Host
Max Cooper
Podcast Content
The best time to go whale watching in Cabo San Lucas should be late in the season, as calves transform Los Cabos waters into a playground. If you are coming to Cabo to watch whales, the best times of the year to watch them are during the winter and spring months. Not only will you see humpbacks and gray whales splashing around on the surface, but December is the best time to see the whale sharks at Cabo San Lucas, or even swim with them.
To get the best opportunity of seeing the Brydes whales, it is best to go on a special whale shark trip to La Paz between October and April. If your whaling search takes you to La Paz, located on the southern tip of Baja California Sur, then you have got a chance to go scuba diving with the whale sharks, the friendliest sharks you have ever met. Whether you are taking a Whale Watching Tour or the Swim With Whale Sharks Cabo Hike, seeing Whale Sharks in their natural habitat is one of the most incredible things you can do in Cabo San Lucas, and it will change your perspective on the ocean forever.
During Cabos whale season, you can also witness a lot of whale activity in the water -- although not while you are taking a proper whale watching tour. Needless to say, whale watching in Mexico - both Cabo and Puerto Vallarta - is one of the best activities in all of Mexico. Some tour companies actually operate whale watching trips out of Marina Puerto Los Cabos in San Jose del Cabo, but they usually take the boats up the coast towards Cabo San Lucas, so you spend more time transiting than on the Cabo San Lucas whale watching tours.
If you are looking for a more relaxing trip, or this is your first visit and you are unsure of where to begin, you may benefit from taking the time to learn about Los Cabos via tours, though one of the primary activities that you cannot afford to skip is the whale watching. The best lists of things to do in Cabo San Lucas always involve experiencing the abundance of marine life at sea, and if you are looking when to see whales in Cabo, plan your travels from December through March. If you are looking to see a particular species of whale, book your Cabo Villas & Whale Tours early.
The odds are good that you will see whales -- it is like 90% to 95% odds in the whale season in Cabo. During the more active time of December through January, the chances you see whale activity during your trip are up to 90%. Even in late-migration season, you have more than 50 % chance of seeing whales, especially if you do more tours.
You decide to see the whales of Los Cabos, who spend the winters here every season, and you are bound to walk away with an increased appreciation of their species. The first whale sightings of the regions most famous season were observed this month, one of Los Cabos most sought-after attractions. The first sightings of 2022-2023 whales were recorded off Los Cabos, marking an official beginning of the regions most popular season.
Beginning about the middle of December until the middle of April, the humpback whales migrate across Los Cabos waters. There are many different species of whales that you can view in Los Cabos, including the humpback, grey whale, and blue whale, the largest mammals on Earth. Other whales seen in the Cabo region, but are far less common, are orcas , blue whales, and fin whales.
Orcas are occasionally seen in the Gulf of California, as well as near Cabo San Lucas, and off the Jacques Cousteau Island called also Cerralvo Island. Thousands of humpback whales make their trip for almost two months, traveling nearly 6,000 miles to reach Cabo San Lucas, where they mate and give birth. Every year, thousands of whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to the warmer waters off the Mexican peninsula in the state of Baja California, where they mate and give birth.
During migration, several other species also migrate along the Mexican coast, Baja California, like blue whales. During winter months , visitors may observe humpback whales, gray whales, dolphins, and sea lions in the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean. Thanks to its prime location on the Baja California Sur Peninsula, we are able to view whales from December through March here in Los Cabos.
We occasionally see grey whales in Cabo, but the best places to see them are farther north at Magdalena Bay. Snorkeling with whale sharks is tricky in Los Cabos, since most whale sharks are actually found farther north, in waters off of La Paz.
Officially, Cabos whale watching season starts in December and lasts until mid-April, with festivals and activities in Los Cabos in full swing, and warmer weather drawing visitors down from higher latitudes into the tasty winds down the Tropic of Cancer. You can get in touch with Cabo Trek, which has been running whale-watching trips out of San Jose del Cabo, or they can help arrange transportation to their offices to join one of their epic whale-watching trips.