BajaNomad

Whale tour costs?

bajagrouper - 2-1-2013 at 09:25 AM

I was curious when a person goes by himself to a whale watching lagoon what would he expect to pay for his seat on the panga, It used to be the more folks in the panga the cheaper it is per person,and vice versa...

Do they have set prices per seat or is it like it used to be? To take the boat out it might be $200 so 10 people would pay $20 each and if only 8 showed up it would be $25 per person?

I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...Thanks in advance...

shari - 2-1-2013 at 09:36 AM

In Ojo de Liebre if you drive out to the lagoon, the ejido charges $45 for adults and $35 for kids. The town tours start at $50 I believe...the prices there are per person, not per boat.

I'm sure someone will chime in with the latest San Ignacio boat share prices.

Archie - 2-1-2013 at 10:10 AM

At Ojo de Liebre Lagoon (615) 157 00 25.

- Adult $45 dlls $560.00 pesos
- Children $35 dlls $440.00 pesos
- Special $300.00 pesos
- Palapas $5 dlls $65.00 pesos /day
- Parking $5 dlls $65.00 pesos

- Tours 08:00 am - 04:00 pm
- Restaurante 08:00 am - 07:00 pm

DianaT - 2-1-2013 at 10:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
I was curious when a person goes by himself to a whale watching lagoon what would he expect to pay for his seat on the panga, It used to be the more folks in the panga the cheaper it is per person,and vice versa...

Do they have set prices per seat or is it like it used to be? To take the boat out it might be $200 so 10 people would pay $20 each and if only 8 showed up it would be $25 per person?

I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...Thanks in advance...


There are a number of different official whale watching operations at the San Ignacio Lagoon. It is not like the old days where just about any one would take people out. They have to be official guides. It is well regulated and one of the regulations is to keep the number of boats in the viewing area controlled.

The fee is an official fee and includes the price of the biosphere band. Tips are extra.

We always drive out to the San Ignacio Lagoon on our own for a few reasons; we love the drive; we like to be in charge of our own time; we have dogs; and we usually end up in a less crowded boat. They may ask you to wait a bit if there are a few others showing up from town who booked in town, but are also driving out on their own. A boat with four or even six people we find far more enjoyable.

You mentioned Kuyima and they are the group we usually use. However, we never book in town and we never take their van and become a part of one of their groups. We like their professionalism, their eco operation, and we find the guides very well versed about whales. And again, there are other official places along the Lagoon and other people prefer other groups. Also, while we set our vehicle up so our dogs can stay in the vehicle, Kuyima has built some dog cages that can be used if you desire.

But no more can you drive out there and hire an independent boat owner and negotiate the price ---- those days are gone. And in this case, the change and regulation has been a VERY good thing for protecting the lagoon and the whales.

[Edited on 2-1-2013 by DianaT]

BajaNomad - 2-1-2013 at 10:36 AM

It's been a number of years since we've had enough time in the "season" to get down there.

However, I used to make a special trip down every year, usually on the President's Day weekend... extended it out a day or two at times.

And once we met Maldo Fischer and family, I never used anyone else. We still stop and visit with Maldo, Catalina, "Cuco" - and other family members - if passing through.

While Maldo runs a camp for people coming in on established multi-day tours, he's never turned us down if we drive in looking for a single trip out on a particular day. Always at whatever the going rates are/were. Recollection is that it was $25-40 per person over time back then.

Maldo runs Campo Cortez, which is used by Baja Eco Tours mostly.
http://www.bajaecotours.com/pages/about-us.html

Read the comments by people about Maldo and his family:
http://www.bajaecotours.com/pages/guest-comments.html


BajaNomad - 2-1-2013 at 10:41 AM

Visiting with Maldo, Dec 2008:




Visiting with Cuco, Dec 2008:

bajagrouper - 2-1-2013 at 11:18 AM

Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?

Mula - 2-1-2013 at 11:56 AM

Lopez today



I think the patrol boat is still around. It is all very regulated here and very strong co-ops.

I went out and took 30 photos of the town of Lopez and the Whale Dock area today.

This is from last February:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=58073

The road to Lopez is still good.

THE WHALE FESTIVAL is this week-end: Feb 2 and 3, 2013


http://photobucket.com/lopezmateos2012

Dunas have 10 Cabanas, the Posada has 7 rooms and the other places have 5 or so each.

Juana Rosas Murillo Boat Tours
ballenas4@hotmail.com
English: 613 114 0761

mtgoat666 - 2-1-2013 at 12:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?


grouper:
google will lead you to most anything you want to know:
http://www.kuyima.com/contact/costs.html

Sweetwater - 2-1-2013 at 01:04 PM

San Ignacio - we rode our bikes out and down to SJ afterwards - longish boat trip - maybe 3 hours - late morning - fabulous lunch afterwards - full boat - great time - $50 each

First campo?

bajagrouper - 2-1-2013 at 05:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?


grouper:
google will lead you to most anything you want to know:
http://www.kuyima.com/contact/costs.html


I know how to google but you must have not read my question,it was:
I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...

rhintransit - 2-1-2013 at 06:16 PM

Lopez Mateo...the price is per panga and per hour. 1800 pesos per panga load (up to 17 I believe, hard as that is to believe) for two hours. it was 900 for one hour. my sister, her husband and I hired a boat/captain from El Faro...there are a number of companies there, they all charge the same. that made it 600 pesos per person. had we wanted to hang around, wait for more people or had we brought more people with us...price same, per person cost goes down.

shari - 2-1-2013 at 08:00 PM

Maldo & cuco are top notch operators and have been around many many years...I too highly recommend this family in San Ignacio lagoon...he is most respectful of the whales and a real nice guy and a family operation...have lunch with them afterwards if possible....great fish tacos...dang...dont know what his prices are these days though.

