Boat-Based Orcas & Mobula Rays Snorkeling

Arrive Los Cabos – Cabo San Lucas

We recommend adding a pre-night in Cabo San Lucas to ensure you arrive in plenty of time for your voyage. Take a taxi into town from the official rank just outside the airport. We can suggest the best hotels for your stay, whether you’re looking for a beach resort or something close to the marina. Enjoy a restful night before starting your adventure the following day.

Overnight: Ask your Destination Specialist for Recommendations

Day 1, Cabo San Lucas – La Paz Embarkation

Check out of your hotel in the morning after a leisurely breakfast. We can arrange for your luggage to be stored at an office close to the marina. At 1 o’clock, there’s an opportunity to join a complimentary underwater photography session led by a local guide. Please check in at our Cabo base by 4:30 pm for your complimentary two-hour coach transfer to La Paz, where the Gallant Lady awaits. On arrival, you’ll be welcomed on the back deck with trays of margaritas and champagne, before meeting Lizzie Daly and your fellow travellers to begin your voyage into the Sea of Cortez.

Overnight: Gallant Lady

Day 2 – First Encounters in the Sea of Cortez

After breakfast, set out on a skiff with Lizzie Daly for your first snorkel in the late morning, when the wind has calmed. Earlier in the morning, the spotter plane will already have scouted the waters for orca, sperm whales, whale sharks, mobula rays and dolphins, maximising your chances of remarkable encounters. June to December is particularly rewarding here for shark sightings.

Return to the Gallant Lady for a fresh lunch on board, before heading out again in the afternoon for more marine adventures. In the evening, gather on deck for the first of Lizzie Daly’s fascinating talks about her wildlife work and expeditions.

Accommodation: Gallant Lady

Day 3-4 – Swimming with Mobula Rays & Orca Encounters

Patience pays off as you slip into the waters alongside thousands of mobula rays. At first they may shy away, but with time they become indifferent to your presence, allowing you to blend into the swarm for a rare natural spectacle. These gatherings also attract orca, and July is a peak month for pods. From the safety of your ship, observe their sophisticated hunting strategies as Lizzie explains their role as apex predators of the Sea of Cortez.

After another delicious lunch on board, enjoy further time in the water or watching from the skiff. Later, relax with another engaging evening session with Lizzie, who will share stories from her conservation work around the world.

Accommodation: Gallant Lady

Days 5–7 – Marine Riches of the Sea of Cortez

Spend these final days venturing into new areas of the Sea of Cortez, each offering its own remarkable encounters. In the mornings, the spotter plane continues to guide your course, with chances to snorkel alongside whale sharks, watch giant mantas sweep through the blue, or encounter pods of dolphins riding the bow waves of your skiff. Afternoons bring further opportunities to seek out orca, especially in July when pods are most active around the mobula ray gatherings. Back on board the Gallant Lady, enjoy delicious meals and time to relax before evening talks with Lizzie Daly, who will share more about the wildlife and her global conservation expeditions. As darkness falls, lights suspended beneath the ship illuminate the waters, drawing plankton and the graceful mobula rays into view for one last unforgettable spectacle beneath the stars.

Accommodation: Gallant Lady

Day 8, Disembark & Depart

After a final early breakfast on your expedition vessel, you’ll disembark in La Paz at 8:30 am. From here, we’ll transfer you back to Cabo San Lucas or SJD Airport (both around a two-hour journey) for your onward travels. If you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your Destination Specialist about adding further Mexican experiences before returning home.