If whale watching is on your bucket list, then you need to consider taking a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Cabo’s geographical location makes it a prime spot for whale watching, but there’s a few things to know before you book your whale watching trip! In this post, we’re sharing all the details on the best whale watching tour in Cabo San Lucas: Whale Watch Cabo
But first, let’s go over why Cabo is such a great place to spot some whales!
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Why is Cabo a good destination for whale watching?
Cabo is situated at the southern tip of Baja California. This is where the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez converge, creating an area filled with diverse marine life. The whales like how warm the waters are around Cabo and the sheltered bays make an ideal location for breeding.
That means not only are you likely to see a whale in Cabo if you visit during the right time of year, you’ll likely see BABY WHALES! After the calves are born, their mothers continue to raise them in the sheltered bays of the area, because they offer safety for the young whales. If you go on a tour during whale watching season, you’re likely to see mamas with their calves swimming in unison together.
When is whale watching season in Cabo?
Whale watching season runs from mid-December to mid-April. January to March is considered peak season for spotting whales, especially Humpbacks! The number of whales in the area declines as mid-April draws nearer and the whales begin their migration back north.
From December to January, you are more likely to see adult whales as they migrate from the north down to Cabo. By mid-December, whale activity is high, which is why a lot of companies kick off their tours for the season around this time. If you go during peak time, there is a higher chance of seeing multiple pods of whales during one tour.
By early January, baby humpback whales are starting to be born and by mid-February, the baby whales start becoming active. The male whales don’t stick around after mating, so the mama whale raises her baby and teaches it everything they need to know.
I visited Cabo when there was only one week left in the season and was able to see a couple of pods. Our tour guide explained to us that since it was the tail end of the season, we would primarily follow around the same pod instead of wasting time searching for more when numbers were starting to decline for the season. I was completely fine with that since our pod was the sweetest mama and baby whale duo!
Is whale watching in Cabo considered eco-friendly?
Yes! Mexico has a set of regulations specifically for ensuring the whales’ safety during tours. All companies must abide by these regulations in order to legally operate. Two important aspects of these regulations is that minimal impact is made to the whales and their environment during tours and that all tour companies and their guides undergo the training mandated by the government. Responsible tour companies maneuver their boats according to these guidelines and keep a safe distance from the whales so as not to disturb them in any way.
Whale Watch Cabo is a certified and government approved whale watching tour company, which is just one of the many reasons I chose to tour with them. If you choose to tour with another company though, please do your research and read reviews before booking. A quick way to tell if a tour company is certified is by looking at the flags on their boats. All certified companies receive a new flag for the year that must be flown at all times on the boat. There is a number in the corner of the flag that indicates if the flag is current.
So, why is Whale Watch Cabo the best whale watching tour in Cabo ?
Whale Watch Cabo is Cabo’s is TripAdvisor’s leading conscious and eco-friendly whale watching tour in Cabo. It is considered Cabo’s first and only dedicated whale watching tour!
All of the guides are bilingual Marine Biologists. This guarantees that your tour will be a very educational and informative experience. There is also an added layer of passion and dedication to keeping the whales safe because of their in depth knowledge of how important these mammals are to their ecosystems and the world in general. One of the first things our guide told us was that on our tour we would “Observe, and not disturb”.
Before the tour, you’ll learn all about whales and their migration patterns. Our guide had a flip book with pictures and a miniature whale that she used during her explanation. This was very helpful in visualizing what she was talking about, and it kept the kids on our tour entertained.
The guides’ expertise also makes them qualified to collect crucial data on the whales that is used for research and conservation. Being out on the boats every day gives the guides incredible insight into whale patterns and activities. For example, our guide informed us that while whales had been spotted on every tour they hosted this season, overall there were less whales in Cabo than usual. It is suspected that this was due to the ocean temperatures in the area not being what they typically are for the time of year.
Whale Watch Cabo is so confidant that you will get to see a whale on their tours that they offer a whale sighting guarantee. On the rare occasion that someone does not see a whale on a tour, they can come back and do the exact same tour again at no cost.
You’ll get to see some of Cabo’s most famous landmarks during your tour! We got a photo opportunity with The Arch of Cabo San Lucas and saw Lover’s Beach.
The tour guides will take photos of the whales you see on your tour with professional cameras and upload them to Dropbox for you! It is so nice to be able to sit back and relax and not worry about missing the perfect shot of the whales in motion. Your guide will get all the footage for you!
Each boat is equipped with a hydrophone so you can hear the whales sing! How cool is that? I’m still kicking myself because I got so excited about seeing the whales, that I forgot to ask our guide to listen to them on the phone. I guess that just means I’ll have to go back again!
They have tours that are perfect for cruise excursions. I was in Cabo on a Carnival cruise when I did my whale watching tour. I chose a private excursion for us so that it was just our family on the boat. When I got off the boat, we hailed a taxi and took the short drive to the Whale Watch Cabo office. It’s easy to find, because it is right next door to the only Starbucks on the island. You could also walk to the office from the pier, but I had family members with me who were unable to walk that far, which brings me to my next point:
Whale Watch Cabo has tours suitable for children, and if someone in your party has a stroller or walker, they can leave it at the marina where the tour departs. Children 4 and under are free on tours, which meant I didn’t have to pay for my 3 year old – yay! Also, the marina where the boats take off from is privately owned and stays locked at all times. So if you want to leave a stroller or walker at the dock, it’ll be safe and sound until you return.
Boats have sun protectors, so you won’t have to worry about baking in the sun. With that being said, you should still apply reef safe sunscreen beforehand! The boats with the most protection are the ones used for their private tours.
If you have kids in your party, they’ll get a certificate to take home as a souvenir. The certificate says “Whale Watch Cabo congratulates [insert name] as a Junior Whale Biologist. Observing, not disturbing”.
You’ll probably see other wildlife too! We saw sea lions, turtles, birds, and dolphins on our tour in addition to the whales!
What do you need to bring on your whale watching tour?
Water – It’s hot and the tours last at least 2.5 hours, depending on which tour you book. If you’re doing this tour as part of a cruise, fill up your insulated water bottle at breakfast before you get off the ship. I use this water bottle for my daughter and one like this for myself.
Reef Safe Sunscreen – You don’t want to get sunburned on your trip, and the whales have enough threatening their ecosystems without us adding to it. Use reef safe sunscreen to protect yourself and the marine life!
Snacks – The tours last a few hours, so I recommend eating a meal beforehand. But bring a few snacks just in case. You don’t want to get hangry! 88 Acres granola bars make for a great snack for travel. The chocolate sea salt ones are my favs!
Cash for taxis and tipping your guide and boat driver – US dollars are widely accepted in Cabo, so no need to switch over to pesos. It cost us around $15 to take the taxi to the tour office and $20 on the way back.
We hope you have a fab time on your whale watching tour in Cabo! Tell us all about it in the comments below!
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