Each year between December and April, thousands of whales migrate from their Arctic feeding grounds to the warm waters surrounding Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula to mate and give birth.
This is the time for whale watching in Cabo San Lucas!
Indeed, Cabo (short for Cabo San Lucas) – and the whole area of Los Cabos – is one of the best places in the world to see whales.
And whale watching is one of the top things to do in Cabo!
Whale watching in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas whale watching: Contents
Whale watching in Cabo San Lucas (What’s it like?)
Best Cabo whale watching tours
Whale watching on a sunset cruise
Best time of day to see whales in Cabo (Morning or afternoon tour?)
Over the years visiting the destination (writing travel articles on Cabo for various magazines and newspapers, as well as for this blog), we’ve taken many Los Cabos whale watching tours.
On all but one tour, we saw whales.
Sometimes gob-smacking, amazing whale sightings!
The odds are high you will see whales – something like a 90% to 95% chance during the whale season in Cabo.
What kind of whales are in Cabo?
Cabo is located at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.
This finger of desert is flanked by the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Sea of Cortez (which the late French explorer and marine researcher Jacques Cousteau famously once called “the world’s aquarium”) on the other.
The waters curling around Cabo are home to many species of whales.
Blue whales (the largest). Orcas (killer whales). Sperm whales. Minke whales. Fin whales. Pilot whales. And more…
The two main types of whales in Cabo San Lucas that migrate down from Alaska are gray whales and humpback whales.
You see mainly humpbacks when whale watching in Cabo; they’re the most active and also the most rewarding to watch.
The annual migration of whales in Mexico from Alaska and the Arctic is one of the lengthiest mammal migrations in the animal kingdom.
The long journey is a mammoth 12,500 miles round-trip.
And it’s estimated that 10% of the world’s humpback population is born in Mexico.
Needless to say, whale watching in Mexico – in both Cabo and Puerto Vallarta (another whale hotspot) – is one of the top activities in all of Mexico.
Don’t miss it when visiting Cabo!
Whale watching in Cabo San Lucas: Thar they blow!
It’s possible to see whales from the shore (usually humpback whales) spouting and jumping.
We’ve seen them from Santa Maria Beach after snorkeling there.
But for the best whale watching in Cabo San Lucas, you’ll want to take a tour. You can see these magnificent creatures much closer from a boat, and you’ll learn more about whale behavior.
On your tour, you may get lucky and capture amazing full-frame pics of the humpbacks’ barnacle-covered backs.
The whales might even come so close that you can smell their fishy breath as they exhale and spew plumes of white water in the air!
On the other hand, you may only snap a shot of a tail fluke. (Though it’s rare you’d have such bad luck.)
On one recent visit to Cabo, we took a whale watching tour with Cabo Expeditions.
We’d previously experienced a great tour with Cabo Expeditions – swimming with whale sharks in La Paz.
They’ve since added whale watching in Los Cabos to their portfolio of tours. So we decided to try out one of their Cabo whale watching tours in a Zodiac-style boat.
And the whales gave us the best show we’ve ever witnessed!
One humpback shot out of the water at least eight times, breaching in dramatic displays with huge splashes. It was almost like he (she?) was putting on a performance for us.
Following that, we watched two humpbacks lie on their sides and slap the water loudly with their pectoral fins.
(Scientists believe whales communicate with each other by breaching and tail and pec slapping.)
As a bonus, we saw bottlenose dolphins too.
The thing to remember, though, is that whales are wild creatures, and there are no guarantees they’ll show up.
But a guided whale watching tour is still the best way to view whales. If you’re really unlucky and don’t spot them on your tour, most tour operators will offer you another tour complimentary.
Best Cabo whale watching tours
You have many options for whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas.
So you can choose the tour that best suits you – from adventurous, high-speed, Zodiac-style boats to a large stable vessel to a small sunset cruise boat.
Boats depart from the Cabo San Lucas Marina.
They head out into the Cabo San Lucas Bay, passing by Lover’s Beach and El Arco (the iconic rock Arch) and giving you a close-up view of the sea lions that hang out at Land’s End.
Depending on where the Cabo San Lucas whales happen to be, the boats often leave the protected bay and go around to the Pacific side of the Cabo San Lucas area too.
Note that whale watching is regulated in Los Cabos (and Mexico).
The whale watching boats we’ve seen out on the water all respect the regulations and keep the required minimum distance from any observed whales.
The minimum distance a boat must keep from a whale is 65 yards.
Zodiac whale watching, Cabo San Lucas
Cabo Expeditions
Cabo Expeditions’ tours are intimate and groups are small – no more than 15 people per boat.
We had only 12 guests on our Zodiac tour, plus the boat captain guide and a photographer. (A photographer accompanies each tour, so you can buy a digital link to photos recording all that great Moby Dick action.)
The Zodiacs are comfortable, with cushioned bench seats at the back and front. You can also sit on the side.
Children aged 5 or over can sign up for these tours.
Among the fastest inflatable boats in Cabo, these Zodiacs move around nimbly to follow the great greyish-black mammals wherever they spout.
