Sea of Cortez South (Mobula Ray Special) (8 Days / 7 Nights - 5 Dives)

Trip highlights: dolphins, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Locations are flexible, depending on where the aerial support finds the mobulas and orcas. Often the best area is the triangle near La Paz between Espiritu Santo, Carpenter Rock (on the west side of Cerralvo), and Las Ventanas on Baja California

Day 1
Your Sea of Cortez ocean safari begins in Cabo San Lucas. After a final equipment check at the Nautilus dive center, you’re invited to join a complimentary underwater photography workshop, a chance to refine your technique before the encounters ahead. At 7:30 pm, you step aboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard. Following a welcome briefing that covers the vessel’s layout and safety, you’ll settle in over dinner as the engine hums to life, setting course for Cabo Pulmo and the open waters of the Sea of Cortez.

Core Days
This expedition is built around one of the Sea of Cortez’s most dynamic natural events: the migration of mobula rays. These rays, often 5 to 7 feet across, gather in schools thousands strong, their acrobatic leaps a constant spectacle on the surface. With support from spotting planes for 3 days, the crew uses real-time aerial intel to position the Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard in the path of the largest aggregations. The action often unfolds in the triangle of nutrient-rich water between Espiritu Santo Island, the granite pinnacles of Carpenter Rock off Cerralvo, and Las Ventanas on the Baja peninsula. From a high-speed skiff, small groups slip into the water for snorkel or freediving encounters as the rays glide past, unconcerned, in seemingly endless formations.
Where mobulas gather, orcas often follow. To witness a pod of these apex predators moving through the blue, their dorsal fins slicing the surface, then disappearing into the depths in pursuit of prey, is to see the ecosystem in full balance. Encounters are never guaranteed, but the crew’s dedication to reading animal behaviour and following regulations means you are in the best possible position should they appear. Afternoons bring a change of pace: kayak along a remote shoreline, hike a desert beach, or simply watch from the deck as the light softens. On one evening, the focus shifts after dark when the boat’s lights draw clouds of plankton into a calm bay, and with them mobulas gathering to feed, visible from the surface or on a night dive.
Before the safari concludes, the Nautilus Gallant Lady turns to Cabo Pulmo National Park. Here, a protected reef system thrives with life: huge aggregations of jacks, schools of snapper, and the gentle presence of bull sharks. It’s a reminder that the same waters sheltering transient giants also hold enduring, resident abundance.

Day 8
You wake to the gentle sway of the boat at anchor near La Paz. After a final breakfast on deck, there’s time to swap stories with fellow guests before disembarkation. A transfer returns you to Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo airport, the images of vast, open-ocean encounters still fresh in mind.

Magdalena Bay

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, off the beaten track

Dive sites and activities: Snorkelling, free-diving and scuba diving in Magdalena Bay, SS Independence and USS Seawolf.

Day 1
This expedition to witness the spectacular sardine run begins with a visit to the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas on the day of departure. Here you'll complete check-in procedures and collect any pre-arranged rental equipment. In the early evening, you step aboard the luxury Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard. Once everyone is settled and the orientation is complete, the vessel departs Cabo San Lucas and begins the 15-hour crossing north toward Magdalena Bay. Dinner is served as the coastline fades into dusk.

Core Days
The days that follow are given over to the waters off Magdalena Bay during October and November, when seasonal upwellings create one of the eastern Pacific's most productive marine environments. This period marks the second-largest sardine run in the world, drawing significant concentrations of striped marlin that gather to hunt the dense bait balls forming near the surface. The action is fast-moving and visually striking - marlin slicing through schools of sardines, their bills visible as they turn, while pelicans and gannets plunge from above. Snorkelling and freediving are often the most effective ways to witness these events, given the speed and shallow nature of the encounters, though scuba diving remains part of the daily schedule.
California sea lions appear regularly, their forms visible on rocky outcrops and in the water. Pods of common and bottlenose dolphins move through the channels, sometimes approaching the vessel with evident curiosity. Wahoo and yellowfin tuna patrol the edges of the bait balls, their shapes cutting through the blue. Humpback whales are on the move through these latitudes during this window, migrating south toward their breeding grounds. While encounters with larger whales can never be guaranteed, their presence adds to the sense of anticipation that accompanies each day on the water.
The area also offers some wreck diving. The SS Independence, a passenger steamship that met its end here decades ago, rests on the bottom in depths accessible to certified divers. Its structure is now draped in sponges, hydroids, and soft corals, attracting schools of reef fish. A World War I-era submarine lies in nearby waters, its silhouette recognizable despite the years of encrustation.
Between dives, there is time to absorb the broader ecosystem. The waters here attract abundant seabird life - brown pelicans working the surface, frigate birds wheeling overhead, shearwaters skimming the waves, and on occasion, albatross riding the wind at the edge of visibility. The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard carries kayaks and paddleboards for those who want to explore the calm margins of the bay, and shore landings offer opportunities to walk along empty beaches when conditions allow.
The crew structures each day around conditions and animal movements, launching tenders when something is spotted on the horizon. The dive deck remains organized for quick entries, with individual gear lockers and space for camera preparation.

