Per person
Be on the lookout for whales! Costa Rican waters are home to Humpback, Orcas, Pseudo Orcas, Sei, Beaked, Bryde’s and Pilot whales. If you are traveling Southern Costa Rica during the green season, adding a humpback whale watching eco-expedition to your vacation in the Osa Peninsula is a must. Whales can be seen all year round off the Pacific coast of Central America, but the humpback whales from North and South America frequent the Golfo Dulce mostly between July and November to give birth and raise their little ones in warm tropical waters. At the same time, they fast and live off their fat reserves. Being the most popular tourist attractions in the gulf during these months, Costa Rica is pampered with humpback whales during more months than any other countries in the World. Bryde’s whales and false killer whales are rarer, but have been encountered in some occasions in the embayment.
This majestic animal is wild and there is never a guarantee to see it, but chances are high if you are in the right season. Boat captains will be in communication by radio with other boats around the Osa Peninsula and constantly look at their GPS to maximize the possibilities to find them. Hunted to the brink of extinction decades ago, their population has slowly grown back, but humpback whales are still affected with noise pollution, fishing gears and ship collisions.
Whales are generally curious. They like to soar into the air spy hopping, fin slapping, breaching and fluke flipping to impress visitors on the touring boats. Whales are air-breathing mammals, they usually don’t spend more than 15 minutes under the water before getting the air they need at the surface. For a truly wild adventure, take a boat charter at night. Seeing whales slashing through clouds of plankton is an experience of a lifetime!
Whale Shark
The Golfo Dulce receives every year between April and May, the visit of the World largest fish species: the whale shark. With a maximum length of 18 meters (60 feet), this solitary and slow-moving marine animal is a very gentle creature. As it is the biggest animals in the fish kingdom. More than one would think that this monstrous must be a dangerous predator, but it turns out to be the complete opposite. The endangered animal is docile and, because of its special diet, has no interest in eating large animals which differentiates it to other sharks. In fact, its alimentation is based on micro-organisms, plankton being the main food source. The whale shark often travels with its mouth wide open. Its jaw is compounded of thousands of small teeth placed in rows, that make a type of grill used as a filtering feeder. The purpose is to release debris and water back into the ocean, while only trapping the food inside its mouth.
The charismatic megafauna behave more has a whale even if it is a shark. However, it also presents some interesting particularity. While the Humpback whale gives birth to a single calf, the whale shark produces hundreds of eggs that hatches inside the mother and about 300 babies are born. The females have their first offspring at the age of 25 years old. Whale sharks may live up to 150 years, which is up to three times longer than the Humpback whales.
It is possible to swim beside the giant fish without risking of being eaten or crushed. It travels at a speed of only 3 kilometers an hour and spends 60% of its time at the surface of the water, so a close encounter is possible in this fascinating quest to find whale sharks.
The Golfo Dulce is also a calving ground and nursery for scalloped hammerhead sharks and other sharks. Due to geographic and climatic reason, the fjord hosts an impressive variety of marine life including dolphins, whales, whale sharks and sea turtles.
This tour offers roundtrip boat transportation from and to Puerto Jiménez dock or Golfito dock. Other shore locations might be available at a different fee. We can help you to book hotel pick-up and drop-off if necessary.
A non-refundable deposit is required to book this tour. If unforeseen circumstances arise, such as a flight cancellation, illness, or inability to travel to Costa Rica, rescheduling may be possible based on the availability of the guides on alternative dates. However, please note that no-shows will result in the forfeiture of the full deposit.
This activity relies on safe weather conditions. While light rain is typically manageable, high winds or storms may require cancellation. In such cases, you can reschedule or request a full refund. We prioritize your safety and enjoyment.
