Starting from Mexico City or Morelia
Almost every monarch tour starts in one of two cities, and the choice decides how long you sit in a vehicle. Mexico City has more flights and more tours, while Morelia sits much closer to the Michoacán forests. Below, the two starting points compared hour by hour.
The road decides the day
The sanctuaries stand in the mountains between Michoacán and the State of Mexico, about 100 km (60 miles) west-northwest of the capital as the crow flies. Mountain roads stretch that into hours, and the hours shape everything else.
| Tour | Starts in | Sanctuary | Length | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfredo Tour Guide (our pick) | Morelia | El Rosario | 9 h | ~$179 |
| Michoacán Mágico Tours | Morelia | El Rosario | 10 h | ~$108 |
| Yei Tours (private) | Morelia | El Rosario or Sierra Chincua | 9–10 h | ~$200 |
| Paseos Turisticos | Mexico City | Sierra Chincua | 12 h | ~$250 |
| Mexitours | Mexico City | Piedra Herrada | 14–15.5 h | ~$91 |
The Morelia days all fit inside ten hours. The Mexico City days start at twelve and can reach fifteen and a half.
Leaving from Mexico City
The capital has the most choice and needs no extra travel to reach the start. For Sierra Chincua, a Viator listing estimates about 3–3.5 hours each way, so a good part of the day goes by on the highway.
Paseos Turisticos from ~$250 softens that with hotel pickup on Reforma or in Polanco, a small group in a private vehicle and lunch on the way home. It scores 4.8 from 60+ reviews on Viator, but the booking is non-refundable.
Piedra Herrada is closer to the capital. Mexitours from ~$91 goes there by coach and still runs 14–15.5 hours, because it adds a waterfall and an afternoon in Valle de Bravo.
Leaving from Morelia
Morelia, the capital of Michoacán, sits closer to El Rosario and Sierra Chincua. The shorter road means days of 9–10 hours and more energy left for the climb.
Our pick, Alfredo Tour Guide's day from ~$179, leaves at 7:30 am from the Burger King at Guillermo Prieto 30 in the historic center. The English-speaking guide also drives, and admission to the protected area is in the fare for a group of 16 at most.
Meals are not part of that price, and the listing has a long list of health limits, including no children under 12. Read our notes on the walk before you book.
A shorter road to El Rosario
From Morelia's historic center at 7:30 am, a nine-hour small-group day with an English-speaking guide and the sanctuary entrance paid.
Two more ways out of Morelia
Michoacán Mágico Tours from ~$108 is the cheapest Morelia day, rated 4.5 from 30+ reviews on GetYourGuide. You pay the entrance and your food on top, and the plan leaves about 20 minutes at the colony.
For a private car, Yei Tours from ~$200 collects you from any hotel or Airbnb in Morelia at 6:30 am. It holds 5.0 from 60+ reviews, but it sells on Viator only and costs the most per head for a solo traveler.
A night or two in Morelia
Choosing Morelia means getting there first. Long-distance buses run from Mexico City, and the city also has an airport with domestic flights, so compare both when you plan.
The extra night is no hardship. Morelia's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, built in pink stone with arcades and a large cathedral, and it makes a calm base for a day or two.
At about 1,900 m (6,200 ft), it also helps your body adjust before the colony at around 3,000 m (10,000 ft). Mexico City, at about 2,240 m (7,350 ft), does the same job.
Travel advice for Michoacán
Before you book, check your own government's current travel advice for Michoacán and for the State of Mexico. Advice changes, and some governments set different levels for different parts of a state.
Whichever base you choose, travel by day with a licensed operator, which is how every tour in this guide runs. Leave the night driving on mountain roads to nobody.
If your trip ends in Mexico City, a Morelia tour still works. Sleep in Morelia and visit the sanctuary the next morning. The bus back to the capital can wait until the day after.
What a long day on the road feels like
The hours in the table are door to door, and most of the difference sits in the vehicle. Paseos Turisticos sets about five hours aside for the visit, so roughly seven of its twelve hours go to the highway and lunch.
Winter days are short, and a long tour can begin before sunrise and end after dark. Bring a snack, water and a warm layer for the van, since the mountain air is cold when you step out.
If you sleep badly in moving vehicles, the shorter road from Morelia matters more than the price gap. The climb at around 3,000 m is easier on a rested body than on one that left the hotel before dawn.
Which base suits you
- Only a day or two in Mexico City, no wish to move hotels: Paseos Turisticos or Mexitours
- Room in the plan for Morelia: a shorter day to El Rosario, with our pick or a private car
- Several days near the forests: see our guide to longer stays
For the full price picture read what each tour costs, and to match a forest to your legs compare the sanctuaries. Clothes for a cold start are in what to wear.