Morelia & Monarch Butterflies
The state of Michoacán, meaning ‘land of the fishermen’ in the Purépecha language, has diverse and spectacular geography and abundant flora and fauna. Morelia, the capital of the region, was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1991 due to its more than 1,000 colonial buildings and churches.
This tour takes you to the historical centre of the city of Morelia, where you will be pleasantly surprised by the colonial buildings, aqueduct and museums that make Morelia one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. We also venture into the Monarch butterfly reserve to see one of nature’s most fascinating phenomenons:
The generation of monarch butterflies which arrives to the forests of Michoacan is in a non-reproductive phase, allowing them to live up to 7 or 8 months and overwinter here. By mid-February to early March this generation begins to reproduce and shortly after begins the journey north, dying along the way, and leaving the next three generations to complete the journey to the Rocky Mountain area of Canada.
This tour also includes the ‘Pueblo Mágico’ (‘Magic town’) of Pátzcuaro, as well as the copper mining town of Santa Clara del Cobre and the archaeological site of Tzintzuntzan.
NEW FOR 2023: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND VALLE DE BRAVO – itinerary and pricing coming soon!
DATES & PRICES
DATES:
MELAQUE/MANZANILLO DEPARTURES:
February 20th – 24th 2023
PUERTO VALLARTA/BUCERIAS DEPARTURES:
January 23rd – 27th 2023
February 27th – March 3rd 2023
GUADALAJARA/CHAPALA DEPARTURES:
Any of the above dates.
PRICE:
REGULAR TOUR PRICE:
$11,800 Pesos per person based on double occupancy.
For information on private tours, please contact us.
Our itinerary can be adapted to your interests for private groups – please contact us for more information.
SINGLE PERSON SUPPLEMENT:
$4,500 Pesos.
INCLUDES:
Transport, accommodation, breakfasts, 1 packed lunch, entry fees & guide.
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Tips for guides, drivers, lunches or evening meals (with exception of packed lunch on day 1).
DETAILS:
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Medium to high* – generally easy going tour, city tours and archaeological site not demanding, but walk to monarch butterflies much more demanding. Horses available at monarch butterfly sanctuary, making it much less demanding, but still some walking involved at altitude to get to exact location of butterflies. On foot the walk takes approximately one hour uphill to an altitude of approximately 3,250 meters/10,600 feet at a very slow pace (everyone walks at their own pace).
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Sun screen, hat, long sleeves/jacket for evenings, comfortable walking shoes.
CLIMATE:
Warm during day time, cooler in evenings.
*Please note that each of our tours is tailored to the needs of the over 50s and our difficulty levels are simply comparative to our other tours. If you are in doubt as to whether or not this tour is suitable for you, please contact us for more information.