| | |  Travel & Outdoors | August 2008 
Swim with Whale Sharks of Baja
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| | For details on the whale shark program, click HERE, as well as any of the other vacation packages offered year-round by Baja AirVentures please see BajaAirVentures.com. | | |
While not necessarily soft and cuddly, the up to 60-feet whale sharks, the world's largest fish, eat plankton - not people. This makes observing and, yes, swimming with them a people treat in September and October when the whale sharks make their annual fall return to the nutrient-rich waters of Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
Las Animas Wilderness Retreat, a remote, eco-friendly lodge, offers a high-end, all-inclusive safari experience with a focus on whale sharks as they're feeding in the Sea of Cortez just 300 miles from San Diego. This is the closest whale shark experience offered near North American shores and one of only four locations in the world where they congregate.
Weekly on Mondays from Sept. 15-Oct. 27 guests access Las Animas by a 2.5-hour private, scenic flight with Baja AirVentures direct from San Diego over the Baja Peninsula. Upon landing they boat in to spend six days at Las Animas. Each six-day program accommodates up to 16 guests in eight beachside yurts. The per person double cost is $1,895 exclusive of a 10 percent Mexican Government IVA tax. In addition to air, included are accommodations, all meals, beverages, a guide plus land and boat transportation.
The rustic retreat offers eight romantic private beachside yurts with bathroom, solar shower, twin and king-size beds with comforters and high thread-count linens, and covered patios with hammocks. Lodging is built around a large centrally located yurt with a large attached patio which serves as kitchen, central dining area, cantina bar, and communal lounging and game area.
Guests spend up to five hours daily observing and swimming with these rare leviathans of the deep. While the focus is on snorkeling with whale sharks that naturally feed close to the surface, there are also cruises of isolated islands and coves frequented by up to 10 species of whales (including fin and blue whales), as well as dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles and manta rays. The boats carry a maximum of five guests and a guide for the daily snorkeling excursions.
'By utilizing our private aircraft, we deliver easy access to one of the wildest regions of Baja, saving clients valuable vacation time and travel hassles. With us guests spend more quality time in the water with the whale sharks than they would with any other tour company,' states Kevin Warren, owner of Baja AirVentures.
'In the fall, the climate and conditions couldn't be more inviting. Average water clarity ranges from 35' - 60' or deeper while water temperatures hover between 78F - 80F. The region enjoys a cooler microclimate with daytime temps up to 95F and evenings a pleasant 76 - 78F,' explains Warren.
For details on the whale shark program, click HERE, as well as any of the other vacation packages offered year-round by Baja AirVentures please see BajaAirVentures.com. |
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