Baja California

Yacht expeditions > Destinations > Central & South America > Baja California

Wildlife world wonders

Dual yachts and multiple charter aircraft – we’ve organised some of the most expansive trips to the Gulf of California.

Here, we’ve got the contacts to open up special experiences, whether that’s diving alongside whale sharks with marine biologists or lending a hand at shark tagging with top conservationists.

And, despite the ease of access from North America and beyond, Baja California is a truly wild vision of remote bays and islands – perfect for off-grid yacht exploration.

Here, we’ve used helis to explore further, whether that’s heading inland to race ATVs between colonial-era towns or flying over to the Pacific to surf with world champions.

Featuring imagery taken on Cookson Adventures trips

Spending a week basking in the sun on board a superyacht is no longer enough. Rather, travellers – particularly successful individuals – want to come away from their experiences feeling enriched; feeling like they have broadened their horizons and experience something new.

Feature on Cookson Adventures, Jan 2020

Underwater playground

Schooling hammerheads, rare giant squid and giant oceanic mantas – the Sea of Cortez is one of the world’s premier diving destinations. We know the best secret spots, using the likes of spotter planes and expert contacts. Perhaps also learn to freedive with breathing techniques taught by a master yogi to get closer to wildlife, undisturbed by bubbles. Or, take things easy in the tender, getting up close to breaching grey whales.

On land

We’ve used heli support vessels to project off yachts to explore the rolling hinterlands. Think dune buggy races along the coast, mezcal tastings and visits to 16th-century fishing villages for pop-up dinners. Of course, we’ll also bring you to remote, deserted beaches for a private-chef picnic, perhaps of your fresh catch.

Watersports

Kitesurfing with competition winners, heli surfing with Olympians or sportfishing with world-class guides – wherever your passions lie, we’ll make sure you have an experience tailored to your tastes and level of experience. In terms of sportsfishing, the tuna, dorado and wahoo in these waters are excellent.

Conservation

Go behind the scenes of top research programmes to get hands on and enjoy private audiences with difference makers. Perhaps that’s tracking coyotes to monitor their behaviour with leading conservationists, or tagging sharks to gather data on local populations.

Pre-eminent oceanographer Jacques Cousteau described the Sea of Cortez as the “world’s aquarium”. In other destinations, a single sighting might define the whole trip, but here you can experience multiple, unforgettable wildlife encounters within a single dive.

It could be as simple as swimming with incredibly friendly sea lions or hauling out giant balls of swirling bait for whales – and marlin – to attack as you speed along in tenders. Then, in between, there’s diving with everything from giant shoals of fish to surprisingly docile bull sharks and some fantastic wrecks.

Throughout, we can see you go behind the scenes of the research projects working to understand these unique underwater environments. Join scientists in tagging sharks, gathering vital data on their behavioural patterns to inform decisions taken to better protect them.

Then, on land, head out with conservationists to track wild coyotes through the beautifully barren landscapes. Or, ramp things up with ATVs – perhaps recreating a section of the legendary Baja 1000 race, speeding along rugged coastal tracks and pausing at centuries-old European towns for pit stops with gourmet lunch setups. Cap it all off with a Mezcal tasting and a gourmet beach cookout on a private beach reachable only by tender.

After mastering spearfishing under expert tuition, your personal chef will be able to prepare your day’s catch. After all, these waters are famed for world-class fishing.

We also know plenty more secrets on land. Hike and bike through rolling hinterlands to arrive at secret swimming oases or join authored historians in tracing some of the earliest evidence of human habitation at Todos Santos. Then, you can always end your time at sea with a stay in a one-off bespoke camp set up in the remote backcountry. We’ve also organised epic parties with stays in off-market properties in vibrant Cabo San Lucas.