Monarch Butterfly Tour (Departing from Morelia)
Recommended by 98% of travelers
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Morelia, Mexico
- 9 to 10 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Witness the great monarch butterfly migration during your time in Morelia on this full-day tour. Alongside a private guide, head to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in either El Rosario or Sierra Chincua, depending on the weather conditions. Learn about the conservation efforts of the endangered insect and admire their beautiful wings.
- Experience the natural phenomenon first-hand
- Receive photos from your tour after a couple of days
- Enjoy personalized attention on this private tour
- Learn about conservation efforts for the monarch butterfly
What's Included
- Bottled water
- SnacksBox lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Certified Tour Guide
- Gratuities
- Souvenirs
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We pick up in any hotel, AirBnb or private residence in Morelia. Only for private tours.
Operating hours.6:30 am
Itinerary
1
La Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- No pets allowed
- Rough terrain
- 11,000 ft - 3,300 m above sea level
- Not recommended for travelers with respiratory medical conditions
- Not recommended for travelers with high or low blood pressure
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Sandra_M
It was spectacular!!! Highly recommend. Rodrigo the tour guide was fabulous. Very knowledgeable about the area.
Reviews
5.0
based on 63 reviews
Deirdre_W, Feb 2025
An early rise is definitely worth it to beat the crowds. Rodrigo is very knowledgeable and I learnt a lot from this trip as well as seeing the beautiful countryside and the amazing story of the Monarch butterflies.
Anonymous, Feb 2025
The trip with Rodrigo to visit the Monarch butterfly sanctuary was an unforgettable experience. Rodrigo is a good guy and knew all about the butterflies as well as answering all our questions. Our morning began at 6:30am as Rodrigo picked us up at our residence and off we went. The ride to the sanctuary is two hours each way. The cool thing with Rodrigo is you get to arrive at the butterflies while they are still sleeping, then the sun slowly opens which warms their body as they begin flying around. It was so cool to be able to see them going from sleep to flying around. By then it was noon time and time to head back down the mountain. Rodrigo provided an enjoyable box lunch and drink for the ride home. We arrived back at our home at 3:00pm which allowed us more time to continue visiting beautiful Morelia.
ROBERT_c, Feb 2025
This was a once in a lifetime bucket list item for my wife. We were picked up at 6:30am at our hotel by the rockstar tour guide Rodrigo for the two-and-half hour drive to Sierra Chincua. Why so early? Not only does he travel early so we see the monarchs clinging to the branches before the sun heats for the day and they fly away, but also to arrive before the crowds do. We were the third car to park and literally saw no other visitors until 30 minutes after we hiked to the observation area. The solitude with just us and the butterflies was amazing for that short time, while we passed hundreds of visitors heading up as we were leaving. The hike itself is not terribly challenging if you are in decent shape but the altitude is an issue so expect many stops to acclimate. Rodrigo, who by the way knows everything about the monarchs, lent us hiking poles and binoculars and provided a nice box lunch for the trip home. If you are bringing a real camera, plan on at least a 200mm lens. My phone camera has a 5x zoom and was fine but a camera may have been smarter to bring. If you are debating the cost, it was worth every penny for us but we are butterfly people.
Bonnie_L, Feb 2024
Beautiful, loved seeing the butterflies. Rode the horses which we would highly recommend. Hike after the horses was very strenuous.... but worth it!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
So glad to hear you enjoyed the beauty of the Monarch Butterfly Reserve, Bonnie! Riding the horses sounds like a fantastic way to experience the area, thanks for the recommendation! And although the hike may have been strenuous, the breathtaking views and experience were surely worth it in the end! Thanks for sharing your adventure. Can't wait to welcome you back for more nature-filled experiences!
Wally_R, Feb 2024
We departed Morelia very early, at 06:30. As a result, we were the very first up the mountain and were able to view clusters of butterflies in the trees waiting for the weather to warm up. No one else was there to experience this. When the sun hit the branches where the cluster of butterflies were, they simultaneously dropped from the branches and flew towards us by the 1000’s. At this time, there were only a few other people present to see this.
As we were leaving, larger tour groups were arriving who would have misses everything we experienced, it was great.
Anyone planning a trip should try to book a private tour that leaves early and see how the monarchs reacted to a slight change in weather.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
What an incredible experience you had at the Monarch Butterfly Reserve! Being the first up the mountain must've felt like having the whole place to yourselves, witnessing those clusters of butterflies eagerly awaiting the warmth of the sun. And to see them take flight by the thousands as the sun touched the branches must've been truly magical. It's fantastic that you were able to enjoy this unique moment with only a few others present. Thanks for sharing your tip about booking an early private tour it is indeed the perfect way to catch nature's spectacular show!
Sandra_M, Jan 2024
It was spectacular!!! Highly recommend. Rodrigo the tour guide was fabulous. Very knowledgeable about the area.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hello Sandra! So glad to know you had a spectacular time! Rodrigo is indeed a fabulous guide with a wealth of knowledge about the monarch butterfly and the reserve area. Thanks for the recommendation! We can't wait to have you join us for more unforgettable experiences in the future!
Christine_D, Mar 2022
Highly recommend this tour with Rodrigo! He is so nice and knowledgeable. It is obvious he loves nature, history, and sharing this with knowledge and experience with others. We did 2 separate tours with Rodrigo, and wished we had also booked his Morelia city tour, but he was so gracious to give us information of where to go to get the most out of our quick 3 day trip to Morelia and surrounding area! Would definitely book with him again!
From $215.17
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
