We went to see whaaaaaaaaaaaaales! And it was so crazy! So we wanted to share with you all the information we’ve gathered as we’ve researched how and where to see whales in Colombia.
We decided to write an post with as much information as possible, concentrating on all the possible options for seeing these giants of the sea in Colombia. Because no, there’s more than Nuqui or Bahia Solano to admire the planet’s largest marine mammals.
In this post, you’ll find 5 destinations where you can see humpback whales in Colombia, along with the practical information we’ve gathered. But first, let’s answer the questions that are on everyone’s mind..
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Humpback whales in Colombia
Why do whales come to Colombia’s Pacific coast?
Whales come to Colombia to give birth to their calves! They come up from the icy waters of Antarctica, traveling thousands of kilometers to find refuge in the calm waters of the bays off Colombia’s Pacific coast, safe from predators.
What kind of whales can be seen in Colombia?
It’s mainly humpback whales that can be seen during this period on Colombia’s Pacific coast. They’re called Jorobadas or Yubartas, two names for the same whale, with its white belly, huge flippers, 12 to 16m length and 36 tons!
When is the best time to see whales in Colombia?
Whale-watching travel guide
The best time to see whales in Colombia is between June and October. The best time to see them is between July and September, with a peak in August.
| Months | Whale sightings |
|---|---|
| January to May | No whales |
| June | Arrival of whales |
| July to September | Peak whale season |
| October | Whale departure |
| November and December | No whales |
Utria National Nature Park
Whale-watching in Colombia travel guide
Whether you’re in Nuqui, Bahia Solano or El Valle, one of the musts is to go whale watching and discover Utria National Natural Park! During our trip, we spent the night there, and it’s without doubt our fondest memory! Unfortunately, this is no longer possible.
In the calm waters of the Ensanada of Utria NPN, boats will take you to see the whales, you can discover the splendid Playa Blanca, one of the few white sand beaches in the region, but also walk in the forest, enjoy the guided ecological trail in the mangroves which is included in the entrance fee.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to watch the whales from the beach! This was the case for us, and a natural spectacle we’ll never forget!
All the hotels and local agencies present in Bahia Solano and El Valle will be able to offer you excursions to go see the whales at Utria Natural Park, a privileged place to observe them.
It is currently no longer possible to stay inside the park.
LANCHA | Nuqui <> Utria (50 min)
- Price: $90.000 COP (Ask your hotel for the schedule because it depends on the tides.)
LANCHA | El Valle <> Utria (45 min)
- Price: $90.000 COP (Ask your hotel for the schedule because it depends on the tides.)
On foot from El Valle
From the village of El Valle, it is normally possible (check) to take a 3-hour hiking trail through the forest to Utria nature park. A guide is required to enter the park.
Nuquí
Whale-watching in Colombia
Nuquí is perhaps the best-known whale-watching destination on the Pacific coast. Although Nuqui remains an off-the-beaten-track destination for the time being, it’s something of the Queen of the Pacific and the first one you think of when you think of Colombia’s Pacific coast.
Like all destinations on the Pacific coast, the Nuquí region boasts phenomenal biodiversity, and there’s a wide range of things to do there.
We recommend a stay south of Nuqui. All along the Gulf of Tribuga, authentic villages welcome you to enjoy life in the Choco.
In addition to whale watching, you can go surfing at Termales, take a walk in the forest at Arusi to discover and admire the flora and fauna, go for a swim in the thermal waters, among other things.
All the hotels and local agencies present in Nuqui will be able to offer you excursions to go see the whales.
We do not recommend to stay in Nuqui but prefer to find a stay in some of the small villages like Coqui, Termales, Arusi or in the Guachalito Beach.
PLANE | Medellin <> Nuqui (1h)
- Duration: 45 min
- Airline: San German Express, Satena
- Fare: from $600.000 return (depending on dates and airline)
- Airport: Enrique Olaya Herrera
ATTENTION: Refusal of payment frequently occurs when you try to pay online. For example, this has happened to us several times on the San German Express site, the Satena site and the Avianca site. We solved the problem by using our VPN and locating it in Colombia. This enabled us to bypass local restrictions and the payment was accepted.
LANCHA | El Valle <> Nuqui (2h)
- Price: $90.000 COP (Ask your hotel for the schedule because it depends on the tides.)
- Departures: Monday and Friday only
Please note that there are no departures every day. The easiest solution is to do Nuqui > PNN Utria, then PNN Utria > El Valle, as departures to the park are more frequent.
