TRIP DETAILS AND
CAMPING INFORMATION FOR QUICK GETAWAYS
(for best results print in gray scale)

Trips Include:
Accommodations at camp in Baja based on double occupancy, transportation to camp, all meals from lunch on day 1 through breakfast on last day and beverages at camp (including cold fruit juices, soda, beer and "happy hour" drinks), trip equipment including tents, skiff support, instruction, guides and cooks. Please note, breakfast on Day 1 of our Mag Bay whale watching trips is included, but it is not included on the Espiritu Santo trips.

Not Included:
Airfare, airport transfers, hotel accommodations, gratuities, personal snorkel gear, wetsuits, sleeping bags and pads. These items can be rented in Baja. See prices below under personal gear and rentals. A single supplement tent fee is $25 for Espiritu Santo and $50 for Mag Bay. If you book as a single person, but are willing to share a tent, we will try to find you a room mate of the same sex, but if we can not the single supplement fee will apply. Sleeping pads are included in Mag Bay, but not for Espiritu Santo getaways. We can make hotel arrangements for you at Posada LunaSol. Visit the website for more details and rates.

Family & Group Discounts:
5% discount with groups of 5 or more and 10% discount for groups of 10 or more. 20% discount for children 12 and under.

Airlines:
For flights into La Paz (LAP) from Los Angeles (LAX) your choices are AeroMexico (800-237-6639), Alaska (800- 252-7522) and Delta (800-221-1212). There is also 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. We recommend allowing plenty of time or hire private transport to alleviate any stress of buses possibly being cancelled or full (especially around any holiday times). 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 are links to the available transport services:
Baja Only

Qualifications:
No previous kayaking or camping experience is required. Our getaway trips are for folks with limited time and/or on a budget and/or first time campers who aren't sure they want to spend a full week camping out. They are ideal for families with any age children. The most frequent comment on our evaluation forms from folks who have joined one of our getaways is that the trip is TOO short! So by all means if you have the time we highly recommend our longer expeditions. But our getaways serve a growing population of folks who just can't get time off long enough to join one of our expeditions. Some may even want to combine their getaway trip with traveling on their own through Baja or are just looking for something less expensive then we can offer on our expeditions. We have entertained folks from 9 months to 83 years old on our getaway trips. Try one of our getaway trips if you enjoy the outdoors and think you might enjoy camping out on a desert island or on the Pacific coast in a luxury camp, or just need a Baja fix but have limited time and money, or are touring the cape and want to spice up your week's itinerary with a camping adventure.

Personal Gear and Rentals:
Sleeping bags with 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. Most wetsuits are 3mm long sleeved, short pants with a front zipper. Please make sure to reserve all equipment rentals on your trip application form. Payment will be collected in Baja prior to your trip departure in cash or traveler checks. 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 on sea of cortez trips only (not on 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.

Kayak Equipment:
Our fleet of kayaks on each trip is comprised of approximately two thirds double kayaks and one third 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 on your trip application as we may have to arrange a special kayak to be brought to camp.

Fishing:
We offer fishing as a side activity on our Sea of Cortez trips only, not on Magdalena Bay whale watching trips. 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.

La Paz Money Situation:
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.

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.

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.