Socorro Islands
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: San Benedicto, Roca Partida, Socorro Island
Day 1-2
You should drop into the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas when they arrive in town to make sure you are all set for the cruise. For boarding you meet at the center in preparation for embarkation in the evening. If you arrive very early on departure day, you can deposit your bags at our recommended hotel, have a look around the town and have dinner before boarding. The boat departs at about 21:00 hrs and only snacks will be served on the first evening. As the boat steams toward San Benedicto the crew will present a safety and dive briefing. The boat arrives on the evening of day 2 so there is no diving on that day. You can while away the time getting to know your fellow guests over breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on day 2.
Days 3-8
You will do 4 dives on each full diving day. Highlights include a hammerhead cleaning station near San Benedicto, plus oceanic mantas and dolphins around Socorro, also knows for humpback encounters from January to April. The pelagic encounters you can expect around the isolated underwater volcano Roca Partida include Galapagos sharks, white tips, silvertips, silky sharks, hammerheads, and many manta rays. Silky sharks could also appear during this cruise.
Meals include international fare and Mexican specialties. Pre-breakfast features cereal, toast, yoghurt, juice and tea or coffee. Your cooked breakfast includes eggs cooked to order, sausages, hash browns and toast. Other dishes include homemade fish tacos, Italian pizzas, fish burgers and quesadillas.
On the second last day the boat begins making its way back to the mainland. So there is no diving on this transition day.
Final Day
You can expect to return back to port in Cabo San Lucas at around 08:30 hrs. The operator will help you organize your taxi back to your hotel or the airport after your final breakfast on board.
Sea of Cortez South
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
Your liveaboard adventure begins in Cabo San Lucas, where you step aboard Nautilus Under Sea in the early evening. From the moment you arrive, the atmosphere shifts into dive mode. Enjoy a relaxed cocktail hour on deck as the crew welcomes you and completes final preparations. Once underway, a freshly prepared dinner is served as the lights of Cabo fade into the distance. Later in the evening, Nautilus Under Sea departs Cabo San Lucas and begins the overnight crossing into the Sea of Cortez while you rest.
Core Diving Days
The core days of this Nautilus Under Sea liveaboard safari focus on scuba diving the southern Sea of Cortez, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its biodiversity, nutrient-rich waters, and dramatic underwater landscapes. Diving typically includes up to 4 dives per day, carefully planned around local conditions to maximize underwater time and site quality.
Dive sites may include offshore seamounts, rocky pinnacles, reefs, and island systems that attract a wide range of pelagic and reef species. Seasonal highlights from mid-May to July include large aggregations of mobula rays and hunting orceas, which are a major draw in this region. During this period, encounters with large marine life become more frequent, and divers may also observe dolphins, sea turtles, schooling fish, and various shark species.
Hammerhead sharks are often seen around sites such as El Bajo and Los Animas, while sea lions are a regular feature at Los Islotes. La Reina is known for manta ray activity, and selected dives may include shipwrecks and night diving when conditions allow.
Diving is supported by the experienced Nautilus Under Sea guides with strong local knowledge, and spotter planes may be used on some tours to help locate large pelagic activity at the surface, enhancing opportunities for in-water encounters while remaining dependent on natural conditions.
Final Day
The liveaboard returns to Cabo San Lucas in the morning, you will enjoy a final breakfast onboard. After disembarkation, guests are transferred to local hotels or the airport.
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, San Pedro Martir. Kayaking. paddle boarding. swimming, hike into the hills, whatever you want.
Day 1
You should drop into the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas when you arrive in town to make sure you are all set for the cruise. There is a coach journey provided to La Paz, then board the yacht and get ready for diving the next day.
Core Days
The safari will include 4 dives per day, combining the very best of the southern Sea of Cortez. The sea is a diver’s paradise, and with its unique ecosystem and the overall natural beauty, it has earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Mid-May to July is a very special time with large aggregations of mobula rays. And when there are lots of mobulas, there are orcas!! There is a good probability that guests will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to snorkel with an orca. Mid-May and June is also peak season for the really big female whale sharks, although you can spot these creatures throughout the summer. You will also see large pods of dolphins, turtles, different shark and whale species, hammerhead sharks around El Bajo and Los Animas, giant mantas at La Reina, night dives, huge schools of fish and vibrant marine life. Spotter planes are on-hand to enhance your adventure.
