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BAHIA MAGDALENA, Mexico — The golden moment in whale watching is when the whales turn the tables and become people watchers.

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To the delight of its passengers, a curious gray whale approaches a Zodiac from the National Geographic Sea Bird during a Lindblad expedition to Baja California in Mexico.

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But, sometimes, you pay the price.

Kathryn Winter of Chicago was one of the passengers in a Zodiac following a gray whale and its calf in Bahia Magdalena when the mother approached her admirers. The curious whale drew up to the boat, within reach of the outstretched arms.

“I leaned out and was petting her,” Winter said. “She was really soft, like there was a bit of foam rubber underneath all the barnacles.”

Then, the mother did what whales do when they surface — she exhaled a salty blast from her dual blowholes, soaking Winter and everyone else in the rubber raft.

“Who knew she was going to sneeze?” said another of the passengers, brandishing a waterlogged camera.

Our eight-day excursion with Lindblad Expeditions aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird was titled “Baja California: Among the Great Whales.” Indeed, blue whales, humpbacks, pilot black whales, orcas and gray whales were the stars, with a supporting cast of dolphins, sea lions, pelicans and other ocean creatures.

Prices for the trip range from $4,620 to $7,560, according to accommodations, and include round-trip airfare from Los Angeles to La Paz. Departures are in January, February and March, when the whales visit Mexico.

Lindblad, one of the world’s top eco-tourism companies, has teamed up with National Geographic to offer trips to the planet’s most interesting places, covering the globe from the Arctic to Antarctica. The 200 or so islands off Baja California in the Pacific and Sea of Cortez are known as Mexico’s Galapagos because of the evolutionary treasures found there.

Isolated for a few million years, uninhabited because of a lack of fresh water and surrounded by nutrient-rich seas, the islands boast the largest number of endemic species in North America: bats, lizards, rattlesnakes, jackrabbits, squirrels, plants and insects found nowhere else in the world. Because of their rare inhabitants, the islands are protected. You need a permit to walk them, and marine reserves surround many of them.

Lindblad offers voyages on 12 ships, including the new National Geographic Explorer, an ice-class vessel that can navigate polar passages. The Sea Bird and its sister ship, the Sea Lion, have 31 outside cabins that can hold 62 guests.

While comfortable, the Sea Bird would not be mistaken for a splashy cruise ship. No disco, no ice rink, no swimming pools, not even a hot tub, although a masseuse was on board. It had one thing in common with the larger ships: Plenty of good food, with desserts beginning at breakfast and continuing throughout the day.

But Lindblad attracts a clientele eager to walk off those extra calories. Most are 50 or older, many are repeat cruisers with Lindblad, and all enjoy exploring the natural world. They hiked on every island and signed up when snorkeling was offered, although the water was 66 degrees, chilly even with the wetsuits provided.

After two days of watching gray whales in Bahia Magdalena, we headed by bus across the peninsula to La Paz, where our voyage had started. Our only touch with civilization had been a brief visit to San Jose del Cabo, which retains some of its small-town charm and has a walkway along a wetlands filled with coots, grebes, osprey and frigatebirds. One evening was spent at a beach barbecue; on anotherat Land’s End, the scenic tip of the peninsula at Cabo San Lucas, the former fishing village turned mega-resort that docks up to six cruise ships a day. The timing was perfect. The sun was glowing orange through El Arco, the arch cut in the cliff above the water.

IF YOU GO

LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS: The company offers cruises all over the world. Call 1-800-397-3348 or visit www.expeditions.com.

ON BOARD: Dress is casual. There is no assigned seating for meals. The lounge has a cash bar, and wine is served with dinner. Tipping is at your discretion, and gratuities are divided evenly among the crew members.

CONSERVATION IN BAJA: Guests who donate $250 or more get a travel voucher for $250 toward any future Lindblad trip. Couples can receive two vouchers for a contribution of $500 or more. Each donation is matched dollar-for-dollar by the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and by the Packard Foundation.