Clothing

  • Broad brim sun hat with strap and/or visor, baseball cap and/or buff for sun protection
  • T-shirts/rash guard/synthetic short sleeved shirts
  • Shorts (quick dry are best)
  • Long sleeve shirt
  • Fleece jacket or sweater
  • Waterproof windbreaker/rain jacket with hood – mostly used to keep dry on boat rides when windy and the water is rough with boat spray entering the boat
  • Swimsuit(s)
  • Lightweight long pants
  • Socks – Bring an extra pair that can get some sand in them to put on your feet while sleeping at whale camp to keep the sand out of your sleeping bag.
  • Sneakers or lightweight day-hiker boots
  • Water sandals OR aqua shoes – This is a personal preference. Sand and small pebbles will get into whatever shoe you wear. Sand in aqua shoes and semi-closed water shoes is difficult to remove and your feet remain wet inside so most of us prefer open water/river sandals like Teva’s, Chaco’s or Keen’s (with no siding). When worn loosely sand and pebbles are easily removed by rinsing your feet in the sea.
  • Casual town clothes – can leave behind at our hotel in La Paz for something clean to wear upon returning to town
  • Sarong or sundress (for the warmer months of October, November, March, April and May) to wear at camp or in town
  • **Mid-weight long underwear or warm pants – see below
  • **Warm hat and light weight fleece gloves for evenings – see below
  • **Rain pants – see below

** Please note the weather in Baja varies greatly from month to month. **These double asterisk items are recommended for trips taking place mid-winter, from December through early-March. Keep in mind the weather in Baja can be VERY unpredictable. We prefer you have enough warm clothes (but may never use them) to keep warm IF the weather turns unseasonably cool on your particular trip. This can occur in March, April and November although these months normally present a milder, warmer climate. October and May are most certainly the warmest months of our kayak season and warm clothes (warm hat, fleece, long underwear, rain pants) are usually NOT necessary during these months – Note: Synthetic fabrics (ie. polar fleece & capilene) not cotton are best for keeping warm in wet environments.

Miscellaneous

  • Multiple face masks or coverings and hand sanitizer
  • Sunglasses with strap
  • Day back or fanny pack and/or dry bag for kayaking, hiking and snorkeling to store dry clothes and towel in the boat. Keep in mind gear in our boats tends to get wet. A water proof style backpack/dry bag is ideal as it can be used for hiking, kayaking AND snorkeling. Or you can bring a regular day pack for hiking and use large zip-lock bags for keeping items inside dry when using it for snorkeling or kayaking excursions.
  • Water bottle x 2 so you can always have one in the cooler
  • Bandana for using as sun protection or to get the sand off your feet before getting into your sleeping bag
  • Small beach towel
  • Toiletries
  • Flashlight/headlamp
  • Reef Friendly Sunscreen such as Stream2Sea https://stream2sea.com/ (sunscreens containing oxybenzone, Octinoxate, or octocrylene kill corals in even tiny doses. These sun creams include Neutrogena, Aveeno, Banana Boat, Coppertone, and Hawaiian Tropic, among others). Check the ingredients and respect Baja’s corals and new government regulations.
  • Lip balm with sunscreen
  • Ziploc bags for personal garbage in tents
  • Earplugs in case of snoring neighbors and wind flapping tents and/or city noise in La Paz
  • Biodegradable soap/shampoo for salt water (Campsuds, Joy or Dawn work great)
  • Compact camp pillow on mobile camp trips (pillows are included at luxury base camps)

Equipment Available for rent in Baja. For prices https://www.kayakbaja.com/what-to-bring/#gear-for-rent

  • -Snorkel gear (mask, snorkel & fins) for Sea of Cortez trips ONLY. NOT necessary at whale camp in Magdalena Bay.
  • -Wet suit (for snorkeling on Sea of Cortez trips from late Nov-May – NOT for paddling). Most our wetsuits are 3mm thick, long-sleeved, short pants with a front zipper. If you tend to get cold easy you should bring your own 4mm-plus full wetsuit OR bring a fleece lined skin to wear under our wetsuit.
  • -Sleeping bag and pad (pads are included at luxury base camps).
  • Please note canvas walk-in tents, with 2 cots, pads and pillows ARE included at our luxury base camps. This includes ALL our Magdalena Bay whale watching trips and on Espiritu Santo Island trips from mid-December through mid-March ONLY including Espiritu Santo Luxury Quick Getaways, Baja Wildlife Extravaganza, Best of Baja and Espiritu Santo Wildlife Expedtion Tours.

Optional yet some Highly Recommended Items if Applicable

  • -Kayak seat pad. A kayak seat pad can add a great deal of comfort to your paddling experience, especially on extended paddling trips such as the Baja Coast or Island Kayaking to Espiritu Santo. If you are less that 5’3″ tall, we highly suggest bringing a thick kayak seat pad to elevate you in your seat while paddling for extra comfort.
  • -Small dry bag approximately 10×20 liters or 10″ wide x 20″ high for your small personal items that you want to keep handy, such as camera, binoculars or extra clothes while paddling.
  • -Paddling gloves. Some people use these to protect their hands, especially on our longer kayak trips.
  • -Super light weight slippers can be very handy especially at whale camp when walking to the toilet at night so you don’t get your feet sandy.
  • -Underwater flashlight. On our fall trips in October and early November, when the water is the warmest, we sometimes offer a night snorkel outing to observe the nocturnal creatures of the sea. If you are interested, bring an underwater flashlight with fully charged batteries.
  • -Extra snacks. Although we provide plenty of food and some snacks, if you have a high metabolism, you may want to bring along a few of your own favorite snacks.
  • -Camera. Don’t forget your camera (and if NOT waterproof some sort of waterproof case) with plenty of memory and extra batteries or charging unit (we have the ability to charge devices using 110 plug in at all camps).
  • -Binoculars for bird watching (not necessary for whale watching).
  • -Pocket knife (must be packed in checked luggage, not carry-on).
  • -Reading materials.
  • -Insect repellent which may be essential during the months of October and November following the rainy season.
  • –Diving Skin. During the warmer months of October, November, late April and May when the water is warm and you don’t want to use a wetsuit for snorkeling you may want to bring light weight long sleeved shirts and pants (quick-dry, light weight rash guard, capilene or merino wool work well) or a lycra skin to snorkel in for sun protection and possible “stingy things” in the water. These can also be used under wetsuits for added insulation during cooler months.