Our captain guide was also extremely knowledgeable.
When a whale would dive back down underwater, he’d point to where (and tell us when) to expect the whale to jump out of the water again.
The 2½-hour tours include pick-up from your hotel in an air-conditioned van.
And as you’ve probably gathered by now, we had an awesome time on this small group Zodiac tour with Cabo Expeditions.
We recommend them highly!
Cabo Adventures
Cabo Adventures also offers whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas on inflatable speedboats.
On their whale watching adventures, trips are guided by marine mammal behavior experts.
Sit quietly – and watch the humpbacks play, breach and engage in tail slapping and other fascinating whale behaviors.
Well, that’s the idea, anyway…
Whale Watch Cabo
Dedicated whale watchers might also want to check out Whale Watch Cabo.
We haven’t yet gone with them, but we know they have a reputation for offering top-notch educational Zodiac tours.
You go with a marine biologist on fast Zodiacs that hold just 10 people each (no children under 13). Free photos are included in the tour price.
Cabo San Lucas whale watching tours on a small boat
Cabo Trek
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Cabo Trek has a small boat, with a roof canopy for shade (and a small restroom).
They’re licensed to carry up to 18 people.
But the group size for their top-rated whale tours averages 10 to 12 guests only – so there’s no fussing for shade, leg room or the best view!
Three tours are offered daily at 8 am, 11 am and 2:30 pm, and they’re 2½ hours long each.
Marine biologist guides are on every tour.
And the company prides itself on being the first and only company in Mexico certified as a “Responsible Whale Watching Operator” by the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA).
Cabo Nature
Here’s another highly regarded whale watching tour on a small boat (with free photos).
On Cabo Nature’s 24-foot-long boat, there’s a maximum group size of 10 guests, and you’re accompanied by a marine biologist.
You don’t have to worry about trying to take that perfect shot – because all the photos the guide takes are included on this tour.
Whale Watch Cabo
Whale Watch Cabo also offers 2½-hour tours on small covered boats holding no more than 12 people.
Unlike their Zodiac tours (covered above), kids can join these highly-rated small-group tours. All tours are led by a marine biologist.
Los Cabos whale watching on a big boat
If you’re prone to motion sickness, consider one of the following larger, more stable vessels for your Cabo whale watching tour.
Cabo Adventures’ luxury catamaran
For whale watching in Cabo on a deluxe double-deck catamaran, check out these luxury whale watching trips with Cabo Adventures.
On our most recent Cabo trip, we experienced this classy tour. Everyone was welcomed with mimosas as they boarded – a great way to kick off whale watching!
Cabo Adventures’ French-made vessels are designed for comfortable and smooth cruising.
They’re bigger than a small boat but they’re still an intimate size for whale watching, carrying about 25 people. They have tiered seating up front and also hydrophone systems so you can hear the whales singing.
Our guide was instructive and entertaining, sharing his knowledge about whales.
These 2½-hour whale adventures also include delicious snacks (guacamole, toasted sandwiches and chocolate truffles) plus premium alcoholic drinks.
We saw quite a few whales, but unfortunately no breaching action. (We heard from others that they saw whales leaping right out of the water by their boat the day before.)
Our larger vessel also didn’t get as close to the whales as the smaller boats that were in the area.
PezGato catamaran tour
This affordable 2-hour whale watching cruise on a steady catamaran with PezGato can take about 45 passengers.
It includes complimentary snacks and drinks. Hydrophones onboard allow you to listen to the whales’ songs too.
There’s also an option to add on hotel transportation.
Cabo Escape by Wild Cabo Tours
They say the early bird gets the whale, er, worm. So leave at 9:00 am on this whale watching breakfast cruise – and enjoy a delicious full hot breakfast too!
The Cabo Escape (operated by Wild Cabo Tours) is a large twin-level power catamaran, with two bathrooms.
Cruise out for a scenic view of Land’s End and the famous Arch as you tuck into breakfast of fresh Mexican fruit, juice and coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo-and-egg burritos, bacon-and-egg burritos and pancakes.
You’re not going to go hungry!
You’re also treated to an open bar. (We vote for the Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.)
An experienced marine biologist accompanies you onboard and shares their knowledge with you throughout your whale watching trip.
Sun Rider Tours
For some of the best whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas on a super stable vessel (one of the largest boats in Cabo), you’ll love the Sun Rider 100.
Enjoy a 2½-hour whale watching and brunch cruise on this motorized catamaran. The tour includes a hot Mexican brunch and open bar.
The Sun Rider 100 is two decks high and large enough to hold 250 passengers. You won’t have any worries about getting seasick on this boat!
Pirate ship
Los Cabos whale watching tours even include a pirate ship!
Keep an eye out for humpback and gray whales while on this 2-hour pirate-themed whale watching trip.
It includes breakfast and an open bar. It’s perfect for families with kids! (Well the pirate ship and breakfast part is, but not the alcoholic drinks.)
Spot whales on sunset cruises
During the whale watching season in Cabo San Lucas, you may also see plenty of whale action on the water – even though you’re not on a dedicated whale watching tour.
