PACHICO’S ECO CAMP GRAY WHALE WATCHING AT SAN IGNACIO LAGOON
This camp has recently had a change in management, which now involves all of Pachico’s sons and daughters. They are updating the website and other information. You can find their other excellent reviews (5 stars) by searching “Pachicho’s Ecotours” on Trip Advisor.
In the 1970’s, Pachico Mayoral was the first fisherman in the area to find that gray whales were seeking to be stroked and played with. These creatures were considered “killer fish” based on their behaviors when hunted prior to a moratorium in the late 1940’s. He became a leader in protecting the whales and establishing environmentally responsible guidelines for interacting with them and conserving the land around the lagoons.
Upon reaching the town of San Ignacio, we decided to drive out to the lagoon and see what whale watching opportunities were there. The drive is down an excellent paved road until the final 5.5 miles or so, when it reverts to a dirt road, rather poor, but easily though slowly passable with a compact rental car.
We happened upon Pachico’s and met Rubi, the manger, right away. Rubi is bright, flexible and efficient, possesses a wealth of information about whales, history, ecology and conservation, as well as being lots of fun. She has worked in San Ignacio Lagoon in several of the camps and as a community organizer, and she speaks great English!
We booked a casita with full bath for several nights, receiving a discount because it was shoulder season (early February). The view of the lagoons and their encircling mountains takes your breath away, and the night stars were brighter than I've ever seen them.
This was shoulder season and the camp wasn’t busy, so the prices were rock bottom. The cost for two nights and days and one three hour whale watch trip, along with all of our meals and happy hour each day, came to about $400 US for the two of us. This has got to be one of the best deals on the planet, and it provided the highlight of our trip.
One of Pachico’s sons, Angel, was our guide for whale watching. Once we reached the lagoon, he stayed a bit away from the small cluster of pangas already there. Almost immediately, whales began swimming around our boat and a mother and calf came over and let us pet them!
Pachico’s offers daily whale watching trips, for those not interested in staying on site. There are several formats and prices for short tours or longer ones, with lunch on a beach.
We were sometimes joined by Rudolpho, another son, who has an impressive amount of knowledge of the whales and the area and Anselma, a daughter, who also runs the village store.
A wonderful couple from southern California stayed while we were there. They are guides and boat captains for whale watching off the US coast and work with another Pachico son, Pancho. They went on a watch with Rudolpho and had a great experience. They happened to know a worker/guide at one of the very expensive camps and stopped to visit with her. She said that company’s excursions had not resulted in whale encounters in the past few days, unlike our experiences.
I feel strongly that the whales, who local fishermen such as Angel sometimes know by name, actually recognize the boats and their captains. It only makes sense to go out with people who descend from the whales’ first human “friend,” Pachico Mayoral.
The maximum time with the whales is regulated by law and enforced by an officer on a boat on the lagoon, and is 1.5 hours. Pachico’s tours take about ½ hour to get to the ideal watching spot, but then have that same time with the whales.
Don’t hesitate to book with these wonderful people. If you have questions, ask them. They are honest and fair, and will work with you to create a perfect and affordable trip that you will remember for a lifetime! You leave feeling like members of a...
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