Whale Shark snorkeling tour in a reduced group with local marine biologist
Overview
Live a truly experience of a lifetime on small groups of 9 people maximum (regular tours take around 15-25 people per boat), avoiding big crowds and long waiting prior to swim with whale sharks.
Just a few minutes away from the city of La Paz, you will search, see and swim with one or various whale sharks, guided by a local marine biologist which will introduce you to the specifics of the species and also record with a go pro pictures and videos of the tour, which we will send to you digitally after the tour day.
Please note that the whale shark area is Government regulated and when it reaches its full capacity there may be a waiting time from 1 to 3 hours approx. prior to enter. This applies to all tour operators and we can just know on the very same day. Approx. In 95% of the time we don't have to wait at all, but the other 5% of the times we need to wait. We will let you know if so upon arrival, so we ask you to have a flexible schedule for the day in case we need to wait
Just a few minutes away from the city of La Paz, you will search, see and swim with one or various whale sharks, guided by a local marine biologist which will introduce you to the specifics of the species and also record with a go pro pictures and videos of the tour, which we will send to you digitally after the tour day.
Please note that the whale shark area is Government regulated and when it reaches its full capacity there may be a waiting time from 1 to 3 hours approx. prior to enter. This applies to all tour operators and we can just know on the very same day. Approx. In 95% of the time we don't have to wait at all, but the other 5% of the times we need to wait. We will let you know if so upon arrival, so we ask you to have a flexible schedule for the day in case we need to wait
Inclusions
- Light refreshments
- Professional guide
- Use of snorkel equipment and wetsuits
- Federal permits (whale shark bracelet)
- Traveler's insurance
- Pictures and videos of your tour
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: MeXplore Tours, Topete 3040, Zona Comercial, 23060 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
We will meet at "Marina de La Paz" located in "Topete and Miguel de Legaspy" streets. It is VERY important to arrive on time.
Then we will give you all the gear you need: mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit (shortie). After that we will depart to the whale shark area and request a spot in the control stand for the Whale Shark area.
Once we found one or more we will start the watching and snorkel activity. Our groups are 9 people maximum per boat, this ensures not crowded boats and a more professional and personalized service. We will do the snorkeling activity in groups of 2 to 4 at the same time on the water, so you have a comfortable experience. The guide will take turns with every group and you will be able to swim several times and very probable with more than one whale shark, the times you want to snorkel depends on you, we won't limit you to jump in the water just 1 or 2 times as it can be usual with other tours.
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: MeXplore Tours, Topete 3040, Zona Comercial, 23060 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
We will meet at "Marina de La Paz" located in "Topete and Miguel de Legaspy" streets. It is VERY important to arrive on time.
Then we will give you all the gear you need: mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit (shortie). After that we will depart to the whale shark area and request a spot in the control stand for the Whale Shark area.
Once we found one or more we will start the watching and snorkel activity. Our groups are 9 people maximum per boat, this ensures not crowded boats and a more professional and personalized service. We will do the snorkeling activity in groups of 2 to 4 at the same time on the water, so you have a comfortable experience. The guide will take turns with every group and you will be able to swim several times and very probable with more than one whale shark, the times you want to snorkel depends on you, we won't limit you to jump in the water just 1 or 2 times as it can be usual with other tours.
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Bring towel, sweatshirt (very important Nov-March) and biodegradable sunscreen
- Minimum age is 4 years
- Activity restricted for safety and federal regulations to: women in pregnancy, heart, neck and breathing problems
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
santafeyol
April 2022
The tour finds a whale shark that is not already claimed by another boat, 14 boats are allowed at a time for 2 hours max. The guide/captain tells you when to enter the water. The whale sharks were swimming fast, only the very strong/fast swimmers were able to swim alongside the whale sharks as w...
