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The Gulf of California, México: Wild Islands, Rich Desert
April 17 @ 8:00 am - April 23 @ 5:00 pm
$2,159
We’re excited to head to a hotspot of marine and desert biodiversity. The Gulf of California, México: Wild Islands, Rich Desert will include boat trips to witness seabirds, dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and more, as well as exploration of one of the world’s most diverse deserts – the Central Gulf Coast Subdivision of the Sonoran Desert – and close interaction with local communities, including the fishing/conservation community of Bahia Kino, and the indigenous Comcaac (Seri) people of the Canal del Infiernillo. This region is a global treasure. We’ve had the good fortune of leading field programs here for decades.
- Where: The Kino Bay Center, on the Gulf of California, Sonora, México
- When: April 17th, 2023 – April 23, 2023
- Number of Days/Nights: Seven days and six nights
- Transportation: Van pickup available in Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, or Hermosillo, Sonora for no additional cost. Drop-off in same location.
- Group Size: Maximum 11
- Age Group: Adults and youth 18+
- Cost per Person: $2159 inclusive from Arizona except for lunch on the drive down and dinners (relatively inexpensive) at local restaurants. Single accommodations available for additional cost. The non-refundable $500 deposit holds your spot.
- Deposit payable by check or card. Call NHI at 928-863-3232 to arrange check payment.
All registrants must be vaccinated
Covid-19 Protocol: All participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least two weeks after most recent dose) and provide documentation providing proof of immunization. Vaccinations should be up to date.
Cancellation Policy: Participants who cancel more than 30 days before the trip, March 17th, will receive a full refund, minus their nonrefundable $500 deposit. Cancellations made with fewer than 30 days before the trip will forfeit all prior payment. We strongly encourage participants to purchase trip insurance.
Passport and Visa: You need a valid passport, but do not need a visa – nice and simple! (But, to be safe, your passport must be valid for six months after your departure from México.)
Money During Trip: Most costs are included in your registration fees, so you needn’t have access to large amounts of cash. You will, however, be responsible for your own dinners – we’ll be eating at local restaurants (breakfast and lunch are included with your registration). American dollars are generally accepted, and we’ll also have an opportunity to exchange currencies on our way south. Bottom line: you needn’t worry about currency exchange in advance.
Arrival and Departure: Our group experience begins on Monday, April 17th. We will have a van traveling from Prescott, Arizona to Bahia Kino, Sonora, México (approximately 12 hours), with stops for airport pickups in Phoenix, Tucson, and Hermosillo, Sonora. Thus, you can select to join the group in one of four sites: Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson, or Hermosillo. We’ll deliver you directly to our hotel in Bahia Kino. It’s a very nice lodging, right across the street from a beautiful beach. On Sunday, April 23rd, we’ll return to the United States in reverse manner: with stops at Hermosillo, Tucson, and Phoenix, en route to Prescott. If you are flying in from another part of the country, we can connect you with the Kino Bay Center, who will be driving the van and can advise you on airports and timing.
Click here for suggested packing list
Trip Leaders:
Tom Fleischner is the Senior Advisor & Director Emeritus of the Natural History Institute, and Faculty Emeritus at Prescott College. He has led educational explorations of the Colorado Plateau canyon country for more than 35 years, and is the author of Singing Stone: A Natural History of the Escalante Canyons, among other books and articles.
Lisa Floyd-Hanna has been an avid enthusiast of fire patterns and biodiversity since earning her M.S. in Botany at University of Hawai’i and her Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Colorado. Her research has focused on developing the historic fire histories in piñon juniper woodlands and other forested systems of Southwest Colorado and, recently, of the Mogollon Highlands. She studies effects of disturbances on patterns of biodiversity and challenges with invasive plants. Lisa is Emeritus Faculty at Prescott College.