TRIP DETAILS AND
CAMPING INFORMATION FOR
SKIFF-SUPPORTED EXPEDITIONS
(for best results print in gray scale)

Airlines:
The airlines that fly to both Loreto (LTO) and La Paz (LAP) are AeroMexico (800-237-6639) and Alaska Airlines (800- 252-7522). For trips originating and departing from La Paz, there is the option to fly into San Jose del Cabo, also called Los Cabos (SJD) and take a three hour bus ride to La Paz. Some of the airlines that fly to Los Cabos (SJD) are Alaska, American, Continental, American West and US Airways. Expedia.com is a good web site to find the best deals from your area. If you need more suggestions, feel free to ask our US booking office or contact a travel agent.

Bus Service between Cabo and La Paz:
If you plan to take the bus from Cabo to La Paz, please keep in mind that they can be unreliable especially if you arrive into Cabo in the evening with only a couple of buses leaving that evening. If taking the bus to La Paz, please allow plenty of time and flexibility. To alleviate any stress of buses possibly being cancelled and/or full (especially around holiday times) you can hire private transport (keep in mind this is considerably more expensive). If you are interested in sharing a private transport service to take you to La Paz and wish to share it with other passengers arriving at the same time, please inquire with our US booking office. Here is a transport service we recommend:
Baja Only

Trips Include:
All accommodations in Baja including hotel stays based upon double occupancy, all meals and beverages (including cold fruit juices, soda, beer and "happy hour" drinks) at camp and farewell dinner on final night, all transfers between hotels and camps, trip equipment including tents, instruction, naturalists, guides and cooks.

Not Included:
Airfare, airport transfers, gratuities, single supplement for hotel and/or tent, sleeping bags and pads, snorkeling equipment (these items can be rented in La Paz. Please see prices below under Personal Gear and Rentals). Single supplement for hotel and tent accommodations is $95 or $175 for the combination trip. Single tent in camp is $25 or $75 for Mag Bay trips. If you book as a single person, but are willing to share we will try to find you a room mate of the same sex, but if we can not the single supplement fee will apply.

Qualifications:
Our expeditions are designed to be fun, active, adventuresome and educational. If you enjoy the outdoors, have a sense of adventure and are fairly fit you should have no problem participating in any of our expeditions even if you have never kayaked or camped. Some trips spend more hours kayaking while others are more multi-activity oriented. We have a wide variety of trips and therefore suggest you check out our web page, Need help choosing a trip and check the sea kayak ratings on each trip description or talk to our office prior to choosing a trip to be sure you choose the right expedition according to your interests and kayak skill level.

Personal Gear and Rentals:
Sleeping bags, pads and snorkeling equipment may be rented in Baja. Costs per trip are: Sleeping bag with pad $20 / Sleeping bag or pad separately $15/ Snorkel gear $15 / mask, snorkel or fins separately $10 / wetsuit $15 / Wetsuits are highly recommended for trips in November through May. The wetsuits we rent are 3mm thick, long-sleeved, short pants with a zipper up the front. If you tend to get cold easily, we recommend you bring a thicker and/or long sleeved wetsuit during the months of Dec, Jan and Feb. Payment for rentals will be collected in Baja prior to your trip departure in cash or traveler checks. SINCE THE BAJA COAST TRIP STARTS IN LORETO, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GIVE US YOUR SIZE ON YOUR TRIP APPLICATION FORM. THIS WAY WE CAN OUTFIT YOU CORRECTLY FOR LIFE JACKETS, WET SUITS AND SNORKEL EQUIPMENT WHICH WILL BE BROUGHT UP FROM LA PAZ. For all other trips originating in La Paz, we will size you when you arrive in our office. Dry bags are not necessary on skiff supported trips, as your bags will be transported by skiff from camp to camp, not in the kayaks. We do suggest bringing a small dry bag to keep personal items such as a camera or dry clothes from getting wet when kayaking or riding in the skiffs. Snorkeling is available only on sea of cortez trips, not Magdalena Bay whale watching trips. We no longer provide kayak seat pads and highly recommend you bring your own. If you are vertically challenged (under 5'3" tall) we recommend you bring a seat pad that adds a couple inches of height while sitting in the kayak seat as our shorter clients have exclaimed how much comfort this adds to their paddling experience. You may also want to bring along a pair of paddling gloves to prevent getting blisters. If you think you might want to join a night snorkel, to observe the nocturnal creatures of the sea, on fall trips (when the water is warmest), bring along an underwater flashlight with fresh batteries.

