Laguna San Ignacio: NRDC’s Whale Watching Adventure
February 13–18, 2027
Meeting a gray whale during the 2020 NRDC trip to Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California, Mexico
It’s been more than 25 years since NRDC’s successful campaign to save Laguna San Ignacio from a massive salt production plant, preserving this fragile environment for the wildlife that depends on it. Join us to witness the impact of that victory—and see firsthand what your support makes possible.
Experience the wonder of awe-inspiring gray whales up close on this unforgettable trip to one of the world’s last whale nurseries. You’ll stay at a charming tented camp on a bluff overlooking the pristine Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California, Mexico. At any moment, you could witness whales breaching in these shallow waters. Friendly mothers and their curious young will often swim right up to your 20-foot open panga boat. Beyond the whale watching, you can explore mangroves, bird-watch, kayak, and more. Along the way, NRDC experts will share insights about this precious ecosystem and our decades-long work to protect it from destruction.
“This was a life-changing experience that I will never forget. I cannot recommend this trip more highly to anyone who loves whales and pristine nature.”
Caryl Hart, NRDC member
Details
*Not included: Airfare to/from San Diego, lodging in San Diego on the night of February 13, souvenirs, and optional guide gratuities and trip insurance.
Watch a preview of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure (video by Greg Robinson for NRDC)
Itinerary
All travelers must arrive in San Diego by February 13, 2027. Your trip begins with a complimentary welcome dinner, where you’ll meet NRDC experts and fellow travelers.
In the morning, a private bus departs from the Pendry hotel in San Diego to the Cross Border Xpress (CBX)/Tijuana International Airport, where you’ll board a charter flight to Laguna San Ignacio. Upon arrival, enjoy a 20-minute boat ride to base camp at Rocky Point. Following camp orientation, you’ll have time to relax and watch the whales bask offshore before your first camp dinner and stunning lagoon sunset.
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
You are now alongside the gray whales at their winter calving and mating grounds. Each day, you’ll venture out on the water by panga boat to interact with whales and other marine life. Back at camp, you can explore beaches and tide pools, kayak in mangroves, photograph diverse bird species, or simply enjoy the peaceful beauty of the vast lagoon.
Evenings will feature good food, camp comforts, and engaging conversation. Each day will include natural history discussions and programs led by experts.
After breakfast and a final farewell to the whales, we transport you back to San Diego: first by boat, then a charter flight to Tijuana, and a transfer across the border. You will arrive by late afternoon.
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Gray whales surfacing near the boat during an excursion
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Admiring the sunset sky
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
A view over mountains from the window of a plane
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Sarah Michler reaching out to touch a gray whale
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
A kayak excursion through mangroves
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Watching the water at sunrise
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
A whale breaching near the boat
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
A morning walk on the beach
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Watching a gray whale breach the surface from their boat
Readying to go whale-watching
Meet the experts
Courtesy of Joel Reynolds
Joel Reynolds
Senior Institutional Strategist & Senior Attorney, Nature
Reynolds is a renowned environmental litigator who has argued cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. He has led numerous successful campaigns for NRDC, including efforts to reduce ocean noise pollution, preserve the popular California State Park at San Onofre, stop the Pebble Mine in Alaska, and safeguard the very place you’ll be visiting—the gray whale birthing lagoon at Laguna San Ignacio.
Courtesy of Mitch Bernard
Mitch Bernard
Chief Counsel
Bernard has successfully litigated water, air, toxics, and environmental justice cases against Duke Energy, Mallinckrodt, Texaco, and a variety of government agencies. He is a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and was recognized by Lawdragon as one of the 500 leading lawyers in the United States for 2019. Bernard served as interim president of NRDC in both 2019 and 2021.
The NRDC experience
Group portrait on the beach for the February 2020 whale watching trip
Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Common backgrounds
Your traveling companions will be like you—active, adventurous, and deeply committed to protecting our planet. This is an invitation-only trip that is open exclusively to fellow NRDC supporters, creating a unique opportunity to connect with others who share your passion for the environment.
Expertise
You will experience this extraordinary place and its wildlife through the eyes of people who have devoted their life’s work to protecting them. NRDC expert Joel Reynolds—who helped lead the campaign to save the lagoon—will join the adventure, bringing decades of insight and a powerful firsthand perspective. This year, you’ll also be accompanied by NRDC's chief counsel, Mitch Bernard, who will share the deep expertise he’s gained over a career devoted to environmental protection.
