Whale Sharks from Cabo
Swimming with whale sharks from Cabo San Lucas: the 10-hour day trip to La Paz with hotel pickup, or a night in La Paz and a 3-hour swim. Prices for 2026-27.
The whale sharks are not in Cabo. They feed in the Bay of La Paz, about two hours north by road, so from Cabo the swim is a full day. Cabo Adventures’ tour collects you from your Los Cabos hotel at about 7 a.m., spends the middle of the day on the water and brings you back in the evening, about 10 hours in all. It costs from $259 a person, rated 4.9 from 1,141 reviews (checked October 2026), and the 2026-27 calendar runs daily from 15 November to 15 April.
The boats you see off Cabo in winter are whale-watching boats: humpback and gray whales, not whale sharks. If the whale sharks are the point, it has to be La Paz.
The day trip
- Pickup at your hotel in Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo, in an air-conditioned vehicle.
- The drive north to La Paz along the Pacific side, about two hours; in winter you may see humpbacks offshore.
- The swim. At the La Paz waterfront you meet the guides and boat captains, collect a wetsuit and snorkel gear, and go out in a local panga to the feeding area.
- Lunch at a seafood restaurant on the malecón, with soft drinks and water, before the drive back.
The minimum age is 8, there is a 120 kg (265 lb) weight limit, and pregnant travelers cannot join. Children pay from $219 on the Viator calendar. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the day from Cabo
Or spend a night in La Paz
The alternative is to drive or take the bus to La Paz, stay the night, and book a three-hour swim from the marina the next morning.
| Day trip from Cabo | A night in La Paz | |
|---|---|---|
| Time on the road | About 4 hours, there and back in a day | The same drive, split over two days |
| Whale shark tour | From $259, 10 hours | From $110 to about $176, 3 hours |
| Group | Shared tour in a local panga | At most 9 or 10 guests per boat on the small-group swims |
| What else | Lunch | Time for the malecón, Balandra or Espiritu Santo |
| Best for | One free day, no car, no hotel change | Two days or more, or a road trip up the peninsula |
A night in La Paz also takes the pressure off the weather. If wind closes the bay on your swim day, a La Paz tour can usually move you to the next morning, while a Cabo day trip has to start over from the hotel.
Pick one
La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour and Lunch From Los Cabos
Hotel to hotel, nothing to organize, lunch included. Long, but the simplest way to see the sharks from Los Cabos.
Check dates →Small-Group Whale Shark Snorkeling with a Marine Biologist
Three hours from Marina de La Paz, at most 9 guests and a marine biologist, the permit and photos included.
See the small group →La Paz Snorkeling at Balandra's Hidden Beaches, from Los Cabos
If the whale sharks are out of season: the same company's catamaran day to Balandra, with snorkeling, kayaks and lunch.
See the Balandra day →Prices, ratings and review counts from the Viator listings (checked October 2026). Treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
The price guide lists every La Paz swim with what it includes, and the season guide shows which weeks are the safest bet.
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Find a tour that fits your schedule. Dates and cancellation terms are on each listing.
One Day, Hotel to Hotel
Cabo Adventures' La Paz whale shark day: pickup at your Los Cabos hotel, the drive north, a local panga into the bay, wetsuit and gear, then lunch at a seafood restaurant on the malecón and the drive back. About 10 hours.
Check dates on Viator