Mexico
Mexico’s Baja Tip to Toe: Landscape, Heritage, People & Whales
Program No. 12157RJ
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Mexico’s Baja Tip to Toe: Landscape, Heritage, People & Whales
Mexico’s Baja Tip to Toe: Landscape, Heritage, People & Whales
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Participant Reviews
Based on 40 Reviews
SHOWING
A great and varied trip. Our group leader Luca and her son Emiliano were wonderful. Luca was very fun and enthusiastic. We probably enjoyed viewing wildlife and learning about various desert plants the most.
— Review left January 29, 2026
This was an amazing trip with leader Artemio. He handled every detail with precision and made the trip educational, entertaining and fun. The hikes on this trip are not really hikes. More of a way to break up long travel days on the bus so you can stretch your legs. But the stops are interesting and the scenery is beautiful. The hotels and accompanying meals mid peninsula near the whales are very basic. Be prepared. However - the other hotels are fabulous. You will be spoiled in Loteto and the pool at the hotel in La Paz was wonderful! Please be prepared for your boat trips to see the whales. It's very windy and can be cold. I wore my windbreaker/raincoat over my winter coat. I also wore rain pants for warmth. You definitely want to have pesos on hand for purchases of items in smaller towns where credit cards may not be taken (museum shops, local artisans, markets). El Triunfo was an unexpected gem! There is not much to explore in areas where you have free time, as they are small towns. Bring bug spray for beach dinner in La Paz. I enjoyed all the small towns and the mission churches - each were very unique. Did I mention Artemio and his assistant Pamela were amazing!?!??
— Review left July 14, 2025
I suspected Baja California had some hidden gems but this trip helped uncover a few more new treasured places that were delightful and interesting. Christina was so knowledgeable about the fauna, flora, culture and history of the peninsula.
— Review left June 10, 2025
An amazing 5-star trip led by two fabulous guides, Luka and Ana! This is one of the best travel experiences we have had! It exceeded our expectations as we had not known anyone who travelled this region. We travelled approximately 1,040 miles mesmerized by the culture, the Jesuit Missions, the 4000 varieties of plants, the contrasts in geology and ways of life. We enjoyed learning the history of the peninsula, having the cooking lessons, sampling incredible food and wine and
having some really excellent meals, and best of all thrilled by the whale excursion at Guerrero Negro! Luka and Ana kept us entertained and busy, ever patient, fun and helpful to the needs of the group! And kudos to our bus driver Alejandro and an enjoyable group to travel with.
FYI, we would not have signed up for this trip without having a spectacular description of it by someone on the RS Facebook site!
They were correct- lifetime experience! We cannot recommend this trip enough!
Jackie Pendleton - Carrollton, TX
— Review left April 6, 2025
Greatly enjoyed this trip. The whales, the scenery, Coronado Island, etc. The trip was casual, educational, and we met a lot of friendly, enthusiastic people with a wide variety of backgrounds.
— Review left April 3, 2025
When in college, I was planning to join a cycling group to bike down the length of Baja, but life got in the way, so this trip was a fulfillment of a dream for me. In every way, it was excellent and exceeded my expectations for what I experienced of Baja: its scenery, towns, people, natural wonders, food... and the whales!! The whales had been low on my priorities but were an incredible experience that none of us can ever forget! The staff was great and always attentive to our needs -- we just loved Christina -- and there were a lot of opportunities for learning. A fantastic trip!
— Review left March 19, 2025
Incredible journey to “The Baja!” Cristina was a superior guide, leading us onward through
So much new learning.
— Review left March 18, 2025
A wonderful trip to a beautiful area of Mexico! Our guides (Isabel and Miriam) were excellent in keeping the group organized and on task with activities. They were very enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge of plants, birds, whales (and other sea animals), geology and other things with the group. Highlights and good memories of the trip were many! Made many new friends that I hope to keep in touch with in the future. All in all, a great trip and highly recommended!
— Review left March 14, 2025
This was the most amazing trip. We travelled Baja from tip to toe and became immersed in it's culture and landscape. The whale watching excursions were amazing! Our group leaders (Isabel and Miriam) were outstanding, probably the best we've had. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who is up for the activity level.
— Review left March 8, 2025
This is my 29th RS trip, and one of the best. It was a moveable feast of food, scenery, culture, history, and geology. The guides passionate love for Baja was infectious, and bonded us together as a family. This trip far surpassed my expectations.
