The Great Gray Whales of Baja

Encounter friendly gray whales up close in Baja, Mexico’s San Ignacio Lagoon from Nat Hab’s exclusive eco-camp nestled on the shoreline.

Central America's seas and shorelines are home to some of the world’s most inspiring conservation recoveries. In this second installment of Mexico’s environmental success stories, biologist and Expedition Leader Diana Lopez discusses the recovery of gray whales, sea turtles, Guadalupe fur seals, American crocodiles and whale sharks, along with the reef ecosystems that sustain them. Learn how community stewardship, scientific research and international collaboration help protect marine species and their underwater homes.

Beneath the ocean’s surface, marine mammals communicate in remarkably complex ways. Mexico Expedition Leader Andrea Adame explores how whales and dolphins use sound, movement and social behavior to navigate their world and interact with one another. Focusing on the gray whales of Baja, Mexico, she shares insights into their intelligence and communication, along with their curiosity around humans. Plus, find out how you can encounter these behaviors on our Great Gray Whales of Baja adventure.

In 1940, author John Steinbeck and biologist Ed Ricketts set out aboard the Western Flyer to explore the Sea of Cortez—a journey that bridged literature, science and philosophy, later chronicled in Steinbeck’s classic The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Mexico Expedition Leader Sofia Merino—who recently toured the restored Western Flyer—revisits their voyage and its modern legacy, revealing how their observations still resonate today, inspiring new conversations about conservation, climate change and our connection to the sea.