Day 2   TECATE TO SAN QUÍNTÍN
This morning we visit the Kumiai Community of San Antonia de Necua before a scenic drive through Valle de Guadalupe.  We enjoy a spectacular lunch at Finca Altozano, where award-winning chef Javier Plasencia creates masterful cuisine from his own organic farm in a magnificent outdoor kitchen overlooking the valley.  We continue to the coast through the port city of Ensenada on our way to San Quintín and our ocean front hotel, Hotel Misión Santa Maria.  (180 mi. B, L)

Day 3   SAN QUÍNTÍN TO CATAVIÑA  
This morning is free time for you to explore this pristine beach. After a late departure we travel to the first Dominican Mission in Baja, the Mission Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñadaco, in El Rosario. After touring the ruins, we’ll enjoy lunch at the world-famous Mama Espinosas, and then   continue south and arrive to the Valle de Cirios, a protected bio-reserve with some of the most unique and diverse landscapes seen anywhere on the peninsula. Our stay at the Hotel Misión Cataviña is a surprising retreat in a fantasy landscape of granite boulders and forests of cardón and boojum.  (140 mi. B, L, D)  

Day 4   CATAVIÑA
This morning, we hike to an abandoned rancheria that long ago thrived in the remote desert and is situated along an oasis arroyo providing semi-permanent water for their once self-sustaining lifestyle.    We’ll explore this canyon and Jesús will interpret the specific ethnobotanic features and pragmatic techniques that made homesteading life possible.  Afterwards, we return to the hotel for a poolside picnic lunch and enjoy free time before departing the hotel to hike to a pictograph laden cave and enjoy an unforgettable sunset soireé before returning to the hotel at dusk for dinner. (8 mi. B, L, D)
                             
Day 5   CATAVIÑA TO LAGUNA SAN IGNACÍO
Today we cross into the State of Baja Sur and arrive to the date palm oasis of San Ignacío.  We’ll board local transportation for the drive to our beachside eco-camp, Campo Kuyíma where we’ll spend the next two days  Evening cocktail hours at sunset and wonderfully prepared seafood meals at the dining palapa.   Our stay at Campo Kuyíma is one of the most memorable experiences of the tour.  (120 mi. B, L, D)

Day 6   LAGUNA SAN IGNACÍO
Today is our first personal encounter with the lagoon’s friendly inhabitants — gray whales!  We spend two hours interacting with mothers and their calves before returning to camp for lunch.  The afternoon is open for an optional visit to a nearby oyster cooperative, swimming, birding, walking the coast, or just relaxing before another fabulous sunset before dinner.   (0 mi. B, L, D)

Day 7   SAN IGNACÍO
This morning, we enjoy another gray whale experience and lunch before travelling back to San Ignacío where Jesuit missionaries established lush Andalusian gardens that remain to this day. A visit to the home of Jesús’ friend Don Hector Arce, is inspirational in how the people have managed to maintain their gardens and lifestyle.  Dinner prepared tonight by Bonnie at San Ignacio Springs.    (28 mi. B, L, D)

Day 8   SAN IGNACÍO TO SAN FRANCISCO DE LA SIERRA
We’re excited to add a day trip to our itinerary to the community of San Francisco de La Sierra where the large iconic pictographs have been accessed only by multiday mule rides.    The good news is there’s a very nice road leading to the pictographs available by motorcoach and without a mule ride!   We’ll visit this small ranching community and enjoy an authentic ranchero lunch before we return to the hotel in the late afternoon for R&R.  Dinner this evening is at restaurante Rancho Grande in the San Ignacío Plaza.  (84 mi. B, L, D)

Day 9   SAN IGNACÍO TO LORETO BAY
This morning, we traverse the Peninsula to the Gulf of California and stop at the charming town of Santa Rosalia which is distinguished by its 19th century French architecture.  We’ll offer free time for you to stroll the streets of this time capsule community.  Following our stop, we’ll continue our journey through the spectacular coastal highway and break for lunch in Mulegé, another freshwater oasis town along the gulf. The church here dates back to 1754.  A short drive takes us to the community of Nopolo and our beautiful home for the next three nights, Loreto Bay Resort.   (120 mi. B, D)