— Review left March 5, 2025
The Baja California peninsula is an amazing place. It was interesting to travel down the entire peninsula and experience the diversity of climate, terrain, and flora. Not too much land fauna, probably too hot, but the whale experience met and exceeded my expectations. Marine life diverse and plentiful.
— Review left March 4, 2025
the trip was better than expected.
Luca is a fantastic leader, very well educated, full of enthusiasmus . fun to be with.
Anna was a super addition, we enjoyed her talk about Mexico and it's history.
Driver was excellent.
food was great and soooo much of it
Hotels were great
I highly recommend this trip
Margrit
— Review left March 2, 2025
Excellent, educational and fun tour. We knew very little about Baja California, and the tour and tour guides far exceeded our expectations.
— Review left February 9, 2025
A fabulous trip with fabulous guides and activities. Be prepared for the desolation of the desert. However, I wasn't thrilled that there were over 20 of us, requiring the use of a big coach, comfortable though it was.
— Review left January 28, 2025
I picked this trip based on the stellar reviews, and sure enough it was fantastic, one of the two best we've taken with Road Scholar. Our guides Luka and Anna made all the difference -- their warmth, humor, charisma, knowledge, and attention to detail and our sundry needs consistently was above and beyond. Here's hoping they will lead another Road Scholar trip (Copper Canyon please!) and we will sign right up.
Baja itself is a delight -- many contrasts, the desert, the ocean, tiny villages, lovely people, much of it is a very peaceful place. Lots of bus time, which I mostly relished for the views afforded and talks from Luka and Anna. Most of the hotels and meals are quite good, with a few excellent standouts, and we were fortunate to have an excellent group. If you like me have no idea what to expect from this program, you will not be disappointed, at least if you are fortunate enough to be in Luka's hands. Thank you Road Scholar for providing us with this experience.
— Review left January 28, 2025
This was my 1st trip with Road Scholar. If you get Isabel as your Leader. then you will be in for a VERY special treat. Yes there is a lot of walking including some "rock" climbing. However, most was just walking. No one was left behind and those who did not walk very fast participated in just about everything we did! We had 24 people in the group and we ALL got along. Just remember that you will be seeing more of Baja California Norte and baja California Sur than 99% of people who just fly, or cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Take this trip you will NOT be disapointed
— Review left April 15, 2024
This is a fabulous trip! So many surprises gong from the trip to toe of Baja, which changes so much along the ride.
— Review left April 12, 2024
Mexico’s Baja Tip to Toe is 1,350+ miles of bus, boating, hiking and strolling, from Tijuana at the northern border, to San Jose del Cabo at the southern tip. Jam-packed with history and legends and culture and civics and geography and geology and economics and religion. The peninsula’s origin is due to tectonic and volcanic action, a large area of which is protected by the Vizcaino World Biosphere. Big skies. Deserts that are vast plains and deep canyons and towering mountains and rolling hills. Miraculous palm-forested oases at scarce fresh water springs, and vineyards. Salt flats as far as the eye can see. The Gulf of California to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. And the miraculous gray whales! In a region of rich culture, difficult history and brutal climate, this journey opened my eyes and heart and mind in new ways, for my neighbors to the south.
This trip is accurately listed as “Keep the Pace.” I would add that the walking surfaces are frequently very uneven, over centuries-old cobble stone streets and stone floors, with added trickery from dust and sand on the surfaces, and half-buried stones or roots on trails. Uneven sidewalks with stairs, and climbing in and out of pangas - small fishing boats. If you use hiking sticks for stability, you will need there on this adventure.
Expertly lead by Artemio Sicilia and John Hussong, who taught us with fact and legend and skillfully navigated us through both perfect days and a few hitches, this was a wonderful educational experience. Road Scholar never fails.
— Review left March 22, 2024
Traveling 1,000 miles on a bus through Baja California may sound daunting, BUT, there is so much to see, do and learn about! The diversity of experiences; from meeting local people and learning about them, to walking through the desert, boating with whales, seeing historic places; that’s what this trip is all about! This is a great opportunity, not to be missed!
