Ultimate Whale Shark & Sea Lion Sea of Cortez Trip 2027

Photography Workshop

Begin an extraordinary Sea of Cortez journey, where you'll witness an array of majestic creatures like whale sharks and sea lions, alongside a captivating assortment of marine life such as blennies, nudibranchs, and octopus. All whilst aboard one of Mexicos top liveaboard, the Quino del Mar.

Why Join This Trip?

Whale Sharks & Sea Lions Galore! A day of whale sharks with multiple encounters on 95% of trips
Experience the Best of the Sea of Cortez
Fly in and out of Phoenix, Arizona! Our van brings you to / from the boat right across the Mexican border
Huge diversity of marine life - blennies, nudibranchs, octopus, and more on one of Mexico’s favorite liveaboards - Quino Del Mar
FREE optional photo workshop
Fully refundable deposit until 12 months from departure.

August 22 - 29, 2027

Trip Leader: TBC

7 Nights for only $3,195

Trip Overview

This trip offers a great combination of big animals and fascinating macro life. There's always something for everyone. Plus, it's really easy to get to being only a 4-hour drive from Phoenix, AZ.

The Sea of Cortez is home to sea lions, whale sharks, manta and mobula rays, dolphins, and huge schools of fish. Sperm whales, pilot whales, and dolphins are also commonly spotted.

It doesn't just stop there as the Sea of Cortez is also a perfect place to practice your macro photography skills. You will get to see nice varieties of nudibranchs, Panamic arrow crabs, Pacific seahorses, jawfish, small and big octopuses, frogfish, and blennies.

Check out this cool video from diving the Sea of Cortez:

The boat will depart from Puerto Peñasco at 6 pm on Saturday and then travel for 12 hours to arrive the next morning for a 7 am dive. You will be diving 3-4 times per day on this trip. Here's a sample day-by-day itinerary of this trip:

Day 1 - Embark at 5 pm in Puerto Peñasco. Depart at 6 pm
Day 2 - Wake up at Refugio Bay on Angel Island
Potential Dive sites: Angel Rock, La Vela, Lolo’s Cove, Sunset Zodiak Cruise with Sea Lions
Day 3 - Angel Island
Potential Dive sites: Andrea’s Eagle, El Aquario, Las Vivoras, Las Vivoras including a night dive
Day 4 - San Pedro Martir Potential Dive sites: El Arroyo, Punta Martir (Sea Lions), Chayo’s Cove
Day 5 - San Pedro Martir
Potential Dive sites: Ravijunco, Xareni’s Pinnacle, Coromel, Morrito, in the afternoon we go looking for whales!
Day 6 - Salsipuedes & Animas
Potential Dive sites: Los Cuervos, El Caballo, In Animas, El Lavadero, El Lavadero including a night dive
Day 7 - Baja and Snorkeling with Whale Sharks in Bahia De Los Angeles
Potential Dive sites: El Pescador, Baja Ca., start heading back to Puerto Penasco in afternoon
Day 8 - Disembark at 7 am

To learn more about what you can expect from this Sea of Cortez trip, check out 2024 trip to the Sea of Cortez. Also see the reviews on diving the Sea of Cortez here.

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Inclusions

Three meals per day & snacks,
Beverages including soft drinks, juice, domestic beer & wine
One morning of whale shark snorkeling, & several dives with a friendly sea lion colony
Tanks, weights & weight belts

Exclusions

Transfers from Phoenix airport ($150 roundtrip)
Park fees ($35, subject to change)
Fuel Surcharge, if applicable (none currently)
Nitrox ($140)
Gratuity
Mexican Tourist Card: purchased at the border ($36 CASH ONLY)
Travel Insurance: click here to learn more about our preferred plan

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Trip Type

This trip is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. It will be led by one of our photo instructors who will provide daily instructional tutorials, in-water photography support (when appropriate), and one-to-one advice and guidance, as required. Each workshop offers a bespoke syllabus, crafted by the trip leader and detailed on the trip webpage. While our Photography Workshops are aimed at divers with an interest in underwater photography, anyone is welcome to join.

Learn more about what's included in this trip type.

(Left) A tiny 1-inch long reveals its position with a colorful dance in a desert of sand.
(Right) The same signal blenny photographed with a saga magic tube

About the Quino Del Mar

Launching in July 2025, the Quino del Mar is one owned by one of the top dive operators specializing in trips to the Sea of Cortez and Socorro Islands in Mexico. This 89-foot liveaboard yacht offers 10 cabins for up to 20 divers.

Quino del Mar's Key Features

What excites us about the Quino del Mar liveaboard is the promise of knowledgeable and friendly dive staff, exceptional stability for navigating the often-rough waters to the Socorro Islands, mouthwatering Mexican cuisine, and ample space designed for underwater photographers to set up their gear. This liveaboard is shaping up to be a dream for avid divers and underwater photographers eager to explore Socorro and the Sea of Cortez!

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Flight Information

Trip attendees will fly in and out of Phoenix, Arizona, which is the closest international airport. You should fly in on Saturday morning (Aug 22) and arrive before 11 am. For return flights, book anytime after 2 pm (Aug 29).

Head Out To Rocky Point offers a shuttle service to and from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and takes you directly to the boat. It takes approximately 3.5-4 hours. The cost is $150 per person, round trip. All passengers will be picked up at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at 1pm, Terminal 4, Door 5 outside on the far side of the street. The shuttles are clearly marked Head Out To Rocky Point. The shuttle will stop at the border so passengers can purchase Mexico Tourist Cards. If you choose to stay at a hotel the evening prior, be sure to be back at the airport by 12:30 so you can comfortably get to the shuttle departure area by 1pm. On disembarkation day the shuttle departs the boat at 7am.

Book the round-trip Head Out to Rocky Point Shuttle here: https://www.headouttorockypoint.com/scuba.

Flight Package

Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.

However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed.

If you would like us to book flights, hotels, and transfers for your domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Please be advised that there is a 10% fee for this service to cover our booking and administration costs.

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Recommended Scuba Gear

5mm wetsuit and a hooded vest. Browse Wetsuits at Bluewater Photo
A good mask and snorkel for whale shark snorkelling. We recommend the Cressi ZS1 & Corsica Snorkeling Package
Anti-fog.
Dive light/torch. We suggest Kraken NR-2000 Dive Light
Pointer.
Travel BCD. Read our Best Travel BCD Article
Travel regulator. We suggest Mares Ultra 62X Dive Regulator