Mobula Expedition: The Largest Aggregation of Rays on Earth
The Sea of Cortez is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth for marine megafauna. Ocean safaris are all about exploring the open water — and every day brings something different.
Mar de Cortes·Marine Megafauna·Safari Marino·La Ventana·Mobula Rays·Baja California Sur·Marine Biologist·9 Years of Experience·Mar de Cortes·Marine Megafauna·Safari Marino·La Ventana·Mobula Rays·Baja California Sur·Marine Biologist·9 Years of Experience·
The expedition
Mobulas are the stars, but the Mar de Cortes is full of surprises
Ocean Safari · La Ventana · 6 Days
Witness the magic of Mobula Rays leaping into the air, but don’t blink—there’s so much more to see. Dive into the heart of Baja’s marine life, where dolphins race through the waves, sea lions playfully join your swim, and whales glide with grace. This isn’t just an expedition—it’s a front-row seat to nature’s greatest show.
Six days, four extended ocean safaris, departing right from the beach at our casitas property in La Ventana. Small groups only — a marine biologist guides every day.
Sea of Cortez Wildlife
What you might see
Every expedition is different. These are the species we’ve encountered across our seasons in La Ventana — some show up almost every trip, others are once-in-a-lifetime sightings.
Mobula munkianaMunk’s Devil Ray
Mobula munkianaMunk’s Devil Ray
High probability
Our headline species. We see them leaping and swarming in large aggregations — sometimes hundreds at once.
Bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatus
Bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatus
High probability
Resident pods in La Ventana. They often ride the bow wave and join us in the water.
California sea lionZalophus californianus
California sea lionZalophus californianus
Every expedition
We visit La Reina colony most days.
OrcaOrcinus orca
OrcaOrcinus orca
Rare — but possible
Highly mobile — we never know when they’ll show up.
Olive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivacea
Olive ridley turtleLepidochelys olivacea
Very often
We spot them resting at the surface or mating.
Mobula mobularSpinetail Devil Ray
Mobula mobularSpinetail Devil Ray
Often
Larger than munkiana. A real treat to spot during their courtship behavior.
Common dolphinDelphinus delphis
Common dolphinDelphinus delphis
Often
Sometimes spotted in large superpods, often numbering in the hundreds.
Pantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuata
Pantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuata
Often
Beautiful acrobatic dolphins — often spotted with tuna.
Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae
Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae
Sometimes
Known for their acrobatic breaching. More common early in the season.
Whale sharkRhincodon typus
Whale sharkRhincodon typus
Sometimes
The gentle giant of the ocean. Snorkeling alongside one is an experience like no other.
Oceanic manta rayMobula birostris
Oceanic manta rayMobula birostris
Sometimes
Majestic and enormous. More often spotted later in the season.
Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus
Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus
Rare
The largest animal on Earth passes through these waters. When it happens, nobody forgets it.
Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus
Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus
Rare
Deep divers rarely seen at the surface.
Porcupine fishDiodon holocanthus
Porcupine fishDiodon holocanthus
Every expedition
A must visit to this cute fish on every expedition.
+
Fin whales, Sharks, Bryde’s whales, rough-toothed dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, and more
Species logged across multiple seasons in La Ventana — not a checklist for your expedition. Some are seen weekly, some once in a season. That’s what makes every trip different.
What makes this trip
Why People Choose This Expedition
9+
Expert-Led
Aventura Guiada por Expertos
Every day is guided by a marine biologist. We’ve been operating in these waters for over 9 years — deep local knowledge means you understand what you’re seeing, and why it matters.
Biodiversity
Biodiversidad Marina
Beyond mobulas, this is one of the most biodiverse stretches of ocean on the planet — a mystery box where every day brings a different mix of species.
Logistics
Nosotros planeamos, Tú Disfrutas
Transportation, meals, accommodation, and daily ocean safaris — fully handled. You just show up ready to be in the water.
New for 2027
Captured by a Pro
This season, ocean photographer @kylamclay is documenting the entire expedition — photos and video included in your trip price, no extra cost.
The Details
Trip Logistics
Día 1
Arrival & Welcome
Check in to your beachfront casita from 4pm. At 5pm, meet your marine biologist guide for a full briefing. At 6pm, head to a local restaurant in La Ventana for a welcome dinner (not included).
Days 2–5
Safari Marino
Four full days on the water, minimum 8 hours each, exploring the Sea of Cortez around La Ventana. Lunch happens on the boat or a deserted island between encounters. One afternoon includes a marine biology & conservation presentation.
Día 6
Despedida
Breakfast at the casitas, then check out by 10am.
