Click images for full sized pictures of gray whales touching humans in Baja's San Ignacio Lagoon My most memorable trip ever was flying to San Ignacio Lagoon on my friend's private plane to pet gray whales. My buddy convinced me to make the trip with the promise I'd get to not only see whales up close and personal, but I'd be able to pet them. A primal calling brings forth the longest known mammal migration. Many whale-watching tours—off Boston or Maui, for example—take place on large commercial boats where you have to strain to see around guests crowding the rail, and if you do spot a whale, it’s likely you’ll glimpse only a tail or a spout of spray on the horizon. The Friendly Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon: The Great Migration to Baja Mexico's Breeding Lagoons. Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California Sur, Mexico is one of 3 lagoons on the southwest coast of Baja that are the winter home of the gray whale. Want to pet a 30 ton gray whale? Each winter from December through April, a magnificent event takes place along the Eastern Pacific shoreline. Home page of Jones Adventure Travel and The Gray Whale Advocate. The Gray whale migration to Baja’s San Ignacio Lagoon. It is located roughly halfway down the Baja Peninsula just a few miles south of Guerrero Negro and is visited by a rough average of 1,500 gray whales each year though the 2019 season estimated abundance was considerably less. The whales use these protected, shallow, warm waters as calving nurseries. Whale watching in La Paz, Baja California Sur, is a unique experience unequal to any other along the pacific side of Baja California. Each winter from December through April, a magnificent event takes place along the Eastern Pacific shoreline. As over 97% of the Gray Whale population migrates to a small coastline and small bays in the Baja every winter this makes an excellent opportunity for Gray Whale … Kevin Warren, founder of Baja Air Ventures got a call with an important Baja whale watching question. This area has welcomed 2,500 gray whales. The Mexican government strictly regulates access to these lagoons to ensure that any human activities do not affect the whales while they are in the quiet, protected lagoons of Baja California. It’s never guaranteed that travelers will get to pet a gray whale, but the odds are pretty good at Laguna San Ignacio. The Gray whale migration to Baja’s San Ignacio Lagoon. Feeling the rubbery skin of a whale, while she pushes gently against your hand is the kind of once in a lifetime experience you can have while Baja whale watching. I got to pet a mama whale and multiple babies as well as kiss two baby whales right on their noses. Due to its importance for the reproduction and nurturing of whales, El Vizcaino Whale Sanctuary has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1993. The women was maybe someone like you, who had dreamed for years of getting close, maybe even petting the gentle giant Gray whales of Baja. Gray whales are naturally peaceful and friendly and at times get close enough to be able to touch them. The best source of information on gray whales, the best gray whale and blue whale watching trips in Baja Mexico. The Lagoons in Baja. A primal calling brings forth the longest known mammal migration. (SA image) Called "friendlies" by whale watching tourists, many whales now seek human contact in the Baja lagoons. The lagoon is one of three places in Baja Mexico where one can actually interact (pet) grey whales in the wild along with Magdalena Bay and Scammon’s … Our Baja whale … Baja whale watching allows you to get up close and personal with gorgeous gray whales in Magdalena Bay's calving lagoon. ... (March and April) the whales in the Baja lagoons may become exceptionally friendly, allowing the whale watchers to pet them. You are so close, you can literally pet whales as they bob their head up out of the water to say hello. Have you ever wanted to pet a whale? This important calving ground for gray whales lays within the Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve UNESCO World Heritage Site. How about play with and/or kiss a 10 ton baby gray whale? Of the three locations in Baja California where the gray whales make an appearance each year, Laguna San Ignacio is regarded as the best: It’s where the whales are friendlier and encounters more likely. Three major lagoons in Baja California are the primary destination of the southbound gray whales. Baja Whale Watching: See & Maybe Even Pet These Gentle Giants! This is a guide for those who aren’t whale enthusiasts but who’re interested in interacting with the grey whales up close. These are Scammon's Lagoon, San Ignacio Lagoon, and Magdalena Bay. Baja whale watching tour where you can pet whales, kayak over grey whales, swim with dolphins and sea lions in Magdalena Bay in Baja, Mexico. The protected bays and lagoons of the Baja provide a safe haven to the Gray Whales to breed and calve. If so, Baja Expeditions is the company to contact. Nestled in the zone that divides North and South Baja California, El Vizcaino is one of the biggest protected areas of the world. The Friendly Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon: The Great Migration to Baja Mexico's Breeding Lagoons.