Bahia solano / El Valle
Whale-watching in Colombia travel guide
Bahia Solano is Nuqui’s little sister, less well-known but just as welcoming. Located in the same geographical area, it has all the same special features: beautiful black sand beaches wherewaterfalls cascade directly onto the sand, lush vegetation, forest walks and, of course, the chance to see whales in their natural element!
It’s also from Bahia Solano, or rather El Valle, a quiet village to the south of Bahia Solano, that you canwalk to the splendid Utria National Park, also accessible more quickly by lancha.
All the hotels and local agencies present in Bahia Solano or El Valle will be able to offer you excursions to go see the whales.
We recommend you to stay in El Valle.
El Valle
Eco Lodge
El Almejal
El Almejal is one of the best hotels in El Valle. Located on the beach of the same name, it is one of the pioneering hotels in the spirit of eco-responsible hotels in Colombia.
El Valle
Hostal
The Pelican House Hostel
The Pelican House Hostal is one of the best accommodation options in El Valle and has the great merit of partnering with the Madre Agua team in Bahia Solano, who do great work with the whales.
El Valle
Posada
Posada El nativo
A posada where we spent two nights. Basic comfort but nice location by the beach on the way to playa El Almejal. Possibility of eating on site.
El Valle
Hotel
El Morro B&B
A hotel we wanted to try out but which was fully booked when we came, a hut on the tip of El Almejal beach, with a splendid view directly over the Pacific Ocean and its fabulous sunsets!
Full board: price includes 3 meals a day
El Valle
Posada
Mama Orbe Eco Farm
From simple cabins on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, a home with Mama Orbe’s family and a unique sea turtle protection project in El Valle, or how to combine business with pleasure. If Mama Orbe is a little far from the village, it’s a real opportunity to disconnect and share with the family, and do the activities with them. Highly recommended!
PLANE | Medellin <> Bahi Solano (1h)
- Fare: between $400.000 and $600.000 return depending on season
- Companies: Satena, San German Express
- Tourist tax payable at Bahia Solano airport: $7.000
PLANE | Bogota <> Bahi Solano (3h with stopover in Medellin)
- Fare: between $500.000 and $700.000 return depending on season
- Companies: Satena, San German Express
- Tourist tax payable at Bahia Solano airport: $7.000
ATTENTION: Refusals to pay often occur when you try to pay online. For example, this has happened to us several times on the San German Express website, the Satena website and the Avianca website. We solved the problem by using our VPN and locating it in Colombia. This enabled us to bypass local restrictions and the payment was accepted.
LANCHA | Nuqui <> El Valle (2h)
- Price: $90.000 COP (Ask your hotel for the schedule because it depends on the tides.)
- Departures: Monday and Friday
Please note that there are not departures every day. The easiest solution is to do Nuqui > PNN Utria, then PNN Utria > El Valle, as departures to the park are more frequent
Isla Gorgona
Whale-watching in Colombia
Isla Gorgona National Nature Park is a lesser-known destination, but just as beautiful as the better-known Pacific destinations.
It’s an island totally protected from mass tourism, with nature totally preserved, a first-rate wildlife sanctuary, the ideal destination for nature lovers.
What’s more, it’s closer to Buenaventura! As you might have guessed, whale watching is one of the top activities to be enjoyed on site!
Other activities are also possible on the island and well worth the detour, such as diving (the seabed is so splendid), hiking to the island’s former prison, and lazing on dream beaches..
Excursions to see the whales are offered by local agencies in Guapi.
They depart from the Guapi pier.
It is not possible to stay on Isla Gorgona. The best option is to stay in Guapi, the closest coastal village to the island. Excursions to Isla Gorgona are organized from Guapi.
The natural park is currently managed by a community association of Guapi residents under a concession granted by Colombia’s natural parks. Access is only possible with day tours organized from Guapi. To get there, you therefore must first reach Guapi
PLANE | Cali <> Guapi (50 min)
- Price: about $500.000 COP
- Departures: daily between 9:00 and 9:30am
BOAT | Buenaventura <> Guapi
- Price: about $200.000 COP
- Departures: daily around 9:00am, subject to change depending on sea conditions.
- Duration: minimum 4h in open sea
Juanchao, Ladrilleros and La Barra
See whales off the coast of Buenaventura
Going to the Buenaventura area is probably the cheapest option to see whales on the Pacific coast.
