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 Tztintzuntzan.
DATES & PRICES
DATES:
MELAQUE/MANZANILLO DEPARTURES:
February 1st – 5th 2021
March 1st – 5th 2021
PLUS:
February 8th – 12th – Guided in French
PUERTO VALLARTA/BUCERIAS DEPARTURES:
January 25th – 29th 2021
February 22nd – 26th 2021
PLUS:
February 8th – 12th – Guided in French
GUADALAJARA/CHAPALA DEPARTURES:
Any of the above dates.
PRICE:
Please note: the following prices were for the Oct 2019 – March 2020 season; updated prices will be posted before October 2020:
$9,100 Pesos per person based on double occupancy.
SINGLE PERSON SUPPLEMENT:
$2,800 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.