Guerrero Negro, Mexico
Information
Black Guerrero is particularly attractive for ecological tourism, because of its great location within the Biosphere Reserve of Vizcaino. Hundreds of tourists come to watch the gray whale in the waters of the nearby Ojo de Liebre lagoon where, from January to March, mate and give birth; to scroll through the swamps and marshes that are home to several species of birds such as the white pelican, the red-tailed hawk, white and brown heron, the Zarapico, golden eagle and osprey; and to explore the great Vizcaino Desert with its unique flora and fauna, which include cacti. By visiting the lagoon is possible to observe these animals from the shore, from the observation tower that the lagoon has, or hire a boat I approach them. The show is wonderful to behold and be surprised by the beauty of these giants is an experience difficult to express in words. Also through special headphones, you can hear the unique sounds made by whales. Another attraction of Black Guerrero is its huge salt on the outskirts of the city. Which they are the largest of its kind in the world, producing one third of the world's salt. You can make a site visit of the mineral processing. Which is the main source of income of Black Guerrero.
Must Know
With so many natural sights, ecotourism has become big business in Baja California Sur, which stretches from Guerrero Negro nearly 1000km south to Cabo San Lucas. The plankton-rich waters that surround the peninsula support an amazingly diverse aquatic culture and a host of watersports possibilities, while inland, the five mountain ranges that constitute the backbone of the peninsula contain the petroglyphs of some of the region’s first inhabitants.
Flat and dust-blown, it was only established in the 1950s as a supply center for Exportadora de Sal, the world’s largest salt manufacturer, and is surrounded by vast saltpans and stark storage warehouses. At most times of year you’ll want to do little more than grab a drink and carry straight on, especially if you don’t have a car – it’s a dispiriting place to navigate on foot. In January and February (and, peripherally, Dec & March–April), however, Guerrero Negro is home to one of Mexico’s most extraordinary natural phenomena, the congregation of scores of grey whales just off the coast.
The whales, which spend most of their lives in the icy Bering Sea around Alaska, can be watched (at remarkably close quarters) from an area within the Reserva de la Biosfera Complejo Lagunar Ojo de Liebre, which encompasses the Laguna Ojo de Liebre. During the season there are organized whale watching trips, and an observation tower that guarantees at least a distant sighting. Although talk turns every year to restricting numbers or banning boats altogether, there are currently more tours and boat trips than ever. If you can take one, then do so – it’s an exceptional experience, and many visitors actually get to touch the whales, which sometimes come right up to bobbing vessels after the engines are switched off.
To watch the whales from the shore, you’ll need your own vehicle (preferably 4WD): head south from town until you see the park sign, from where a poor sand track leads 24km down to the lagoon. Midway there’s a checkpoint where you must register your vehicle and its occupants. To see the whales you’ll need to get up early or stay late, as they move out to the deeper water in the middle of the day.
Get There
By land:
By car, it is a journey of about 12 and a half hours from Los Angeles, 10 and a half hours from San Diego, Tijuana 10 hours and 8 and a half hours of Ensenada. From south to north by car, La Paz is 10 hours and 5 hours Loreto respecivamente way.
By air:
You can reach from anywhere in the world to Ensenada International Airport. From there out various transport that takes you to the desired destination. By plane, Black Warrior has domestic airport.