Immerse Yourself in the Sea of Cortez
SEASONS
January – July: Peak Animals
Mid-July – November: Peak Diving
September – March: Most Popular
TYPES OF ADVENTURES
Liveaboard, Yacht Charters, Ocean Safaris
Base Camp, Day Trips
PRICING (pp. dbl occ.)
Mobulas & Orcas: From US$4,150
Ultimate Whale Sharks: From US$2,795
Loreto Great Circle Trip: From US$2,395
5 Night Get-Away Trip: From US$1,795
Destination Overview
The Sea of Cortez is Vibrant with Life
The Sea of Cortez is loaded with life from huge pods of inquisitive dolphins, sharks, giant whale sharks, friendly sea lions, mobula rays, cow nose rays, sperm whales, swirling tornadoes of fish and sometimes even Manta Rays. Whales of all descriptions visit over the winter and into spring. Huge squadrons of mobula rays numbering upwards of 100,000 aggregate every spring, orcas have been frequent visitors over the last several years. Also, hammerhead sharks migrate into the sea in May and stay until early winter.
Easy Non-Stop Flights to Cabo San Lucas
We are closer than you think. Over 30 major airports around the world have direct non-stop flights to Cabo San Lucas (SJD). With seamless La Paz transfers included on all multi-day adventures. It’s never been so easy to get to the Sea of Cortez and Baja!
Nautilus Scout
Nautilus Scout – Spotter Airplane
Crewed by our own pilot and naturalist, Nautilus Scout will be up in the air 5 to 6 days a week, often on 2 missions a day between May – August, to maximize our guests experience and guide them towards the most interesting marine life including some really BIG animals. Blue whales, giant pregnant whale sharks, orcas and huge schools of mobula rays being our speciality.
Mobulas & Orcas Adventure
Mobulas & Orcas Ocean Adventures
We have you covered with mobulas & orcas. Whether you want to get an early start on an Ocean Safari, or join a liveaboard trip on our 116-ft expedition yacht or try something really exceptional and enjoy a luxury sailing yacht charter with family or small group of friends. We know exactly how to get you onto the schooling mobulas and much more.
Yacht Charters – Available
Liveaboard – from US$4,150 pp.
Huge Schools of Mobula Rays and the Possibility of Orcas. Spotter Airplane Supported!
The Sea of Cortez is a magical and wonderful place teeming with marine creatures of all sizes. Our guests encounter and interact year-round with friendly California sea lions and mega pods of bottlenose dolphins. If we are lucky, we might also encounter spinner and Risso’s dolphins. Mobula rays are present year-round and aggregate in enormous schools from March through July. Colossal fin whales (second in size only to blue whales), sperm whales, rays, and whale sharks are present year-round and migrate seasonally up and down the Sea of Cortez. Pilot whales, pseudo orcas, and minke whales are also known to migrate in the area, although they are less commonly seen.
Humpback whales, including mothers and calves, arrive in December and January, while giant blue whales and their babies are present from the end of January through April. Thanks to our extensive local knowledge and aerial patrols, we provide the best opportunities for encounters, which are always conducted with the utmost respect and only on the animals’ own terms. It’s entirely their choice to swim over and check us out.
Divers with abundant experience agree that the vast schools of fish witnessed by our divers, snorkelers, and swimmers create the most densely packed fish tornadoes seen anywhere in the world. Hammerhead and tiger sharks have made a comeback after 20 years of tightly restricted commercial fishing.
Watch VideoUltimate Whale Sharks
Ultimate Whale Sharks
Sea of Cortez Adventures
Fly into SJD Cabo. Transfer and depart from La Paz to board your liveaboard. We’ll dive some of our old favourites like Las Animas (which has been sharky this year and always good for sea lions) with overnight transits to visit the best of Loreto, including going ashore on beautiful Carmen Island, diving and visiting remote Isla San Pedro Martir, jewel of the Sea of Cortez and home to the largest colony of blue-footed boobies in the world!
8 Days, 7 Nights
San Pedro Martir
We have special permits to visit San Pedro Martir, the hidden jewel of the Sea of Cortez. Perfectly located at the edge of massive upwellings of nutrient rich deep ocean water, the waters around this biosphere reserve are teeming with life. Shoreside is really cool as well with the largest breeding population of blue footed boobies in the world as well as the largest populations of brown boobies and brown pelicans in the world.
Loreto is another gem that is seldom visited. The diving is great. The scenery is fantastic. Going ashore on the deserted white sand beaches is unforgettable.
We will be sure to visit all our old favourites including Las Animas, the pinnacle of San Franciscito, Espiritu Santo and La Reyna. Fingers crossed on hammerhead sharks!!
Loreto Great Circle Sea of Cortez Diving
Loreto Great Circle Sea of Cortez Diving
We have been running this trip since 1978 and have learned a thing or two about where to find the best diving in this part of the Sea of Cortez! Las Animas, La Reyna (fingers crossed on a giant manta), El banjo, Espiritu Santo, our secret pinnacle off San Franciscito and an easy overnight run to the spectacular scenery, gorgeous white sand beaches and diving of Loreto.
Boards in La Paz to get you right out to our favourite dive sites. You can expect an average of 4 dives a day including night dives and the same spirit of adventure as the old days on our Alaska trips with shore expeditions, kayaking and paddle boarding, beach walks, swimming and that beautiful Mexican night sky from your hot tub.
Includes spotter airplane support looking for big critters.
Insider Tips: Seas are generally flat calm in the Sea of Cortez this time of year. visibility and water temps improve dramatically in July. By September you can expect water temps in the mid 80’s and visibility of 100 – 150 ft.
8 Days, 7 Nights
5 Night Get-Away Sea of Cortez
5 Night Get-Away Sea of Cortez
6 days / 5 nights in the Sea of Cortez on a luxury liveaboard for under $2000 pp dbl occ. How’s that for a great deal!!!
Las Animas, La Reyna (fingers crossed on a giant manta), El bajo Los Islotes, Espiritu Santo and more!! 15 dives including night dives.
Meets in Cabo and boards in La Paz to get you right out to our favourite dive sites. We have been running trips to these dive sites for over 40 years and have learned a thing or two about how to maximize your dive vacation.
Insider Tips: Seas are generally flat calm in the Sea of Cortez this time of year. visibility and water temps improve dramatically in July. By September you can expect water temps in the mid 80’s and visibility of 100 – 150 ft.
6 Days, 5 Nights
Dive your own way!
Dive Your Own Way
Operated For Safety
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.
Get Inspired!
