Tours run from about January 20 to mid-April, with whale numbers peaking February to mid-March, and Kuyimá's 2-hour boat tour costs MXN 1,350. Some gray whales here swim up to the boats on their own, mothers and calves included.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray whale | January: in season | February: peak | March: peak | April: in season | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: not usually seen | August: not usually seen | September: not usually seen | October: not usually seen | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
Peak In season
From kuyima.com. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whale Watching TourIncludes Briefing, CONANP protected area fee (wristband), Life jacket, 2-hour boat tour, Restrooms, Coffee or hot water |
MXN 1,350 per adult |
About 2 hours on the water |
Up to 12 passengers per boat; boats may be shared with other groups |
No minimum; babies allowed under parents' responsibility | About 7 m (23 ft) boat, up to 12 passengers plus a guide and boat operator | None; operator says whale encounters cannot be guaranteed | Refund minus deposit if cancelled over 30 days ahead, none after; wind over 30 km/h stops trips, with rebooking or 80% refund. | Check dates | |
Private boatIncludes Briefing, CONANP protected area fee (wristband), Life jacket, 2-hour boat tour |
MXN 10,800 per group |
About 2 hours on the water |
1 to 8 passengers |
No minimum; babies allowed under parents' responsibility | About 7 m (23 ft) boat | None; operator says whale encounters cannot be guaranteed | Refund minus deposit if cancelled over 30 days ahead, none after; wind over 30 km/h stops trips, with rebooking or 80% refund. | Check dates | |
San Ignacio Whale WatchingIncludes Naturalist and bilingual guides, Meals and drinks per itinerary, Transport on tour, including the van from Loreto, Camping equipment, National park and biosphere reserve fees, Panga whale watching sessions, Taxes |
$1,640 per adult |
3 days with 2 nights at camp; whale watching sessions of about 2 hours |
Up to 6 guests per panga; minimum 4 guests per departure |
8 | 22 ft open fiberglass panga, up to 6 passengers plus guide and driver | None; operator says it cannot guarantee whales or mothers with calves | Itineraries may change for wind, rough water or port captain orders, with no refund; full terms on a separate page. | Check dates | |
San Ignacio Lagoon Gray Whale WatchingIncludes Private flights between Cabo (SJD) and the lagoon, Scheduled group transfers, Activities and equipment, Meals, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, Naturalist guides, Camp accommodation |
Not listed |
4 days/3 nights or 6 days/5 nights; up to 8 or 14 whale sessions of about 90 minutes |
Pangas hold up to 12; operator aims for 6 to 7 guests plus captain and naturalist |
24 to 28 ft pangas, up to 12 guests (6 to 7 typical) | Not stated | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
All three operators base their trips at camps on the lagoon shore. Kuyimá's camp is about 60 km from the town of San Ignacio: 48 km of paved highway, then about 15 km of dirt road that most vehicles can handle. Its office in town gives directions, and transport from San Ignacio is not included in the tour price; the company asks for transfer requests at least 7 days before arrival.
Sea Kayak Adventures drives its guests from Loreto, north along the Gulf coast via Santa Rosalía and then west across the desert, arriving in time for an afternoon whale session. Baja Expeditions flies guests from Cabo's SJD airport to the lagoon airstrip in 1 hour 50 minutes on a 13-seat Cessna Grand Caravan, after a 7 am coach from SeeCreatures Cabo. Its camp is on the north shore, which it says is more sheltered from wind than the south shore camps.
Whale watching happens in a small defined area of the lagoon. Baja Expeditions says no more than 16 boats may be there at once, and each panga may stay 90 minutes before giving way. Sea Kayak Adventures says a lagoon guard logs each boat in and enforces a two-hour limit, that only licensed Mexican boats may enter while whales are present, and that kayaks and private boats are barred.
UNESCO lists Laguna San Ignacio and Laguna Ojo de Liebre, inscribed together in 1993 as the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino, as the most important breeding site for the eastern North Pacific gray whale. Most of these whales spend the summer feeding in the Chukchi, Beaufort and northwestern Bering seas. Harbor seals, California sea lions, northern elephant seals, bottlenose dolphins and four species of sea turtle also use the sanctuary.
In Kuyimá's account, the first whales and newborn calves arrive in late January. February to mid-March brings courtship, mating and the most whales. From mid-March into April, most of the whales left are mothers with calves preparing to migrate north. SEMARNAT's official 2025-2026 season in the lagoon ran December 15 to April 30, inside polygons authorized by CONANP, while Kuyimá's tours usually run from about January 20 to the second week of April.
Some whales approach the boats on their own. Sea Kayak Adventures says boats are usually within 15 to 20 ft of whales and that mothers sometimes push their calves toward the pangas. Touching is never guaranteed, and the company calls these "whale watching trips, not whale touching trips." Kuyimá says any approach is the whales' choice. Baja Expeditions estimates that more than 1,000 gray whales pass through each winter, 300 to 400 of them friendly.
Boats stay ashore when the wind tops 30 km/h (about 19 mph) or visibility is poor, a limit Kuyimá says the environmental authorities set. Mornings can be cold and cloudy, warming by midday, and the wind may pick up later, so trips sometimes shift earlier or later the same day. If weather cancels a Kuyimá tour on site, guests can rebook or take back 80% of the unused services. Sea Kayak Adventures may change plans as late as noon the day before, without refunds.
Nights drop to the low 40s F, Baja Expeditions says, and clouds usually burn off by early afternoon. Kuyimá's packing list includes warm layers, waterproof clothing, a warm hat or scarf, sunglasses, biodegradable sunscreen, closed-toe shoes and water shoes. It also suggests a flashlight and power bank, since its camp runs on limited solar power with no cell service. The lagoon gets choppy in wind, and Sea Kayak Adventures tells guests prone to seasickness to bring medication.
Kuyimá, a local company with an office in San Ignacio town, sells the only day tour among the three. It costs MXN 1,350 per adult for about 2 hours on the water, MXN 1,215 for ages 12 to 17 and students, and MXN 945 for children 4 to 11. Boats are about 7 m (23 ft) and carry up to 12 passengers with a guide and boat operator. The CONANP protected area fee is included, shown by a wristband, and a private boat for up to 8 costs MXN 10,800.
Sea Kayak Adventures sells a 3-day camp trip from Loreto at USD 1,640 per adult for groups of 7 or more, or USD 1,955 for 4 to 6. Park fees are included, and the minimum age is 8. Its 22 ft pangas carry up to six guests with a guide and a government-licensed pangero. The camp has canvas tents and a portable toilet but no fresh water or showers, and trips start only after the Magdalena Bay season ends, around the third week of March.
Baja Expeditions sells 4-day and 6-day fly-in trips with up to 8 or 14 whale sessions of about 90 minutes. Its 24 to 28 ft pangas hold up to 12, though it aims for 6 or 7 guests plus a captain and naturalist. Glamping tents have private bathrooms with hot water and power around the clock. Guests pay a USD 35 park and landing fee in cash at camp, and medical evacuation insurance is mandatory. None of the three offers a sighting guarantee.
from MXN 1,350 per adult
Whale Watching Tour and 1 more option
Local company with an office in San Ignacio town, which gives directions to its lagoon camp
from $1,640 per adult
San Ignacio Whale Watching
Runs its own tented whale camp at San Ignacio (canvas tents with cots, no fresh water at camp)
Price on request
San Ignacio Lagoon Gray Whale Watching
Runs luxury and glamping camps at the lagoon
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.