Our pick
Morelia: Monarch Butterfly Tour to El Rosario, Alfredo Tour Guide
Alfredo is a local guide in Morelia who runs this day himself. He drives and guides in English the whole way. You meet at 7:30 am outside the Burger King on Guillermo Prieto in the historic center and climb out of the valley past volcanic hills toward the fir forests.
The drive ends at El Rosario, the most visited of the monarch sanctuaries. You walk up into the oyamel forest at your own pace and reach the colony above 3,000 meters. The tour runs about nine hours, so you are back in Morelia in the late afternoon with the evening free.
- Price
- from ~$179 per person
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Sanctuary
- El Rosario, Michoacán
- Group
- Up to 16, or private for up to 3
- Departure
- 7:30 am, historic center of Morelia
- Food
- Not included; stalls at the gate
- Ages
- 12 and over
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
How the day runs, step by step
The time at the colony depends on where the butterflies hang that week and on how fast you climb. This is the outline the listings give:
Out of Morelia
- Meet at the Burger King, Guillermo Prieto 30, in the historic center
- Leave at 7:30 am and drive east through volcanic hills and valleys
- Climb into the fir forests of the reserve, the guide explaining the migration on the way
At El Rosario
- Walk up through the oyamel firs to the colony, at your own pace
- Time among the clusters, then back down to the gate for food at the stalls
- Back in Morelia about 9 hours after leaving
What the price covers
The fee for the protected area is in the price, which saves fumbling for pesos at the gate. Meals are the main thing it leaves out.
Included
- Return transport from Morelia, air-conditioned
- An English-speaking guide all day
- Entrance to the protected area
- A group of 16 at most
Not included
- Breakfast and lunch
- A horse up the trail, if you want one
- Your night in Morelia
- A promise of flying butterflies
Between us, before you go
The listing has a long list of people it turns away. No children under 12 and nobody over 80, and nobody pregnant or with mobility problems. Epilepsy, high blood pressure and recent surgery rule you out too, as does a weight over 100 kg (220 lbs). These limits come from the altitude and the climb, not from fussiness.
Wear something bright, as the listing suggests, and dress in layers. Our guide to dressing for the forest covers the rest.
Why it beats the Mexico City days
From Mexico City the drive to the Michoacán sanctuaries takes three hours or more each way, so the day stretches past twelve hours. Morelia is closer, and a night there turns the trip into a relaxed morning start. With 16 people at most, Alfredo can wait for slow walkers and still talk to everyone. Mexico City or Morelia sets the two bases side by side.
Who we would not send on it
Families with children under twelve, who fall outside the listing. Travelers who will not leave Mexico City, who are better served by the Sierra Chincua day with lunch. And anyone with a heart or breathing condition, who should read our guide to the climb before booking any sanctuary trip.
Book it if
You want the largest colony without a dawn start in Mexico City. You like a small group with one guide who knows the forest, and you would rather the entrance were sorted. It suits couples and friends, and families with teenagers who can manage the climb.
Skip it if
- Based in Mexico City? Try Sierra Chincua with lunch, ~$250
- Counting every peso? Look at the coach to Piedra Herrada
- Want more than one day? Go with the week in Valle de Bravo
- Bringing young children? Read our questions on kids first
Ready for the fir forest?
Alfredo's day is on GetYourGuide and on Viator. GetYourGuide shows the slightly higher score and lets you cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can check the weather in the mountains first.
