Ultimate Combo
Orcas, Mobulas, Whale Sharks

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SEASONS

Jul 7 – Jul 16, 2024

TYPES OF ADVENTURES

Liveaboard safari boat diving

PRICING (pp. dbl occ.)

From US$3,295

Destination Overview

Ultimate Combo – Orcas, Mobulas, Whale Sharks

Whale sharks!! Who doesn’t want to swim with whale sharks, especially when there are lots of them to see in a deserted bay and national park deep into the reaches of the Sea of Cortez. Bahia de Los Angeles is a truly special place, with up to 220 friendly and curious whale sharks visiting every season, nestled deep in the reaches of the Sea of Cortez and best accessed by a liveaboard dive ship and Nautilus. Friendly and curious whale sharks?? Yes, indeed. There are so few boats around that these whale sharks behave very differently around humans than in any other place.

The only thing that could make this adventure even more special is a unique trip overlapping 2 seasons in July combining mobula rays / orcas / whale sharks with spotter airplane support. So, break out the good china, sign up for a trip, and join us for a very special 10 day / 9 night ultimate whale expedition this summer.

This adventure combines some of the best diving in the Sea of Cortez supported by our spotter airplane with a large seasonal gathering of whale sharks in a deserted bay in the middle of nowhere. This summer gathering of whale sharks is legendary in Baja. Between 80 and 220 whale sharks have been identified during May to October. Bonus is all the other big critters in the Sea of Cortez this time of year. We will be keeping a sharp lookout for orcas, pilot whales, sperm whales and finback whales, as well as going ashore on a desert island with the largest population of blue-footed boobies in the world.

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Sample Itinerary

Fly into SJD Los Cabo or your option, LAP.

Day 1

Meet at SeeCreatures Cabo. Afternoon board your liveaboard and depart for cocktails, dinner, and a sunset cruise into the Sea of Cortez.

Day 2

Wake up in a bay close to Cerralvo Island loaded with aggregating mobula rays. Huge schools of these beautiful rays gather overnight and through 9 or 10 o’clock in the morning and we recommend an early start to the day to get the best in-water experience with the rays. We will likely spend the afternoon diving or snorkelling La Reyna.

Day 3

Espiritu Santo Unesco World Heritage site and national park.

Day 4

Wake up at Las Animas for some great diving or snorkelling with sea lions and our best chance to see hammerhead sharks.

Day 5

Wake up in the Loreto National Park. We’ll likely start with a wreck dive and then some of our favourite sites around Carmen Island, or something equally fun depending on the animals and weather. Our spotter airplane will be out scouting for interesting critters in the area.

Day 6

Wake up at Isla San Pedro Martir, the jewel of the Sea of Cortez. Experience everything from black coral and interacting with sea lions to great diving to and going ashore to exploring this desert island, under one of the very few permits ever issued. We will be at anchor tonight.

Day 7

Another day exploring San Pedro Martir.

Day 8

Bahia de Los Angeles. Yes, we can go diving if you want, but this is our chance to spend the day swimming and snorkelling with whale sharks in splendid isolation. With a bit of luck, we will have the whale sharks to ourselves. These whale sharks are often interested in human watching and can become quite friendly with us.

Day 9

Sea day transiting home. BUT we will be detouring right through the “sweet spot” we discovered. There are good upwellings in this area, and with the help of our spotter airplane and crew on the top deck glued to their binoculars, we have had good luck with both sperm whales and pilot whales, and sometimes even orcas.

Day 10

Breakfast. Disembark in La Paz by 8:30 am. Transfer to SJD or SeeCreatures Cabo, or stick around and let’s go on another adventure.

See What Guests Have Said

What Guests Have to Say About Orcas in the Sea of Cortez

We were in the Water with Orcas!
There are few words to describe todays adventure. We were in the water with Orcas!! They were curious about us and kept circling back to check us out. Read full review
Kelley, onboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady

Amazing Mobula and Orca Trip on the Nautilus Gallant Lady
My mom and I are just finishing up a week of snorkeling with mobula rays and orcas in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico with the crew of the Gallant Lady and it was absolutely the trip of a lifetime and exceeded all expectations. Read full review
Connie, California onboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady

Did Someone Say Orca?
WHAT A CHANCE OF A LIFETIME THAT WAS. An opportunity came up with some friends to go snorkeling and swim with mobulas and orcas who came in the open ocean of the Sea of Cortez. Read full review
Stephanie, California onboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady

Underwater with One of the Most Iconic Orca Families of the Population Found in Baja
On the first day of the trip, the first open ocean safari, seven orcas! No words! Read full review
David Serradell, In-house Photographer.

Operated For Safety

Safety is a very serious business. Mother Ocean can be capricious and unforgiving. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and you should expect and demand no less. In our view, every dive boat should be operated within a certified ISM safety management system, outfitted with sprinklers, emergency smoke hoods for everybody and the same safety, fire, life saving equipment and radios as the largest cruise ships. Captains, mates and engineers should have professional commercial mariner qualifications and all crew should have STCW professional mariner certification. Safety is not something to publish in a brochure. It’s part of our DNA. A cornerstone of our culture. Something that we have been living by for every day of the last 30 years.

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