Ultimate Whale Shark & Sea Lion Sea Of Cortez Trip 2027
August 22 - August 29 , 2027
Macro Critters
Whale Shark Encounters
Whale Encounters
Free Photo Workshops
Why Join This Trip- Inclusions & Exclusions
- Trip Type
- Trip Overview
- Accommodations
- Photo Gallery
- About the Trip Leader
- How to Get There
- Payment Schedule
Why join this Trip?
Rocio del Mar Cabin
Air Conditioning (AC)En Suite BathroomHot Water ShowerCamera RoomDouble Occupancy
$3,195p/p
OptionalLand Extensions
Inclusions
Exclusions
Trip type
Photography Workshop
Led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.
Read more about the trip
Trip Overview
Trip Overview
This trip offers a great combination of big animals and fascinating macro life. There's always something for everyone. Plus, it's really easy to get to being only a 4-hour drive from Phoenix, AZ.
The Sea of Cortez is home to sea lions, whale sharks, manta and mobula rays, dolphins, and huge schools of fish. Sperm whales, pilot whales, and dolphins are also commonly spotted.
It doesn't just stop there as the Sea of Cortez is also a perfect place to practice your macro photography skills. You will get to see nice varieties of nudibranchs, Panamic arrow crabs, Pacific seahorses, jawfish, small and big octopuses, frogfish, and blennies.
Sample Itinerary
The boat will depart from Puerto Peasco at 6 pm on Saturday and then travel for 12 hours to arrive the next morning for a 7 am dive. You will be diving 3-4 times per day on this trip. Here's a sample day-by-day itinerary of this trip:
- Day 1 - Embark at 5 pm in Puerto Peasco. Depart at 6 pm
- Day 2 - Wake up at Refugio Bay on Angel Island
- Potential Dive sites: Angel Rock, La Vela, Lolos Cove, Sunset Zodiak Cruise with Sea Lions
- Day 3 - Angel Island
- Potential Dive sites: Andreas Eagle, El Aquario, Las Vivoras, Las Vivoras including a night dive
- Day 4 - San Pedro Martir
- Potential Dive sites: El Arroyo, Punta Martir (Sea Lions), Chayos Cove
- Day 5 - San Pedro Martir
- Potential Dive sites: Ravijunco, Xarenis Pinnacle, Coromel, Morrito, in the afternoon we go looking for whales!
- Day 6 - Salsipuedes & Animas
- Potential Dive sites: Los Cuervos, El Caballo, In Animas, El Lavadero, El Lavadero including a night dive
- Day 7 - Baja and Snorkeling with Whale Sharks in Bahia De Los Angeles
- Potential Dive sites: El Pescador, Baja Ca., start heading back to Puerto Penasco in afternoon
- Day 8 - Disembark at 7 am
To learn more about what you can expect from this Sea of Cortez trip, check out 2023 Sea of Cortez trip report. Also see the reviews on diving the Sea of Cortez here.
Recommended Scuba Gear
- 5mm wetsuit and a hooded vest. Browse Wetsuits at Bluewater Photo
- A good mask and snorkel for whale shark snorkelling. We recommend the Cressi ZS1 & Corsica Snorkeling Package
- Anti-fog
- Dive light/torch. We suggest Kraken NR-2000 Dive Light
- Pointer
- Travel BCD. Read our Best Travel BCD Article
- Travel regulator. We suggest Mares Ultra 62X Dive Regulator
Accommodations
About The Quino Del Mar
Launching in July 2025, the Quino del Mar is one owned by one of the top dive operators specializing in trips to the Sea of Cortez and Socorro Islands in Mexico. This 89-foot liveaboard yacht offers 10 cabins for up to 20 divers.
Quino del Mar's Key Features
What excites us about the Quino del Mar liveaboard is the promise of knowledgeable and friendly dive staff, exceptional stability for navigating the often-rough waters to the Socorro Islands, mouthwatering Mexican cuisine, and ample space designed for underwater photographers to set up their gear. This liveaboard is shaping up to be a dream for avid divers and underwater photographers eager to explore Socorro and the Sea of Cortez!
About the Trip Leader
How to Get There
Flight Information
Trip attendees will fly in and out of Phoenix, Arizona, which is the closest international airport. You should fly in on Saturday morning (Aug 22nd) and arrive before 11 am. For return flights, book anytime after 2 pm (Aug 29th).
Head Out To Rocky Point offers a shuttle service to and from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and takes you directly to the boat. It takes approximately 3.5-4 hours. The cost is $150 per person, round trip. All passengers will be picked up at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at 1pm, Terminal 4, Door 5 outside on the far side of the street. The shuttles are clearly marked Head Out To Rocky Point. The shuttle will stop at the border so passengers can purchase Mexico Tourist Cards. If you choose to stay at a hotel the evening prior, be sure to be back at the airport by 12:30 so you can comfortably get to the shuttle departure area by 1pm. On disembarkation day the shuttle departs the boat at 7am.
Book the round-trip Head Out to Rocky Point Shuttle here: https://www.headouttorockypoint.com/scuba.
Flight Package
Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.
However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed.
If you would like us to book flights and transit hotels for domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Please be advised that there is a ticketing fee for this service.
Contact Us for more information.
Payment Schedule
- Deposit: $600 to book your spot
- Payment 2: $750 due 22 July 2026
- Payment 3: $750 due 13 January 2027
- Balance: due 14 April 2027
Ultimate Whale Shark & Sea Lion Sea Of Cortez Trip 2027
Book now and experience adventure
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by Jenny Hanna
