Join world renowned Amos Nachoum on the snorkeling and wildlife photography adventure of a lifetime in search of the great Humboldt whale.
Amos has vast experience photographing all the animals of the world, from great white sharks to blue whales, from orcas to leopard seals, and his guidance on a dynamic expedition is invaluable.
For five straight days you will board the 45’ Humboldt vessel at Mission Bay in San Diego, California, and head out to sea in search of the largest animal to ever exist on our planet, the magnificent blue whale. A total of 10-12 people will be on board, including a skipper and crew, three master kayakers, and only four guests. Limiting the number of guests is the most effective way to provide each guest with sufficient time in the water. A network of spotters (including a specialized plane) will help to guide your vessel into prospective intercepts of these gentle leviathans on their annual migration along the coast of California. If contact is made, you will leave the Humboldt at a comfortable distance and three professional kayakers will shuttle guests as close as possible, and let the blues get comfortable with your presence. It’s then that it hits you: you’re snorkeling alongside a blue whale. It’s like swimming next to an 18-wheeler, cruising along at 12 mph. Lunch and hot soup will be provided on board, in between dives, while at the end of each day, your vessel will return to Mission Bay where you will disembark for the evening, and prepare for another exciting day of chasing these masters of the sea. This is a truly magical experience that few people ever have the opportunity to take part in.

Meet your driver for an airport transfer with private vehicle. 

Enjoy a 3 hour tour with private vehicle and driver. Visit America's Finest City , which includes highlights such as: Point Loma, Sunset Cliffs, Mission Bay, Old Town, Balboa Park, Downtown with Gaslamp Quarter, Embarcadero, Harbor Island, Shelter Island, Coronado, and much more.

Together with Kensington Tours, world renowned photographer Amos Nachoum’s expeditions take him and a small group of exclusive travelers throughout the world to observe, photograph, and revere the most magnificent creatures on the planet. He has led multiple many high-profile National Geographic expedition teams, including National Geographic’s Red Sea, Great White Shark, and Killer Whale photo expeditions. Amos’s photos and essays have appeared in hundreds of publications around the globe, including National Geographic, Time, Life, The New York Times, and many more.

Under the expert guidance of Amos, learn the secrets to spellbinding wildlife photography, as well as have the chance to interact with some of the most exciting animals on the planet — great white sharks, polar bears, blue whales, sailfish, snow leopards, the sardine run and more — Amos will help you capture their true essence in the most spectacular wildlife photographs you’ll ever take.

Welcome to San Diego!
The rest of the day will be spent preparing cameras, discussing logistics and strategy for the upcoming adventure.

Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego Hotel (4*) is centrally located just minutes from San Diego’s many major attractions, including Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego State University, the San Diego Zoo, local beaches, the historic Gaslamp District, and more. Mission Valley’s two premier shopping malls are nearby as well. After a full day retreat to one of their 260 beautifully appointed, stunning guest rooms overlooking Mission Valley. Plan your day over a scrumptious breakfast and get ready to explore nearby attractions, such as Seaport Village, Balboa Park, or Belmont Park. Or spend your days relaxing by the pool and spa or working out in their state-of-the-art fitness center.

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

Step aboard the 45 foot Humboldt, outfitted with three 2-person kayaks and featuring a top speed of 30mph and a cruising speed of 26mph. The vessel has a fresh hot water shower onboard, and provides lunch and hot soup between dives, with a crew focused on making your day as enjoyable as possible. Today is the first of five straight mornings where we depart Mission Bay by boat towards an area 15 to 25 miles offshore between San Diego and Mexico being scouted for migrating blue whales by a spotter plane. While waiting for the scouting report, if we come across an encounter with other marine life along the way, we will free dive in the lovely blue Pacific. At the end of each expedition day, we return to shore.

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

A new day, a new opportunity to encounter the majestic blue whale, as you board the Humboldt at Marina Bay. What makes this expedition so unique is that, in addition to having a scout plane with us every day, we also employ three master kayakers to paddle us as quietly as possible to the shy blue whales. Each sea kayak has two seats. The guest seat is at the front of the kayak, where you’ll have mask, fins and camera ready to go at any time. The kayaker sits in the back to paddle you as fast as humanly possible to the approximate location of the incoming Blues. Since we are in constant communication with the pilot, and the skipper can observe from the dive boat, Amos and the kayakers are kept apprised of all whale movements at all times so that your kayak will be able to reach your whale quickly and silently.

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

Board the Humboldt for another round of adventure on the vast Pacific Ocean. Upon word from the spotter plane or the captain, three kayaks go out at one time – two guests plus Amos for one hour or for the encounter, whichever comes first. Then we return to the vessel and Amos escorts the next team of two guests. We repeat this rotation throughout the week, finding it the most efficient way to provide everyone with very good opportunities for photography and personal viewing of the magnificent marine wildlife.

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

Join the expedition team as our vessel will depart Marina Bay and make its way to the area offering greatest potential for a sighting today of the giant blue whale. In the event that good contact is made with the whales, we will stay out until evening. This is in order to be close to the action, to increase our knowledge of whale behavior, and to maximize opportunities for quality photography encounters above and below water with the shy blue whales.

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

With more help from our network of spotters, the vessel makes a final trip out into the open ocean waters of the Pacific. We have the kayaks ready and snorkel gear in hand, prepared to make contact with any of the gentle giants we may encounter. Take some once-in-a-lifetime photographs up closer than you had ever imagined. As you travel back to land at the end of the day, take some time to look back at the amazing and rare experience you've just had!

Overnight at Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego (4*).

Meet your driver for an airport transfer with private vehicle. 

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).