Guide to Visiting the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico

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Every year from November to mid-March, a couple of hours from Mexico City, high up in the oyamel fir trees in the mountains of Central Mexico, monarch butterflies can be seen overwintering by the millions. They arrive en masse after spending the spring and summer in Canada and the United States.

Multiple generations of monarchs are born and die off in the process. Theories exist but exactly how they’re able to return to this area time and time again still remains a mystery. It has to be one of the most impressive natural sights in the world! One that I assume you’re interested in seeing if you’re reading this post.

I knew it was something I wanted to see too, but I didn’t want to go on a tour from Mexico City. I was traveling solo, I had the time, and I wanted more than a day to take photos. Turns out, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Mexico.

Where are the monarch butterflies in Mexico?

In this post, I’ll be discussing how to visit three butterfly reserves. Two of which are in Michoacán state and the other in the state of Mexico. You can access the sanctuaries from one of two towns nearby. These towns can be reached from either Mexico City or Morelia. The town I recommend basing yourself in is a pueblo mágico called Angangueo. The second and next best option is Zitácuaro, Mexico.

Short on time? Book a butterfly tour from Mexico City or book one from Morelia

How to visit the butterfly sanctuaries from Mexico City

If you’re not taking a tour, the easiest way to go independently is by rental car. That way you can drive yourself to the various monarch reserves (see map below). It’s much quicker and more straightforward. However, if you’re on a budget or don’t want to drive you can also visit them by taxi or public transport. The caveat is that to do this you’re going to need at least a decent level of patience and Spanish-speaking ability.

For my solo trip, I flew into Mexico City and took a taxi to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Poniente Bus Station. Poniente (pronounced poin-yentay) is the keyword. That is the common name for the station in Mexico City.

It’s located on the west side of the city and the clerk at any taxi stand inside the Benito Juarez airport will know it. The taxi stands inside the airport are located to the right immediately after you go through customs and leave baggage claim. The taxi ride to the bus station cost me 350 pesos and it’s about a 45-minute drive depending on traffic.

At the Poniente bus station

The bus company you want to look for is Zinabus if you’re basing yourself in Angangueo. You can check the times and prices here. Alternatively, La Linea and Excelencia are the bus companies heading to Zitácuaro. These two companies alternate bus departure times and either company will get you there. If one company doesn’t have a bus leaving soon, check with the other. You can look at some times and prices here.

There are buses leaving often so you can just show up and buy a ticket. It’s always smart to start your journey earlier in the day though, just to be safe. The buses are comfortable, they play a movie for the ride, and there’s plenty of legroom. They also have a restroom on board.

The bus ride to Angangueo is three hours. The ride to Zitácuaro is only two. If you need to check a bag and put it under the bus, just remember to keep your ticket stub to get the bag back when you arrive.

Check Current Rates and Book Rental Cars in Mexico City or Morelia

When is the best time to visit the butterfly reserves?

The monarch season is from November to mid-March and it’s a spectacular sight. Peak viewing is between January and mid-February. But this can vary a little from year to year.

I visited during the last week of February and I still saw a lot of monarchs, but by the second week of March, it would’ve been too late. Keep that in mind when planning your trip. Sadly, due to climate change and illegal logging, the number of butterflies is also decreasing. So I’d recommend going sooner rather than later!

It’s best to arrive at the butterfly reserves between 10am-3pm on a sunny day when the monarchs are the most active. On cloudy days they tend to fly less and remain in clusters in the trees.

How much time do you need?

One to three days. I stayed in the area for three days, but I also wanted to visit more than one sanctuary. If you only visit one, I recommend heading to El Rosario. Once you arrive expect to spend 3-4 hours there.

How many butterfly sanctuaries are there?

There are four open to the public. Two in Michoacán and two in Mexico State. Each of them is different in its own way. Below you’ll find a short description of what to expect at each one that I visited.

These monarch sanctuaries are all protected within the boundaries of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca) which is an area of 560 square kilometers (350 square miles) and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

The entrance fee for foreigners is 80 pesos. Guides are available, but not required. Hours are from 8am-5pm daily. 

El Rosario has the largest roost of monarch butterflies and if you’re only going to visit one, it’s the best one to visit for that reason. El Rosario is the most touristy, but it’s popular for a reason. I recommend avoiding weekends if possible when it tends to be more crowded!

After entering the reserve the trails are paved and it does require walking uphill unless you decide to hire a horse. But anyone with a decent level of fitness can make it up. It takes roughly 45 minutes to reach the top and when you do you’ll see something you’ll never forget. The number of butterflies here seriously blew my mind!!

There are tours available to this sanctuary, but it’s also easy enough to do it independently. This monarch sanctuary is closest to Angangueo and is easily reached by taxi from there. Ask the driver for his phone number so you can call when you need a ride back. If you’re going from Zitácuaro it’s certainly best to have a rental car. However, you can go from Zitácuaro by taxi or by public transport too (the slowest and cheapest option).

Local minibuses (colectivos) leave Zitácuaro bound for Angangueo from here. They can drop you off in the town of Ocampo where you’ll switch to another one for the short ride to El Rosario. To return to Zitácuaro, you can catch a minibus back from Angangueo. The last one leaves at 6pm and costs 50 pesos.