Extra Gear Storage:
We have a storage room available at our hotel, the Posada LunaSol/Mar Y Aventuras office in La Paz, for safe keeping of any personal gear you do not want to bring on a trip. If you are on a trip between La Paz and Loreto, any extra gear can be transferred from La Paz to Loreto or from Loreto to La Paz by our staff.

Kayak Equipment:
Our fleet of kayaks on each trip is comprised of approximately 2/3 double kayaks and 1/3 single kayaks. Most are made by SEDA products of fiber glass construction and ALL are equipped with rudders. We do have a few rotomolded or plastic boats in our fleet for variety in seat construction as some of our guests find the plastic boat seats more comfortable. Based upon your experience, size and group composition your guide will help determine what kayak you will paddle, double or single, fiberglass or plastic. As well we encourage the group to rotate kayak seats so everyone has a chance to paddle to their desire. If you are particularly tall (over 6'2") or large (over 200 pounds) please let us know well in advance as we may have to arrange a special kayak to be brought to camp. We offer exclusive use of a single kayak on most trips for a fee of $50 although you must be fit and experienced in kayaking and screened by our office. This option is NOT available on the Islands or Magdalena Bay portion of the Combination trip (single kayaks are available for the Kayaking Espiritu Santo Island portion). Light weight Swift and Nimbus paddles, PFD's (Personal flotation device otherwise known as a lifejacket), nylon spray skirts, paddle floats and bilge pumps are all provided on our expeditions.

Fishing:
We offer fishing as a side activity on our Sea of Cortez trips only, not on our Magdalena Bay whale watching trips.
IMPORTANT! FISHING PERMIT INFORMATION
If you want to fish, please come prepared with your own lures. Small minnow-type lures are suggested such as a Rebel jointed Fastrac or mid size Rapala Magnums (4.5 to 5 inches or 9-12cm in length). Suggested colors include: blue/silver, black/silver, black/gold, green mackerel/gold or blue mackerel/silver. We supply the rod and reel. Fishing is done by trolling behind a motorized skiff (two rods at a time) from one to two hours before breakfast on certain mornings or from your kayak.

Gratuity Guideline:
Many people ask, "should I tip the guides and how much?" Tipping is voluntary and any amount you leave is greatly appreciated! If you would like to leave your guides a generous tip showing appreciation for an excellent job, 10% of the trip cost is standard in the adventure travel industry. Gratuities are pooled and distributed among your trip guides and staff evenly. If you do choose to leave a tip, please leave cash only. No travelers checks, personal checks or credit cards can be accepted.

Loreto / La Paz Money Situation:
Loreto is a small town (10,000 population) where very few businesses accept credit cards or traveler checks and only one ATM machine is available that is not always operating. La Paz is a large cosmopolitan city (200,000 population) and has many ATM machines. Often you have the choice of receiving money in US dollars or pesos. Keep in mind that accessing these machines can be a hassle and they do not always work. Some businesses accept credit cards and travelers checks but you'll be surprised how many do NOT even in La Paz. US dollars are accepted at most establishments so it is not necessary to change your dollars into pesos before you arrive. We recommend bringing plenty of cash and in small bills such as 1's, 5's, 10's and 20's to use for rentals, restaurants, tipping and other incidentals.