Incluido
5 nights accommodation in La Ventana
Daily breakfast
Lunch & snacks on the boat during ocean safari days
4 days of ocean safari (min. 8 hours each)
Group transfer: SJD airport ↔ La Ventana
Marine biologist guide throughout
Marine biology & conservation presentation
Basic snorkel equipment
Professional photo & video by Kyla McLay
Taxes
Not Included
International flights
All dinners (including welcome dinner)
Wetsuit / freediving gear
Gratuities
Bebidas alcohólicas
Travel / medical insurance
The group stays in private casitas right on the beach in La Ventana — three casitas total, each set up for two guests with an en-suite bathroom, AC, and wifi. Rooms have one single bed and one queen; a private room can be requested at booking, subject to availability.
Beyond the room, the property opens straight onto the sand. An in-house massage therapist is available for an extra fee.
Real reviews from travelers who’ve joined us in the water.
Posted on
kirk godfrey
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A Great Day with Freefall Academy!
I am usually looking for scuba diving but I only had a few days in La Paz and didn't want to bring an extra bag of scuba gear so I asked my local dive shop if they could recommend a snorkel trip in La Paz. They highly recommended Freefall Academy and urged me to sign up for the Mobula Ray Safari. I traveled with some family so I signed everyone up for a Monday safari. There was great communication with Valentina and Sara with detailed instructions and contact information if there were any questions. We were picked up from our hotel at 6:00 AM by Jose who was prompt and accommodating for our drive to La Ventana to meet the boat and our guide, Imelda.
When we arrived we meet up with another group of 3 people and the boat was ready to go at 7:00 AM. We were lucky to have such a great guide, Imelda took the time to ask everyone what they would like to see the most and explained that we would try to find what we would like to see but we would be flexible on what sea life we would encounter and what the ocean would provide for the day. We set out to see if we could find Mobula Rays, we came across a few but they were mating and not approachable. Off we went in another direction and didn't see much for awhile and then it got busy, we saw so much - blue whales, a school of amber jacks, dolphins, a snorkel with what seemed like a hundred puffer fish, and then an amazing snorkel with a Giant Manta Ray that was very close to the surface, followed by a snorkel close to sunning sea lions. We took a slow boat ride back and enjoyed some very good ceviche and fresh fruit for lunch. Imelda also took some great video on a GoPro and Airdropped the videos to everyone. It was so awesome to be able to take the video home on our phones!
I cant think of many places in the world where you can encounter as much as we did on a snorkel safari that lasted about 6 hours.
I would absolutely go on another trip with Freefall Academy, it was a great experience for everyone, and the snorkel with the Manta Ray was bucket list stuff!
Posted on
Gabriela Brana
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Hermoso safari de mar donde respetan la fauna e informan a los turistas desde el punto de vista de una bióloga marina. Nos encantó el tour y lo recomendamos!!
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Meredith Maclay
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It was an action packed 6 hours, we saw a fin whale, sea turtles, sea lions teens floating on their backs, tons of birds, snorkeled with puffer fish who swim right up to you and say hello, we fed pelicans and of course saw many fling mobula rays. For lunch they fed us the most delicious ceviche I’ve ever had. Our guide was a marine biologist and knew a lot. Our captain was the nicest guy with a great sense of taste and a great sense for the game and the way he handled it was so much more than just a little bit of a a little bit more than a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little bit a little humor. Great day
Posted on
Marnie Cadden
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I can’t say enough positive things about this company. Starting off, the communication between the company was outstanding. Sara was beyond helpful in all questions and information that I had and responded promptly. The company was in clear communication throughout my entire four days of tour. One of the reasons that I chose to go with the company was because they followed a lot of ethical procedures when encountering the marine life. Imelda was my guide for all of my tours and I can’t speak highly enough! She is a marine biologist and was so fun and knowledgeable about all the things we encountered, and made sure that everybody was treating the ocean with respect. The captains were extremely knowledgeable about the area and knew exactly where to go for the animals that we were looking for. The tour itself included photos as well as a delicious lunch. We saw so much marine life. He had such an enjoyable time that I signed up for more days. Thank you so much to the entire Freefall Academy crew, I had such a wonderful time on my trip!
Posted on
Santiago Valverde
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Increíble experiencia de Ocean Safari en la Ventana. Super recomendado
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Anthony Orkiolla
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Great tour from Imelda. We saw bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, swam near sea lions, saw a mobula and a mako shark!
Posted on
Shorty Hubbard
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The people are kind and nothing is guaranteed, but the interactions with the wildlife are amazing
Posted on
Andrea Valencia
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Muy lindo el tour vimos muchos delfines, nadamos con lobos marinos y alcanzamos a ver un tiburón ! Imelda súper buena guía pasamos un muy buen rato con ella ❤️
Posted on
Alejandra Badillo
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Increible experiencia! Jitka fue increibleee hizo que disfrutaramos mil la experiencia! Gracias por todo!
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Reserve Your Spot
Pricing & Availability
$50,000 MXN / person
Reserve your spot with a $20,000 MXN deposit
Is This For You?
Who This Trip Is For
✓
Comfortable in Open Water
No freediving certification needed — but you should be a confident swimmer and snorkeler, at ease without seeing the bottom.
