Between the ocean and desert landscapes is a protected reserve that was once home to tribespeople and is now inhabited by varied wildlife.
Flora and fauna flourish in San Jose’s Estuary and Bird Sanctuary (Estero San José), an oasis nestled amid the luxury hotels and golf courses of a bustling resort city. Go walking in this 346-acre (140-hectare) wetlands area, where the freshwater from the mountains meets with the Sea of Cortez to create a special ecosystem. Visit San Jose’s Estuary and Bird Sanctuary to see where the oldest ancestors of Los Cabos, the Pericú people, first settled and lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
Due to its protected status, Estero San José is free from vehicles motorized transit is prohibited in the reserve. Get up close to the natural riches while walking along both paved and natural trails. Note how streams weave around areas of lush vegetation before emptying into a lagoon, separated from the sea by a strip of golden sand. See numerous plants species such as cattail, date palm, fan palm and ragweed.
Hundreds of animals call the estuary home, many of which are endemic and endangered birds. Observe egrets, herons, hooded orioles, flycatchers and pelicans. The rare least Bell’s vireo migrates here in winter and it is an important nesting site for the least tern. Amphibians and turtles are among the aquatic animals commonly seen.
Stroll along Estero beach, where you can witness the seawater flow into the lagoon. Several of the city’s tour operators organize horseback riding excursions on the beach. To the north, the beach connects with Puerto Los Cabos Marina and to the south it converges with the coastline of the Zona Hotelera.
Access to the northern section of the reserve is only a 10-minute walk from Plaza Mijares and Downtown San José del Cabo. Free parking is available at the northern end of Paseo Malecon San Jose, in the Zona Hotelera.
San Jose’s Estuary and Bird Sanctuary is open daily and admission is free. There’s minimal shade here, so consider visiting late in the afternoon to avoid high temperatures and bring drinking water with you.