BajaDanD - 2-1-2013 at 09:06 PM

Kayuma is not a tour group it is a Whale watching operation you can drive out there and pay there to go out and you can camp there too. Last time we were there we went on a week day camped there and went out when we wanted to. Only 6 on the Panga one day, got to see whales mating & dork in all its glory.

If you drive out to Ojo de liebre you can camp there too. Weve had times there was just the two of us on the panga. Back then I think it was $40us. now it's $45. We try to wait until later in the day to go out. After all the tour groups have come and gone then there's usually only 4-6 people on the boat.

[Edited on 2-2-2013 by BajaDanD]

[Edited on 2-2-2013 by BajaDanD]

BajaNomad - 2-1-2013 at 10:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?


grouper:
google will lead you to most anything you want to know:
http://www.kuyima.com/contact/costs.html


I know how to google but you must have not read my question,it was:
I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...


Actually, it answers your question on that page:

"Whale watching boat tour* .................................. $ 45 dollars per person per trip."

"* does not include ground transportation from San Ignacio town to the lagoon."

mtgoat666 - 2-2-2013 at 08:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?


grouper:
google will lead you to most anything you want to know:
http://www.kuyima.com/contact/costs.html


I know how to google but you must have not read my question,it was:
I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...


Not sure what you want in "independent". Show up, pay your 45 dollars and share a boat with whoever else is there going whale watching at that time. If you want to be alone in a boat you can hire whole boat to yourself, but you will still have a pangero driving. You cannot take your own boat. Only boats with permits can be on lagoon. Capiche?

DianaT - 2-2-2013 at 09:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagrouper
Thanks all,DianaT what about prices?

Any information on Puerto Lopez Mateos,
prices and anything about their whale festival?


grouper:
google will lead you to most anything you want to know:
http://www.kuyima.com/contact/costs.html


I know how to google but you must have not read my question,it was:
I am talking about being independent and not joining a tour group like Kayuma out of San Ignacio Lagoon...


Not sure what you want in "independent". Show up, pay your 45 dollars and share a boat with whoever else is there going whale watching at that time. If you want to be alone in a boat you can hire whole boat to yourself, but you will still have a pangero driving. You cannot take your own boat. Only boats with permits can be on lagoon. Capiche?


bajagrouper, I am not sure how much more independent you could be since whale watching is regulated. We consider what we do to be about as independent as possible -- we never go with an organized tour, we never pay extra for another type of guide and we meet very interesting strangers with whom we end up sharing a boat. --- drive out, check out the different operations, choose one and out you go.

Even if you do not choose Kuyima, it is interesting to hang around their place. For the season, there are always University students from the mainland who are doing an internship there. They all speak good English and they are fun to talk with. Also, there are often Mexican whale researchers or authors there who like to share their information, or are there to educate an organized group and we just listen in.

BTW--- in San Ignacio the higher tide times are often the best whale watching times and be prepared to walk in the water out to the boat.

Just a little of one of the reasons the whales are there --- just a little porn. :biggrin:

bajagrouper - 2-2-2013 at 10:10 AM

Thanks all for your answers, I have been on many whale trips at every lagoon and bay but that was a few years ago, I was curious how much prices have increased since the nineties...What I meant by going independently was by myself with who ever showed up verses an organized tour like Kayuma, Thanks for the self portrait DT...

Loretana - 2-2-2013 at 10:58 AM

That's "Pink Floyd" in the photo, not Diana. :spingrin:

bajagrouper - 2-2-2013 at 03:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mula
Lopez today



I think the patrol boat is still around. It is all very regulated here and very strong co-ops.

I went out and took 30 photos of the town of Lopez and the Whale Dock area today.

This is from last February:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=58073

The road to Lopez is still good.

THE WHALE FESTIVAL is this week-end: Feb 2 and 3, 2013


http://photobucket.com/lopezmateos2012

Dunas have 10 Cabanas, the Posada has 7 rooms and the other places have 5 or so each.

Juana Rosas Murillo Boat Tours
ballenas4@hotmail.com
English: 613 114 0761 [/quote




Do you have any contact numbers or email addresses for the 3 hotels you mentioned?

BajaDanD - 2-2-2013 at 07:15 PM

[Edited on 2-3-2013 by BajaDanD]

Odd duck whale watchers, seeking solitude, hating being around people

mtgoat666 - 2-2-2013 at 08:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaDanD
kayuma is not an organized tour group. it is one of the authorized whale watching outfits at San Ignacio. You can go there on your own and go out with who ever shows up or not. Wait until the tour vans leave and there is only a few people waiting to go out. you dont have to go with a group. There are other outfits at the lagoon you can do the same thing with. They all pretty much have tour groups comming in from town douring the season. go in the middle of the week hang out until the tour vans leave and get on a boat. This is the way we have always done it at both San Ignacio and Ojo de Liebre. We have never gone out with a tour group, always waited until they were gone. There is plenty to do while waiting. We have never not been able to go out except from bad weather.


Everyone hating on groups. What's wrong with groups? The boats only take about 8 people, and usually the strangers you meet are civil, and occasionally interesting.

BajaDanD - 2-2-2013 at 11:41 PM

Dont know how that posted 3 times Tried to edit it now its gone. SORRY As far as groups go Ive seen them put 10+ people in one of those pangas with most of them never having been on a boat before. Not my idea of a fun boat ride especially when the boat is stopped and everyone tries to look over the same side of the boat at the same time. Ive been fishing small boats on the ocean for years always better with as few as possible. Dont get me wrong I like to meet new people and always try to be civil. Also with less people on the boat I've got a better chance of making new friends.

[Edited on 2-3-2013 by BajaDanD]