Ladrilleros, Juanchaco and La Barra are the beaches closest to Cali and they can be quite busy with Colombians on weekends, especially Juanchaco.
La Barra is certainly the quietest beach in the area; you only need to walk half an hour from Playa Ladrilleros along the path called “la trocha” and you can enjoy this small fishing village.
Even if the beaches may not be the most beautiful on the Pacific, other activities are possible.
It is an area with mangroves, waterfalls, rivers and natural pools. Enough to do beautiful hikes and enjoy nature. It will undoubtedly be the cheapest option.
All the hotels and agencies present in Ladrilleros, Juanchaco, and La Barra will be able to offer you excursions to go see the whales. The lanchas leave from the Juanchaco pier. From La Barra, smaller traditional boats also depart.
Juanchaco
Hostal
Hostal Liliana
Liliana’s hostal in Juanchaco is an explosion of color! The walls of this clean and welcoming hostal in the center of the village are filled with joy.
Juanchaco
Hostal
Pacifico Hostel
Pacifico Hostal has made a name for itself among travelers. An inexpensive option in Juanchaco, on a huge plot in the jungle, wooden cabins, a relaxed atmosphere, a great classic that everyone comes back delighted with!
Ladrilleros
Hostal
Surf House Estilo Libre
A hostal where surfing is at the heart of the activity on the beaches of Ladrilleros and the surrounding area! We offer lessons, good advice and a warm welcome.
Ladrilleros
Hostal
Blue House
A waterfront hostal right on the beach, offering a variety of accommodations to suit all comforts, a Ladrilleros classic where many travelers gather. A two-night minimum reservation is required.
Hostal
Pacheco Guesthouse
Typical accommodation on the Colombian Pacific coast, a wooden shack open to the 4 winds, a bed, basic, simple, but what counts is the warmth of the welcome and… the location: feet in the sand facing the Pacific Ocean!
Travel by lancha from Buenaventura to Juanchaco.
- Duration: 1h30.
- Info at the tourist dock.
Travel by bus from Cali to Buenaventura.
- Duration: 3h.
- Fare: $40.000 COP one way.
- Departure: Cali Terminal every 15 min (Corredor del Pacifico).
Once in Juanchaco, some tuktuk (moto-taxi) will give you a ride to Ladrilleros or La Barra
Bahia Malaga (Uramba)
whale-Watching off the coast of Buenaventura
Uramba Bahía Málaga Natural Park is home to an immense diversity of fauna and flora species.
Bahia Malaga is internationally recognized as one of the prime sites for humpback whale migration; the whales come to its warm, calm waters to reproduce and find peace.
Here, you can engage in ecotourism activities, traditional canoeing, kayaking, traditional sailing-canoe trips, and hiking.
Whale-watching excursions in Bahia Malaga Natural Park are offered by the EcoManglar association, a community-based tourism initiative that is closely involved in protecting the park and with which you will need to get in touch for on-site transport and lodging.
EcoManglar
- Phone (WhatsApp): (+57) 314 733 0160
- Email: ecomanglarpacifico@gmail.com
- Website: ecomanglar.org
The Bahia Malaga community has organized itself to offer accommodations inside the natural park.
It is the EcoManglar association that arranges the connection.
EcoManglar
- Phone (WhatsApp): (+57) 314 733 0160
- Email: ecomanglarpacifico@gmail.com
- Website: ecomanglar.org
BOAT | Buenaventura <> Bahia Malaga
- Departure: From the tourist pier in Buenaventura. Mon., Wed. and Fri. at 10am, returns at 1pm. It is also possible to go there for the day with an agency from Juanchaco.
- Duration: 1h30
- Fare: $200.000 COP round trip
hello, very nice new version of your site!
When you say “see the whales”, what happens in practice? Do you see them up close or do you catch a glimpse of their tails through binoculars? How many do you see? How many hours does a boat trip last?
Thanks for your answers, it helps me manage expectations a bit, especially with the kids!
Thank you and have a nice trip!
