Guadalupe Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboard Diving in Guadalupe

What To Expect On A Guadalupe Liveaboard

Guadalupe liveaboards offer divers a unique dive trip to get up close and personal with the awe-inspiring Great White Sharks. It is one of the few places in the world where liveaboards visit to see these creatures in their natural habitat. Guadalupe Island is a tiny island off the west coast of Mexico, still part of the Baja California state. This volcanic island only has a population of 213 people and measures 35km (21 mi) by 9km (6 mi), but it provides liveaboard divers with one of the best spots in the world to go cage diving with Great White sharks. It's been named a Bio-Sphere reserve, so it's a protected area, which means visitors will get an even more natural experience from their Guadalupe liveaboard. There is a minimum amount of chumming here as these trips aim to conserve the natural behaviors and environment of the sharks to ensure they are as minimally invasive as possible.

NOTE: In January 2023, the Mexican government banned Great White Shark-Related Tourism on Guadalupe Island to protect and preserve the delicate marine ecosystem and the endangered Great White Shark population. By limiting tourism activities in the region, the authorities aim to reduce disturbances to the sharks' natural behaviors and habitats, ensuring their long-term survival and promoting sustainable eco-tourism practices.

Guadalupe Underwater

One of the main reasons for this being a top spot for liveaboard dive cruises and cage diving with these sharks is the warmer waters from July to October. The water temperatures during this shark diving season are between 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit) and 22 degrees Celsius (71 Fahrenheit), so still a pleasant diving temperature & usually just a wetsuit is needed. Another reason is that the clarity here is generally excellent with average visibility ranging from 42m to 50m (125 ft-150 ft) which is great for seeing the sharks already coming from afar.

Up until now, they have identified 171 individual sharks in the region, and different sharks come by every few months. In July and August, the rowdy, bachelor and teenage males come by and provide divers with an energetic experience. In September the females start showing up, and then you see a mix of sharks. Finally in October and November, the larger females appear, magnificent and calm creatures curious about the cage so it will be a perfect opportunity for some shark underwater photography. The combination of warm, clear waters and the excitement of coming so close to some of the most impressive species of the sea is a truly unique experience.

A Guadalupe liveaboard trip itinerary is primarily focused on experiencing diving with Great White sharks, there are no colorful reefs around, but you might also spot some Guadalupe fur seals for some extra playful creatures as Guadalupe hosts a population of over 10,000 of them. It also hosts a population of Northern elephant seals.

Dive Sites at Guadalupe

There are no specific named dive sites here, as the whole area is a shark diving site. The boat crew lowers multiple cages at different locations around the island, where they think is best to see the sharks. Once the crew is happy for divers to enter the water, you can descend in one of the cages.

Tips For Divers

Liveaboard trips to Guadalupe Island usually run from July to October, as this is the peak season for Great White Sharks. LiveAboard.com has a selection of operators who run trips to Guadalupe, usually departing from San Diego and then heading out to Guadalupe Island. Most trips are 5 days with around 4 dives per day. During these trips, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some up-close encounters with these incredible animals all from the safety of a cage. The cages are always lowered to 10 meters in the water upon arrival to ensure the sharks get comfortable with them. All divers can participate in cage diving as Surface Supplied Air is used during the cage dive.

Although the waters around the island of Guadalupe are generally calm, there is always the possibility of different conditions, which is why each liveaboard will have its own minimum dive requirements. Please always make sure to check these requirements before placing a booking as you may be asked to show your dive logbooks for safety purposes. We do suggest that if you have your own dive equipment you should bring that along, however, it is always possible to rent any gear you might need. There may also be other extra costs involved such as dive insurance, park fees, port fees, etc. These extras can always be found in the Required Extras and Optional Extras section at the bottom of the boat page.

The main language spoken on this island is Spanish; however, English is widely spoken all around Mexico and on the liveaboards. The currency is the Mexican Peso and you can easily exchange all popular currencies such as US dollars and Euros etc. on the port from where you will depart.

The plug is the same as the US: two flat prongs with the standard voltage being 127V. Please remember to bring an adaptor for all your electrics if you are not coming from the US.

How To Get There

San Diego is the main port from which our liveaboards to Guadalupe Island depart. San Diego's international airport is the Lindbergh Field International Airport. It is located around 4.5km (3 mi) from downtown San Diego; so in an easily accessible place. International flights arrive from multiple destinations, including other cities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and even Tokyo.

The port from which most liveaboards will depart is the Unified Port of San Diego. The liveaboards will usually depart in the evening and arrive the next day in the afternoon as Guadalupe Island is around 400km (260 mi) from the mainland. Some operators may depart from different ports, so please check when booking.