Sample Itinerary – Loreto to La Paz Journey
SELF-SUPPORTED CAMPING TRIP IN SEA KAYAKS
All itineraries are subject to weather, Port closures, and other fun factors intrinsic to “Adventure” tourism.
Day 0. Meet in Loreto for a pre-trip briefing and to fit your equipment.
Day 1. Taxi ride from your hotel about 30 minutes to our launch beach. Practice the magic of making a big pile of gear disappear into kayaks. Start out with a 3 mile shakedown and a picnic lunch at a little cove called Puertecitos, overlooking the islands of the Loreto National Park to the north. Continue down the coast and camp with a great view of Isla Monserrate. Let’s have a look at maps and charts and consider our days ahead. Approx. 6 nautical miles.
Day 2. Sip fresh-brewed hot coffee as the aroma of hot-cooked breakfast wakes up your appetite. Paddle south, pausing at any one of several beautiful lunch sites. San Cosme’s hot spring may be working if we catch it at the right tide. A cave in the cliffs behind tonight’s camp is decorated with red hand-prints. It’s a special place. Approx. 11 nm.
Day 3. Paddle around Punta Marcial and catch our first glimpse of the coast ahead. Layers of peaks play with the light and invite us to journey onward. The ocean can give us an exciting ride here. Pause to poke into the sea cave on the way to camp. 8nm.
Days 4-5. Let the sun wake you with a smile. Continue south along the roadless desert mountain coast, camping among some curious geological formations. Stars shine brilliant out here! Depending on weather, there may be some winded-in layover days to hike some canyons, some relaxing afternoons to go snorkeling or practice rolling with a mask to see all the life underwater. Telmo. 10 nm.
Day 6. Today brings a tasty breakfast and a delightful paddle interspersed with dolphins, frigatebirds, entertaining conversation, snack breaks, and whatever else might happen to come up. Camp at Los Dolores, in front of an immense valley. Long ago, a mission stood some miles inland. Good water nourishes abundant palms and the gardening efforts of Lucio and Loreto, who live here and sometimes have extra homemade cheese to sell. 8nm.
Day 7. More spectacular cliffs accompany today’s journey. Perhaps a tailwind will give us wind-waves to surf, putting into use all those skills we’ve been refining. Top up with water if we didn’t yesterday. Find a nice shelter in Arroyo Evaristo 10nm.
Day 8. After a breathtaking sunrise, paddle a few miles to fish tacos and cold beverages at San Evaristo! Hunting down fresh tacos and cold beverages is an expedition survival skill that one can never practice too much. Resupply the veggie boat with whatever freshies they might have in the local market. A afternoon push to our final camp in Arroyo Verde. Geology puts on a good show here. 11nm.
Day 9. Layover for sunrise paddle, last roll practice, nature hike in the arroyo, snorkeling the colorful coral garden. Planning this day here also builds flexibility into the schedule in case we get winded in earlier on. Savor the final night under the stars!
Day 10. There is still a bit of scenic paddling to go, with a new range of mountains layering itself into the distance and the morning sun highlighting its colors. Land at a fish camp and find all those things long hidden in the ends of your kayak. Ride the 7-hour taxi-van shuttle back to Loreto, with a stop along the way for lunch. 3nm
Day After. Relax in Loreto. Or fly out with rich Baja memories and a hunger to return.
