Nature reserve 104 km southwest of Santa Rosalía
A Pacific lagoon where gray whales give birth each winter and often swim right up to the small boats.
Laguna San Ignacio is a shallow lagoon on the Pacific coast, about 60 kilometers southwest of the town of San Ignacio, and every winter it fills with gray whales that travel thousands of kilometers from the Arctic to mate and give birth in its warm, calm water. It is part of the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, and since 1993 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site as one of the whale sanctuaries of El Vizcaíno.
The lagoon is famous for its "friendly" whales. Here, more than almost anywhere else, mothers and calves often come up to the small boats on their own, close enough to touch, and many visitors call it one of the most moving wildlife encounters of their lives.
There is no town to speak of, only fishing camps and several eco-camps on the shore run largely by local families. The whale season runs from mid-December to the end of April, and the best months are usually February and March, when calves are bigger and more curious.
What to see and do
Go out on a whale-watching panga with an authorized local guide.
Stay a night or two at one of the eco-camps on the shore to get several trips on the water.
Watch for coyotes, ospreys and wading birds around the lagoon and mangroves.
Come in February or March for the best chance of close encounters with mothers and calves.
Getting there
From Santa Rosalía, drive about an hour to San Ignacio, then take the road southwest to the lagoon, roughly 60 kilometers more. Most of it is paved, but the last stretch to the camps is washboard dirt; allow around an hour and a half from San Ignacio. Whale watching is only allowed with authorized boats, and many visitors book a package with transport from San Ignacio or Loreto.
104 km southwest of Santa Rosalía
Directions from Santa Rosalía on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Laguna San Ignacio shares the climate of Santa Rosalía, 104 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Apr, May, Nov.
Make Santa Rosalía your base
Laguna San Ignacio is an easy trip from Santa Rosalía, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Santa Rosalía
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Volcán Las Tres Vírgenes
· Mountain · 35 km away
Three volcanic peaks rising beside Highway 1 northwest of town; climbing the tallest is a hard, guided hike in the El Vizcaíno reserve. -
Mulegé
· Town · 57 km away
A river oasis town of date palms about an hour south, with a Jesuit mission on a hill and a museum in its old prison. -
San Ignacio
· Town · 62 km away
A desert oasis of date palms around a lagoon, with one of Baja's finest stone missions; the base for whales and cave paintings. -
Sierra de San Francisco
· Cave · 79 km away
UNESCO-listed mountains with giant prehistoric cave paintings; Cueva del Ratón is reachable by road, the rest by mule with a guide. -
Bahía Concepción
· Beach · 83 km away
A long, calm bay south of Mulegé lined with white-sand coves like Santispac and El Requesón, ideal for kayaking.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.