— Review left February 26, 2024
This trip was perhaps the most varied and comprehensive of all of the Road Scholar trips I’ve taken. High points were our visits to small towns such as San Ignacio, Loreto and El Triunfo, wine tasting near Ensenada, twice viewing traditional folkloric dancing, walks among cactuses and native desert plants, and at the top of everyone’s list, I’m sure, two opportunities to go whale watching as well as a wonderful boat ride around an island just off the coast from Loreto. We also especially enjoyed the hotels we stayed in and the kindness of the people working there and the lovely meals we were served.
Our guide, Artemio, was always energetic, fully engaged, well-prepared and a source of lots and lots of relevant information. I want particularly to note how glad I was that he made a point regularly to introduce the people working in our various hotels and serving us our meals. His assistant, Emiliano, was a delight as well, helpful, fun and consistently in an upbeat frame of mind. Our driver, Mr. Mosso, was very reliable. We felt safe in his capable hands. A word of praise is also due for Andiamo Travel. They were the ones who thought of small gestures such as always arranging for coffee/tea and cookies to be available when we had bathroom breaks on our long bus rides. Their advance planning was much appreciated.
The only negative is not much of a negative at all, really. It’s just that after days of what felt like an authentic experience of Mexico, it was jarring to arrive in Los Cabos. Not the part of Baja California that I imagine returning to.
— Review left February 13, 2024
This is a fabulous program! I signed up because I wanted to take part in the two whale encounters but I ended up loving the whole thing. There are two days with the whales and I will never forget these encounters. The San Ignacio and Guerrero Negro lagoons are some of the most amazing places I have ever been - the whales came right up to our little boats and interacted with us.
The trip is much more than whales, though. We had Artemio as a group leader and Emi as an assistant and they were both awesome. Artemio is a fabulous leader - he’s always positive and friendly. He knows his history and his Mexican culture and he shares it freely - in an engaging and fun way. He always made sure each person on our 22 person tour was included, involved, and welcome.
I especially liked Loreto and La Paz as they were quite charming. I even enjoyed the stop in Tijuana - the migrant shelter we visited was eye-opening and Artemio took us to a great market for a food stroll. We stopped in quite a few small villages out in the middle of nowhere and these were excellent - every bus ride offered some interesting stops.
I will caution that the bus rides are long so just know that going in. This trip is the only way to see the true culture and landscape of the entirety of the Baja peninsula and so the bus rides are absolutely worth it.
I highly recommend this trip!!!
— Review left January 31, 2024
This was a well led wide ranging tour of Baja and its cultures. It included direct contact with many birds, whales dolphins, and the beautiful geography of Baja and its diverse species. It also covers the history by visiting the historis places, and supresingly good museums
— Review left January 29, 2024
Luka and Juan were among the BEST leaders I have had on ANY trip, not just RS.
— Review left April 7, 2023
Baja: Tip to Toe was a great experience. Had no idea that the Baja Peninsula is as large and vast as it is! Have a new appreciations for the flora and fauna; for what the early explorers and settlers had to contend with; and of course the whale encounters were magnificient.
— Review left April 5, 2023
This was our second RS trip to Mexico and we're hoping to do another one if they reinstate Copper Canyon. Everything about our Baja California experience was outstanding. A great deal of thought and planning clearly went into the program. Our leader Luka was outstanding. Great value. Five stars.
— Review left March 4, 2023
We thoroughly enjoyed our Road Scholar trip to Baja -- our leaders (Luka and Irska) were excellent, the group compatible, and the peninsula awe-inspiring. We especially loved the desert hikes in Catavina with our "forests" of towering cactus and the grey whale watching in Guerrero Negro and were delighted by Loreto. A bit of a mishap towards the end of the trip resulted in a hairline wrist fracture in La Paz. I have to say that the ER care including X-rays, ortho consult, meds etc all took less than an hour and cost us about $300! We were very impressed with their efficiency, professionalism, and of course, significantly less expensive than an ER visit in the U.S. Even with my wrist splint, I still enjoyed every moment of the trip (well, minus the fall that is!). We are already talking about visiting Baja again -- perhaps an extended stay in Loreto?
— Review left February 4, 2023
This was my third Baja trip. Loved it! I highly recommend this one or the 8 day trip.
— Review left February 3, 2023
This is a great trip that takes you the entire length of Baja - 1100 miles.. The first part is all nature with desert driving, walks thru cactus fields, a visit to cave art and (the best part) two whale watching excursions. I had a January departure and be forewarned, it is cold in the desert, especially at night so bring something warm to wear.