We’ve got you covered
Our team will handle all of the logistics so that you can fully immerse yourself in the delicate beauty of this special place: We organize transportation from San Diego, arrange accommodations in Laguna San Ignacio, and provide packing lists, maps, and background materials on your destination.
Base camp & accommodations
The base camp is located at Punta Piedra, right beside the whale observation zone. It’s one of the best places in the world to whale watch from land. The lagoon is more than 20 miles long and varies from two to four miles across. Punta Piedra sits at the narrowest point, separated from the surrounding land by mangrove forests and a narrow tidal channel.
Travelers stay in low-impact, sustainable safari-style tents that are approximately 10-by-10 feet. Each tent is outfitted with two cushioned cots, linen-lined sleeping bags, and pillows. There is also a solar lantern, flashlight, and a storage box that serves as a bedside table.
Clockwise from top left: Sunset over tents at the base camp; exterior of one of the tents; a toilet and handwashing block; a welcome sign at the base camp
Greg Robinson for NRDC
; 2)Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
; 3)Greg Robinson for NRDC
; 4)Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
The camp’s position on a low shoreline bluff affords you the possibility of watching the whales from your tent door. To ensure we preserve the beauty and tranquility of the area, the entire camp relies on solar power. Solar shower bags provide guests with hot water for afternoon showers, and an underground marine septic system supports three bathroom structures. There is no hot water in the morning and no Wi-Fi at base camp.
The main dining and activity tent will host all meals, informal evening discussions led by camp naturalists, and other fun nightly activities throughout the trip.
Clockwise from top left: An interior view of a tent; stopping for a group portrait during the trip; a night gathering inside one of the tents; trip-goers enjoying a lunch buffet
Greg Robinson for NRDC
; 2) Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC; 3)Greg Robinson for NRDC
; 4)Heidi Zumbrun for NRDC
Purchase your tickets
Please click the button above to book your trip.
We are here to help! Contact trips@nrdc.org with any additional questions or for more information.
FAQs
Laguna San Ignacio, on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, is a World Heritage site and the only Pacific gray whale birthing ground left on earth that has not been despoiled by human encroachment. Each winter, hundreds of gray whales swim thousands of miles from Arctic waters to reach this pristine lagoon nursery.
NRDC has worked for nearly three decades to fend off threats to Laguna San Ignacio and its surrounding areas. In 1995, NRDC spearheaded one of the largest environmental campaigns in history in opposition to Mitsubishi’s plans to build a massive industrial salt factory at Laguna San Ignacio. The campaign culminated with a major victory when then Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo canceled the project on March 2, 2000. After this win, NRDC began working with local communities around the lagoon to encourage sustainable economic alternatives and to forestall a revival of the saltworks scheme.
Baja Discovery is the trip operator and has been working with NRDC for decades on tours to Laguna San Ignacio.
Yes. All guests must carry a valid passport. Guests also require a Mexican tourist card, which will be provided on the morning of departure.
The boats await you each day to take you out among the whales, which are often just offshore. When you’re not whale watching, you can walk the fossilized shoreline, explore tide pools, search for coyote dens, or relax in a chair on the bluff and watch the whales, dolphins, and birds. There are also plenty of activities to enjoy at camp, including optional excursions, kayaking in the mangroves, volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoes, cards, and reading.
The price does not include flights and transportation to and from San Diego, lodging in San Diego on February 13, personal items, souvenirs, guide gratuities, or trip insurance (which is highly recommended).
Tipping is voluntary. Tips generally range from $20 to $30 per guest per day and are divided equally among all camp staff (guides, cooks, boatmen).
You will be staying in the Mexican coastal desert during its winter season. Mornings and evenings will be very cold and windy, and temperatures typically have an average variance of 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit over the course of a day. In February, temperatures range from the 70s midday all the way to the low 50s at night. While rain is rare, the wind is constant and can make for a cold morning out on the open water.
Yes. Please inform us of any special dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, food allergies, etc.) on your application form. In most cases, dietary needs can be accommodated, but it is very important to notify NRDC prior to departure.
If you can no longer attend, NRDC must be notified 90 days prior to the trip’s departure for a full refund. Cancellations made within 90 days of departure are nonrefundable.
Please reach out to trips@nrdc.org for more information and questions about this trip.
NRDC Expeditions: Purpose-Driven Adventures
Our trips are invitation-only and offered exclusively to NRDC supporters like you: active, adventurous, and engaged on the current environmental issues affecting our planet.