MEX-ECO TOURS

Monarch Butterflies

Join Mex-ECO Tours to experience one of nature’s most fascinating phenomenons: a spectacular display of millions of monarch butterflies at their overwintering sites in Mexico. From November to March each year, the monarchs inhabit the forests of Michoacan and the state of Mexico, having travelled up to 3,000 miles to escape the cold that hits their summer breeding grounds in Canada and the northern United States.

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. This 5-day bus 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.

From Morelia we head to El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary to see the monarchs in all their glory.

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 with its privileged views over Lake Pátzcuaro.

PRICING

DATES

DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

Medium to high* – generally easy going tour, city tours not demanding, but walk to monarch butterflies much more demanding. Horses are available at monarch butterfly sanctuary, making it a little easier, 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.