Combo: Whales, Mobulas, Orcas + Ultimate Whale Sharks
Two trips. One extraordinary journey.
There’s a short window each year — July and August — when the ocean safari season overlaps with the biggest whale shark aggregation in the Sea of Cortez. This trip turns these two world-class expeditions into one epic adventure.
You’ll travel by liveaboard, waking each morning in a new anchorage somewhere wild and beautiful. In the southern Sea, we’ll visit marine life hotspots like Cerralvo Island, Isla Espíritu Santo, and the San José Channel, where at this time of year waters come alive with schools of mobula rays, orcas hunting through the channel, mega-pods of dolphins, and more.
From there, the expedition heads north into rarely visited waters. Las Animas offers snorkeling through coral-lined walls and rocky reefs alive with colorful tropical fish and playful sea lions — hammerhead sharks are sometimes spotted in the deeper waters. There are opportunities to go ashore on remote islands like Isla San Ildefonso and Isla San Pedro Mártir, the most remote island in the Sea of Cortez and home to the world’s largest colony of blue-footed boobies. Throughout these waters, watch for finback whales, sperm whales, and pilot whales.
Then comes the finale: whale sharks in Bahía de Los Ángeles. This protected marine reserve is one of the most secluded bays in Mexico, with up to 220 friendly and curious whale sharks visiting every season. You can snorkel alongside the world’s largest fish in a bay so isolated it often feels like you have it to yourselves.
Days are spent in the water and exploring remote islands — snorkeling, freediving, kayaking, paddleboarding — guided by naturalists who bring depth to every experience. This is a liveaboard expedition built around the kind of encounters that are hard to find elsewhere — and nearly impossible to experience together in a single trip.
Combo: Whales, Mobulas, Orcas + Ultimate Whale Sharks
What wildlife can you see in the Sea of Cortez?
The Sea of Cortez is one of the most biologically rich bodies of water on the planet — and this expedition offers you more marine life than almost any other expedition out there.
Dolphins are regular companions in these waters, showing up almost daily racing the bow, and leaping from the water. California sea lions are equally at home around visitors, curious, agile, and endlessly entertaining.
Keep an eye on the horizon for some of the ocean’s greatest giants: Bryde’s whales, sperm whales, fin, pilot, and false killer whales.
Highlights of the southern Sea of Cortez
Mobula rays gather in vast schools, up to tens of thousands strong, during spring and early summer (March-June), creating one of nature’s greatest spectacles. While the massive aggregations taper by mid-summer smaller groups and individual rays can still be encountered throughout.
Orcas, often called killer whales, are highly intelligent, deeply social, and extraordinarily powerful apex predators. The Sea of Cortez is home to multiple family pods traveling in tight-knit groups, known to hunt mobula rays, fish, and other marine mammals. Watching a coordinated hunt unfold in real time is one of the most raw and extraordinary things the ocean can offer. They move on their own schedule and can cover enormous distances overnight — here one morning, gone by noon — which only adds to the wonder of a sighting.
Further north, the marine life shifts character
Vibrant coral reefs full of life from schooling jacks, moray eels, and rays, to tuna and hammerhead sharks (late spring through autumn).
Sea lions & black coral walls are highlights at Isla San Pedro Mártir. The nutrient-rich waters draw extraordinary concentrations of life — black coral walls, gorgonian gardens, and curious sea lions underwater, while the world’s largest colony of blue-footed boobies nests on the cliffs above.
Whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world, gather in large numbers in the protected waters of Bahía de Los Ángeles.
Can we guarantee sightings?
Honestly? No — and with decades of experience in these waters, we’d never pretend otherwise. What we can do is put you in the right place at the right time, with guides and captains who know these waters inside out. We note animal movements, follow the conditions, and make smart calls in real time. The rest is up to nature. No feeding schedules, no glass panels, no guarantees. These are wild animals in a wild ocean.
Respectful marine life encounters
Expert naturalist guides lead all wildlife experiences and operate in full compliance with Mexican marine wildlife regulations — ensuring every encounter is safe, respectful, and deeply memorable.
Our eye in the sky
We collaborate with a year-round research plane over the Sea of Cortez, providing scientists with real-time wildlife observations to support conservation efforts.
Possible wildlife sightings:
- Mobula rays
- Whale sharks
- California sea lions
- Fin, sperm, pilot & Bryde’s whales (occasional)
- Huge schools of fish
- Migratory and resident birds
- Mega pods of dolphins
- Orcas & more!
