Baja Ultimate Whales 2025
(2 Spots Left!)
Marine Wildlife Photography Adventure
Experience Highlights
- Ultimate Whales Expedition – species we’ll likely encounter include Humpback, Blue, Fin & Gray whales, Whale Sharks & Dolphins. With luck, we may also see Orca & Sperm whales.
- The Gallant Lady – 3 nights aboard a 116 ft luxury live-aboard yacht with spotter plane support. Search for Blue whales (and other wildlife) in the Sea of Cortez by day and enjoy sumptuous chef-prepared meals in the evenings
- Friendly Whales – magical, up-close interactions with Gray Whales in San Ignacio Lagoon. You might even get to pet a whale!
- Whale Sharks & Sea Lions – swim with these charismatic creatures in the waters off the picturesque seaside town of La Paz (weather permitting).
Dates: Jan 29 - Feb 7, 2025
Starts/End:
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
$5,695 USD + 5% tax per person, double occupancy
Deposit: $1,000
What’s Included: Lodging & Meals (except in Cabo San Lucas), Air/Sea/Ground transportation during trip, Guides, Wetsuits & Snorkel Gear, Photography Instruction
What’s Not Included: Airfare to/from Cabo San Lucas (SJD), Meals & Lodging in Cabo San Lucas, Travel Insurance, Personal Expenses (including alcohol), Gratuities. Anything not specifically listed as included)
Observe & photograph an amazing array of marine wildlife, including some of the largest creatures on the planet on this epic photography adventure just south of the border.
Whales, Whales, Whales!
The waters on both sides of the Baja California peninsula are world-class marine wildlife habitats rich with an astounding diversity of life, but our journey specifically focuses on its largest inhabitants, the great whales. The number of whale species that call Baja home for parts of the year is truly impressive and we’ve timed our voyage to maximize the number of species and encounters including:
Humpbacks in Cabo –this resort town is the winter home of a large population humpback whales who come to give birth, mate and prepare their young for the long journey to their northern feeding grounds. Breaching and “heat runs” are commonly observed behaviors we will attempt to capture on our sunrise and sunset outings.
Blue Whales – the largest of the large, Blue whale adults and calves, are our specific targets during our 3 night exploration of the famed Mechudo Corridor between La Paz and Loreto aboard the luxury live-aboard yacht, the Nautilus Gallant Lady. Spotter plane support and speedy pangas help maximize our chances of success.
Gray Whales – San Ignacio Lagoon is world-famous for magical encounters with gray whale adults and young. Nowhere else do humans and whales interact so closely on a regular basis
Whales Sharks & Sea Lions – we’ll spend a day swimming with whale sharks and sea lions near the scenic seaside town of LaPaz before boarding the Gallant Lady
Other Species
It’s impossible to know which of Baja’s many other ocean residents we’ll encounter but possibilities include: orca, sperm whales, finback whales, false killer whales, mobula rays and huge pods of dolphins.
Sharpen Your Skills, Expand Your Vision
Lyle will always be close by to answer questions, provide tips on shooting techniques and offer insights about practical ways to expand your creative vision. Like most pursuits, good coaching and lots of practice are the keys to improving your wildlife photography game. You will get plenty of both on this photography-intensive adventure. Need a little help with camera settings and lens selection? Maybe some advice on composition and ways to move beyond the obvious animal portrait? Or perhaps a few tips on post-processing techniques or workflow might make the biggest difference? Outr time aboard the Gallant Lady is a perfect opportunity for some one-on-one instruction.
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Lyle's life revolves around exploring the natural, beautiful, and wild parts of our world with a particular passion for the connection to the animals who share it with us. He is very fortunate to live on Maui, spending free days on his boat freediving, scuba diving, and fishing. A full-time landscape, wildlife and underwater photographer, Lyle also owns Pueo Gallery on Maui and is an F-stop gear ambassador. His images have been published by Ocean Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Patagonia and others.
Lyle's relationship with the outdoors evolved to include a passion for sharing it with others as a photography workshop leader. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned photography veteran, you'll find Lyle's instructional style approachable and easy to understand. For Lyle, that 'aha moment' when a guest learns or experiences something for the first time is everything! Click here to view a selection of Lyle’s captivating images.
