7 nights

Duration

12 People

Max Group Size

Nov

Month

Baja California’s Magdalena Bay is home to some of the most incredible animals in the ocean. The warm waters and upwelling bring in huge amounts of baitfish that in turn are hunted by striped marlin, California sea lions, dolphins, whales, and sometimes even sharks. While the main focus of the trip is bait balls of sardines and mackerel and the animals predating on them, we can also encounter many other migrating species, such as Humpback whales, schooling mobula rays, and possibly other surprise guests!

We have partnered with Latitude Encounters for this tour, and by using this experienced team of marine biologists, captains, and open ocean experts who specialize in finding pelagic species like the striped marlins, our chances of getting in the middle of the action are at their best.

While hunting, the marlin work together to corral the sardines up to the surface and into tight bait balls. The marlins then take turns darting towards the bait balls, using their long bills to hit, stun, and sometimes spear the fish before pivoting back to consume their prey. While they are hunting, the marlin flash their bright stripes as a form of communication, creating a magical display of animal behaviour that we are lucky to witness.

As we continue to explore the area, we will be searching for not only marlin hunting on bait balls but also several varieties of dolphin species, sea lions, sharks, and whales. Once we find the bait balls, things really get interesting. The trip can be fast-paced, and we will be jumping in and out of the water throughout the day. The bait balls can move fast, but our goal is to find the more stable, static bait balls. We will be freediving and snorkeling amongst these incredible animals, watching an amazing, not-to-be-missed display of predatory behavior!

Is this trip right for me?

This is a very unique type of trip in that a good portion of our time (up to 8 hours a day) is spent in the open ocean looking for the marlins. Whales, sea lions, sharks, and dolphins are also frequently spotted in the area. If we come across them, we could very well have the opportunity to get in the water with them.

Even though the team from Latitude Encounters has incredible knowledge of the marine life here, there can be times when we won’t see anything for anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple of hours, as these pelagic species can be hard to find at times.

We also need to say that, as these pelagic species can move relatively quickly, there may be a lot of in and out of the boat via the ladder as we reposition the boat to get back in the water. This safari is one of our more physically demanding tours, and a reasonable level of physical strength is required for this particular tour.

Also please note that there are no toilets on the boats. The mornings and evenings are expected to be very cold. For more information about what you can expect from this tour, please get in touch with us.

Melissa. March 2023

‘I had a terrific time on the Mexico Pelagic Safari snorkel trip led by Marcus in March 2023. It was truly a unique experience, despite not being able to see whale sharks due to government regulation. For example, being nearby as a mother humpback taught her baby how to breach, watching curious gray whales spyhop and then swim directly under our boat, be in the water near a Mako shark, and snorkel amongst cavorting sea lions’

Marine Life Guide

This tour is partnered with the Manta Trust. Find out how we support the Manta Trust via this tour here.

Day 1 - Arrive in La Paz

Upon arrival in La Paz, transfer to the hotel, check in, and relax. We will have a group dinner that evening, where you’ll have the chance to meet the rest of the group as well as your Snorkel Venture tour leader.

Day 2 - Transfer to San Carlos

After a leisurely breakfast, the Latitude Team will pick us up from our hotel in La Paz. We will all be shuttled up to San Carlos, about 3.5 hours away. This evening we will have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant prepared by our private cook. This will be a great opportunity to meet the rest of the group, your Snorkel Venture group leader, and the team from Latitude Encounters.

Day 2 - 6 Marlin Expedition

A light breakfast will be served at 5:30 am for 6:30 am departure (departure time may vary). The boat will pick us up at the ramp, just a 5-minute drive away.

We will be spending all day on the water, in search of the sardine or mackerel bait balls and hunting marlins. The boat ride is about 1hr to the mouth of the bay before we head into the open ocean.

The early mornings can be quite cold, so we recommend wearing a bathing suit under some warm clothes. A cosy fleece-lined windbreaker and a hat are also useful in the late afternoon for the return trip to shore.

Once we reach the mouth of the bay, we will change into our wetsuits and start to head out in search of the Magnificent Frigate birds. The birds are what we use to locate the bait balls, as they will be diving to the water to try and scoop up a baitfish.

The boat schedule and activity will be based on the weather conditions and activity of the day and is subject to change.

The boat ride to the bait balls can take up to 3 hours, and the return can be rough, but we will go wherever we need to go!

Aside from searching for the bait balls, we’ll also visit a very beautiful set of sand dunes, where coyotes can be seen, and a sea lion colony full of playful California sea lions! There’s never a dull moment on this trip, in or out of the water.

We will have a briefing every evening to go over the weather and plans for the following day.

Day 7 - Transfer to La Paz Airport

After a typical Mexican breakfast at our hotel, we will head back to La Paz to drop off guests at their hotel or airport.

If you are planning on flying home on this date, please book your flight for after 3 pm to allow for any delays on the highway.

Hotel Alcatraz, San Carlos

We will be staying in the small town of San Carlos. A few years ago, San Carlos was a pretty unknown spot where fishermen from around the peninsula came to take advantage of the extremely biodiverse waters. San Carlos has all the basic amenities you need and is a safe and friendly area.

The roads are unpaved, but the town has a special and authentic flair. There are plenty of beautiful whale murals around town painted by local artists. Hotel Alcatraz is a quaint and simple hotel with a charming courtyard garden to relax in. The operator and the staff are lovely and very accommodating.

Resort Guide

Snorkel Boats

We will be using panga-style boats (we will split the group between the two boats). The boats have sun canopies, padded seats, back rests, as well as a comfortable ladder for exiting the water.

On this page you will find our Tour Dates & Pricing, a Request to Book Form and Details of Payment schedule including deposit and final balance.

My name is Graham and I’ll be your personal consultant for this tour, I’ll manage your booking right up until you meet our tour leader in destination. I’ll be on hand to assist with everything from additional nights before and after your tour and making sure you are on time for our ‘Welcome Dinner’ to guidance on what to bring and the snorkeling conditions you are likely to experience. We share an email inbox at Snorkel Venture, you can fill out the form below or drop me an email at hello@snorkelventure.com. I look forward to assisting you on this tour.