Ocean safaris, guided adventures & island explorations
Every day is shaped by the ocean with expert naturalist guides leading the way throughout. Each morning, they’ll set the course based on conditions, what the animals have been doing and where the action is.
Snorkeling and freediving are at the heart of this trip — from sea lion colonies and mobula migrations in the south, to hammerhead territory at Las Ánimas and the whale sharks of Bahía de Los Ángeles in the north.
The water is warm, clear, and full of life, and you can get in as much or as little as you like. Snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards are available at any time. Outside of the water, explore dramatic landscapes up close with naturalist-led desert hikes and beach walks.
We’ll also do our best to get you ashore on Isla San Pedro Mártir — we are fully permitted to land, which is a rare privilege, though conditions and sea lions on the beach have the final say on the day.
All water activities are supported by a high-speed RHIB — keeping the group safe and ready to move the moment something interesting appears on the horizon.
Highlights include:
- Ocean safaris
- Beach & nature walks
- Snorkeling & freediving
- Desert hikes
- Kayaking & paddleboarding
- Birdwatching
Your home at sea
Life on board
These expeditions are based on large ocean-going liveaboard vessels operated by Nautilus Adventures — your home at sea for the adventure. The daily action happens from smaller, fast support boats designed to get you quickly to the wildlife hotspots, while the mothership handles everything else: comfort, food, and a good night’s rest.
While you sleep, your ship repositions — so every morning you wake up somewhere new, ready for whatever lies ahead. Life on board quickly finds its own rhythm: activities, fresh meals, time to relax, more activities, and then the kind of sleep that only comes after a full day on the water.
Nautilus Adventures is the only liveaboard operator in the world with a certified ISM safety management system — audited annually to the same standards as the world’s largest cruise ships. In short, safety is taken seriously. A full briefing and practice drill on day two means you’ll always know exactly what to do — and can spend the rest of the trip focused on the water.
A Note on Our Partnership
We at Baja Expeditions operate our own naturalist-led group — limited to 8 guests — focused on snorkeling, freediving, and surface activities, with a dedicated fast-boat for our daily excursions. We partner with our sister company Nautilus Adventures, who provides the mothership and also runs a parallel scuba diving group with their own dive guides and fast boat. Both groups travel together on the same vessel exploring the same waters — we simply offer different activity itineraries.
The Nautilus Explorer is a sturdy and well-appointed custom-built 132-foot vessel, designed for comfortable open ocean voyages. She accommodates up to 25 guests across 13 en-suite cabins, ranging from cosy lower deck staterooms to generous suites with large windows — and a premium suite with a lounge and full-size bathtub. All cabins are air-conditioned with private bathrooms.
The main salon and dining room are framed by beautiful large windows with million-dollar views — a great place to unwind, eat well, and watch the stunning Baja scenery go by. The sun deck has plenty of seating for everyone, a freshwater hot tub, and a huge water-level platform that puts you as close to the ocean as you can get without actually being in it.
Explore the Nautilus Explorer- 10 nights’ accommodation on a liveaboard
- Scheduled group transfers
- All core activities & necessary equipment
- All meals and snacks
- Non-alcoholic drinks
- Naturalist guides and expert crew
- Alcoholic beverages and bar
- Gift shop items
- Internet access ($85 per device, per trip)
- Crew gratuities
- Port fee (US$ 35 pp payable in cash onboard)
Explore the Sea of Cortez: your expedition itinerary
Two Options Depending on Marine Life
Your itinerary is shaped by the ocean, not the other way around. If the ocean safari action is firing in the south, we start there. If the animals suggest heading north first, that’s exactly what we do — saving the best of the south for the back half of the trip. Flexibility is the whole point.
Meet at SeeCreatures Cabo at 4:30 pm for the short transfer to La Paz, where your ship and crew are waiting to welcome you — cold champagne, a warm dinner, and the Sea of Cortez ahead.
Lookout for orcas and other big animals in the southern Sea of Cortez.
Isla Las Ánimas: Our best chance of hammerhead sharks in the Sea of Cortez + sea lions.
Bahía de Loreto National Park: Amazing snorkeling, vibrant reefs, schooling fish, turtles, macro life.
Isla San Pedro Mártir (1 or 2 days): Part of the Midriff Archipelago. Healthy reefs, black coral beds, playful sea lions everywhere, cactus-covered hills, massive colonies of blue-footed boobies.
Bahía de Los Ángeles: All day with this summer aggregation of whale sharks.
