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Mexico Sea Turtle Conservation Adventure Day 1: La Paz Arrive at La Paz Airport and transfer to your hotel. El Angel Azul is a B&B-Hotel with the touch of a Mexican hacienda. The hotel is quietly secluded in central downtown La Paz, within short walking distance to the waterfront (Malecón), restaurants, shops and museums.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Day 2: Private Tour Espiritu Island You will be picked up at 8:00 AM in the hotel lobby. Today will be spent exploring the Isla Espiritu Santo. Jacques Cousteau was so impressed by the variety and quantity of marine wildlife residing in the Sea of Cortes that it referred to it as “The World’s Aquarium.” Board speedy pangas (converted fishing skiffs) with shade canopies and navigate the rich waters of the sea.
Snorkel with sea lions; look for whales, dolphins, rays, and other sea creatures; and enjoy a picnic lunch on one of the island’s secluded beaches. Our expert naturalist guide and trip leader add contour and color to the natural and historical context of this fascinating area.
Return to La Paz in the afternoon with time to rest and refresh before dinner on the town. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Mexico Sea Turtle Conservation Adventure Logistics Cost includes:
Cost does not include:
Mexico Sea Turtle Conservation Adventure Day 5: Transfer from San Carlos to La Paz Today after a hearty fisherman’s breakfast, you will complete the cycle of monitoring from the previous day by helping to put out the nets used to capture and study green turtles.
After lunch, explore other fascinating areas of the unique ecosystems within Magdalena Bay. The lush mangroves and estuaries of Magdalena Bay are home to an amazing array of fauna and flora. You will return to port and board your vehicle for the private transfer back to La Paz.
Arrive in the late afternoon with time to relax and freshen up before dinner Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 6: La Paz Spend the day at one of La Paz’s many beautiful white sand beaches. Relax, snorkel, hike, and swim in the incredible translucent waters that ring the many secluded bays and beaches. After lunch, return to La Paz for free time.
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 7: Departure After breakfast, transfer to La Paz airport for your international departure or onwards journey.
Mexico Sea Turtle Conservation Adventure Day 3: Private Transfer from La Paz to Puerto San Carlos After breakfast, meet your guide in your hotel. Traverse the rocky spine of the peninsula through the jagged Sierra de la Giganta mountains to Puerto San Carlos (2:30 hours) on the Pacific Ocean. Stop over for a short rest in a local rancho, and eat a couple of fresh burritos.
Arrive in the fishing village of Puerto San Carlos, the entrypoint to the majestic Magdalena Bay, and make a brief stop by the Magdalena Baykeeper office to visit the local conservation group. Head out by panga to Conchalito, a tiny shell island that will serve as your campsite, as well as the sea turtle monitoring base for the next three days. Receive an orientation from local conservationists on efforts to study and protect sea turtles. Enjoy lunch as you are introduced to your fisher-guides and afterwards, settle into camp.
After lunch, climb aboard with fishermen-turned-conservationists to tend nets and capture sea turtles, as part of the Grupo Tortuguero sea turtle monitoring project. These sea turtles are later tagged and sometimes equipped with tracking devices to help scientists learn more about the migration, mating, and feeding patterns of these endangered creatures. This type of work has contributed to general understanding of sea turtle behavior, as well as the strategies employed to curb bi-catch (accidental fishing) and poaching of these ancient mariners.
The monitoring team will work through the night, breaking for dinner, and into the morning hours. Participate as much as you like; they can always use a helping hand, or you can enjoy a complete night's rest, as is your preference.
Day 4: Puerto San Carlos Camp Enjoy an early coffee and take in the birds, marine mammals, and other natural wonders that surround your island. Or sleep in until breakfast, and then grab your clipboard and head down to the beach to measure and weigh the captured sea turtles.
This data provides vital information to sea turtle biologists who study the health and growth rates of these creatures, as well as their movement throughout the region.
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