The second part (after San Ignacio) is more cultural with lovely colonial cities and of course magnificent San Jose del Cabo.
Our guide Veronica (nickname Luca) and assistant guide, Istra, couldn’t have been better. Each is a wealth of information, and so very accommodating to all 23 personalities in the group. They truly made the trip. They worked very hard to make sure everyone had a good time and all special requests accommodated. Luca’s lectures and guiding when sightseeing was outstanding.
A few suggestions:
When you are in hotels in the more remote places in northern Baja, as soon as you get to your room, make sure the wall heaters and hot water work. If not, ask for a room change right away.
Exchange some money so you have small denomination pesos for minor tipping. I found the 20 peso note (About $1 USD) for coffee stops or chamber maids (use 2). Get a bunch - maybe 25 to last you the whole trip.
Bring an small power strip or extension cord as some of the hotels have outlets in inconvenient places
Don’t put cute tags on your luggage---I noticed mine gone halfway thru the trip
The trip ends with only one night in San Jose del Cabo and there is no sightseeing there. It is a lovely town with art galleries, shops and walking tours available. Several in our group stayed extra days at the Barcelo All-inclusive Hotel, and If you have time time its a good idea to relax after such a long trip.
I have put my hotel evaluations on tripadvisor
This is a great trip to see a different side of Mexico and enjoy the natural beauty Baja offers.
— Review left January 31, 2023
I did not know what to expect from our first ever group tour and everything about the experience exceeded all expectations! Guide, experiences, whales, food, special visits in villages, friendly staff at hotels, everything! Thanks, Road Scholar. We will be back.
— Review left March 5, 2020
I loved the Baja trip---the peninsula was even more fascinating than I expected. The variety of activities and the food were excellent. Our group Isa bel is a gem, where did they find her! I wish I had brought a wool sweater for whale watching and the first few days were cooler temps than I expected. But the last 6 days were glorious days of weather. The Mexican people were so friendly and the little towns, I will never forget. But I plan to return to the magical place called Baja! Sharon.
— Review left March 2, 2020
Isabel Sanchez lead our group on an amazing tour of Baja. We covered the length and width, both coasts, the Gulf and the Pacific, a sampler tour of this fascinating piece of Mexico.
— Review left March 1, 2020
When we opted for the whale watching trip, we didn’t know what to expect. What we experienced was far more than we could have hoped for. From interacting with the gray whales, to making tortillas with a Mexican goat farmer and learning about Mexico’s botanics and geology, this was an amazing and fulfilling adventure.
— Review left February 28, 2020
A remarkable introduction to Baja pennisula culture, diverse geology, history, and authenticity.
— Review left February 27, 2020
This was one of the best Road Scholar Programs out of 40. It includes everything about the Baja--history, culture, food, flora, whales, geology. The group leader, Isabel Sanchez, was awesome.
— Review left February 27, 2020
This was one of my favorite programs and I've done 25 so far. I found it very interesting, enlightening, fun, and the whale experiences a highlight. Our guides were great, the food very good, and a variety of experiences and scenery, desert and the blue Pacific, wildflowers and Date Palm oases, charming towns and villages. So much more to Baja California than most people know I'm sure, exceeded my expectations.
— Review left May 7, 2019
A thoroughly delightful program with a myriad of offerings from botany to biome diversity, history, architecture, food and wine culture.
— Review left April 11, 2019
It was a great trip. Just make sure you take some wam clothing for the first half of the trip.
— Review left March 29, 2019
this Baja trip is a wonderful adventure. Baja is so much more interesting than I ever could have imagined. Coastal scenery on both sides of the peninsula is outstanding but it is the desert landscapes, some unlike anything I've ever seen, are what make this trip remarkable.
Every road scholar should be so lucky as to have a Group Leader so capable and enthusiastic as Luka.
Many Road Scholar trips would be hard pressed to equal some of the food and accommodation on this trip.
Never did over 1,000 miles on a bus trip seem so short!
— Review left March 3, 2019
Wonderful cultural immersion.thoroughly recommended by any who want to know about baja..can,t say enough about the positive experience and the truly exceptional guides Isabel and jasime who were absolutly stunning with their enthusiasm knowledge and love of country..5 star all the way
— Review left February 4, 2019
Probably the best way to see Baja, A diversity of things to do and see.
— Review left January 30, 2019