Meals on the Nautilus Under Sea include international fare and Mexican specialties. Pre-breakfast features cereal, toast, yoghurt, juice and tea or coffee. Your cooked breakfast includes eggs cooked to order, sausages, hash browns and toast. Other dishes include homemade fish tacos, Italian pizzas, fish burgers and quesadillas.
Day 8
Enjoy a final breakfast onboard, before disembarking in La Paz and being transferred back to your local hotel or airport in Cabo. Guests can fly out in the afternoon.
Some trips use the port of Cabo San Lucas so check exact port details above.
Sea of Cortez South (Mobula Ray Special)
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
Guests meet at the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas at 4 pm for any rental equipment. There will then be a complimentary underwater photography workshop on backscatter in preparation for the incredible photo opportunities you are going to have over the next few days. At 7:30 pm you will board the yacht. There will then be a boat briefing of the features, facilities and safety measures on board. Enjoy a delicious dinner then settle into your cabin as the boat gets underway for Cabo Pulmo.
Core Days
This is a special cruise with the primary focus of snorkelling and freediving with enormous schools of mobula rays, thousands strong, as they migrate across the Sea of Cortez, and the orcas (killer whales) that follow to prey on them. Mobulas are typically 5-7 feet across, and males leap far out of the water. You will also encounter them at night as they swarm around the boat lights in shallow protected bays. The orcas are an amazing sight too as they can grow up to 30 ft / 9m long and swim at 35 mph / 50 kmh.
Spotting planes will support the cruise for 3 days to assist with finding the biggest groups of mobula rays. Guests will be divided in to 2 groups at a time to use the high speed support boat to get them in the water at the optimal time. In the late afternoons, you take advantage of the kayaks and paddle boards, or take a beach hike.
Meals on the Nautilus Under Sea include international fare and Mexican specialties. Pre-breakfast features cereal, toast, yoghurt, juice and tea or coffee. Your cooked breakfast includes eggs cooked to order, sausages, hash browns and toast. Other dishes include homemade fish tacos, Italian pizzas, fish burgers and quesadillas.
On the penultimate day of the tour you will have the opportunity to dive or snorkel at Cabo Pulmo World Heritage Biosphere Reserve, home to some of the fishiest waters around. Finish the day enjoying a delicious dinner under the stars as you sail again to Cabo San Lucas.
Final Day
Disembarkation time at Cabo San Lucas is usually after breakfast. The operator will help you arrange taxi transfers back to your local hotel or airport after breakfast.
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
You should drop into the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas when you arrive in town to make sure you are all set for the cruise. There is a coach journey provided to La Paz, then board the yacht and get ready for diving the next day.
Core Days
The safari will include 6 dives per day, combining the very best of the southern Sea of Cortez, and spotter planes are on-hand to enhance your adventure. The sea is a diver’s paradise, and with its unique ecosystem and the overall natural beauty, it has earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Snorkel and swim with scores of whale sharks that aggregate in a quiet bay deep in the Sea of Cortez, located at the edge of massive upwellings of nutrient rich oceanic water - it’s crazy!! Giant finback whales and sperm whales can also be spotted.
Loreto is another gem that is seldom visited. The diving is great, the scenery is fantastic. Going ashore on the deserted white sand beaches is unforgettable. We will be sure to visit all our old favorites including Las Animas, the pinnacle of San Franciscito, Espiritu Santo and La Reyna. You will also see large pods of dolphins, turtles, and fingers crossed for hammerhead sharks!! Shoreside is really cool as well with the largest breeding population of blue footed boobies in the world, as well as the large populations of brown boobies and brown pelicans.