Hi Arnaud, it’s difficult to give a precise answer to these questions, as nature and whales can’t be controlled 😉 What I can tell you is what we experienced and talk about in our two articles on El Valle and PNN Utria, which I recommend you read, you’ll learn more about whales and what we experienced in detail. Outings vary in length depending on where you’re going, but allow several hours on the water. These are motorboats where you sit on benches, so don’t expect big boats with all the comforts. Depending on how careful the person driving the lancha is, you’ll get closer or further away, but in any case you’ll be able to see them with the naked eye without any problem. As for what the whales will do (jump, play with their tails, or just swim on the surface), there’s no telling. We saw them every day, every time we went out on the boat, even when we weren’t going out specifically to observe them, but just to visit the surrounding area. Hopefully, these details and our articles will help you find out what’s in store! Even if you can’t imagine what it’s going to be like and the emotion it brings…
Congratulations on your site! I’m planning a 3-week trip and your blog is a real nugget!
I’ve just had confirmation from Satena that Nuqui is no longer served… they don’t know if they’ll ever reopen the line either!
Do you know which other airline lands at Nuqui airport? They don’t have a website…
Thank you!
Virginie
Hi, yes, we’ll have to confirm this with Satena and modify all our articles… very strange that they’re stopping Nuqui but… on the other hand, there are always flights to Bahia Solano, which is where we went to see the whales, with a stay at El Valle https://mytriptocolombia.com/el-valle-bahia-solano-cote-pacifique/ and a stopover in Utria: https://mytriptocolombia.com/visiter-parc-naturel-utria-choco-pacifique/
Otherwise, according to our information, the San German Express agency offers flights in small planes to Nuqui.
Thank you for your site, it’s great!
We’re going to Colombia in September
We’d like to go whale watching in Nuqui, but we’re having trouble finding flights from Medellin to Nuqui. We can only find flights to Bahia Solano
Can you please help me?
Steph
Thanks for your message! 🙂 Indeed we also notice that on Satena flights Medellin – Nuqui are not available, no idea why, we advise you to contact them via WhatsApp or otherwise fall back on Bahia Solano which is also a good option: https://mytriptocolombia.com/el-valle-bahia-solano-cote-pacifique/
Hello !
Thank you for this wonderful blog full of really useful information!
Do you know if it’s possible to observe whales while scuba diving? It’s a childhood dream that I’d like to make come true by disturbing these animals as little as possible; so if you have the address of a good diving center offering this service, I’d love to know ^^
Thanks again for your advice and happy holidays!
Laura
Hi Laura, thanks for your compliments! 🙂 We really appreciate it!
Regarding the possibility of scuba diving during the whale migration period, we have to admit that we don’t have any information on this subject. That said, we think you just need to find a diving school on the Pacific coast, in Nuqui, Bahia Solano, Buenaventura or Isla Gorgona (Guapi). A little research on the net will help you find one. That said, it’s highly likely that you’ll need a valid PADI Advanced certification to be able to do this kind of diving. We’ll be in touch if you get the chance to experience it, and we’d love to hear from you! We’ll even invite you to talk about it on the blog 🙂
Hello,
Thank you for all the information and your great site!
We’re leaving the last week of November and the first of December, that’s 2 weeks on the spot. We plan to arrive in Bogota, fly to Medelin, then gently descend to Cali and finally finish on the Pacific to try to see Whales and hike
I can see that it’s not the right season, so my question is whether there are any outings at this time of year and whether it’s possible to see any?
On the other hand, every year is different, the seasons tend to evolve and I’d like to know if the trend of whale migrations in recent years was as indicated on the sites?
Thank you very much for your help.
Hi David, as far as we know, the whale season is not the same, and indeed for you it will unfortunately be too late. With a lot of luck, there’ll be a latecomer that you’ll be able to spot, but don’t count on it!
Thank you for this additional information!
I wish you lots of wonderful travels!
Hello,
Thank you for this very interesting article!
I’m planning a trip to Colombia next summer and we really want to go whale watching. All these sites look great, but how do you decide which one to go for? Did you have a preference? Thanks for your advice
Caroline
Hi Caroline, we only visited the El Valle / Nuqui part, and it was one of the most beautiful trips of our lives 😉 Next time we’ll be going to Juanchaco and especially the Uramba Bahia Malaga National Park, because we’re really looking forward to it. Finally, on another trip we’ll probably go to Isla Gorgona, as this is a region we’d also like to discover 😉 So no real preference, the Pacific coast is magical, you won’t be disappointed!
Hello
We’re going to Colombia in November
Is it too late to see the whales?
Thank you for this wealth of information.
Hello, yes it’s a bit late to go whale watching, as the season quietly comes to an end at the end of October. But are there any latecomers left in November? No idea… But the region is well worth a visit, whales or not 😉
Great what you’ve done!
Thank you very much! 🙂