Nautilus Explorer Itinerary
Sea of Cortez 6-Day Getaway

6 days / 5 nights

About Nautilus Explorer

Facilities include nitrox, gear storage, spacious zodiacs, and camera stations
Adventurous itineraries in Socorro and Revillagigedo, and Guadalupe
Enjoy zodiac tours, marine life presentations, paddleboards and kayaks
Comfortable cabins for various budgets and personal travel styles

Nautilus Explorer liveaboard offers adventurous dive itineraries, with voyages exploring some of the eastern Pacific's most exciting big fish destinations. Choose from trips to Socorro and Revillagigedo, Guadalupe, or pioneering itineraries combining both! You'll enjoy personalised service, well appointed cabins and common areas, and custom-designed divers' facilities to help make the most of your time in the water. Plus, thoughtful details like warm deck showers and hot drinks after each dive and a hot tub for a hint of luxury. This boat perfectly balances a comfortable and unfussy atmosphere with little luxuries, creating the ideal environment for divers and social guests.

Learn more about Nautilus Explorer

Itinerary details

Length of trip 6 days / 5 nights

Number of dives TBA

Experience Open Water - Minimum 5 dives

Insurance Required

Highlights

Experience the very best dive sites of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez
Discover why Jacques Cousteau dubbed this sea ‘the world’s aquarium
Possible land visit arranged to hike around Espiritu Santo
Chance of sea lions and hammerheads at Isla Las Animas
Meet mantas at La Reyna

Day 1:
Your complimentary transfer to the ship in La Paz departs from SeeCreatures in Cabo San Lucas at 4:30 PM (approximately a 2.5-hour drive). Please allow ample time beforehand for check-in and fitting any rental gear.

You can also join us directly in La Paz—either at Baja Expeditions HQ, with transfer to the ship departing at 6:45 PM (please arrive earlier for check-in), or via complimentary local hotel pickup (approx. 6:45–7:00 PM) for direct transfer to the ship, with check-in onboard. Please notify our concierge team in advance if you'd like hotel pickup arranged. If you're renting dive or snorkelling gear, please stop by our Baja Expeditions HQ in La Paz before 4:00 PM to try it on and confirm your sizes so you have the best-fitting equipment ready for your adventure.

On the ship, our hosts will be waiting for you on the back deck with trays of margaritas and champagne, followed by dinner and departure for the Sea of Cortez.

Please note:

A few departures between late June and mid-July board directly in Cabo instead, without a La Paz boarding option for those trips. For these departures, your complimentary transfer departs from SeeCreatures in Cabo San Lucas at 7:30 PM. Some October trips also disembark in Cabo rather than La Paz. You'll find the exact boarding time and disembarkation details for your specific dates when you select your trip. If it's more convenient for you to fly into La Paz, we're happy to arrange a complimentary transfer from Baja Expeditions HQ in La Paz to SeeCreatures Cabo.

Days 2-5:
Every day is different, and every trip is different. Mother Ocean is always full of surprises, and your captain and crew draw on five decades of experience in the Sea of Cortez to maximize your time on board—balancing recent animal sightings, weather, and conditions to shape each day. For this reason, your actual daily itinerary may vary from what's published.

Your first day typically starts anchored off a quiet beach at Cerralvo Island for a warm-up dive, then on to the incredible tornadoes of fish at La Reina. Where we go next depends on what's happening out there—if reports come in of a huge pod of dolphins or even orcas, we'll make full steam ahead to get you close, and in the water if conditions allow. All interactions are on the animals' terms.

Across these days you can expect up to four dives daily, including night dives, with almost certain visits to dive sites around La Reina, El Bajo, Isla Las Ánimas, Isla San Francisco, and Isla Espíritu Santo—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of our company founders was instrumental in saving this island from commercial development as a casino, helping facilitate its donation to the people of Mexico as a national park.

Between dives, the day is yours: grab a kayak or paddleboard, swim, or just relax on deck. The itinerary also includes time ashore—beach stops or guided nature walks into the hills with our naturalist.

And keep your eyes on the horizon throughout—big marine mammals often pass through these waters, and a chance encounter is part of the adventure.

Day 6:
Enjoy breakfast onboard before disembarking in La Paz at 8 AM. From there, choose an included transfer to a local hotel (we're happy to arrange hotel reservations for you) or a transfer to either San José del Cabo Airport (SJD) or SeeCreatures in Cabo San Lucas. We highly recommend booking your outbound flight from SJD at 1 PM or later to allow for transfer time and any possible delays on the highway to Cabo.

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.