Day 10   LORETO
Today we venture into the Sierra de la Giganta for a visit to the Mission of San Xavier.   This “Jewel of the Baja Missions” dates back to 1699.  In route, we break at a magnificent example of mature heritage gardens at Rancho Las Parras.  San Xavier has a still functioning acequia in the small mission orchards.  As well as the oldest trees on the Baja -  the original mission olive trees planted hundreds of years ago.  We have time to explore the picturesque plaza and enjoy lunch before we descend the Sierra to Loreto to explore the central plaza, shops, cafes, Malecon and church.  Founded in 1697 by the Jesuit Juan Maria Salvatierra, the Misión Nuestro Señora de Loreto was Spain’s first effort to colonize this rugged territory.  Return to the hotel in the midafternoon.  
(80 mi. B, L)

Day 11 LORETO/ISLA CORONADO
Today we’ll offer a boat excursion and half-day trip to Isla Coronado.   Our short panga ride takes us into a rich marine, sea, and shorebird habitat.  Along the way we’ll pass through the rocky northern coastline of the Isla, past a small sea lion colony and roosting Blue Footed and Brown Boobies.   We land at a pristine crushed white coral beach to spend a few hours snorkeling, hiking and relaxing with a picnic lunch before returning to our hotel.  If you prefer not to go to the island, you can spend time in town or relax around the resort where kayaking, snorkeling, and paddle boarding are available.   (20 mi. B, L)

Day 12   LORETO TO SAN JOSÉ DEL CABO
Today we cris-cross the peninsula multiple times to the tip of Baja.  We’ll break in Las Pocitas for a wonderful home cooked Mexican lunch.   Our route takes us past the metropolis of La Paz to San Jose del Cabo.  Our charming hotel is perfectly located near the central Plaza.  (330 mi. B, L)

Day 13  CABO SAN LUCAS
Today we’ll drive around the Sierra La Laguna at the southern tip of the Peninsula. North from San Jose, we’ll drive through the small communities of Miraflores, Santiago, and San Antonio.  And spend time in El Triunfo, a quaint 18th-20th century mining town that has been revitalized.  Our next stop is to The Museo del Vaquero de las Californias - a new state of the art interpretation center dedicated to the hearty cowboys that populated the Peninsula’s untamable wilderness.  We then make our way to the artists haven of Todo Santos and give you free time to meander the town before making the short drive to Cabo San Lucas with a boat ride to the iconic Los Arcos in Land’s End. We return to San Jose Del Cabo for our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.    (150 mi. B, D)

Day 14  SAN JOSÉ DEL CABO TO LOS CABOS AIRPORT
After breakfast, we make the short trip to the airport for our flight back to Tucson.  (Airfare fee is not included in the tour rate).   Approximately 6 months prior to our departure date, South of the Border Tours will determine a “suggested flight from Los Cabos to Phoenix”.  Currently, non-stop flights are only available from Los Cabos to Phoenix.  The suggested flight will include a transfer from our hotel in San Jose Del Cabo to the airport as well as a transfer from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l Airport to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.  (125 mi. B)

YOUR LEADERS
Jesús García is a Cultural Conservation Research Associate at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Jesús was born and raised in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, México. As a young man he moved to Tucson and earned a bachelor's degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Arizona. He began his career with ASDM in 1991 and has taught natural history and cultural programs throughout southern Arizona and northern Sonora. His many interests include conservation biology, art, cultural ecology, regional languages, music, and gardening.
Jesús is a master storyteller and an expert at identifying plant and animal species, describing their preferred growing or breeding habits and explaining their environmental connections to one another and to us.

Fred Nials was raised on a ranch and farm along the Canadian River in eastern New Mexico. Although a geologist by training, he has done geoarchaeological research on well over 5,000 archaeological sites ranging in age from Paleoindian to Historic in western North and South America and Cyprus, and taught at universities in New Mexico, Washington, and Nevada for 28 years. He specializes in the stratigraphy of archaeological sites, prehistoric technology, and prehistoric agriculture, and has done pioneering work on aeolian and alluvial chronologies in the western U.S. and South America. He participated in the earliest and most comprehensive early study of prehistoric irrigation in coastal South America, the earliest comprehensive study of the Hohokam canal system in the Phoenix Basin and was part of a team that reconstructed the annual flow of the Salt and Gila Rivers since 577A.D.