Final Day
The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard returns to port in Cabo San Lucas. After a final breakfast on board, guests disembark and arrange taxi transfers to local hotels or the airport. The week covers a remarkable chapter in the eastern Pacific: striped marlin working bait balls and whales on migration.

Sea of Cortez South (6 Days / 5 Nights - 16 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Cerralvo Island, Las Animas, La Reina, El Bajo, Espiritu Santo, Los Islotes, Salvatierra wreck, Fang Ming, San Jose. Kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, hike into the hills, whatever you want. Backscatter Imaging workshop at SeeCreatures.

Day 1
Make your way to SeeCreatures in Cabo San Lucas when you arrive in town to complete check-in formalities. While you're there, we encourage you to join the complimentary Backscatter Imaging workshop, a practical session to refine your underwater photography skills with guidance from specialists who know these waters. As early evening approaches, you'll step aboard the elegant Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard. Cocktail hour begins once you're settled, a chance to meet the crew and fellow guests on the aft deck. Once provisioning is finished and final preparations are complete, the liveaboard heads out into the night. Dinner is served as the lights of Cabo fade astern, the yacht making its way toward the southern Sea of Cortez.

Core Days
The days that follow are given over to exploring the southern Sea of Cortez, a stretch of water designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its remarkable biodiversity and productive marine environment. The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard crew adjusts plans based on conditions, currents, and animal movements. The goal is to put you in the water when and where the life is most present.
From mid-May through July, this region sees large aggregations of mobula rays moving through in synchronized formations. These events are a primary draw during this window, rays gathered in numbers, their wingbeats coordinated as they glide through blue water. Where the mobulas concentrate, other predators often follow. The same months mark peak season for whale sharks in the bay of La Paz, the large females arriving to filter plankton in nutrient-rich upwellings. Snorkelling alongside them requires no certification, only a willingness to swim at their pace.
At El Bajo and Las Animas, offshore seamounts rise from deeper water, their slopes attracting schools of hammerhead sharks that appear along the edge of visibility. The currents here can be strong, and the diving rewards those comfortable with open-water conditions. At La Reina, giant mantas visit cleaning stations with regularity, circling slowly as smaller fish pick parasites from their skin. The site also holds schools of jacks and barracuda that catch the light at certain angles.
Los Islotes is home to a sea lion colony where the younger animals often approach divers with obvious curiosity. They spin and circle, sometimes pausing close enough to examine you before darting away. Around Espiritu Santo and Cerralvo Island, rocky reefs hold green turtles resting in the shallows. Schools of creolefish and amberjack move through in dense formations, and the volcanic slopes are draped in gorgonian fans and black coral.
The region also offers wreck diving. The Salvatierra rests on the bottom, its structure now encrusted with marine growth and home to schooling fish. The Fang Ming, a Chinese trawler sunk intentionally, provides habitat for bat rays and the occasional octopus hiding among its beams.
Between dives, there is space to experience the Baja peninsula from the surface. The vessel carries kayaks and paddleboards for exploring sheltered coves. Shore landings offer opportunities to walk along empty beaches or, for those inclined, hike into the hills for a view of the sea from above. The landscape is stark and beautiful, with desert meeting ocean in a line of rugged cliffs and arroyos.

Day 6
The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard arrives back in Cabo San Lucas. After one last breakfast on board, guests disembark and transfer to the airport or a local hotel.

Sea of Cortez South (Whale Shark Special) (8 Days / 7 Nights - 24 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: La Paz, Bahia de Los Angeles, Las Animas, San Pedro Martir, La Reina, Espiritu Santo, San Franciscito, Loreto. Spotter planes, snorkel with whale sharks, beachcombing.

