Because of action by the Government of Mexico, Guadalupe Island is temporarily closed for tourism and great white shark diving. We are sure that Guadalupe will reopen. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and be updated on the latest Guadalupe news, updates, and special offers.
In the meantime, we’ve got some amazing alternatives for you to experience shark encounters. Explore other destinations like Socorro Giant Mantas and Sharks and Cocos, Island of the Sharks.
Let’s go shark diving!
Dive when you want. For as long as you want. With virtually unlimited dive time in our surface cages and at least 3 dives a day in our submersible deep dive cages, descending down to where the sharks naturally congregate. We give you more sharks, more interaction, and unforgettable up close encounters.
Guadalupe Island in Mexico is the top destination for great white shark encounters. This small volcanic island, located in the Pacific 240 kilometres (150 miles) off the west coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, outperforms both South Africa and Australia with shark-seeing consistency and conditions.
Only Guadalupe Island can boast shark viewing in beautiful clear blue water with 100 – 150 foot visibility. We have identified 366 unique great white sharks in the bay where we stage our submersible shark cage diving operations, which guarantees unforgettable encounters.
We offer a rich and natural shark encounter experience on these trips by descending down to 30 feet where great white sharks naturally spend their time. We don’t need to use chum at depth; the sharks are already there. We have seen up to nine great whites at once circling the cages.
Without chum these great whites are more relaxed, exhibit much more curiosity, and come in much closer to the cages. It is an unforgettable rush when a great white looks at you from 50 feet away and then swims over for a closer look. We see great whites on three out of four dives.
“This is my 9th trip to Guadalupe Island and it has been, by far, the best I’ve seen. Great white sharks on every dive and most dives had multiple sharks. It is hard to beat being in the cage with 4-5 great whites circling the cage. This has got to be one of the most exciting experiences you can have.”
– DAN ORR
Yes! For your safety, all diving is done using a hookah system – otherwise known as surface supplied air – and our custom designed cages. These cages are designed to provide maximum protection for you and for our sharks. It is vitally important that the sharks are never affected or injured during their interaction with us.
Mexican park regulations require that you stay within the cages at all times, including keeping your arms, hands and cameras inside. Please do not pollute the beautiful clear blue waters of Guadalupe with suntan lotion or any other contaminants.
You will be accompanied by one of our divemasters on all dives for your safety and to increase your chances of shark sightings. You should be ready and dressed in your wetsuit 10 minutes before your scheduled cage time. We recommend DUI weight harnesses and approximately 40 lbs of lead depending on your weight and type of wetsuit. Please see any of our divemasters for assistance. Note that a 5 – 7 mm wetsuit is usually adequate to keep you warm but we do have hoods, hooded vests and extra gloves available for loan if needed.
For your additional safety, each cage is equipped with backup sets of scuba gear for each diver in the exceptionally unlikely event of a problem with the hookah system. The cages are normally entered and exited through an upper hatch but there is also an emergency escape hatch, painted red, if needed. This hatch must remain closed during normal operations.
Check out the photo gallery for awesome shark shots or check our video gallery to see sharks in action at Guadalupe Island!
Virtually unlimited diving in our surface cages. It is very rare not to get as much time as you want in the water with the sharks.
Certified divers have the option of an average of 3 dives a day in our submersible cages.
Departing from Ensenada, after a quick transfer from San Diego, we are cutting your ocean crossing time to the bare minimum.
We have your comfort covered with hot tubs, ensuite staterooms and suites and high capacity water makers so that you can shower as often and as long as you like.
3 full days on station so that you see the greatest number of sharks. “Just say no” to trips that pack up and leave at noon on the 3rd day of diving!
18 years ago we became the first and only dive operator to gain ISM safety management system certification. We never take your safety for granted.
We encourage you to spend an extra day or two before your trip enjoying the lovely resort town of Ensenada. We especially recommend a Guadalupe Valley wine tour arranged through the Hotel Coral. Or if you prefer, take advantage of the hotel’s kayaks, bikes, indoor and outdoor pools, gym or spoil yourself with a massage and spa treatment. Mid-afternoon, Read more >
we will be offering a complimentary Backscatter photo workshop to help you get ready to capture that perfect image of a great white shark. Camera and video rentals, servicing and repairs and full day workshops are really interesting, helpful and available as well.