Sea day running south with aerial support, be on the lookout for sperm whales, pilot and fin back whales and orcas at our secret hot spots.
8:30 am disembark La Paz after breakfast. Complimentary transfers to SJD or SeeCreatures Cabo.
Combo: Whales, Mobulas, Orcas + Ultimate Whale Sharks
All prices are in US dollars
Trip Details
Weather
The Sea of Cortez is mostly calm this time of year. We will be traversing a lot of areas with regional variations in water temperature and wind. We will likely see water temps ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. It can be very hot during the day, but this is not a problem with air conditioning on board. Comfort on board is ensured, with lots of water activities and shore activities generally scheduled for the first thing in the morning or late in the day when the temperatures are cooler. One of the coolest things about these trips is that, unlike open ocean expeditions, the waters are quite smooth, and there may be very little or no movement on the boat for days at a time.
the Whale Sharks
The whale sharks aggregate in the estuary at the south end of Bahia de Los Angeles, which is a protected reserve in a CONANP national park. Interaction with the whale sharks is by snorkelling only; no diving is allowed. Visibility is typically 30 to 40 feet in the area where the whale sharks gather. Depending on the group’s interest, there will either be a morning session with the whale sharks or two opportunities, morning and afternoon, to get in the water with the animals. We work together with the local dive operator, using his pangas and captains for the actual whale shark interaction. We always reserve our trips with him ahead of time, but this is a small place in the middle of nowhere, and Ricardo and his team are not always available when booked. We always get our guests in the water, but there are sometimes delays.
Airplane Support
Our spotter airplane will be on patrol at least two days a week during your trip and in constant contact with the ship’s captain as they search out animals of interest. Your pilot and observer on “Scout” are our secret weapon in locating finback and sperm whales, solitary whale sharks off by themselves, orcas if they are in the area, mega pods of dolphins, and much more. Please note that flights are always subject to weather and mechanical limitations.
Divers
Approximately 15 dives plus 1 day swimming with whale sharks and hopefully additional snorkelling with cetaceans. A 5mm wetsuit is recommended at the start of the season in July, while a 3mm wetsuit will likely be fine from August onwards. Our SeeCreatures ocean activities centers are located in Cabo San Lucas and La Paz to support whatever you need from discounted pre-trip adventures including day trips to Cabo Pulmo and Gorda Banks to photography workshops to wetsuit, gear and GoPro rentals. On our Sea of Cortez adventures, there’s usually the opportunity for several night dives noting that the half day or day that we spend with the whale sharks is a snorkelling opportunity rather than scuba diving. There is no minimum experience level required for this trip, but all divers need to have buoyancy control and other skills required for open water certification. We will have dive guides in the water on all dives to assist our guests.
Orcas (Killer Whales)
3 different pods of killer whales spend time in the southern Sea of Cortez. Sometimes we see them up north. In February 2024, a pod of orcas took down a giant blue whale off Mulege right at one of our hot spots. This was a super sad event for us but it made history. We see the most orcas from Isla San Jose south to Cabo Pulmo which is the area in which we will be concentrating our search assisted by a network of local spotters and supported by our aircraft. The super cool thing about this population of orcas is that they are often very curious about snorkelers and free divers in the water and will choose to engage on their own terms. This is very unusual orca behaviour almost unique in the world.
Paddlers and Paddleboarders
Self-reliant paddlers and paddleboarders are welcome to head off on their own, subject to safety restrictions. Please let us know your experience and kayak preference well before departure. We have both single and two-person kayaks available. We have very high-end Seaward ocean touring kayaks that are very fast, but a little bit tipsy, and too delicate to be hauled up on rock beaches or alternatively, we have some high-quality plastic touring kayaks that are a bit more stable and much tougher. We can arrange a guide for a minimum group size of six or a custom guide can be requested by prior arrangement.
For Those Interested in the Adventure
Come and join us! There will be opportunities to go ashore, hike in the desert, and we will do our best to arrange a tour to view cave paintings. You’ll also have the chance to snorkel with whale sharks, and most likely go ashore on remote Isla San Pedro Martir, home to one of the largest populations of blue-footed and brown booby birds in the world. Additionally, you can snorkel with sea lions, jump in the water with a pod of dolphins, try your hand at kayaking or paddleboarding in North America, climb the Ridgeline on Isla San Francisco, enjoy beach walks, hike through the desert, and much more.