Take a sunset cruise in winter, for example, and there’s a good chance you’ll spot whales.
When we went out on one sunset dinner sail with Rissalena Cruises, our motorized 24-passenger catamaran ordinarily would have cruised along the scenic shoreline.
But on this occasion, we spent a goodly amount of time lingering by a mama and baby whale we came upon.
Whale sightings trump all other sights!
Cabo whale watching season
If you want to see whales, the best time to visit Cabo is during the winter months.
The “official” whale watching season in Los Cabos is usually set each year by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Mexico’s environment ministry) as being from early- to mid-December to about mid-April.
The peak season for spotting humpbacks is from late December to late January.
If you go in February, you’ll see baby humpbacks.
Come late March and April, the whales start to migrate back north to Alaska.
But there’s still lots of good whale spotting toward the end of the Cabo whale season!
What is the best time of day to see whales in Cabo San Lucas?
Whale watching tours are typically offered three times a day – early morning, mid-day and late afternoon.
So what is the best time to see whales in Cabo? That depends…
We like the early morning tours.
That’s when the sea is calmest and the wind hasn’t yet picked up. The boat ride is likely to be the most comfortable then.
(Plus, we personally like to be active in the morning and enjoy beach-and-book time in the afternoon.)
But many people report that late afternoon tours can offer some of the best whale activity sightings.
Whales are more active and playful in wilder weather (more wind and waves), they say.
You’ll probably have less people on your boat or Zodiac on an afternoon tour, so that could make it more comfortable for you and give you more room to move around.
Final words on Cabo San Lucas whale watching
However you choose to watch the whales in Los Cabos that winter here each season, you’re sure to come away with a greater appreciation for their species.
And hopefully you’ll also catch a memorable pic (or three)!
Experience more of Los Cabos!
Snorkeling: Want to be surrounded by clouds of yellow porkfish? See our insider guide to the best snorkeling spots in Cabo San Lucas (and the best snorkeling tours).
Have you decided where to stay? Check out our reviews of the best hotels and resorts in Los Cabos (from boutique to all-inclusive).
Day trips: From the artsy town of Todos Santos to wild Cabo Pulmo, these are the top day trips from Cabo San Lucas.
Airport transfers: Check out the best Cabo airport shuttle services. We’ve reviewed the top companies, so you can pick the best shared or private transfer option for you.
Our top travel tips and resources
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: To book the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets may be non-refundable.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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Photo credits: 5, 10, 14, 15, 17 to 21, 23 to 26, 28 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!
Sona
Saturday 9th of July 2022
Hi! Since you know Los Cabos so well, when do you recommend is the best time of day to see the whales?
Great write-up by the way.
Cheers.
Sona
Janice and George
Saturday 9th of July 2022
The morning is probably your safest bet :-).
And if you don't see whales, the tour operator will most likely offer you the opp to go on another tour.
Anda
Saturday 18th of January 2020
I've never been to Cabo, despite the fact that it's just a short flight away from where we live in California. It seems that December through April would be the best time to travel there if we want to see the whales migrating. We went whale watching here, locally, a few times, but only saw them from very far away. What you experienced in Cabo was the real thing. An experience I'd love to have someday!
Janice and George
Saturday 18th of January 2020
We'd always wanted to see whales breaching -- but never had until just a few days ago. Totally amazing...
There are so many flights from California to Los Cabos, that, like you say, it would be very easy for you to visit! Maybe one day soon you will :-).
Frank
Thursday 29th of November 2018
Would love to do that. Last year I did the El Chepe train ride across northern Mexico (spectacular experience). Anyway, the train ends at the west coast town on Los Mochis - some people I met were continuing their adventure by taking an overnight ferry across to La Paz in Baja. Would love to do that one day. Mexico gets so little credit. We just got back from another 2 weeks there and it really is among my favorite countries.
Janice and George
Thursday 29th of November 2018
Now you've got us thinking about doing the El Chepe train ride :-). We had to read your post on Why Riding El Chepe Through Copper Canyon is Just Mind-Blowingly Amazing.
Yes, Mexico is a country full of contrasts. When one is ready to explore beyond the beaches, its colonial cities (like San Miguel de Allende) are enchanting...
Suzanne
Wednesday 2nd of March 2016
We went whale watching in Monterey Bay in September and saw some spectacular sights; a pod of Orca's hunt down a dolphin and breaching. Humpbacks breaching and a pod over 300 dolphins - the highlight of our USA road trip!
Janice and George
Wednesday 2nd of March 2016
OMG - that sounds fantastic! (though a bit sad for the dolphin being hunted by the Orcas) Great to hear there's fabulous whale watching so close to home :-).
Adrian
Thursday 28th of March 2013
Awesome! That's an incredible experience! I wonder when can I ever see a humpback whale!
Janice and George
Thursday 28th of March 2013
You can see humpback whales in several places around the world. Cabo San Lucas, of course. Also Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) and Hawaii. Hope you get to go whale watching some day :-)