Stephen Bernier, travel director, manages logistics and is the owner of South of the Border Tours. Stephen has organized and produced tours throughout the American Southwest and Mexico since 1993 with clients that include: the University of Arizona Elderhostel/Road Scholar Program, Arizona Historical Society, Scottsdale Sister City, Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tohono Chul, Portland Art Museum, Heard Museum Guild, Tucson Museum of Art, as well as various other museums and universities. Stephen is also a volunteer with Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists.

INCLUDED SERVICES
All Transportation, all tour expenses, all meals listed in the itinerary, all guide services.  All hotels, including overnights in: Tecate, San Quintín, two nights in Cataviña, two nights of glamping at Campo Kuyimá whale camp in San Ignacío Lagoon, two nights in the town of San Igancío, three nights at the oceanfront Loreto Bay Resort, two nights in charming San José del Cabo.

MEETING PLACE
We will meet and leave cars at the Museum.
 
BORDER CROSSING
You will need a valid passport book to take this trip. Your passport book must be valid for at least 6 months after our travel dates.

MEXICO TRAVEL
The U.S. State Department has Travel Advisories for some of the areas we will visit or travel through. You may review the most up-to-date status of different areas within Mexico at this link. Our tour operator, South of the Border Tours, has established a record of safety and quality during their 30+ years of running tours throughout Mexico and keeps in close communication with partners at each location to which we travel.

GROUP SIZE
Tour is limited to 24 guests.

ACTIVITY LEVEL
Guests must be able to walk unassisted at a moderate pace, which can include a minimum of one-half mile over varied terrain. The tour is considered suitable for those that can spend much, if not the entire day, out and about exploring.  Please contact Debby Bernier (email shown at end) prior to registering should you have physical limitation concerns.

FEES
This special travel opportunity is offered exclusively to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum members. If you currently are not a member, but would like to join us, you may do so by following this link. The tour price is $5020 and the single supplement, if it becomes available, will be an additional $1425. Due to limited space at the whale camp, we are only accepting double occupancy registrations at this time. If you have no traveling companion, but would like to register, you may do so as a single and will be put on a waitlist. If space opens up at approximately two months out, we will contact you.  At that time, we will attempt to make a roommate match. However, if one cannot be found, then the single supplement will need to be paid.

The return is by air from Los Cabos and is NOT included in the fee. You are responsible for booking your return flight.  Approximately 6 months prior to our departure date, South of the Border Tours will determine a suggested flight from San Jose Del Cabo to Phoenix.  For those that travel on this flight, there will be transportation provided from our hotel to the airport in Los Cabos as well as transportation from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l Airport to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

ROOMING
The listed price is for double occupancy.

CANCELLATION POLICY
All cancellations must be in writing or email. Our policy is as follows:  Cancellations made 60 days prior to departure will result in refunded payments less a $200 per person handling fee. Cancellations made 59-31 days prior to departure will result in a 50% forfeiture of payment. Cancellations made 30 days or less prior to departure are non-refundable.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
We highly recommend travel insurance. You are welcome to choose any travel insurance company; however, Allianz Travel Insurance is our preferred company. Please visit their website to review all policies that are available:  www.allianztravelinsurance.com.  Insurance should be purchased within 14 days of paying your tour deposit. By doing so, you will have the best coverage options to choose from. Should you sign up with them, please use our ACCAM number, which is FO29755.

TOUR ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
We reserve the right to change components, substitute hotels or alter the itinerary, and to make any other changes deemed necessary to carry out and maintain the quality and safety of the tour in good faith to the participants. In the case of civil unrest, acts of God, situations known as force majeure, we may cancel or postpone a trip.

QUESTIONS  
This trip is jointly run by South of the Border Tours and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Should you have any questions about the itinerary or logistics, please contact Debby Bernier, Office Manager at 520-760-4000 or at southofthebordertours@msn.com. For questions about payment, please contact the Reservations Coordinator at 520-883-3025 or at education@desertmuseum.org.