A Guide to Whale Watching Tours in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Whale watching is one of the most popular activities in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico during the winter months. Each year whales migrate from the cold Alaskan waters down to Mexico, allowing many Cabo San Lucas visitors an up close view. There are many different whale watching tours to choose from in Cabo San Lucas and the pros and cons of each type are something to consider before booking a whale watching excursion.

Whale watching excursions and tours vary in Cabo San Lucas. Cruise guests on one day stops in port often have the option of choosing between a cruise sponsored tour or booking their own whale watching tour with a private Cabo San Lucas whale watching tour operator. Visitors of Cabo San Lucas who are staying at a local resort or hotel will have more flexibility with tour times.

The best whale watching tour to fit your schedule and type of experience you are looking for can also vary in price. Many reputable whale watching tour companies in Cabo San Lucas have online websites for pre-booking. Sometimes these websites offer discounts for online reservations. Other whale watching tours are affiliated with third party tour companies which will arrange your whale watching tour for you. Those who prefer not to reserve a whale watching tour ahead of time have plenty of independent whale watching tours available at the marina, often advertising whale watching tours for cruise ship guests.

The following types of whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas are the most popular choices for visitors who are interested in getting a close up view of the many gray and humpback whales in the waters of the Sea of Cortez and Baja California between December and April.

Zodiac Whale Watching Tours
The Zodiak whale watching tours are the best choice for those who want one of the closest views of the whales. The Zodiac rafts typically fit only about 12 people and are designed for a fast ride across the open waters of Cabo San Lucas. This type of whale watching tour is for the most adventurous travelers, as the raft ride can be bumpy for some, though exhilirating for others.

The Zodiac whale watching excursions do not generally offer the open bar options of other tours and there will be no bathroom facilities. Some Zodiac tours have weight limit restrictions and minimum age requirements.

Catamaran Whale Watching Tours
The catamaran whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas are a great choice for groups and for those who want the up close action of whale watching without worrying about rough seas, seasickness, or bathroom facilities. Many of the catamaran tours offer whale watching packages that can include open bar or additional time for snorkeling or kayaking. Most of the basic whale watching tours last 2 hours.

One of the most popular tour companies for whale watching in Cabo San Lucas, Pez Gato, uses a 40 person open catamaran for whale watching tours, which includes open bar. The $30 price tag is a good value for this tour. Caboecotour offers tours without open bar starting at $21 per person. Other whale watching tours use larger double decker catamarans which hold about 150 people. This type of catamaran offers guests more ability to move around during their whale watching tour.

Pirate Whale Watching Tours
The pirate whale watching tours in Cabo San Lucas offer families and pirate fans some extra entertainment on their whale watching tours. Most of these whale watching adventures have the crew dressed in pirate garb and use larger, pirate type ships. This type of tour works well for families with younger children who may not have the patience for a regular 2 hour whale watching excursion. The Buccaneer Queen offers a pirate whale watching adventure in Cabo San Lucas for $45 for adults and $20 for children under 12 years of age. This tour includes a continental breakfast.

Private Whale Watching Tours
The other option for whale watching in Cabo San Lucas is to book your own private tour. Many tour companies in Cabo San Lucas offer yacht or sailing adventures which can include whale watching, as well as additional activities of your choosing. This option provides the most intimate whale watching experience since you basically decide on the agenda for the tour. Prices tend to be more per person than shared whale watching excursions but this type of whale watching tour can be a good choice for groups or those who want a private experience.