The verdict
Best places to dive with southern elephant seals
Mirounga leonina
The most reliable place to dive with southern elephant seals is Peninsula Valdes, from October to November.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 1 of 4 at peak | February: 2 of 4 at peak | March: 1 of 4 at peak | April: 0 of 4 at peak | May: 0 of 4 at peak | June: 0 of 4 at peak | July: 3 of 4 at peak | August: 0 of 4 at peak | September: 0 of 4 at peak | October: 1 of 4 at peak | November: 1 of 4 at peak | December: 0 of 4 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only Not common
Based on 638 OBIS records of southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) within 60 km of 4 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with southern elephant seals
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peninsula Valdes | Argentina | Oct–Nov | Near-guaranteed | 23 of 28 years | Snorkel |
| 2 | Cape Town / False Bay | South Africa | Feb–Mar, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 9 of 32 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 3 | Gansbaai | South Africa | Feb, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 5 of 32 years | Cage |
| 4 | Puerto Vallarta / Banderas | Mexico Pacific | Jan, Jul | Hit-or-miss | 2 of 32 yearsfew records | Day boat |
When to dive with southern elephant seals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peninsula Valdes | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Peak season | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Possible |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Jan: Possible | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Gansbaai | Jan: Not common | Feb: Peak season | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Puerto Vallarta / Banderas | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Not common |
Peak season Possible Not common
Southern elephant seal month by month
- January
- The one peak month at Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
- February
- Season starts at Cape Town / False Bay. Also good at Gansbaai.
- March
- Last peak month at Cape Town / False Bay.
- Apr–Jun
- Not a month for southern elephant seals.
- July
- The one peak month at Cape Town / False Bay. Also good at Gansbaai and Puerto Vallarta / Banderas.
- August
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Cape Town / False Bay.
- September
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Gansbaai.
- October
- Season starts at Peninsula Valdes.
- November
- Last peak month at Peninsula Valdes.
- December
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Peninsula Valdes.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months southern elephant seals are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peninsula Valdes | Oct–Nov | 12–13 °C | Drysuit |
| Cape Town / False Bay | Feb–Mar, Jul | 15–19 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Gansbaai | Feb, Jul | 15–20 °C | 7 mm semi-dry |
| Puerto Vallarta / Banderas | Jan, Jul | 25–30 °C | 5 mm full suit |
What else you'll see with southern elephant seals
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with southern elephant seals: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with southern elephant seals?
- The most reliable place to dive with southern elephant seals is Peninsula Valdes, from October to November.
- When is the best time to dive with southern elephant seals?
- July, when 3 of the 4 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Peninsula Valdes peaks October to November; Cape Town / False Bay peaks February to March, July; Gansbaai peaks February, July.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with southern elephant seals?
- At Peninsula Valdes from October to November, the water is 12 °C to 13 °C, so bring a drysuit.
- How many places can you dive with southern elephant seals?
- besttimetodive.com has southern elephant seals on record at 4 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.