AdventureSmith Small-Ship Cruises to Baja

Feeling the chill? Why not pack up the kids and head for the sun this winter aboard an AdventureSmith Explorations small-ship cruise to Baja? Think of it as the North American version of the Galapagos — but a lot closer.

One of three new programs the company is launching this winter, the itinerary gives passengers an up-close-and-personal exploration of the Sea of Cortez, which contains nearly 40 percent of the world’s total marine mammal species, a third of the world’s marine cetacean species and nearly 900 fish species.

New Trips from AdventureSmith Explorations © AdventureSmith Explorations

Even kids who don’t know one bird from another will be able spot colorful species, drawn by the abundance of marine life.

The cruise, aboard the brand-new, 100-guest National Geographic Venture, will offer spacious accommodations and all the equipment you’ll need for even the most active pursuits the itinerary offers.

In addition to stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling and hiking, guests may be able to swim with whale sharks, the world’s largest fish, which make their winter home in sandy water just outside the La Paz harbor. Parents can rest assured that, while huge and speedy in the water, whale sharks feed on plankton and other small sea life and are not threatening to swimmers.

New Trips from AdventureSmith Explorations © AdventureSmith Explorations

The itinerary also offers wellness-themed activities like yoga, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking and working out in the onboard fitness center, not to mention meditation classes, massages and body and facial, hand and foot treatments using natural products.

AdventureSmith Explorations, Baja new trips © AdventureSmith Explorations

“On or off the water, our Baja itineraries are immersive and active,” said Todd Smith, founder and president, AdventureSmith Explorations. “The new programs we’re presenting this winter address requests for quick getaways as well as weeklong vacations, all in a region with the same kind of appeal as the Galapagos. We can usually accommodate last-minute requests for land-based and cruise itineraries in this affordable, easy-to-navigate region.”

This new ship is kicking off its first-ever sailing season in Baja before heading north to Alaska.

New Trips from AdventureSmith Explorations © AdventureSmith Explorations

Looking for something even more adventurous and farther afield? The company also offers a two-week Antarctic Latitudes: Crossing the Antarctic Circle cruise next winter aboard the 114-guest, all-suite Hebridean Sky.

This round-trip voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina, explores from the Beagle Channel to the Drake Passage, where passengers can keep an eye out for seabirds and whales along the way to the South Shetland Islands. Sights will include penguin rookeries, seal wallows and whale feeding areas along with sites of historic and scientific interest.

AdventureSmith Explorations Baja new trips Los Colibris sunset © AdventureSmith Explorations

An onboard Citizen Science program lets passengers assist research projects in five major disciplines: oceanography, glaciology, ornithology, marine biology and meteorology. The data collected from the program contributes to a better understanding of climate change and its affect on Antarctica, the world’s fifth-largest continent.

AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Truckee, California, and was founded in 2003.