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24296
Online Program

Adventures Online: Gray Whales, Desert & Wine in Mexico

From whales to wine, ragged coastlines to beautiful desert, explore Mexico’s Baja Peninsula from the comfort of your home during this live, online learning adventure!
Rating (5)
Program No. 24296RJ
Length
5 days
Starts at
499
Online Program

Adventures Online: Gray Whales, Desert & Wine in Mexico

From whales to wine, ragged coastlines to beautiful desert, explore Mexico’s Baja Peninsula from the comfort of your home during this live, online learning adventure!
Length
5 days
Starts at
499
Program No. 24296 RJ

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DATES & PRICES

Online Program
Accommodation Details

Learn from the comfort of your own home.

DATES & PRICES

Online Program
Accommodation Details

Learn from the comfort of your own home.

At a Glance

With a dramatic coastline, desert landscapes and even alpine conditions, the Baja Peninsula is like no place else on earth. Discover one of Mexico’s most fascinating regions during this live, online learning adventure that introduces you to the people and wild spaces of Baja, its land and sea. During virtual field trips, get a first-hand look at the viniculture of the Baja region as you explore a local winery with a winemaker, and trace the incredible migration of gray whales during a virtual boat ride in their breeding sanctuaries. Explore the Baja Peninsula from tip to toe during insightful presentations on the region’s unique vegetation, the surrounding seas teeming with life and described as “the aquarium of the world,” UNESCO protected islands, the first indigenous settlers and local conservation projects. Immerse yourself in Mexican culture as you learn new recipes, listen to traditional music, and practice your Spanish vocabulary during interactive sessions that allow you to get to know your fellow Road Scholars.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Trace the annual migration of gray whales and witness their behaviors up close during a virtual boat ride.
  • Learn why the peninsula has attracted adventurers and explorers in search of wealth or peaceful isolation during lectures and a first-hand narration.
  • Enjoy a daily immersion into Mexican culture as you brush up on your Spanish language skills, learn daily recipes, listen to local music and more.