Meals on the Nautilus Under Sea include international fare and Mexican specialties. Pre-breakfast features cereal, toast, yoghurt, juice and tea or coffee. Your cooked breakfast includes eggs cooked to order, sausages, hash browns and toast. Other dishes include homemade fish tacos, Italian pizzas, fish burgers and quesadillas.
Day 8
Enjoy a final breakfast onboard, before disembarking in La Paz and being transferred back to your local hotel or airport in Cabo. Guests can fly out in the afternoon.
Sea of Cortez South (Mobula & Whale Shark Special)
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
These cruises usually depart from La Paz, although there are occasional exceptions. You have the option to fly directly into La Paz, or into San Jose de Los Cabos with a coach journey provided to La Paz late afternoon. Cocktail hour starts as soon as you board! And as soon as we have completed provisioning, cleaning
and any last minute engineering, we will be underway for a lovely dinner and safety briefing on our way to the Sea of Cortez.
Core Days
This diving safari combines the very best of the southern Sea of Cortez. The sea is a diver’s paradise and, with its unique ecosystem and the overall natural beauty, it has earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status. July and August provide a unique opportunity to overlap the seasons when we traditionally encounter the most orcas of the year in the southern Sea of Cortez, with large numbers of whale sharks gathering up north in Bahia de Los Angeles. You will also see large pods of dolphins, California sea lions, turtles, different shark and whale species, hammerhead sharks around El Bajo and Los Animas, giant mantas at La Reina, night dives, huge schools of fish and vibrant marine life. Spotter planes are on-hand to enhance your adventure.
Meals on the Nautilus Under Sea include international fare and Mexican specialties. Pre-breakfast features cereal, toast, yoghurt, juice and tea or coffee. Your cooked breakfast includes eggs cooked to order, sausages, hash browns and toast. Other dishes include homemade fish tacos, Italian pizzas, fish burgers and quesadillas.
Final Day
Enjoy a final breakfast onboard, before disembarking in La Paz and being transferred back to your local hotel or airport in Cabo. Guests can fly out in the afternoon.
Some trips use the port of Cabo San Lucas so check exact port details above.
Sea of Cortez South & Socorro (12 Days / 11 Nights - 17 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, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities:
zz
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
Guests meet at the Nautilus dive center in Cabo San Lucas on the day of departure to complete check-in procedures and collect any pre-arranged rental equipment. Boarding of Nautilus Under Sea takes place in the early evening, followed by an onboard orientation. As guests settle into their cabins, lunch and dinner are served on board while the liveaboard departs Cabo San Lucas and begins the approximately 15-hour crossing toward Magdalena Bay.
Core Days
This Nautilus Under Sea liveaboard tour focuses on the waters off Magdalena Bay during October and November, when seasonal upwellings create highly productive conditions. This period coincides with the second-largest sardine run in the world, drawing significant concentrations of striped marlin that actively hunt dense bait balls. The interaction between predators and prey creates fast-moving underwater scenes that are among the most distinctive natural events in the eastern Pacific.
While snorkeling or freediving is often the preferred way to observe bait ball activity due to the speed and shallow nature of the action, the cruise also includes multiple scuba diving opportunities across the region. Diving sites feature large schools of fish, turtles, and reef-associated species, as well as encounters with pelagic fish attracted by the nutrient-rich waters. Historic wreck dives form part of the experience, including a World War I-era submarine and the passenger steamship SS Independence, both offering a combination of marine growth and historical interest.
Marine life sightings extend well beyond the bait balls. California sea lions are frequently encountered, along with pods of dolphins and species such as wahoo and other open-water predators. Seasonal whale activity adds another layer to the experience, with humpback whales migrating through the area at this time of year. Sightings of larger whale species are possible but remain dependent on natural conditions. Above the surface, the area supports abundant seabird life, including pelicans, gulls, boobies, frigate birds, shearwaters, and albatross, reflecting the overall productivity of the ecosystem.
Day 8
Nautilus Under Sea returns to Cabo San Lucas in the morning. After a final breakfast on board the liveaboard, guests disembark for their onward travel.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