Safety
Safety, excellence in guest experience, and the happiness of our guests are the cornerstones of our operations. Nothing is more important than your safety. At Nautilus and Baja Expeditions, we are proud to be the only operation in the world with ISM certification and external annual audit of our safety management system. This is the same certification that the largest cruise ships on the oceans hold. We strictly adhere to written processes, procedures, and protocols, and our captain and crew are trained into both initially, and with annual recurrent training. Every activity starts with a briefing on a whiteboard on board. All divers must be equipped with an SMB and dive alert, which we provide as needed. Any guest participating in water activities must be equipped with a Nautilus Lifeline, emergency radio, and GPS device. We carry AEDs and extensive medical kits with a contract medical officer available to receive our sophisticated satellite communication system.
What do I need to pack?
Personal toiletries. Dive gear (or travel light and use our rental gear). Summer wear, noting that nights will be cooler. It can be very hot in the desert this time of year. Sunscreen (reef-safe sunscreen will be available on board with our compliments), towels, bed linen, soap, and shampoo are provided on board.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, and it must be valid six months from entry date.
Do I need to obtain a visa ahead of time?
Only for a very limited number of countries. Please check the requirements for your country.
Do I need insurance?
Guests are required to have medical evacuation insurance from a recognized provider before participating in any of our activities. Click here.to purchase coverage. We highly recommend the provider suggested, as they are reliable and reasonably priced. Other providers may not offer the same reliability. We also recommend trip interruption insurance for coverage of canceled flights, weather delays, lost baggage, and reimbursement due to medical issues of other guests.
What airport do I fly into?
SJD Los Cabos International has convenient and nonstop connections to many cities. Flying into LAP La Paz is also possible.
When should I fly in?
Trips are planned for guests to fly in and go straight to SeeCreatures for check-in before boarding the ship later. Flying in several days early is recommended to enjoy pre-trip extensions.
How do I get from SJD into town?
Recommended airport transfer provider: Sealine Cabo transfers. Contact: Martin at mmoreno@sealinecabotransfers.com. Alternative: Miguel from Fara Nuevo. Contact: mfc249@gmail.com, Phone: +52 (624) 141 6254.
How do I get from LAP into town?
Pick-up can be arranged. Contact the concierge: concierge@nautilusdive.com.
Can you recommend a local hotel?
Yes. Discounted rates available for Nautilus and Baja Expeditions guests. Contact concierge: Phone: +1 (604) 241-1918 (ask for Daniela or Maria), WhatsApp: +1 (604) 360-9400, Email: concierge@nautilusdive.com.
What is NOT included in the trip price?
Bar, gift shop, high-speed internet, rentals, nitrox, crew gratuities. A $35 port fee must be paid in cash at the end of the trip.
Do you have a storm policy?
Trip interruption insurance is highly recommended.
Where do we meet our boat?
At SeeCreatures Cabo San Lucas, Calle Miguel Hidalgo 10, Centro CSL, C.P. 23450, Cabo San Lucas, BCS. Open 8 AM – 5 PM, later on boarding days. Guests are encouraged to check in early, drop off luggage, and explore town.
Are you joining us in Cabo?
Be at SeeCreatures Cabo by 4:30 PM for transfer to La Paz.
Are you joining us in La Paz directly?
Contact concierge to confirm the meeting place and time.
Can you help me get dive certified before the trip?
Yes, SeeCreatures offers diving courses.
Can I get nitrox certified before we leave on the ship?
Yes, this is a one-day course at SeeCreatures.
Will I need to show proof of insurance, and if I'm a diver, a dive certification card before boarding?
Yes.
Will I get seasick on this trip?
The Sea of Cortez is usually calm. For seasickness concerns, the scopolamine patch is recommended. Ships are stabilized.
How much experience do I need if I'm a diver?
No experience required. Non-certified guests can take a discover scuba experience. Experienced divers can dive independently, except in national parks where a guide is required. Dive guides are always available.
Are the boats camera-friendly?
Yes! Housed GoPros available for rent. Complimentary photo workshop at 1 PM before each departure in Cabo.
What time do we arrive back in port?
Ships return to La Paz, with included transfer to SeeCreatures Cabo San Lucas or SJD Airport. Usually in port by 8 AM, disembarking by 8:30 AM. Recommended outward flight: 2:00 PM or later.
Can you accommodate special dietary requests?
Yes, with advance notice. Options include vegetarian, vegan, lactose-intolerant, gluten-free, low sugar, quasi-kosher, and quasi-halal. Other special dietary needs may not be accommodated.
Our pre trip information package covers everything from boarding instructions to what to pack and general trip details. Please review it carefully for the most up to date information about your upcoming adventure.
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