The official season, the rules every boat must follow, where to look from shore, and nine operators that run whale-watching trips from the Cabo San Lucas marina.
Updated October 2026 · Curated by the What’s In Cabo team
Whale watching in Cabo follows a federal season: the latest notice, for 2025-26, set Los Cabos from December 15 to April 30, the same closing date since 2019-20. Humpbacks are the main show, with January to March usually the busiest stretch. Boats must stay at least 60 to 80 m from humpbacks, and swimming with whales is not allowed.
Whale watching in Cabo runs on a federal calendar. The most recent notice from SEMARNAT, Mexico’s environment ministry, for 2025–26, set the Los Cabos season from December 15 to April 30, the same closing date as every notice since 2019–20.
Humpback whales are the main reason to go out, and most visitor guides put the busiest stretch between January and March. Gray whales calve in the Pacific lagoons farther north, blue whales gather between La Paz and Loreto, and fin whales live in the Gulf of California all year.
The rules on the water (NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010):
Two areas are closed to whale watching in Los Cabos because of boat traffic: the port plus 2 km around the Arch, and a 1 km strip out to sea from Punta Ballenas.
From the sand, the Pacific beaches of Cerritos and Migriño often bring sightings, especially in January and February.
Beyond Los Cabos: gray whales can be seen in Magdalena Bay, on the Pacific, which the 2025–26 notice opened from January 1 to April 30; it is just under three hours from La Paz and about 4.5 to 5 hours each way from Los Cabos. In the Bay of La Paz, the 2026–27 whale shark season runs from October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, and swimming only starts once at least six whale sharks are counted. See our La Paz guide.
How we choose: we list operators whose own websites offer a whale-watching trip in Los Cabos, checked on October 14, 2026, and take the season dates only from the federal notices. Prices are the ones each operator publishes, with the date we read them. Shared tours come first, then private charters, A–Z; the numbers are list positions, not a ranking. Updated October 2026.
Why we love it:Two shared trips from the Cabo San Lucas Marina: a 2-hour ride on rigid inflatable boats and a 2.5-hour trip on a Leopard catamaran with an open bar. Private versions of both are also sold.
Cabo tip:The dock fee and hotel transport are charged on top of the tour.
Why we love it:A 2-hour shared catamaran trip from the Cabo San Lucas Marina, daily at 9:00 and 12:00 from December 15 to March 31, with a sunset departure added from early February.
Cabo tip:73 USD per adult and 36.50 USD per child, checked October 14, 2026; check-in is at Plaza Gali.
Why we love it:A 2.5-hour lunch cruise on the SunRider100 from Dock 4 of the Cabo San Lucas Marina, Monday to Saturday from 10:30 to 13:00, plus a dinner cruise from 16:30 to 19:00.
Cabo tip:115 USD per adult and 60 USD per child without transport, checked October 14, 2026; a park access fee and a dock fee are paid in cash on top.
Why we love it:A private 3-hour sailing or yacht trip to look for whales, leaving from Dock F of Cabo Marina on boats from 38 to 51 feet.
Cabo tip:Prices depend on the boat and the size of the group.
Why we love it:Private whale-watching trips of about 3 hours on a sailboat, catamaran, trimaran or yacht, from December 15 to March 31, with check-in at Plaza Gali in the Cabo San Lucas Marina.
Cabo tip:From 600 USD per charter for a 33-foot sailboat with up to six adults, checked October 14, 2026.
Why we love it:Whale watching is part of its private, all-inclusive yacht charters from Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo tip:Ask for the whale-watching route when you book the charter.
Why we love it:Private yacht charters on boats from 35 to 110 feet from IGY Marina and Marina Fundadores in Cabo San Lucas; for whales, the operator suggests six hours or more.
Cabo tip:A longer charter leaves time to reach the whales and keep the required distance.
Why we love it:Whale-watching charters from the Cabo San Lucas Marina, priced by the yacht you choose.
Cabo tip:Prices depend on the yacht.
Why we love it:A private whale-watching tour on a yacht from its fleet of 28 to 110 feet, from December to April.
Cabo tip:Prices depend on the yacht.
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A federal notice sets it each year. The latest one, for 2025-26, ran from December 15 to April 30 in Los Cabos, the same dates as every notice since 2019-20.
At least 60 m from humpback and gray whales, or 80 m for boats 10 m or longer, and 100 to 120 m from blue and fin whales, with no more than four boats per whale or group for up to 30 minutes.
No. Swimming, diving, kayaks and jet skis are not allowed for whale watching. Swimming with whale sharks is a separate, regulated activity in the Bay of La Paz.
Yes. The Pacific beaches of Cerritos and Migrino often bring sightings from the sand, especially in January and February, usually at a distance.
In Magdalena Bay, on the Pacific coast, which the latest notice opened from January 1 to April 30. It is about 4.5 to 5 hours each way by road from Los Cabos, and just under three hours from La Paz.
Sources & recognitions: DOF · Whale-watching season notice 2025–26 (October 10, 2025) · DOF · NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, whale-watching rules · SEMARNAT · Whale shark season notice 2026–27, Bay of La Paz · Visit Los Cabos · Whale watching in Los Cabos 2025 · Go La Paz · Gray whales: where, how and when · The Cabo Sun · Beaches for spotting whales (2023) · PezGato · Whale watching · Sunrider · Whale watching lunch cruise · Cabo Sails · Whale-watching tours