Day 1
This whale shark special expedition commences with a late afternoon check-in at the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas. Once paperwork is complete and any rental gear is sorted, you'll board the coach transfer to La Paz. Stepping onto the luxurious Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard, the crew greets you on the aft deck and shows you to your cabin. With luggage stowed and formalities finished, the vessel slips its moorings and heads out into the Sea of Cortez as evening settles in. Dinner is served once underway, a relaxed opportunity to meet fellow guests and talk through the week ahead with the dive guides.

Core Days
The week ahead is guided by the movement of animals and the conditions of the sea. The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard navigates the southern and midriff regions of the Gulf of California with a plan that remains fluid, allowing the captain and dive guides to adjust based on daily sightings, weather patterns, and water temperatures. The objective is to put you in the water where the life is most concentrated.
A central element of this expedition is the chance to snorkel with whale sharks. From late summer through early autumn, the plankton-rich waters around Bahia de Los Angeles and the channels north of La Paz attract significant numbers of these gentle giants. Spotter planes may be deployed to help locate aggregations, their pilots communicating with the bridge of Nautilus Gallant Lady in real time. When a whale shark is sighted, the approach is measured and deliberate. Guests enter the water quietly from the tender and swim alongside at a respectful distance, observing the distinctive spot patterns that identify individuals as they filter the surface. The same upwellings that concentrate plankton also draw other cetaceans: pilot whales, fin whales, and occasionally Bryde's whales appear on the horizon, their presence adding to the sense of abundance.
Below the surface, the range of encounters expands considerably. At San Pedro Martir, an offshore seamount rising from deep water, currents funnel nutrients that attract schools of hammerhead sharks. They materialize along the edge of visibility, often moving in loose formations before fading into the blue. Creolefish and amberjack crowd the water column, while leopard sharks sometimes cruise the sandy patches near the base. At La Reina, the action takes on a different character: Pacific spotted dolphins occasionally move through, and mobula rays glide past in small groups. Sea lions arrive from nearby colonies to investigate divers, their movements quick and playful.
Around Las Animas, the terrain becomes more complex, with boulder fields and sloping walls shelter an array of life. Green moray eels extend from crevices, their heads tracking movement. Octopus hide among the rocks, changing color as they shift position. Schools of Mexican goatfish sift through the sand, and trumpetfish hover vertically near gorgonian fans, waiting to ambush smaller prey. On deeper profiles, scalloped hammerheads sometimes appear, drawn by cooler water pushing up from below.
At San Franciscito, a pinnacle cloaked in black coral and hydrocoral rises toward the surface. The walls are home to king angelfish and streamer hogfish, their colors vivid against the dark backdrop. Hawksbill turtles rest on ledges, and in the water column, skipjack tuna pass through with purpose. The site has a quiet intensity, the kind of place where you become aware of the depth beneath you.
Further north, Espiritu Santo and Los Islotes offer some of the gulf's most reliable encounters. The sea lion colonies here are active and curious, with juveniles approaching closely before spinning away. The surrounding reefs hold Cortez rainbow wrasse and sergeant majors in abundance, and panamic greeneyes hover in the shade of overhangs. Night dives in this area reveal a different world: basket stars extend their arms into the current, octopus hunt across open sand, and sleeping parrotfish are cocooned in mucus.
Between dives, there is space to absorb the Baja peninsula from a different angle. Loreto's beaches are often empty, the water clear and calm against white sand. Shore landings on the islands offer opportunities to watch brown boobies and magnificent frigatebirds working the cliffs, or simply to walk and let the landscape settle in. The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard carries kayaks and paddleboards for exploring sheltered coves, though finding a quiet spot on the beach with no particular plan is an equally valid way to spend an afternoon.

Day 8
The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard moors in the marina at La Paz. After a final breakfast on board, guests disembark and transfer by coach to Cabo San Lucas, arriving in time for afternoon flights or onward connections.

Sea of Cortez South (Mobula & Whale Shark Special) (11 Days / 10 Nights - 15 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: La Paz, Las Animas, La Reina, El Bajo, Espiritu Santo, San Franciscito, Loreto, San Pedro Martir, Bahia de Los Angeles. Kayaking, going ashore, hiking in the desert, snorkelling, paddleboarding, whatever you want.

