Magdalena Bay Striped Marlin Expedition
Magdalena Bay Marlin Run Expedition
Striped Marlin, Whales & Epic Wildlife | Baja’s Ultimate Marine Wildlife Ocean Safari
Quick Details
Mexican Sardine Run Expedition Magdalena Bay, Baja California
Immerse yourself in the Mexican Sardine Run, one of the most exhilarating marine wildlife events on the planet. Hosted by Ocean Safaris, this once-in-a-lifetime striped marlin expedition takes place in the open Pacific waters outside Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur—a region globally recognized for its extraordinary predator-prey interactions and featured by National Geographic.
This is not a passive wildlife tour. It is a front-row seat to one of the ocean’s most intense and visually stunning hunting scenarios, where speed, strategy, and survival unfold in real time
What You’ll Experience on the Mexican Sardine Run
From October through January, massive schools of sardines gather by the millions in the nutrient-rich waters off Magdalena Bay. These plankton-feeding fish form dense, swirling bait balls, triggering a spectacular feeding frenzy that attracts some of the ocean’s most iconic predators.
On a single expedition, guests may encounter:
- The world’s largest aggregations of striped marlin
- Black marlin and dorado (mahi mahi) in active pursuit
- Dolphins, sea lions, and marine birds coordinating hunts
- Whales, mobula rays, and occasional orcas moving through the action
The result is a continuous series of high-adrenaline wildlife encounters—explosive bursts of speed, precision strikes, and dramatic surface activity—set against the pristine, remote seascape of Baja California.
Please note: Once you book this trip, someone will be in contact with you very soon to coordinate the details of your trip and give you advice on anything you need to bring!
Typical Itinerary. 8 days/ 7 nights
Day 1. Meet up, Board and Get Underway
Meet in Cabo San Lucas for the short transfer to embark your ship. Board and set sail up the coast of Baja for the approximately 15 hour run to Magdalena Bay. The sea is usually calm and sheltered inside the bay and barrier islands where we anchor at night. Please note that our interaction with the bait balls of the sardine run is in the open Pacific Ocean.
Day 2 welcome to Mag Bay
Late morning arrival in Magdalena Bay. We will start at the south end of Margarita Island. While this adventure is primarily about snorkelling and freediving with the schooling sardine and bait balls, you will have the opportunity to snorkel with sea lions and other interesting sights
Day 3-6 Peak season of Mag Bay
We will be looking for some bait balls! we will have access to a spotter airplane for the first couple of days of the trip. These next days are about snorkelling and freediving. Not scuba diving. you never know what Mother Ocean has in store for us, but on the vast majority of our trips, we are able to enjoy fairly calm seas with a low swell and loads of critters. There is lots to see, but Striped marlin and bryde whales are the stars of the sardine run . You should also see turtles, more sea lions, sharks, and seabirds. It can be very very exciting. We will be working with a local community of captains who have gone from fishing to tourism. Nobody knows these waters and where to find the animals better than these guys.
Day 7
Our extra day for bait balls in case we had inclement weather during the week or go ashore in the amazing giant sand dunes of Margarita Island. Departing for Cabo mid- afternoon on what is almost always a pleasant downhill ride with gentle motion.
Day 8
Breakfast and then disembark in Cabo by 8:30 am.