✓
Curious About Marine Life
You’ll get more out of this trip if you’re genuinely interested in behavior, biology, and conservation — not just checking a box.
✓
Open to Anything
Wildlife encounters vary day to day, and that unpredictability is part of what makes this special.
✓
Ready for Long Days at Sea
This isn’t a day trip — it’s 8+ hours on the water, day after day. Bring your stamina; the payoff is worth it.
Good to Know
Preguntas Frecuentes
The Trip
No certification is required. You do need to be a confident, independent swimmer and comfortable snorkeling in open water, including times when you can’t see the bottom. Almost everything we encounter — mobulas, dolphins, sea lions, turtles — stays at or near the surface, so you’re not missing out by sticking to snorkel.
The Sea of Cortez is one of the most biodiverse stretches of ocean on the planet, and what we encounter changes from week to week. The animals we see almost every trip are mobula rays, the resident bottlenose dolphin pod, sea turtles, and sea lions at their colony, La Reina. Beyond that, sightings vary — other mobula species, other dolphin species, several whale species, orcas, whale sharks, and more have all shown up in past seasons, but never all in the same week. We never know exactly what the ocean will offer, and that’s part of what makes it special.
Mobula season runs roughly April through July. In a typical season, the largest aggregations form from mid-April through mid-June.
Since 2025, swimming with orcas has been regulated in this region, and we operate with boats and crew fully permitted and certified for it. Whether you get in the water with them on a given day depends on their behavior in the moment. Orcas are highly unpredictable — they cover huge distances daily, and the odds of seeing them on any one trip are low. But it does happen, and when it does, it’s unforgettable. If swimming with orcas is the main reason you’d book this trip, it’s probably not the right fit — read more here: Nadar con orcas en México ya es legal. y La verdad sobre los encuentros con orcas en La Ventana.
No — we work with wild animals, and nothing in the ocean is guaranteed. What we can guarantee is the team: local captains who know these waters like the back of their hand, and marine biologist guides who understand animal behavior and read conditions in real time. We’ve been operating in La Ventana for years, and we do everything in our power to put you in the best possible position for incredible encounters.
Ocean Safaris are single-day trips, usually around 6 hours on the water. They’re exploratory and dynamic, and ideal if you have limited time in Baja but still want an incredible wildlife experience in one day, open to whatever the ocean offers that day.
Mobula Ray Expeditions are multi-day trips built around searching. Multiple consecutive days at sea, typically 8 hours and sometimes more, and far more flexibility to follow the ocean instead of a fixed schedule. More days, more hours, more searching. It’s still never a guarantee, but the expedition gives us the best shot at something extraordinary.
It depends. Mobula activity isn’t formally regulated, but ethical encounters are always our priority — we’re not willing to stress the animals out for the sake of a photo. Mobulas in particular are often shy, and a freediver approaching too directly can spook the whole group, ending the encounter for everyone. Your guide reads the situation in real time and lets you know whether freediving or snorkel-only is the better call that day.
Kyla shoots underwater, topside, and drone — so you’ll come home with a genuinely varied set of photos and video from the whole trip. That said, the animals always come first: we won’t push for a shot that stresses them out. Whenever conditions and animal behavior allow, she’ll aim to capture you in the water with them — but that’s not something we can promise on every encounter.
Month
Air Temp
Water Temp
Conditions
April
16–21°C nights / 27–29°C days
21–23°C (70–73°F)
Cooler, less visibility; afternoon wind can pick up
May
20–33°C (68–91°F)
23–27°C (73–80°F)
Generally calmer, water turning bluer
June–July
23–36°C (73–97°F)
26–30°C (78–86°F)
Warm, smooth conditions typical of early summer
Visibility ranges 10–25m (30–80ft) depending on wind and current — best later in the season.
Is This Trip Right For You?
You should be a confident, independent swimmer and snorkeler — comfortable in open water without assistance, including when you can’t see the bottom or land nearby.
This trip isn’t recommended for guests with back problems. Conditions can get bumpy, and while we slow down when we can, there are limits to how much we can adjust without affecting the rest of the group.
There’s no bathroom on the boat — all of us, guides included, go in the ocean when needed. The vast majority of guests have zero issue with this once they’re out there.
Booking & Logistics
Yes — we offer private expeditions customized to fit different budgets and preferences. We also work with tour operator pricing for foreign companies or trip leaders looking to bring their own groups.
We recommend arriving in Los Cabos (SJD) around 1pm and booking departure flights from 1pm onward — this lines up well with the included group transfer and gives you time for a relaxed breakfast before heading out. It’s not strict, just what tends to work best.
Yes, subject to availability — a private room can be requested at the time of booking for an additional cost.
Reserve your spot with a $20,000 MXN deposit. See our Términos y Condiciones for full payment and cancellation policy.
Preguntas y Reservas
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