Camping facilities:
Sea of Cortez trips: We camp on gravel and sand beaches along the coast and islands of Baja. On skiff supported trips a large dome tent is set up by our staff and used for cooking. A shade tarp is also set up for taking breaks from the noon day sun. Chairs are provided but not dining tables. Quality 4 person tents are provided for double occupancy but it is not necessary to sleep in a tent and many folks choose to sleep out under the starry night sky.
Magdalena Bay: We camp on the lee side of barrier islands nestled in sand dunes. Camp faces the bay and often provides a great view of whales and dolphins as they swim by. The kitchen and dining area is comprised of large wall MASH tents complete with table and chairs for eating. Large (10'x12') walk-in canvas tents are provided for sleeping accommodations, each complete with two cots, pads and tables. Please note, the larger tents in Mag Bay are for double occupancy. Smaller tents may be used for singles.

Cooking is performed by our staff yet you are welcome to lend a hand at any time. It's a great way to practice your Spanish! Special diets are not a problem as we are stocked with copious amounts of all types of foods.
Bathing is available daily in the sea using a biodegradable soap that lathers in salt water (Dr. Bronners does NOT lather in salt water. Campsuds, Joy or Dawn work well and are biodegradable). Fresh water will be available for a quick rinse from a sun shower to complete the process.
The toilet is a porta-potty system. It is basically a small self-contained toilet basin that even uses water to flush. It is placed in a secluded spot at each camp and is available from the time you arrive until you depart.

Weather:
Spring and fall are the most ideal times for enjoying the Sea of Cortez. The strong northerly winds blow longest and strongest from late Nov through early March so spring and fall are characterized by calmer, warmer days.
Fall trips (Oct & Nov) offer warm (80-85 degrees F), clear (visibility up to 80 feet) waters for great snorkeling with daytime highs in the 80's and 90's and little chance of rain or strong wind. An added attraction on fall trips is the opportunity to observe the Baja desert in bloom which follows the rainy season of August and September.
Winter trips (Dec, Jan & Feb) tend to be cooler with more chance of wind and some chance of rain, water temperatures are in the mid 60's and daytime highs from the 60's to 80's. The weather in Magdalena Bay on the Pacific coast during whale watching season in mid winter does tend to be windy and chilly. Daytime highs may be in the 70's but with the wind may feel more like the 50's.
Spring trips (Mar, Apr & May) offer 68-75 degrees F waters with warm calm days being common, air temps are in the mid 80's to 90.
Summer in Baja (June-September) is hot and humid with chance of hurricanes.

Insects:
Due to the dry desert nature of Baja, and most of the beaches we camp on, it does not tend to be buggy. Although, certain years can provide sufficient precipitation to support mosquitoes, gnats and no-see-ums. It is a good idea to bring some form of insect repellent along just in case, especially on fall trips (October, November) which follow the rainy season.

Delays:
Sea & Adventures and Mar Y Aventuras are not responsible for any costs incurred due to delays that may occur due to transportation (airline), weather, road conditions, government intervention, sickness or other contingencies for which we are unable to control.

A Special Request:
If you have any old clothes or shoes you'd like to donate, please bring them along and we'll distribute them to the fishing villages we visit. Warm type clothes like rain jackets and fleece are especially appreciated by the fisherman as well as T-shirts, pants, and shoes (sneakers, Tevas or hiking boots, all sizes). Kids clothes and shoes are also needed. Muchas Gracias!

Repeat Guests & Group Discounts
We offer group discounts of 5% with a group of 5 or more and 10% with a group of 10 or more. We offer a 10% discount for our special repeat clientele.

References
We have compiled a list of references of people who have already joined at least one of our trips, so that first time inquiring guests can talk with someone outside our company who has already experienced one of our adventures first hand. Call our toll free number for a reference in your area or additional information on charters, group and repeat guest discounts: 800-355-7140

Charters
Whether you're a group of friends, family, club or organization we offer attractive charter rates for groups of 8 to 16 people. Our Montana office can assist you in scheduling your special trip date subject to availability.

Videos and DVDs Available
Gray whale watching in Magdalena Bay or Sea Kayaking in Baja. If you're considering a trip these videos can help you decide or if you have already been on a trip a video can serve as a lasting momento of your adventure to show your family and friends.