Day 1
This Mobula Ray and Whale Shark Special expedition begins with a late afternoon check-in at SeeCreatures in Cabo San Lucas. After completing formalities and collecting any rental equipment, you'll join the coach transfer to La Paz. Stepping aboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard, the crew welcomes you on the aft deck and shows you to your cabin. Once provisioning is finished, the vessel slips its moorings and heads out into the Sea of Cortez as evening settles in. Dinner is served as the sun drops toward the horizon, followed by a safety briefing and time to get acquainted with your fellow guests and the dive team.

Core Days
The days ahead with Nautilus Gallant Lady are shaped by a seasonal alignment that brings 2 of the Sea of Cortez's most sought-after marine events into the same window. During July and August, large aggregations of mobula rays form in the southern reaches of the gulf while significant numbers of whale sharks gather in the plankton-rich waters of Bahia de Los Angeles to the north. The captain and dive guides consult daily reports, including input from spotter aircraft, to decide whether to head north first or concentrate on the southern sites, always working to put you in position for the best encounters the sea offers.
In the south, the search for mobula rays takes priority. During these months, they assemble in large formations, their wingbeats moving in unison as they glide through the water column. From time to time, they launch themselves clear of the surface in a behavior that remains unexplained but is thrilling to witness. Where the mobulas concentrate, orcas sometimes appear. Several pods frequent these latitudes during summer, drawn by the abundance of prey. Encounters with orcas can never be promised, but when a dorsal fin breaks the surface, the day's focus shifts entirely. The liveaboard crew follows Mexican regulations closely, ensuring any time spent near them remains respectful and unobtrusive.
The same southern waters hold other pelagic possibilities. At Las Animas and El Bajo, hammerhead sharks appear on deeper profiles, their silhouettes emerging from the blue where currents push cooler water upward. Scalloped hammerheads move in small groups, while the occasional tiger shark passes through on its own trajectory. At La Reina, giant mantas visit cleaning stations with dependable regularity, circling slowly as cleaner fish pick at their skin. Pacific spotted dolphins sometimes move through these areas, their acrobatics visible from the surface. Sea lions at Los Islotes approach scuba divers with curiosity, spinning and circling before darting away. Schools of skipjack tuna and rainbow runners flash past the reefs, and wahoo cut across the periphery.
When the decision is made to go north, the Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard sets a course for Bahia de Los Angeles. Here, between 80 and 220 whale sharks often gather during summer, drawn by concentrations of plankton near the surface. Snorkelling alongside them is an incredible experience: their size is immense yet their movements are slow and deliberate. You slip into the water and swim at a measured pace beside them, watching the constellation of spots that patterns each individual as they filter the surface. The same upwellings attract other cetaceans: Bryde's whales, fin whales, and pilot whales are all possible sightings, along with large pods of common dolphins and spinner dolphins that sometimes bow-ride as the vessel transits between sites.
En route north or south, the Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard visits some of the gulf's most celebrated dive locations. Isla San Pedro Martir rises from deep water where upwellings fuel dense food chains. The diving here is defined by steep walls encrusted with gorgonians, black coral, and hydrocoral, while schools of creolefish and Mexican barred snapper move through in dense formations. Galapagos sharks patrol the deeper ledges, and large rays rest on sandy patches between dives. At El Bajo, the seamount's pinnacles attract scalloped hammerheads and silky sharks, their shapes appearing and fading in the blue. Pacific creolefish aggregate in numbers that shift the quality of the light.
Loreto National Park offers a mix of underwater topography: pinnacles that rise from sandy flats, rocky reefs where leopard grouper and dog snapper hold, and volcanic slopes adorned with hydrocorals and sponges. Green turtles rest in the shallows around San Franciscito, while hawksbill turtles are occasionally seen picking at sponges along the walls. Cortez angelfish and king angelfish add flashes of color to the reef, and octopus hide among boulders, their camouflage shifting as you approach.
At Espiritu Santo, calm coves invite kayaking and paddleboarding, or you can simply float at the surface and watch sea lions arc past in clear water. The islands themselves are sanctuaries for birdlife, with blue-footed boobies performing their courtship dances on the cliffs, magnificent frigatebirds wheeling overhead with their distinctive silhouettes, and brown pelicans working the shorelines in disciplined formations. On shore walks, you might encounter elephant seals hauled out on remote beaches or spot the tracks of desert reptiles in the sand.
Evenings sometimes bring night snorkels when mobula rays are present, attracted by lights suspended off the stern. Watching them move through the illuminated water, their wingbeats slow and graceful, their forms appearing and disappearing in the glow.

