Orcas in the Sea of Cortez

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SEASONS

April – August

5, 7, 10 night adventures

TYPES OF ADVENTURES

Liveaboard safari boat diving

PRICING (pp. dbl occ.)

From US$2,995

Destination Overview

Orcas in the Sea of Cortez

Multiple pods of orcas (killer whales) visit the Sea of Cortez every spring and summer. Unlike almost anywhere else in the world, these magnificent apex predators choose to interact with us. Orcas are actually present year-round, but we start seeing a lot more of them in January, with peak sightings in July and August, with up to 20 days of orca sightings in each of those months. Our spotter airplane and crew are up in the air 4 or 5 days a week during in-season, giving us a unique “eye in the sky” for our 2 best hotspots—or orca cafes, as we call them—at Cerralvo Island and up north by Isla San Jose. Of course, orcas don’t just hang out at their favourite cafe but can be found almost anywhere.

Special feature during this season: joyful, jumping and flying mobula rays are residents. Massive schools of mobulas from the end of March through early July. Getting in the water with one of these massive schools of 4 to 5 ft rays is a truly special experience.

Mobula Madness Video

Typical Itinerary

Fly into SJD. Cabo. Expedition yacht might leave from Cabo or La Paz. Sailing catamaran leaves from La Paz.

Day 1

Our Nautilus owned SeeCreatures is located near the harbour in downtown Cabo San Lucas and is your home away from home. We encourage you to fly in early and allow us to arrange for some local diving. Your trip includes a complimentary photo lesson at 1:00pm. Our photo pros will coach you on how to get that perfect underwater image, help set up, service or repair your camera gear, and assist with camera rentals. You are welcome to drop your bags off and check-in whenever it’s most convenient. We ask that you please check-in at SeeCreatures Cabo by 4:30pm latest for your complimentary coach transfer to La Paz, where our hosties will be waiting on the back deck for you with trays of margaritas and champagne.

This trip is predominantly focused on snorkelling and freediving, however if you would like to dive we have rental gear available at SeeCreatures before boarding, or you can bring your own gear.

Days 2 – 7

We have our own spotter airplane with 2-person crew, flying up to 2 missions a day / 6 days a week. Our new Citabria is the perfect plane for this mission, flying as low as an ultralight for enhanced observation, with speed to scout north to Loreto national park and south to Cabo, providing the best coverage. Our pilot and naturalist/observer specialize in finding marine animals and are the very best in the business. They have one goal in mind: to maximize your encounters with the animals.

You might have heard that the best place to find the mobulas is in the triangle between Espiritu Santo, Carpenter Rock on the west side of Cerralvo, and Las Ventanas on Baja and, well, this might have been true in the days before our spotter aircraft. Our Citabria aircraft working in tandem with our expedition yacht and high speed RHIB changes the calculus on this completely. We are finding animals like never before and will take you to where a mama blue whale and calf might be waiting for you, or humpback whales, whale sharks, cow nose rays, and hundreds of dolphins. Be patient, as it might take ten splashes for the mobulas to allow snorkelers and freedivers into the middle of the pack, but you’ll be rewarded with truly spectacular encounters.

Your day might start with a dive or snorkel with typical RHIB missions heading out at 11am after the local Corumuel wind lies down making it easier to critter spot. Our RHIB, or high-speed skiff, carries 12 guests, so everyone is welcome onboard at the same time.

After a delicious lunch on deck, we’ll head back out on the water in the afternoon. We will keep our support boat running as late as anyone wants up until dusk. You will get plenty of time in the water.

Your ship will always be close by. Take a break whenever you want and relax on the sundeck with a good book or soaking in the hot tub. We also have kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

In the evening, you’ll have the chance to see the mobula rays in a different light. Literally. There will be the opportunity to go snorkeling at night in a calm, protected bay, where we will suspend lights off the bottom of the boat to attract swarms of mobulas. The mobulas come in to feed on the plankton exposed by the lights, providing a spectacular show against the inky ocean. If you’re a certified diver with your own gear, we can also arrange for you to go night diving.

The highlight of any trip is if we spot the black fins of orcas slicing through the water. All interactions are conducted in compliance with the laws and regulations of Mexico. For our diving friends, bring your dive gear, and we will be sure to get you some splashes on local dive sites.

Day 8

Morning breakfast. Disembark at 8:30 am in La Paz and complimentary transfer back to either SeeCreatures Cabo San Lucas or SJD Airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will we see orcas on these trips?

Maybe. We hope so. The iconic creature on these adventures is the orca, also known as the killer whale. The sight of those sleek black dorsal fins slicing through the water when the orcas make an appearance is truly unforgettable. With a combined experience of over 80 years between Baja Expeditions and Nautilus, we have had the privilege of respectfully interacting with these magnificent creatures, from the chilly waters of Alaska to Roca Partida and Socorro Island further south. Any interaction is always done in full compliance with the laws of Mexico.

Are orcas guaranteed?

No. We are confident that you will have great encounters with schools of mobula rays, California sea lions, mega pods of bottlenose dolphins, and much more. We will be on the lookout for sperm whales, fin whales, pseudorcas, pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins, and the super-acrobatic spinner dolphins. We find whale sharks on almost every trip. You can be sure that when we receive reports of any sightings, we will check them out as soon as possible with our spotter airplane, dispatch our fast boats in that direction, and if needed, travel overnight on your liveaboard to position ourselves where we think the orcas will be the next day.

When will we be able to get in the water?

Most snorkelling and freediving will be done either from our 32-foot-high speed aluminum hulled “zodiac style” RHIB or even from the large water level platform at the stern (that’s the back end) of your yacht. You can count on a couple of evening snorkels in a quiet bay with underwater lights and, hopefully, swarming mobulas. But you can spend as much time as you want in the water.

What other wildlife will we see?

We’ll be on the lookout for large pods of dolphins and of course, you will have the opportunity to jump with those guys as well. To be frank, you never quite know what amazing animals you might see in the Sea of Cortez and we’ll be keeping a sharp lookout for sperm and fin whales and whale sharks. Noting that the famous whale shark conservation area at Mogote is closed to visitors at this time of year.

What is included in the trip?

Accommodation, all meals (continental breakfast, breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert), non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, daily room service, towels and onboard facilities such as the hot tub and lounge… and lots of fun!

See What Guests Have Said

What Guests Have to Say About Mobulas & Orcas

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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