Whale Watching: Book a tour with a trained guide
65 guides from Barra de Potosí, Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and la Mahajua have attended our safe whale watching and safe dolphin watching programs. Each year, they renew their training with a follow up program and more join the network.
Trained guides spend two days with skilled biologists to learn detailed, accurate information about whales, dolphins and how to navigate a boat responsibly around them. When you go out with a trained guide, you are more likely to have a better experience on the water because the animals will be relaxed and more likely to want to spend time with you. Whales and dolphins can be dangerous, even deadly, to humans when stressed, so it is very important that we treat them with respect and are responsible with them so we can develop a positive friendship with the marine mammals in our region.
If you go with one of the guides below and would like to arrange for a bilingual early career marine biologist/naturalist to be onboard the boat, share our scientific process with you and answer questions contact one of the guides above and request that they send a member of the Whales of Guerrero Team out with them. We charge 700 pesos for naturalist services on marine tours which goes directly to the volunteer naturalist to support their food and lodging costs. We need at least one week’s advance notice to make sure we will have a person available for this service.
The Whales of Guerrero Research Project does not benefit financially by supporting these guides (except when you buy a shirt, bottle, sticker or make a donation at the end of your trip!). It is our mission and our passion to support safe whale and dolphin watching in the region and so we are proud to recommend the services of the following guides.
You may contact our team to arrange a trip with a trained guide or contact any of the guides listed here directly.
Trained tour guides are:
*(noted with an asterisk if they completed most recent training in 2018)
Zihuatanejo & Ixtapa:
Abel Cortéz Zepeda* (Zihuatanejo, Boat: Gran Jefe II; English: Yes) – 755-557-1093
Aguazul Sport Fishing (Amanda Leyva Martinez and Alberto Martinez, Zihuatanejo) – 755-121-7174
Alejandro Alonso Martínez* – 755 143 5988
Alonso Cano Martínez* – 755 115 0526
Ángel Macias Ortiz (Zihuatenajo) – 5514239203
Antonio Alvarado Torres – 755 136 2469
Felipe Rodriguez Moreno* – 669 160 0906
Fredy Hernández Vázquez (Zihuatanejo; English: Yes) – 755-120-0931
Hernán Segura Mucio* – 755 100 7547
Héctor Orihuela Hernandez – (Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo; English: Yes) – 5570072577
Javier Pérez Sosa and Pablo Mendizabál Reyes (Adventours Ixtapa; English: Yes)- 744-104-7392 and 755-101-8556
Jonathan Rosas Hernández – 755 115 0526
José Antonio Hernández Martinez – 55 7007 2577
Juan Antonio Galeana Sánchez* – 755 140 6655
Luis Manuel Peñalosa Ugalde*
Luis Manuel Pelayo* – 755 111 5457
Oscar Vázquez Blanco – 755 124 1914
Sergio Fabián Jasso Barrera* – 755 100 0920
Maude Jette*; Ángel Vazquez Peralta* (Website: Dive Zihua; English: Yes)- – 755-102-3738 & 747-117-3150
Tim Sullivan (Picante) (Speaks English)* – 755 554 8270
Victor Cano Martinez (Zihuatanejo – Pura Suerte; English: Yes) – 755-108-1285
La Mahajua:
Samuel (Samba) Núñez Albarrán and Timoteo Núñez Albarrán – 755-101-3054 2018 Barra de Potosi Trained Safe Whale Watch Guides
Barra de Potosí:
The fixed Barra de Potosi certified whale watch coop price is:
1-2 people: $80 USD/1600 Mexican pesos
3 people: $105 USD/2100 Mexican pesos
4 people: $160 USD/2800 Mexican pesos
5 people: $200 USD/3600 Mexican pesos
6 people: $240 USD/4300 Mexican pesos
Bilingual biologist services cost $35 USD/700 pesos extra.*
Drinks, safety equipment, snorkeling equipment are included.
*If you would like to have a Whales of Guerrero Research Project volunteer accompany you as a biologist/translator between January 5 – March 18, the cost is 700 pesos/$35 USD and goes directly to the volunteer biologist. 5 days advance notice is required to make biologist/translator arrangements. Contact Andrea J. García Chávez at 55-3114 2770 if you want to arrange a trip in English with a non-English speaking guide OR contact any of the guides below and request the services of a biologist/translator in when you are booking your trip.
Book a 3-hour marine ecotour out of Barra de Potosí (2-3 day advance required):
Barra de Potosi’s Trained Whale Watch Guides* are:
* denotes they attended the most recent 2018 training program
Abel Organiz Bañuelos* 755-120-6265 Speaks English: No
Adelaido Martínez Bello* 755-120-3976 Speaks English: No
Andres Mata Banuelos* – 755 102 7946
Antolín Albarrán Navarrete* Speaks English: No
Araceli Oregon Salas* 755-130-6829 Speaks English: Yes
Armando Aguilar Vega* 755 129 6454
Arturo Mellín Mandujano* 755-104-7168 Speaks English: A little (~15%)
Francisco Angel Pérez Chavarría 755-115-2613 Speaks English: A little (~25%)
Francísco Javier Gabriel Rosario Lorenzo 755-102-7181 Speaks English: No
Gerardo Gonzalez Abarca 755-139-5038 Speaks English: No
Germán Bahena Jacinto*
Javier Martínez Martínez*
Jesus Diaz Bañuelos 755-132-1881 Speaks English: No
Jesus Martinez Vargas 755-129-2878 Speaks English: No
Jose Antonio Oregon 755-557-2201 Speaks English: No
Juan Carlos Cedeño 755-113-6923 Speaks English: No
Juan Manuel Bello* – 755 102 4892
Juan Onofre Arroyo 755-132-8738 Speaks English: No
Luis Antonio Lopez Martinez 755-100-1716 Speaks English: No
Nicolás Oregón Conde*
Omar Zarate Herrera* 755-111-5934 Speaks English: Yes
Orlando Banuelos Nava* 755-100-1642 Speaks English: A little (~25%)
Rodrigo Pérez Chavarría* 755-114-6585 Speaks English: No
Sergio Rosas Fajardo 755-102-6074 Speaks English: No