What’s an Eco Trip?
The first part of this unusual eco adventure is a trip to the bird sanctuary on the lagoon, next to the beach, at Todos Santos. The tour starts with enjoying the sunset, while drinking champagne and bird watching. The second part is a talk by the guide about astronomy and Greek myths about the constellations, while looking at the stars. The guide has a telescope for participants to use for viewing the impressively sparkling night sky. The final stop is nearby the elegant restaurant, Le Gusto at La Poza, where a new chef from Germany is wowing customers with fine cuisine, according to both Jauregui and a bystander in the office. Everything is included for $95 USD.
In the summertime (low season in Baja Sur), four of the adventures offered in the high season are not offered. It’s too hot in the mountains, around 100 Fahrenheit and over, for the “Sierra de Laguna” tour and the “Nature Walk” through the biosphere. It’s also too hot for the “Cactus Sanctuary” tour that includes the pueblo of San Juan de Las Gallinas, offered in the high season. Horseback riding on the beach is not offered during the summer either. All of these will begin again in October, but meanwhile, there are plenty of other tours to choose from.
Jauregui says even locals, who may not know much about the particular history of Todos Santos, learn while having a lot of fun on the Todos Santos Historical Tour. The least expensive of the tours, this one is a 90 minute walk through the artists’ galleries for just $15. You could do this on your own, but then you wouldn’t have the guide who explains the history of the town and its buildings as you roam. A part of the profits from this tour are donated to the local bombarderos, the fire department. There are three other possibilities too. The adventure they call, “Surfing Lessons”, includes instruction, surfboard rental, umbrella and rashguard, at $55 USD per hour. The “Fishing” tour is described as “serious, non-touristy fishing with fourth generation Todos Santos fishermen,” at $275 for up to six hours. They also offer what they call, “Custom Adventures.” According to the brochure this means, “Tell us your dreams and we’ll create your perfect Baja adventure.”
The “Cliff Walk,” “Candelaria Mountain Potters,” and “Desert Waterfall” adventures, offered in the high season, are four to four and one-half hours and cost $55 each. The “Sierra de Laguna Adventures” are for four days, three nights or two days and one night. Both are described as “deluxe” treks and they ask people who are interested to contact them for details. Jaurgui says that last February during one of Sierra de Laguna treks, “It poured down rain for hours, stopped about three ‘o clock in the morning, and when we got up, it had all frozen. There were amazing icicles hanging from the tents and we had to melt ice to make coffee. It was just beautiful.” There’s some chance of seeing raccoons, badger and maybe even cougar, ring-tailed cats and coyotes, as well as lizards and other reptiles and birds, on this trip. The “Cliff Walk” often includes seeing deer, and whales when they’re here. Jauregui says the funniest question, and one he always hears, is, “Where are the whales?” on the tours near and on the water. He smiles and acknowledges that, no, they don’t just lay on the top; You have to watch for the spouts and an occasional jump out of the water. The guide explains some history of the area and points out plant life on this walk too.
Jauregui says none of the tours require particular athletic ability. He describes a couple, each 84 years old, one with a knee replacement and one with a hip replacement, who did just fine on the “Cliff Walk.” He says the Candelaria and Todos Santos tours are even okay for people in wheelchairs. As far as dangers go, he said he has seen a rattlesnake only once and there has never been any kind of injury on these tours.
Eco Adventures has had customers from all over the world from as far away as New Zealand. He said the fog on today’s tour at the beach, “was very mystical, and we saw a huge, male sea lion just taking a nap on the sand.”
Jauregui is owner of Eco Adventures with his wife, Bryan Baston. His mother and father work for the business too, his father as a guide and his mother at the desk in their office, located at Benito Juarez and Topete. Jauregui opened Eco Adventures three years ago, after ten years of previous experience as a guide. They are open every day of the week and the phone numbers are as follows: 011-52-612-14-50780 or, form the US, 619-702-8839. The FAX number is 011-52-612-14-50781, email is info@tosea.net and you can see their website at www.tosea.net.
