by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:25 PM ET, Mon June 16, 2025
PONANT EXPLORATIONS is launching a new itinerary in Baja California Sur, Mexico, in the winter of 2027.
Called “Exploration in the Heart of Baja California,” the new voyage was developed after three years of partnership with local communities. It will be offered January through March aboard the 184-guest Le Bellot.
One departure, named “Baja and the Sea of Cortez: In Search of the Great Whales” and sailing February 10-20, 2027, is being offered in partnership with Smithsonian Journeys. Two Smithsonian Journeys experts will accompany the small-ship cruise, offering insights about the region’s natural history, geology, wildlife and culture.
The voyages sail round trip from Cabo San Lucas, offering guests a chance to immerse themselves in the destination via boating and snorkeling excursions and naturalist-guided walks and hikes.
Throughout the journey, guests will have opportunities to see wildlife, including gray whales in Bahia Magdalena and Guerrero Negro, humpbacks and blue whales in Loreto Bay National Park, and sea lions off Isla Coronado and Los Islotes. Travelers might also spot orcas, bottlenose dolphins, Mobula devil rays, reef fish, frigatebirds and blue-footed or brown boobies.
“From awe-inspiring wildlife encounters with whales and sea lions to the rugged beauty of desert canyons and the charm of small coastal towns, our new Baja California itinerary is shaped by respect—both for the environment and the local communities who helped bring it to life,” says Samuel Chamberlain, chief executive officer of PONANT EXPLORATIONS GROUP for the Americas.
He adds: “Rooted in exploration, education, and cultural immersion, and delivered with the refined French flair and service that define the PONANT EXPLORATIONS experience, the journey offers stunning biodiversity and rich heritage in an intriguing destination close to home. Just a short flight away, it’s the perfect exploration for travelers in the Americas seeking something extraordinary.”
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