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We understand life happens and plans may change. If you need to cancel your reservation, the following policies apply to this workshop:
Deposits are NOT refundable but may be transferrable to another Art of Seeing workshop for up to 24 months from date of cancellation in accordance with the following schedule:
Regardless of when you cancel, if we fill your spot*, you will receive a refund of all fees paid less your deposit and $150 processing fee. If we cannot fill your spot, the amount of your refund is based upon the cancellation date:
Cancellation 120 days or more from workshop start date: 100% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit transferrable up to 24 mos.
Cancellation 90 – 120 days from workshop start date: 50% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit forfeit.
Cancellation less than 90 days from workshop start date: No refunds.
*canceled spots are filled after the workshop reaches full capacity
Click here to read our complete Terms & Conditions
A travel insurance policy which covers emergency medical evacuation is a requirement for participation in this workshop.
We always highly encourage participants to purchase travel insurance to recover expenses not covered by our Cancellations & Refunds policy in case you need to cancel your reservation.
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Q: Is this more topside or underwater oriented photo opportunities?
A: While we will likely have some opportunities to get in the water on this trip, it is primarily geared toward topside exploration and photography.
Q: What kind of photo equipment should I bring?
A: Specific recommendations will be provided to participants after registration but a zoom telephoto along the lines of a 100-400 (35mm equivalent) is strongly suggested as a starting point.
Q: When should I plan to arrive/depart?
A: Book you arrival In Cabo San Lucas (SJD) before 2pm on Jan 29. Schedule your departing flight for after 3:30pm on Feb 7th .
Q: Can you guarantee a specific type of wildlife sighting?
A: No. When it comes to nature, there are no guarantees. However, the workshop is timed and designed specifically to maximize our chances for the best variety of whales and other marine wildlife.
Q: What’s the weather like?
A: It can be cold at night, down to the low 40’s at San Ignacio. Daytime temps in the low 80’s with lots of sun.
Q: Do you have any recommendations for underwater camera equipment?
A: Yes! Lyle is happy to help, please email him to discuss.
Q: Isn’t touching whales bad?
A: Anywhere else in the world, yes. Here, these special Grey Whales seek out interaction with humans and the encounters are entirely on their terms and are not forced in any way.
Q: Do I need medical evacuation insurance, and why?
A: Yes, due to the remote nature of our beach camp, it is required for all guests.
Q: Is there internet and power on the boat and at our camp?
A: Yes
| Day | Date | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 29 | Welcome! Our Baja adventure begins at 4pm in our hotel in Cabo San Lucas when we gather for introductions, a Workshop Overview and a crash course on marine wildlife photography. Then, we'll enjoy our first group dinner at a local restaurant before turning in eary in prepartion for an early start tomorrow. We will handle all transportation from here on out! |
| 2 | Jan 30 | Jumping right into the adventure, we depart early for sunrise whale photography session. Humpback whales are the target speicies here and we hope to caputre breaching or other behaviour in early mornigin light. After breakfast and a little downtime back at the hotel, we'll gather for a image review session and soem tips on Importing and Image Management in Adobe Lightroom. We'll head out again laterafternoon for a second whale photography session near sunset. |
| 3 | Jan 31 | After breakfast we depart on another mid-morning whale photo session looking for Humpbacks, followed by a transfer to the Mera Hotel in La Paz for an overnight. |
| 4 | Feb 1 | After breakfast, we will head out on an underwater photo safari in search of friendly Whale Sharks, followed by an Espiritu Santo Island adventure later in the day to swim with Sea Lions! Late afternoon, we will board our 116’ expedition yacht, Gallant Lady. Cocktail hour and dinner aboard as we set sail for 3 nights. |
| 5-6 | Feb 2-3 | Two full days exploring the Mechudo Corridor, as far north as Loreto National Park. With the assistance of spotter planes, we will be on the lookout for topside wildlife photography opportunities, searching for Blue Whales and a multitude of other possibilities. Underwater encounters may present themselves for dolphins and other non-whale species as well. |
| 7 | Feb 4 | Return to La Paz, for our private charter flight to San Ignacio Lagoon. After a glass of champagne and a brief stop at our camp on the beach, we will head out for our first up close and personal Grey Whale encounters. |
| 8-9 | Feb 5-6 | Enjoy up to three amazing Grey Whale sessions per day, along with hiking, kayaking the mangroves and standup paddleboarding at your leisure and astrophotography at night. |
| 10 | Feb 7 | After one last morning session on the water with the friendly Grey Whales, we will board our private charter flight to SJD, where we will say our sad goodbyes and depart. Until we meet again! |