SayulitaLife

La Orca De Sayulita - Whale Watching Sayulita

19 Calle Miramar, Sayulita 12,876 Visitors
Highlights
  • Whale Watch and Whale Research Company
  • Biologist Guides - Hydrophone to Listen to The Whales
  • Featured on BBC's Blue Planet.
  • Respectful of Both the Animals and Whale Watching Regulations
  • 2.5 Hour Whale Watching Tours For Up to 9 People Multiple Boats Available
  • Leaving Directly From Sayulita
Description

La Orca de Sayulita is Sayulita's first pure whale watching and research company. We are a small group of biologists who offer a non-invasive, environmentally-conscious option for whale watching in Sayulita. We use a hydrophone to gift you the amazing experience of listening to the whales communicate. Our boat seats up to 8 guests.

A private tour is $10,000 pesos, an individual tour is $1,600pesos

If you are traveling alone or in a group, we welcome to you come and learn more about the whales and dolphins of the region. We are the first in the area to conduct whale research and we invite you to be a part of the learning experience. We aim to improve cetacean knowledge in the pacific region to help to better protect and conserve the whales and dolphins. We watch the whales away from all the tourist masses in the Bay of Banderas and leave directly from Sayulita Beach. 

All guides are passionate biologists engaged in whale research with incredible knowledge of the local whale life. We use our whale watch trips as a platform to conduct research while using profits to support our independent studies. We have been working with whales in Nayarit for 15 years and know individual whales by name and much of their life history! Additionally we have worked in El Salvador. 

We Offer:

Sayulita Whale Watch Trips (2.5 hours) ($1600 Pesos per person) 

  • Biologist led, 2.5 hour whale watching tours, leaving directly from the beach in Sayulita. 
  • 9 people maximum onboard (individuals can book alone), multiple boats available for larger groups
  • Experienced biologist guides engaged in whale research
  • A hydrophone, a special marine microphone, is onboard so you can listen to the whales
  • Licensed whale watching boats
  • Snacks and water, life jackets to fit all ages and sizes 
  • Departures 8:30am, 12pm and 3:30pm

Sayulita Private Whale Watching Trips (2.5 hours) ($10,000 Pesos for the whole boat) 

  • Biologist led, 2.5 hour whale watching tours, leaving directly from the beach in Sayulita
  • Groups of up to six people maximum 
  • Experienced biologist guides engaged in whale research
  • A hydrophone, a special marine microphone, is onboard so you can listen to the whales
  • Licensed whale watching boats
  • Snacks and water, life jackets to fit all ages and sizes 
  • Departures 8:30am, 12pm and 3:30pm

Chacala Private Whale Watching Trips (5 hours) ($12,000 Pesos) 

  • We take you to the small, quiet beach town of Chacala - an hour drive north of Sayulita, we go out whale watching in the morning and let you enjoy Chacala for the rest of the day before returning home to Sayulita early afternoon for an early lunch.
  • Biologist led, 5-hour whale watching tours, leaving from Chacala Marina 
  • Groups of up to nine people maximum 
  • Experienced biologist guides engaged in whale research
  • A hydrophone, a special marine microphone, is onboard so you can listen to the whales
  • Licensed whale-watching boats
  • Snacks and water, life jackets to fit all ages and sizes 
  • Departures 8:30am, 12pm and 3:30pm

Two Day Whale Research Trips to Isla Isabel National Park $10,000 Pesos per person

  • This trip is for the adventure traveler and for people who are physically fit and like wildlife, whales, the ocean and camping. 
  • We will drive to San Blas stopping for breakfast on the way to Chacala. We then take a boat out to the National Park of Isla Isabel, whale watching en-route and collecting important whale data. Isabel is an incredibly beautiful island full of booby birds, great snorkeling and a central crater, you can enjoy the island all afternoon and then have dinner around the campfire. We then camp the night and before returning back to Sayulita the next day, we will pass through the area with the highest densities of whales in the region. We get home at around 6PM to Sayulita.
  • Minimum four people needed to book. Groups of up to nine people max. 
  • All food and accommodation is included over the two days. 
  • Experienced biologist guides engaged in whale research 
  • A hydrophone, a special marine microphone, is onboard so you can listen to the whales

Extra Information.

The whale watching industry in the area is based around humpback whales migrating to the region each winter. However, we may also see Bryde's Whales, Gray Whales, false killer whales, orca killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins and rough toothed dolphins. Of course being out on the ocean... anything is possible! 

The word "ORCA" in our name "La Orca de Sayulita" is an acronym originating from the following Spanish words. Oberva (observe), Respeta (respect), Conserva (conserve), Ayuda (help). 

We hope to inspire a passion within you, so that you leave as a life-long ambassadors for humpback whales and other whale species! 