General Notes

You’ll enjoy 2-3 hours of daily instruction, discussion and/or field trips, which includes sufficient breaks throughout the program. This online program is through Zoom, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. We’ll provide a how-to guide to make sure you’ll have a hassle-free experience. This session is offered live only and will not be available on demand. Please review the daily itinerary for start and end times to ensure you won’t miss a minute of this live experience. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
Featured Expert
All Experts
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Artemio Sicilia
Artemio was born in Mexico City but raised in the port city of Ensenada. His active lifestyle includes teaching and tutoring high school and university students in a wide range of subjects, such as Mexican History, Philosophy and ESL, in addition to being a dedicated tourism leader since 1991. He is an avid outdoorsman, certified ocean lifeguard and volunteers as a Senior Scout Troop leader. His inquisitive nature motivates him to continuously learn about new topics and fields. His love for Mexican history and culture has made him an enthusiastic MC for many folkloric events in Ensenada, being instrumental in transmitting and educating the audiences in this form of art.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Artemio Sicilia
Artemio Sicilia View biography
Artemio was born in Mexico City but raised in the port city of Ensenada. His active lifestyle includes teaching and tutoring high school and university students in a wide range of subjects, such as Mexican History, Philosophy and ESL, in addition to being a dedicated tourism leader since 1991. He is an avid outdoorsman, certified ocean lifeguard and volunteers as a Senior Scout Troop leader. His inquisitive nature motivates him to continuously learn about new topics and fields. His love for Mexican history and culture has made him an enthusiastic MC for many folkloric events in Ensenada, being instrumental in transmitting and educating the audiences in this form of art.
Profile Image of Veronica (Luka) Rangel
Veronica (Luka) Rangel View biography
Born in Mexico City, Veronica Luka Rangel adopted Ensenada as her home in 1994 when she settled there to study Oceanography at the State University. Her passion to protect the environment inspired her to continue in the university as an environmental education teacher. Her enthusiasm has helped fuel the development of remote villages in Baja California, organizing cultural and environmental events, as well as participating in summer programs with the Kumeyaay and Paipai native communities.
Profile Image of Graham Mackintosh
Graham Mackintosh View biography
Graham Mackintosh was a lecturer at West Kent College in England before heading off to face the wilds of Baja California in April 1983. Describing himself as the least adventurous person in the world, Mackintosh set out to walk Baja’s beautiful but dangerous coastline, a two-year, 3,000-mile trip. His second large-scale walking adventure took him 1,000 miles down the peninsula’s rugged, mountainous interior. He is the author of Baja travel books including “Into a Desert Place” and has been awarded “Adventurous Traveler of the Year.”
Profile Image of Maria Benitez
Maria Benitez View biography
María Benítez Cantarero was a prominent executive in the United States before she married a Mexican and became a country woman. Looking for new horizons in life, Maria and her husband Joaquin came to the Guadalupe Valley, fell in love with the area, and bought a piece of land. She studied winemaking and built a sustainable winery whose architecture has been applauded and admired as well as the wines. Clos de Tres Cantos is now one of the most recognized wineries of the region.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Almost an Island, Travels in Baja California
by Bruce Berger
A poet and aficionado with an irrepressible sense of humor, Berger combines anecdote, history and research to bring the deserts, towns and eccentric personalities of Baja to life.
Field Guide to the Gray Whale Paperback
by Oceanic Society
This handy 50-page booklet is the first and only practical guide to viewing the biannual migration of gray whales along the Pacific Coast. It includes fascinating information about the natural history and habits of the gray whale as well as maps and directions to whale watching sites from Alaska to Baja. Proceeds of this book help support the Oceanic Society.
Baja, Sea of Cortez Marine Mammal Guide
by Rainforest Publications
A double-sided, laminated field guide illustrating the whales, dolphins and other marine mammals of the Sea of Cortez and Pacific coast of Baja.
Into a Desert Place
by Graham MacKintosh
An Englishman, Mackintosh fell in love with Baja California on a visit and, despite a glaring shortage of both experience and money, determined to walk its entire coast. Into a Desert Place is his account of how he equipped himself, what he saw and learned, and how he survived on this harsh and beautiful journey.
Baja California Plant Field Guide
by Norman C. Roberts, Jon Rebman
We can't imagine a walk through the deserts and islands of Baja California without this book in hand. With hundreds of color photographs illustrating 715 plants of the region, this superb field guide also includes short introductory chapters on vegetation, geology and climate. This expanded third edition was revised by Jon Rebman, botanist at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Eye of the Whale, Epic Passage From Baja to Siberia
by Dick Russell
Epic in scope, this absorbing, first-person account follows the migration of the gray whale from the lagoons along the Pacific coast of Baja to the summer feeding grounds in Alaska.
The Girl of the Sea of Cortez
by Peter Benchley
A heartwarming, eco-conscious novel about a young woman and her sixth-sense for ocean wildlife. Benchley’s protagonist, Paloma, discovers a secret ocean animal in a sea full of beauty, danger and adventure. First published in 1983.
The Log from the Sea of Cortez
by John Steinbeck
The classic account of a collecting trip to the Sea of Cortez with marine biologist Ed Ricketts, first published in 1941. Subtitled "A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research," this much-loved book captures the wonders of the Gulf of California and the joys of discovery.
The Whales Know, Travels Along the Baja California Peninsula
by Pina Cacucci
A humorous and humble travelogue by writer-explorer Cacucci. He travels the length of Baja California revisiting sites seen by John Steinbeck, but becomes enamored with all things whale.
Roadside Geology and Biology of Baja California, 2nd Edition
by John Minch,Jason Minch
The book is written for the enjoyment of the average person who has little or no training but has an interest in the natural surroundings and almost unique geology and biology of the Baja California Peninsula. It will provide for your enjoyment as you travel along Baja's highways. The road logs provide kilometer-by-kilometer information on the roadside geology and biology of the highways, introducing you to this magnificent place in a way that can be easily understood.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.