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Sierra Chincua

The entrance fee is 80 pesos for foreigners. Guides are harder to avoid hiring here. Hours are from 8am-5pm daily.

This sanctuary is closest to Angangueo as well. I really enjoyed this place, the forest was beautiful and it was a nice day out in nature. There were also loads of monarch butterflies there! The hike to see the butterflies here is less strenuous than the others and it is flat for the majority of the trail.

It is far less developed than El Rosario. Therefore the trails are dirt and it feels more natural overall. The walk from the visitor’s center to the butterflies is about an hour and a half. Luckily most of the trail is shaded by the trees. Again this park is best reached by taking a tour or rental car to avoid any hassle.

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It can also be reached by taxi from Angangueo or several taxis from Zitácuaro. Apparently, you can go by local buses signed to Tlalpujahua, but I have no experience with that. The issue is finding your way back.

It’s outside of Angangueo in the hills and there are no taxis or buses waiting to take you back. At least not when I was there. Again if you arrive by taxi, it’s smart to get the driver’s phone number in case you need it again.

It ended up being the most expensive out of the three sanctuaries I visited because I came from Zitácuaro. It took about two hours to arrive and cost me 520 pesos in taxis to get there. I also paid 500 pesos for a guide. Which I was happy with because he kept me company, helped me get photos, and gave me a ride back to Angangueo. If you’re starting from there it’s a much shorter trip!

There are colectivos that head back to Zitácuaro for 50 pesos down the hill from the church if needed. Ask around. The last one leaves at 6pm.

Cerro Pelón Monarch Butterfly Reserve

In a hurry? Book a Tour of Cerro Pelon from Mexico City

The entrance fee is 80 pesos for foreigners. Hiring a horse is recommended. Hours are 8am-5pm daily.

This reserve is in the tiny town of Macheros in Mexico State and is nearby Zitácuaro. This is the least visited sanctuary of the three. It was where the monarch migrations and the exact overwintering location were discovered by Dr. Fred Urquhart. Obviously, locals witnessed this for many years, but an article published by him in National Geographic in 1976 announced it to the world.

On my visit, I opted to not hire a guide as I did the previous day at Sierra Chincua. I did hire a horse which cost me 350 pesos. The horse ride takes about an hour along a steep dusty trail to where the butterflies reside. One of the horse handlers led the trip and I tipped him well afterward as the walk up and down was no easy feat.

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Business at Cerro Pelón has taken a hit since the pandemic. It seems people still think they’re closed, but I can confirm they’re open again. I went on a weekday and I was the only solo traveler and there was just one group. There were not as many butterflies late in the season, but still quite a few (thousands). The views from the top and along the trail are also beautiful!

It’s more of an adventure to reach this one, but if you have time or want to get off the beaten path, it’s worth it. The friendly staff at the tourist office will be happy to see you. If you don’t rent a car and your Spanish is alright, it can be reached independently from Zitácuaro by a combo of minibus and taxis.

By bus look for the white VW colectivos with blue stripes, they leave town often and have signs to Aputzio. I caught one going west on Lerdo de Tejada Oriente (see map). Tell the driver you’re going to Cerro Pelón. The ride costs 17 pesos.

They will then drop you at La Piedra, an intersection where you can hail a taxi to Macheros for around 150 pesos. Doing the same again in reverse. Another option is to stay in Macheros at the Cerro Pelon Butterfly B&B.

Is it safe to visit the Monarch butterfly reserves in Mexico?

Yes, it is. Like anywhere else in Mexico use common sense and take basic precautions, but I never felt threatened on my visit. Quite the opposite. I met several families at my hotel going to each place on their own in rental cars. Other people I met were taking taxis or minibuses. If you feel safer taking a tour that’s always an option.

Where to stay?

Angangueo is the nicer town of the two and I recommend staying there if you can. But when I was planning my trip on short notice, most of the rooms were booked so I stayed in Zitácuaro instead. If you base yourself in Zitácuaro, I recommend staying at Hotel Casa Iturbe rated *9.4/10. It’s a nice hotel with a heated pool and breakfast included. The staff is also very helpful and friendly. Otherwise, Hotel Maria Fernanda rated *9/10 is another solid option. It’s best to book well in advance as things fill up quickly in the high season!

What to bring?

• Water
• Trail runners/hiking shoes
• Enough cash
• Phone
• Sunscreen
• Snacks
• Sunglasses
• Light jacket/hoodie
• Hat
• Camera
• Binoculars

El Rosario and Sierra Chincua have vendors that sell food if you’d like to purchase something there instead of bringing your own. I didn’t notice vendors at Cerro Pelón.

Photo tips

It’s best to have a zoom that can shoot wide-angle shots and long zoomed-in photos. Otherwise, you can bring a few different lenses. I had a 24-105mm f/4 and it was sufficient. At times I wish I had an even longer lens though! Like a 200mm telephoto or more. I recommend having your focus tracking mode set to AI Servo mode to detect movement instead of it being set on one shot.

I found it helpful when shooting close-ups of butterflies to have the drive mode set to continuous. That way you can fire bursts of shots and have a higher likelihood of capturing something special. Keep your shutter speeds fast too! Preferably above 1/250 of a second to avoid motion blur. I think hiring a guide can help you get better photos too as they’re more familiar with the environment.

My Monarch Butterfly Reserve Photography Gear

Map

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