Whale Shark Tours in La Paz: 6 That Repay an Early Alarm

1.La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour and Lunch From Los Cabos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,066 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $259Our pick

Travel from Los Cabos to La Paz, then board a panga with guides such as Mario, Joe, or Juan to swim near whale sharks in their feeding area. The tour includes hotel pickup, wetsuits, snorkeling gear, drinks, fish tacos, and round-trip transport. Plan for a long day, changing conditions, and possible weather closures.

“Mario was wonderful! i was struggling with the current and trying to keep up with the whale shark and Mario literally held my hand and guided me.”

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2.Whale Shark snorkeling tour in a reduced group with local marine biologist

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 594 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $190

Meet MeXplore in central La Paz for a small-group whale shark snorkeling trip led by a marine biologist such as Angel, Carla, or Maria. You’ll receive a wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, safety briefing, and several surface swims, with snacks and GoPro photos included. The tour usually lasts about three hours.

“Our whale shark tour was canceled the afternoon before the trip, due to the harbor being closed due to wind. This is not the operators fault, however we found out cancelations are way more common than the operators will tell you, especially in January, February and March. Fortunately we found other tours and still had a great time. The area has a lot to offer other than awesome whale sharks!”

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3.Intimate Eco-Friendly Whale Shark Encounter – Premium Service

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 392 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $268

Meet at The Dock Cafe in central La Paz for a three-hour whale shark outing limited to seven people. Your guide fits you with a wetsuit and snorkel gear, then leads private turns beside the sharks. Snacks, drinks, biodegradable SPF 50 sunscreen, and photos and video are included. Hotel transport and towels are not.

“Fantastic, highly recommended! It was incredible. One of the most wonderful experiences in my life, go and do it, titans!”

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4.Whale Shark Swim Adventure in La Paz

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 154 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $110Best value

Swim in La Paz’s Sea of Cortez beside whale sharks for about 50 minutes, with groups limited to five in the water. Guides such as Armando, Camilla, and Dellis explain the rules, provide gear and snacks, and help you swim safely near these gentle giants. Expect a flexible departure time and possible waits of up to three hours.

“Great captain and crew. Whale sharks are amazing, but you have to swim fast o catch up with them.”

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5.La Paz Whale Shark & Sea Lion Snorkeling + Balandra Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $250

Join Tuna Tuna Tours for a six-hour La Paz boat trip with a marine biologist, snorkeling near whale sharks and sea lions, and relaxing at Balandra. Guides such as Stephanie, Christian, Cristian, and Juan Carlos have helped guests spot animals, follow safety rules, and capture underwater photos and videos. Lunch, wetsuits, drinks, and gear are included.

“Snorkeling trip of a lifetime! My boyfriend and I have never done anything like that and we’re so glad we were able to. Maritza and Marco did an amazing job! They answered questions we had about the fish and areas we visited and did a great job taking care of us! We were able to get great views of the whales and sounds like we had a better system and actually got to spend more than the usual 5 minutes in the water than other companies with larger groups, we were a small one!”

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6.Snorkel with Whale Sharks in La Paz

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $131

Meet at La Paz’s Fiscal Dock for a roughly three-hour whale shark outing near El Mogote. You’ll search for these gentle giants, then snorkel in shallow water in groups of five. The boat holds no more than eight people, and park rangers assign launch times, so keep your morning flexible.

“The tour operators were extremely communicative and professional. The guide and captain worked together to accommodate the small group with varied swimming abilities. Their passion for conservation shown through the entire experience. Highly recommend this tour operator out of the myriad of available options.”

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