Day 11
The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard moors in La Paz. After a final breakfast on board, guests disembark and transfer by coach to Cabo San Lucas or directly to the airport.
Some trips use the port of La Paz and others use Cabo San Lucas so check exact port details for your trip.

Sea of Cortez South (Adventure) (8 Days / 7 Nights - 24 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: La Paz, Las Animas, La Reina, El Bajo, Espiritu Santo, San Franciscito, Loreto National Park: Coronada, Danzante, Carmen islands; San Pedro Martir. Kayaking. paddle boarding. swimming, hike into the hills, whatever you want.

Day 1
This expedition begins with a late afternoon check-in at the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas. After completing formalities and confirming arrangements, you'll join the coach transfer to La Paz. Boarding the luxury Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard takes place in the early evening, the crew welcoming you on the aft deck as you settle into your cabin. Once everyone is aboard and preparations are complete, the vessel slips its moorings and heads out into the Sea of Cortez. Dinner is served as the sun sets over the water, a relaxed beginning to the week ahead.

Core Days
The days that follow are given over to exploring the southern Sea of Cortez, a stretch of water designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its remarkable biodiversity and productive marine environment. The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard schedules up to 4 dives each day, with the crew adjusting plans based on conditions, currents, and animal movements. The route traces a clockwise loop from La Paz north toward Loreto, then returns south through some of the gulf's most distinctive dive sites.
As the Nautilus Gallant Lady moves north, the character of the diving shifts. Loreto National Park encompasses 3 main islands: Coronado, Danzante, and Carmen, each surrounded by waters that support dense marine life. The underwater terrain here is defined by steep walls, pinnacles, and rocky reefs that rise from deeper water. Strong nutrient flow sustains large schools of fish: snapper, jacks, grunts, and sardines congregate in numbers that shift the quality of the light. These aggregations draw predators such as yellowtail, tuna, and reef sharks, their shapes appearing along the edges of visibility.
From mid-May through July, the waters around Loreto host one of the Sea of Cortez's most distinctive natural events: large aggregations of mobula rays. They move through in synchronized formations as they glide over deep blue water. On occasion, they launch themselves clear of the surface, a behavior that is thrilling to witness. These encounters are a key draw during this window, though they unfold on their own schedule; patience and a quiet approach are rewarded.
The islands of Loreto National Park also offer reliable encounters with bottlenose dolphins, which appear frequently and sometimes approach with evident curiosity. Sea lions inhabit several of the rocky outcrops, their colonies offering interactions where young animals in particular spin and circle before darting away. Whale sharks appear during the warmer months, especially in early summer when plankton concentrations increase near the surface. Loreto is regarded as one of the more reliable areas in the gulf for these gentle giants during this period.
Further south, beyond the park boundaries, offshore seamounts like El Bajo and Las Animas rise from deeper water. Here, hammerhead sharks are sometimes encountered on deeper profiles, their shapes materializing along the edge of visibility where currents draw cooler, nutrient-rich water up from the depths. At La Reina, giant mantas visit cleaning stations with regularity, circling slowly as smaller fish pick parasites from their skin. The site also holds schools of jacks and barracuda that catch the light at certain angles.
Around Espiritu Santo and San Franciscito, the rocky reefs hold green turtles resting in the shallows. The volcanic slopes are draped in gorgonian fans and black coral, and macro life rewards those who slow down and look closely, since nudibranchs, blennies, and crustaceans hiding among the rock formations. The calmer conditions at these sites allow for extended bottom time and a different pace of diving.
Further offshore, Isla San Pedro Martir rises from deep water where upwellings fuel dense food chains. This site offers walls encrusted with life and the possibility of encountering sharks or large rays along the deeper ledges. The currents here can be strong, and the diving rewards those comfortable with open-water conditions.
Between dives, there is room to experience the Baja peninsula from the surface. The vessel carries kayaks and paddleboards for exploring sheltered coves. Shore landings offer opportunities to walk along empty beaches or, for those inclined, hike into the hills for a view of the sea from above. The landscape is stark and beautiful.

Day 8
The Nautilus Gallant Lady liveaboard returns to port in La Paz. After a final breakfast on board, guests disembark and transfer by coach to Cabo San Lucas or directly to the airport.