Experience two incredibly biodiverse environments: the Sea of Cortez and a mountain ranch in the Sierra de la Laguna. 

❖ Luxury Cruising The Sea of Cortez

UNESCO recognizes the Sea of Cortez as a marine World Heritage Site. It is the youngest sea on Earth and is celebrated for its rich natural history, unspoiled beauty, and unrivalled marine life. Jacques Cousteau famously referred to it as "the world’s aquarium." The waters and islands of the Sea of Cortez offer legendary biodiversity and some of the rarest adventures one can experience on a single journey. This time of year is the peak season for whales and nesting coastal birds in the Sea of Cortez. Explore the desert island's flora and fauna and experience the richness of the biodiversity. Take in one of two celestial events occurring during the trip. The first, peak nights for the Lyrids Meteor Shower during the ranch glamping, and the second, the new moon night sky, spectacular, world-class stargazing is at it's best.  

❖ Camp Dionisio by Panterra

Rancho Ecológico El Refugio is located in the heart of the mountains, on the ancestral lands of one of the oldest cowboy ranches in the San Dionisio Canyon, within the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve. It is approximately halfway between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, just south of the Tropic of Cancer. This area is rich in biodiversity and offers excellent opportunities for outdoor adventurers. It presents a stark contrast to the coastal desert environment. Your ranch experience includes a variety of activities that reflect the traditional lifestyle of the Vaquero de las Californias.

❖ Our adventures are led by marine naturalists and mountain guides with combined decades of experience. A Panterra expert will accompany the trip to share natural history insights and a rare behind-the-scenes context.

Activity Level

This trip is suitable for individuals with a novice to moderate activity level. Participants should be comfortable with walking or standing for short periods, engaging in moderate hiking for 1 – 2 hours, and be prepared for multiple hours of activity on some days. The trip will involve a combination of educational, cultural, and wildlife-viewing experiences. The hikes will range from 1 to 1.5 hours (1 to 1.5 miles) on uneven terrain at low elevations in warm and humid conditions. Participants have the option to skip any excursion at any time.

Planned Activities

Cruising - Departing from La Paz, the gateway to the Sea of Cortez, we will head north to the islands of Espiritu Santo, Isla San Francisco and Isla San Jose.  Off the ship, Snorkel in the crystal-clear blue waters chocked full of undersea life, kayak to observe the coastal marine life, hike the desert islands and learn about the geology, flora and fauna, and visit areas for up-close encounters with an array of marine animals. While on the ship,  enjoy the tri-deck levels with spacious and comfortable outdoor lounging areas, dining, sunbathing and wildlife viewing. Allow the crew to spoil you with the highest comfort, service, and safety standards, including beautifully chef-prepared meals, drinks, and snacks.  

Glamp Camping - Your arrival starts with a tour of the ranch to include the organic gardens, from where your meals are provided, nature hikes, exploring the Pericue trail to the local cave paintings, informal classes in Traditional Mexican cuisine, leather making and basket weaving, feeding/milking farm animals as part of the process of learning how to make ranch cheese. At the end or even the middle of the day, take a short 5-minute walk to the rio's waterhole to cool off in the refreshing natural pools. 

Day 7 - On return to Hotel Catedral from Camp Dionisio by Panterra. We will stop in El Triunfo to visit 2 museums. The first, the Museo Ruta de Plata - mining museum and the second, the Museo del Vaquero de las Californias - Baja California Cowboy Museum.  

Accommodations

Hotel Catedral - 4 night stay, with a 4.5-star rating. The hotel is a new concept of lodging that adapts to the needs of today's travellers. The hotel is situated in the historic center of the city, surrounded by several points of interest. It is located next to the oldest church in La Paz, the Cathedral of Our Lady of La Paz. It is walking distance to the famous Malecon seawalk where you can find many seaside restaurants and shops. The hotel is more than a lodging, it invites guests to enjoy an elegant, comfortable and relaxing stay.

Camp San Dionisio by Panterra - The camp offers glamping-style accommodations with walk-in, stand-up tents (4/5 m), memory foam matresses with bed frames, full bedding, and towels. While this is glamp camping, guests will have shared bathrooms and showers (both with running water) and all the creature comforts of home, rustic style. No crawling into tents, sleeping on the ground or using outhouses!

The Yacht and Crew – The 120' Anacona Italia luxury yacht is an extremely spacious vessel is so smooth sailing, that you hardly notice it’s moving. It provides plenty of shade and plenty of sun. This tri-deck yacht has everything you need for ultimate enjoyment out on the water. Panterra and the crew are a highly experienced, professional, skilled team that ensures high comfort, service, and safety. Your naturalist is there to oversee your comfort, organize activities, guide and educate guests as you embark on an unforgettable journey.

The yacht offers four extremely spacious staterooms, including one Master Suite, one large full-beam guest suite, and two well-detailed staterooms. All guest staterooms include TV, air conditioning, a private ensuite bathroom and shower, full bedding and towels and a sofa bed or setae to comfortably accommodate a third or fourth person in the suite. The sleeping capacity of the yacht is 8-12 guests. Families, max. 15 guests.

Transportation

We have arranged all transportation needs during your stay with us in Mexico. Our transporters are certified and registered with the Mexican Board of Tourism. When spending time on your own, or if you choose to arrive early or stay later, we will happily recommend or arrange convenient transportation options.