The tour finds a whale shark that is not already claimed by another boat, 14 boats are allowed at a time for 2 hours max. The guide/captain tells you when to enter the water. The whale sharks were swimming fast, only the very strong/fast swimmers were able to swim alongside the whale sharks as we were instructed to do. This is not a passive or observing activity. The whales swim away from the humans and even the strongest swimmers were tired after a short swim. The captain had moved the boat to the path the whale shark was swimming and told me to jump in, the whale shark swam right under me and his tail brushed me, we were not supposed to swim over them or touch them as humans may carry bacteria harmful to the whale sharks. Some of the guests in our boat of 8 only got to see the tail or side of the whale because they could not swim fast enough to see the front. The overall experience seemed intrusive to the whale shark. The tour operator did not contact us to inform us of a time change, luckily I checked the day before to confirm and found out the time had changed by 1 hour. We booked through a third party and we were not given the required wrist bands that are supposed to be purchased for entry to the waters, others in the boat had them, not sure why we did not get them, and I did not notice until we were almost done with the tour. I would not do this tour again, as it felt we were chasing the whales. Go to Tripadvisor | Privacy Policy | ContHannah_O
April 2022
This was an absolutely unforgettable experience! Our resident marine biologist Maritzia and captain Israel were the most phenomenal crew, giving us so much information on whale sharks and ensuring we were having a great time from start to finish. We had a small group (four of us) and were able to...
This was an absolutely unforgettable experience! Our resident marine biologist Maritzia and captain Israel were the most phenomenal crew, giving us so much information on whale sharks and ensuring we were having a great time from start to finish. We had a small group (four of us) and were able to take multiple turns swimming with the whale shark we found (Pascual, I believe- all of them are named and recognizable by pattern!), which was exhilarating. Afterward, we happened upon a pod of false killer whales and were able to follow them around for true true experience of a LIFETIME. This was so laid back, so magical, and the highlight of my trip to La Paz. Could not recommend more highly!Peter G
April 2022
Eric and Danny ran a great tour. Eric is a marine biologist and expertly set us up to swim with a whale shark (about 20-25 feet long). My friend and I swam with the shark 3-4 times and the 3 other (friendly) tourists also swam 3-4 times. I had an excellent view, swimming along side. They provide ...
Eric and Danny ran a great tour. Eric is a marine biologist and expertly set us up to swim with a whale shark (about 20-25 feet long). My friend and I swam with the shark 3-4 times and the 3 other (friendly) tourists also swam 3-4 times. I had an excellent view, swimming along side. They provide wetsuits, snorkels, fins, and excellent teaching. It is best if you are a reasonably good swimmer as the shark moves at a moderate clip.FortunateAndGrateful
April 2022
Getting up so close to these magnificent, beautiful, and amazing creatures is on my “top” list of aquatic experiences… And I’m a former scuba diving instructor. The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. I was also impressed, in general, by the care taken to respect the natural env...
Getting up so close to these magnificent, beautiful, and amazing creatures is on my “top” list of aquatic experiences… And I’m a former scuba diving instructor. The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. I was also impressed, in general, by the care taken to respect the natural environment and habitat.596bajaf
April 2022
Had a blast! Our guide (my "twin" - Eric Alexander) and captain (Dennis) were outstanding. Really took care of all of us, especially my 86 year old mother-in-law on her birthday!!
Had a blast! Our guide (my "twin" - Eric Alexander) and captain (Dennis) were outstanding. Really took care of all of us, especially my 86 year old mother-in-law on her birthday!!Jenesaisquoi1111
April 2022
We went to Los Cabos for the first time and got a little bored after a couple of days just hanging around the resort. We decided to find an excursion, and we're so happy we tried MeXplore! Finding a driver to take us on a 2.5 hour drive to La Paz was a little outside our comfort zone, but we didn...
We went to Los Cabos for the first time and got a little bored after a couple of days just hanging around the resort. We decided to find an excursion, and we're so happy we tried MeXplore! Finding a driver to take us on a 2.5 hour drive to La Paz was a little outside our comfort zone, but we didn't need to be concerned. The drivers are used to shuttling tourists and we even took a detour to Todos Santos. The MeXplore whale shark experience was fantastic! After a short time on the water, we spotted Guacamole (all the whale sharks are named and easy to identify with their unique markings) and we had two opportunities to get in the water and swim with him. Maritza was our guide and extremely knowledgeable about whale sharks and the Sea of Cortez in general. She also positioned us to make sure everyone got a great view of Guacamole. Based on other reviews, I thought the swimming might be an issue, but I'm an average swimmer and it was easy.