Cabo San Lucas Private Snorkeling Tour with a PADI Guide
Snorkeling in a group of strangers on someone else's schedule isn't for everyone. This Cabo San Lucas private snorkeling tour puts a boat, a captain and a professional PADI instructor at your family's or group's disposal, so you decide the pace, pick a 2-hour or 4-hour trip, and snorkel past the Arch and the bays on your own terms. It's private for up to 8 people, from $79 per person, with gear, snacks and drinks included, and it sits alongside the other snorkeling tours in Cabo San Lucas we compare here. Here's what to expect.
About the Private Snorkeling Tour
Cancel up to 24 hours before for a full refund
Choose the shorter trip or the full half-day
Snacks, drinks and all snorkel gear included
The boat is booked for your group only, no strangers added
A professional guide in the water with you at every stop
Mask, snorkel, fins and a life vest sized for everyone
Check Live Availability & Prices
Real-time dates, times and pricing for the private boat and PADI-guided snorkel trip.
Why Book the Private Snorkeling Tour
Shared snorkel boats work fine for solo travelers, but a family with young kids, a mixed group of strong swimmers and beginners, or anyone who just wants to skip the group shuffle gets more out of a private trip. The boat, captain and PADI instructor are yours alone, so nobody is waiting on you and you're not waiting on anybody else. Want to linger at one cove because the kids found a school of fish? Stay as long as you like. Want to skip a stop and cover more ground toward the Arch instead? That's your call too.
At $79 per person it costs a bit more than joining a scheduled group boat, but for a family of four or a group of friends splitting a private charter it often lands close to what you'd pay per head anyway, with none of the compromises. If a shared departure suits your budget better, the other Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tours on this site cover that ground too.
What You'll See Underwater
Your PADI guide picks stops based on conditions that day, but a typical private route around the Land's End area turns up:
- Reef fish schooling around the rock formations near Pelican Rock
- Sea lions playing near the boat close to the Arch's sheltered side
- Parrotfish, angelfish and puffers over the rocky reef
- Sightings of dolphins or, seasonally, migrating whales on the ride out
- Starfish and urchins in the shallower, calmer coves
- Clear water with the Arch and Land's End cliffs as a backdrop
What's Included (and What Isn't)
What's Included
- A private boat and captain for up to 8 people
- A professional PADI instructor in the water with your group
- Full snorkel equipment — mask, snorkel, fins and a life vest
- Snacks on board, including cookies, granola bars and chips
- Soft drinks, juice and water (you're welcome to bring your own too)
- All Marine Park fees
Not Included
- Souvenir photos of the trip (available to purchase from the crew)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off — you'll make your own way to the marina
- Gratuities for the captain and instructor (optional but appreciated)
Important Things to Know Before You Go
A little prep makes the day run smoother for everyone on board.
- What to bring: swimwear under your clothes, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a light jacket for the boat ride
- What to leave behind: regular (non-reef-safe) sunscreen and any single-use plastics you don't need to bring aboard
- Not allowed: touching marine life or coral, and jumping in before the instructor gives the signal at each stop
- Safety note: never swim on the Pacific-facing side of Land's End, known locally as Divorce Beach — the surf and currents there are dangerous, and this tour stays on the calm, protected Sea of Cortez side
Want a scheduled morning trip instead of a private charter? The crowd-free morning snorkel excursion heads out early before the bays fill up. Prefer to add a beach stop by the Arch to your snorkel day?
Look at the Arch and Lover's Beach snorkel tour.
Where the Private Tour Departs — Cabo San Lucas Marina
Who This Tour Is For
This is the pick if you want the boat, the pace and the PADI instructor's full attention to yourselves.
- Families with kids who need extra time getting comfortable in the water
- Groups of friends who'd rather not share a boat with strangers
- Mixed groups with both confident swimmers and total beginners
- Photographers who want to linger at a good spot without a schedule pushing them along
Not ideal for
- Solo travelers on a tight budget — a shared boat costs less per person
- Anyone hoping for a fixed, single-site itinerary rather than a flexible route
- Groups larger than 8, who'll need to split across boats or book a bigger charter
Cabo San Lucas Private Snorkeling Tour — FAQ
How many people can join the private tour?
The boat is private for up to 8 people, and the price is per person, so it works for a family, a couple, or a small group of friends without sharing space with other travelers.
What's the difference between the 2-hour and 4-hour option?
The 2-hour trip covers one or two nearby snorkel spots close to the marina, while the 4-hour trip reaches farther around Land's End and allows more time in the water at each stop. Families with young kids often find 2 hours plenty; snorkelers who want to cover more ground pick the 4-hour version.
Do we need snorkeling experience to book?
No. The PADI instructor is in the water with you and can work at whatever pace your group needs, from a first-timer's introduction to open-water swimming for confident snorkelers.
Is hotel pickup included?
No, hotel pickup and drop-off aren't included, so you'll need to get yourself to the marina. If you'd rather have transport handled, check the other Cabo San Lucas snorkeling tours for options that include it.
Will we see the Arch on this tour?
Yes, the route passes the Arch and the surrounding bays. If you want a stop that pairs the Arch with time on the beach, the Arch and Lover's Beach snorkel tour is built around exactly that.
What Travelers Say About the Private Snorkeling Tour
Everything was great. Our guide was patient and let us stay as long as we wanted at each stop, and it was nice not sharing the boat with anyone else.
Booked this for our family of five and it was worth every dollar. The instructor worked one-on-one with our youngest until she was comfortable, then let the older kids swim out further on their own. Nobody felt rushed.
Having the boat to ourselves made the whole morning relaxed. Our guide adjusted the route once he saw how strong a swimmer my husband was and took us further out past the Arch than a group tour probably would have.