The Sardine Run is a wild seasonal event where millions of sardines migrate through the Pacific waters off Bahía Magdalena. These bait balls trigger a high-speed feeding frenzy by striped marlin, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and seabirds. It’s one of the ocean’s most spectacular and unscripted wildlife encounters.

The Sardine run gets going from October until end of December. Our expedition runs during the peak of the sardine run in late November, when predator activity (striped marlin, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and more) is typically at its highest.

While nature is unpredictable, typical encounters during the Sarding Run in Magdalena Bay include:

• Striped marlin hunting sardine bait balls

• Sea lions, dolphins, whales (Bryde’s, humpback, possibly orca)

• Mobula rays, dorado, tuna, sharks, and a wide variety of seabirds

This is an active expedition. You should be a strong swimmer and comfortable snorkeling in deep, open ocean. Days on the boat are long, often 6–8 hours, and water entries can be frequent and fast-paced. If you’ve never done a marine wildlife trip before, we recommend prior ocean experience or reaching out to us for advice.

Swimming through a bait ball—especially during a feeding event—is a bad idea for several important safety and ethical reasons:

1. You Become Part of the Chaos

Predators like striped marlin, sea lions, dolphins, and even sharks are attacking the bait ball at high speed—often from all directions.
If you swim through the bait, you can:

• Get accidentally struck by a predator’s bill, tail, or body

• Disrupt the natural flow of the hunt, causing unpredictable reactions

• Be mistaken as a threat or even prey in low visibility or fast action

2. It can scare the Bait Ball

Bait balls are formed as a last-ditch defense. When a human swims through them:

• The school panics and breaks formation, scattering the fish

• Predators lose the tight hunting opportunity and may abandon the site

• You risk ruining the encounter for everyone—including your own group

3. Its disrespectful of the Wildlife Experience

This is a natural event, not a theme park. Swimming aggressively through a bait ball is:

• Disruptive to predator-prey dynamics

• Dangerous to both animals and humans

• Poor etiquette in responsible wildlife tourism

Yes—**freediving is allowed and often the best way to experience the action**—but it’s important to know that this is not a depth-focused trip. Most of the wildlife encounters happen at or near the surface.

That said, if you're a confident freediver, you’ll be able to drop beneath the bait balls, dive below the chaos, and find angles that snorkelers can’t. I’ll be in the water too, and if you want tips, breathwork, or feedback during the trip, I’m happy to share what I know.

Just remember: this is about respectful observation, not chasing. The animals are wild, fast, and working in high-alert hunting mode. We dive slow, move gently, and stay clear of the bait. You will receive expert guidance about whether it’s okay to dive or not.

If you're not a freediver yet, don't worry—you'll still have incredible experiences at the surface.

No. Most wildlife encounters happen at or near the surface. Freedivers are welcome, but snorkelers will be able to participate fully and safely.

Yes! We have two professional photographers on board who will document wildlife encounters and your time in the water. You’ll receive a selection of edited images after the trip. We also offer nightly photo editing and storytelling sessions if you'd like to learn how to improve your own underwater photography.

Absolutely. Most guests join solo and leave with a tight-knit crew of fellow ocean lovers. You’ll be paired with another solo traveler for accommodations unless you request a private upgrade.

It’s best suited for intermediate to advanced snorkelers or freedivers. If you're unsure whether this trip is right for your skill level, we’re happy to chat with you and help assess. You don’t need to be an elite athlete—but you should feel at ease in deep water and be comfortable on boats.

We can’t guarantee sightings of any specific animal—this is a wild, unscripted natural event, and conditions vary day to day. That said, striped marlin are the primary predator during the sardine run, and they are seen on most expeditions. Whales (including Bryde’s, humpbacks, and occasionally orcas) are regular visitors to these waters, especially in late fall, but their presence can be more unpredictable.

What we can guarantee is that our team uses real-time scouting, local knowledge, and flexible launch strategies to give you the best possible chance of seeing—and safely swimming near—these incredible animals. No two days are the same, and that’s part of what makes this expedition so thrilling.

We operate with deep respect for marine life, local communities, and the ecosystems we explore. Here’s what sets our expeditions apart:

• Wildlife-first approach: We never chase, corner, or harass animals. Our guides are trained to read behavior and maintain respectful distances. If wildlife moves on—we let it.

• Small group size (max 6 guests): This minimizes stress on wildlife and avoids the chaos of large boats or crowded interactions.

• Local partnerships: We work with local boat captains, stay in locally owned accommodations, and contribute to the regional economy in a sustainable way.

• Education & awareness: Every guest is briefed on ocean etiquette, predator-prey dynamics, and how to behave responsibly in the water. We believe the best experiences come from understanding and humility—not control.

• Leave no trace: We pack out what we pack in, avoid single-use plastics, and promote ocean-friendly practices on land and sea.

Our goal isn’t just to show you something wild—it’s to help you connect with it in a way that protects and preserves it.

Great question! The morning air is quite chill, but the water of the temperature range Magdalena Bay is not typically that cold (67–80°F (19–27°C). Couple that with getting in and out of the boat and a long day on the water , are we recommend everyone have at least a 3mm full wetsuit. as well as bring a windbreaker. Check out this overview of Magdalena Bay conditions.

No age limit, however you do need to be comfortable with a potentially rough boat ride & swimming in the open ocean.

Absolutely. I am personally really passionate about accommodating people when it comes to food allergies, restrictions, or ethics. However, just understand that:

1. people will be eating seafood on this trip.

2. I will do my best to make sure your meals are tasty, but do not expect extravagant meals.

3. I need to know ahead of time to be able to support you.