Check-in is open from 3 pm onwards at the waterfront Marina Bar and Grill. Please be sure to check in by 7 pm. Boarding is available at 9:30 pm. Our Captain and divemasters will guide you down to the boat where the rest of our crew will be waiting to greet you with big smiles and trays of champagne. Though we have the only large, steel, stabilized dive boats in this part of the pacific and you can expect the best ride possible, it’s always a good idea to bring anti-seasickness meds. < Read less
Today is a day of travel and relaxation at sea. There will be an orientation briefing on offer in the morning, followed by a mandatory boat and fire safety drill. Our famous Shark 101 presentation is in the afternoon, followed by a chance to try out … Read more >
a shark cage on the back deck, and then cocktails at 1900 (7pm if we were shoreside or 6 bells in the marine tradition). Many guests will have likely signed up for WiFi email access and can be seen sending WhatsApp photos of Guadalupe Island as it appears on the horizon! We like to arrive at the island in the early evening so that our guests can enjoy dinner in a nice, calm, protected anchorage and have a peaceful snooze before the excitement of diving with our big toothy friends first thing the next morning. < Read less
We have a very simple theory on how a shark trip should run. Open the cages at dawn. Close the cages at dusk. Have divemasters in the water and on the dive deck, enhancing the diving experience for our guests. Have enough cages in the water … Read more >
to provide virtually unlimited diving in our surface cages and least 3 dives a day in our submersible cages for certified divers.
We will get Shark ID going in the late afternoon, followed by cocktail hour at 6 bells. But wait! Your day won’t be over until you join the crew for our wildly popular “street taco night” dinner on the top deck. < Read less
Cages open at dawn, and you can choose to start as early or late as you like. One of the beautiful things about the way we run our trips is that you can almost always jump into a surface cage whenever you want, and you can stay in as long as you want. … Read more >
The boat record currently stands at 31.5 hours in the cages over 3 days! We run a schedule of 3 dives a day for certified divers in our submersible deep diving cages and there is often an opportunity to grab an extra dive or two in these cages as well. Our goal is simple – we want you to get in as much diving as you want!
Don’t forget that you can warm up in the hot tub between dives. Our watermakers produce enough water for you to shower in your private ensuite cabin whenever you like. The only difference between showering and the hot tub is that we feel more comfortable serving drinks and snacks to you when you are in the hot tub!
As long as it’s not too windy, this night will feature “theatre under the stars” on the top deck. Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is a perennial favourite and is always made more special knowing that great whites are still swimming close by. Is this a 5 star experience? NO. When you see the Mexican sky at night from the comfort of a deck chair on the upper deck, you will realize this experience has more stars than you could ever count! < Read less
It’s our last day of shark diving and we intend to give you every possible minute on station at Guadalupe Island. Our competitors get underway at noon. Are you kidding? You will be able to shark until 1700 before we pack up and head north.
Filet Mignon barbecued to order will be on the menu …Read more >
for dinner, with special dietary options always available, followed by another entertaining Shark ID session. Our Shark ID program provides incredibly valuable information to the scientists that we work with. We have helped identify some of the 350 individual great white sharks so far and we are still counting. Research, conservation and regulation all depend on ongoing census and identification work. Your trip onboard matters. Not just because part of every trip fee goes to support science and conservation, but because Shark ID is a “must do” if we truly care for and love these sharks. New in 2018 is our bespoke onboard shark ID software which uploads data real time via our satellite system to a public domain shark ID database. < Read less
Your time onboard will sadly come to a close when we arrive in port at 1:30pm. Our crew will have put together a DVD of trip highlights and we will ensure you get a copy before you disembark. We will be waiting to transport some guests to either Tijuana or San Diego, while other guests may be extending their trip with us into the Sea of Cortez … Read more >
with a 5 night stay on our luxury yacht at Cabo Pulmo Marine Park.
Sad good-byes from us to you, but we hope to see you again very soon. Diving with great white sharks is an amazing and powerful experience but we don’t call it “the experience of a lifetime” because so many guests keep coming back for more! Some of our guests have done this trip 6, 10, 15, and even 17 times. We started by offering 2 shark trips one September many years ago. In 2018 we had 72 trips on offer with 1,800 guests joining us. There is a reason these trips are so popular!
Don’t forget! Dive safe. Always dive with your Nautilus LifeLine Marine Rescue GPS. < Read less