mountains of Baja Baja's mountains are calling, and you should go! Too often visitors to the Cabo area stay only at the resorts and miss the more authentic part of Baja Sur in the Sierra La Laguna Mountains. At Panterra's trip to an eco ranch in these beautiful mountains, you can get a much better idea of the culture and lifestyle of the people who have lived here for generations. How? By living at the family ranch and assisting, if you wish, with some of the cooking and chores. Help harvest the vegetables and fruits you will eat there and that Dona Maria Luz will prepare for you. Help her make the tacos. Her meals were delicious and as spicy (or not) as you would want. Go with Rogelio in the morning to feed and milk the cows. There are numerous birds to watch--some of them endemic and found nowhere else. There are short (or longer) hikes down to the river for a swim or to the Pericule pinturas of indigenous art. Don Catarino will be happy to share his knowledge about tanning the hides from their cows and teach you how to turn the leather into a bracelet or bolsa. The tents were large and beds comfortable. This is a wonderful retreat into nature and into the heart of a ranch family happy to share their life with you. We hope to bring our grandchildren back in the future!

We enjoyed an authentic rancho/farm experience in the beautiful mountain preserve of Sierra La Laguna. Doña Maria Luz’s home cooked meals were delicious. We learned leather making with Papa and helped Rogelio (as best we could) to milk the cows and gather the fresh vegetables we ate from the garden and every sort of fruit tree you can imagine. Short hikes to old pictographs and bird watching also kept us busy. It’s a perfect trip for a family or anyone wishing to learn a little better about the real Mexico away from resorts