For reservations and inquiries please use the contact form or WhatsApp

Amenities
  • Credit Cards
  • Kid Friendly
  • Reserve Online/Phone
  • Language
    • English
    • Spanish
Reviews
4.9
30 reviews
Value for Money
4.9
Service
4.9
Staff
4.9
Karma Points
4.9
Good Vibes
4.9
Total Score:
Most incredible experience of our lives
We were all absolutely blown away by the whales, whale song, dolphins, birds and turtles and the extensive knowledge of the guides. AMAZING experience recommend to people of all ages!
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Experienced: February, 2024
Best whale watching tour we've taken
We had a wonderful experience whale watching with Esteban, and will absolutely do it again. He was knowledgeable, entertaining, obviously loves his work, and made this trip the best whale watching tour we've ever taken. We really appreciate the research this organization does and the care they take to not interfere with their subjects. Thank you!
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Experienced: February, 2022
Nos encanto nuestro tour!
Our experience with this org was incredible! Our tour guide and experienced researcher, Esteban, was very kind and energetically taught us A LOT about whales. We learned that whale watching is mostly about patience and respecting their space. Choosing this org means you're protecting & conserving humpback whales with your monetary investment!
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Experienced: February, 2022
Superb whale watching adventure in beautiful Sayulita!
Went whale watching multiple times with La Orca and loved every trip. Especially enjoyed launching and landing in the surf. Endless breaching, singing, courting, fighting humpbacks. Lovely, fun, informative, and safe crew. I'll be back next year for sure.
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Experienced: January, 2021
What a lovely, exciting, and entertaining morning!
Kudos to Nico for creating this unique tour/business. We set up a private tour for our family of five. Nico is knowledgeable, passionate, and the boat is comfortable for a three hour taste of whale watching. The addition of a hydrophone to hear the whales singing was a nice feature. As a professional whale researcher, this is a very different experience than going out with tour boat operators trying to find whales. With so many whales passing through in season, definitely make time for this activity!
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Experienced: December, 2020
Close Encounters of a different kind
Thoroughly enjoyed this whale watching trip full of adventure. Respectful encounters with the whales and very happy they were curious to get closer to us than vice versa. Several sightings and energetic crew. Angel's navigation skills are tremendous and Niko (& Edourdo) are very informative & intensely excited with each encounter. The banter & comraderie are a plus. :-) The pictures after the trip are a bonus. I have long ago learned not to bother with my own camera as it takes away from the experience with quick activities surrounding you. Alice provided excellent service in booking and confirming our trip. Kudos all around - thanks for the great whale experience!
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Experienced: January, 2020
INCREDIBLE EXCURSION. HIGHLY Recommend!
Just an incredible, enjoyable, and educational afternoon on the water with up close and personal encounters with so many whales! Truly spectacular. Nico was amazing with the sharing of her knowledge and the boat crew was competent and accommodating. I'm sure we will do this again and again! THANK you!
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Experienced: January, 2020
Never got a call back
I wrote you to request a tour but never got any call or email back.
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Experienced: January, 2020
Excellent Experience
We went out with Nico and Molly and saw 6 Humpback whales, a couple dolphins and flying Mobula rays. It was also amazing to hear the live sounds of the whales near us. A big thank you to Angel, the talented boat driver, for navigating the huge swells so well. He calls it "dancing with the waves". Also nice to get amazing whale photos emailed to us soon after the tour.
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Experienced: December, 2019
Absolutely Stunning!
We had an amazing time out whale watching. The Crew was super fun and very informative and we highly recommend this trip!
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Experienced: December, 2019
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Owner/Manager
Nico
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Bio Please mention SayulitaLife
Nico, our main guide, has worked with whales in Alaska, Australia, the Azores (Portugal), Canada, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, El Salvador, Cook Islands, Mozambique, and 15 seasons in Mexico! She has a MSc in Marine Science and Management and a BSc in Zoology, and has a PhD on humpback whales in Nayarit, whilst still being involved in several other research projects worldwide. Her primary research focuses on investigating the risk of vessel collisions with humpback whales in Nayarit, Mexico and in trying to reduce the risk of this anthropogenic threat. For the next two seasons all proceeds from La Orca will go towards her fieldwork in Nayarit. Additionally, she has a international skipper's license, is certified in marine first aid (RYA 2015), is a qualified MMO and PAM for offshore industries, and speaks English, Spanish, and is trying to learn Portuguese! Her passion for whales, sense of humor and knowledge has led her to be nominated for several tour guides awards, and although now focusing more on her research, is still our main guide and not ready to hang up the tour guide bandana yet! Happy to be out on the water everyday of the season, she has encountered many of the world's rarest cetaceans, and is lucky enough to have had many incredible whale encounters including an afternoon with the famous albino humpback whale "Migaloo".