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Whale Shark Encounter: Swim in La Paz Waters
5.0
54 Ratings
La Paz
Swim with whale sharks in La Paz’s serene waters. Experience an unforgettable adventure with these gentle giants from November to April.
Swim with whale sharks in La Paz’s serene waters. Experience an unforgettable adventure with these gentle giants from November to April.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 5JMC+37 La Paz - Experience the thrill of swimming alongside whale sharks, the largest and most gentle fish in the world, in the breathtaking waters of La Paz. From November to April, these magnificent ocean creatures gather near El Mogote, a sandbar teeming with plankton, creating an ideal feeding ground. This natural event provides a unique…
- 5JMC+37 La Paz - Experience the thrill of swimming alongside whale sharks, the largest and most gentle fish in the world, in the breathtaking waters of La Paz. From November to April, these magnificent ocean creatures gather near El Mogote, a sandbar teeming with plankton, creating an ideal feeding ground. This natural event provides a unique chance to observe these elegant animals up close in their natural environment. With snorkeling gear, swim in shallow waters and watch these gentle giants glide gracefully through the ocean. This adventure is both accessible and unforgettable. Starting from the Fiscal Dock in La Paz, search for the whale sharks upon arrival. Groups of 5 will swim with the whale sharks, ensuring every visitor fully enjoys the experience. The entire journey, from entering the whale shark area to returning to land, lasts about 3 hours. Typically, the day begins with a meeting at 7:15 am, though this may vary based on the time slot assigned to the boat by park rangers. The first and second time slots are assigned the previous day at 3 pm, while the third and fourth time slots are assigned on the day of the trip at 7 am. Not every boat receives a time slot daily, so it’s advisable to remain flexible with your schedule for this activity.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
- Bottled water
- All Fees and Taxes
- Use of snorkeling equipment
Additional Information
Swim with the magnificent whale shark, the largest and most gentle fish in the world, in the breathtaking waters of La Paz.
From November to April, these ocean giants congregate near El Mogote, a sandbar teeming with plankton, creating an ideal feeding area. This natural event provides a unique chance to observe these elegant creatures up close in their…
Swim with the magnificent whale shark, the largest and most gentle fish in the world, in the breathtaking waters of La Paz.
From November to April, these ocean giants congregate near El Mogote, a sandbar teeming with plankton, creating an ideal feeding area. This natural event provides a unique chance to observe these elegant creatures up close in their natural environment.
With snorkeling equipment, glide through calm, shallow waters, perfect for watching these gentle giants as they gracefully navigate the ocean. This adventure is suitable for both seasoned snorkelers and beginners, offering an accessible and unforgettable experience.
Departing from the Fiscal Dock in La Paz, the search for whale sharks begins upon reaching the designated area. The experience lasts approximately 3 hours, allowing ample time to swim alongside these magnificent creatures and create lasting memories.
Location
Muelle Fiscal
Paseo Álvaro Obregón
The fiscal dock is located on the La Paz Malecon, right next to the La Perla sculpture.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(54 Ratings)
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Kylee_w
Mar 15, 2026
Whale Shark Tour - Eduardo was our tour guide and he effortlessly helped us swim amongst the whale sharks. He was accommodating, friendly, and informative about how to respectfully swim around these animals. Eduardo and the captain were proficient in locating various whale sharks, with plenty of opportunities to snorkel with them! It was truly a beautiful experience!
Review provided by Viator
Faraway499453
Mar 13, 2026
Gracias Eduardo! - Eduardo was wonderful!! We saw SO many whale sharks! He was very kind and patient in helping my family and kids to be successful in seeing the whale sharks. Our captain kept us safe and did a great job positioning the boat while respecting the animals space. MTA was wonderful as well. They gave early and clear communication with links to Google Maps meeting and parking places. They were quick to answer all of my questions through WhatsApp. Thank you. ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meander16383723287
Mar 11, 2026
Fantastic experience with outstanding guides - Two adults and two kids went on the whale shark tour in La Paz with Omar as our guide and Chicho as our captain. Cannot give enough compliment for our two guides.
Omar and Chichi worked so well together to find the whale sharks, identified fast moving and feeding, which helped us spend more time with the whale sharks.
What I loved the most is to see how much joy and care Omar has for sea life and his experience really is evident in speaking with him.
We got many many times with the whales sharks.
He helped my family members get close and see the encounter so close.
We all left so happy and with memories with will keep with us.
Highly recommend booking with Omar and Chicho!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ninafk3591xd
Feb 21, 2026
Dive with the gentle and giant whale shark - Wonderful experience! We swam with the whale shark for almost 20 minutes! He's beautiful, he was very kind to us! We got very close! The guide was well prepared and gave us all the necessary guidance! It was very good
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C5725kdjohni
Feb 19, 2026
Awesome Adventure with an Awesome Company - Our guide Alex was very engaging, knowledgeable and diligent. We were fortunate to find sharks quickly and were able to swim with them until our tour was over. Even though visibility was not great our guide adapted and came up with a plan to optimize the situation.
Fully recommend swimming with the whale sharks and we have nothing but great things to say about MTA as the guiding company to use.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Xxxwaynoxxx
Feb 12, 2026
WOW Perfect! Five plus stars - WOW! 5*+ A perfect day on the water
Captain and guide went over and above to make our close encounter with the Beasts a perfect experience. Can’t say enough good things about this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daveb883
Feb 11, 2026
You must see if you are in La Paz - It was an amazing experience. Our shark was very fast(for a human) at the beginning and it was hard to keep up, but a little later on it started feeding and you could truly appreciate it.
Our guide, Marie was very knowledgeable and friendly. The equipment was all in good shape. Everything was handled and you could just enjoy the majestic whale shark.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
328tammier
Feb 8, 2026
A day to remember _ Gentle giants on the Sea of Cortez - This excursion was a dream. There were several whale sharks in the bay - a well protected, monitored and organized area. Importantly, there is clearly care and respectful protocol for the environment and the whale sharks in place. We got to swim with three different whale sharks during the outing and saw a few others from the boat as they fed. Our captain Cory was very encouraging, had a great sense of humour and excitement for us and was a pro at positioning boat to get us in the water at the right moment. Marie led us in the water, pointing out where to swim and keeping up with the whale sharks the whole time between guests. Both of our hosts were very knowledgeable and were happy to be sharing the beautiful environment. Everyone (10 of us) got our fill of swimming with the whale sharks and on the way home we got to see some sea lions having a rest on the bow of a tanker- very cool. Marie also ID'd the three WS we swam with- possible to do by their markings. She was Abel to tell us their names, age & stats like weight and length. I would go again tomorrow if possible. So very worth it going!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sandy
Feb 6, 2026
Swimming with Whalesharks a must do! - Highly re commend this excursion! The whale shark encounters are impressively well regulated to minimize any disturbance to these gentle creatures. A maximum of 5 people can swim with them at any time which is great to learn. As such, the sharks seemed unfazed as they fed, sometimes stationary and vertical, and sometimes swimming casually ensuring swimmers got a good workout! Juan Carlos and Javier were excellent guides with deep knowledge they were enthusiastic to share!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trailblazer675383
Feb 3, 2026
Most definitely the best tour I’ve ever been on - Truly, the absolute best tour I have ever been on. Omar was an exceptional tour guide. He kept us informed and taught us so much about the whale sharks. At one point, he took my wrist whenwe were in the water to guide me right over to a whale shark so I could see his eyes up close. Amazing amazing tour. had six dives each, and I can’t tell you how magical it was.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
