How to See the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico — Before It’s Too Late

There’s never been a better time to visit the Monarch Butterfly sanctuaries of central Mexico. Despite the beloved bugs’ recent woes, this year warm temps allowed a huge number of them to migrate south! The butterfly population roosting in Mexico’s mountain forests today takes up almost 15 acres of space, with over double the number of Monarchs from last year! This doesn’t mean the “king of butterflies” won’t be threatened in the future. But until the end of March, take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the record population. Here, I’ll give you everything you need to know to visit the best Monarch Butterflies stress-free.

All About the Monarch Butterfly’s Migration to Mexico

As a toddler in Kansas, my mom would take me outside and point out the hundreds, of Monarch Butterflies roosting in our trees. Years later in Minnesota and Michigan, we saw those same bright orange bursts of color. This time, they were fewer and farther between, fluttering by the lakes and gardens in summer. The older I got, the fewer we saw. Despite this year’s high population, researchers say we’ve lost about a billion Monarchs since 1990.

Unknowingly, as I moved around the U.S., and eventually to Mexico City, I’d followed nearly the entire path of migrating Monarch Butterflies. Every year, most Monarchs come from Southern Canada and the Northern U.S., slowly migrating all the way to Central Mexico. These are the only butterflies who migrate in this way — something much more common with birds — because they can’t survive harsh winters.

Instead, the Monarchs winter in the oyamel fir forests of Mexico, in mountainous, temperate Mexico and Michoacán States. Here, they cluster in huge colonies, enjoying the forests’ not-too-hot, not-too-cold microclimate, humidity, and sunlight. This “super generation” butterflies can live up to nine months: often the same butterfly that leaves Canada arrives in Mexico months later! On the way back north, though, the Monarchs are much more short-lived. Most lay their eggs while passing through Central Texas and Louisiana, and it takes four or five generations to reach Canada again.

This migration is nothing short of a biological miracle. The butterflies who fly down to Mexico have never made this trip before, yet they know exactly where to go. On the route back up, four or five generations of butterflies each fly a segment of the route, following their instincts like they’re competing in an invisible relay race.

When to See the Butterflies

The Monarch Butterflies typically start arriving in these Central Mexican forests in November. A local guide in Mexico State told me that the butterflies start arriving right around Day of the Dead (November 1 and 2). Because of this, local residents have long believed that they were the “ánimas,” the spirits of their dead loved ones.

Their numbers grow as more butterflies arrive to roost in the tall, pine-like oyamel trees. The reserves you can visit in Michoacán and Mexico State open in late November. Finally, the numbers peak in January and February, and the reserves are crowded with foreign and domestic tourists. I visited in late February, and I’d recommend that time period, as the butterfly population was very high. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds if at all possible. The butterflies usually stay into March, so you still have a chance to see them: the earlier in the month, the better.

How to Get There

The Butterfly Reserves

There are several reserves you can visit, on a day or weekend trip from Mexico City. The reserves are all within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Property that spans over 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres). Three reserves are in Michoacán State: El Rosario (the most popular), Sierra Chincua (easy hike), and Cerro Pelón (less known). I’ve heard wonderful things about these reserves. Michoacán State, however, is listed as a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” area by the U.S. State Department. That said, I’m not familiar with any cases of insecurity for travelers in or around the butterfly reserves —it’s a personal choice. If you decide to visit these reserves, I recommend visiting or staying for one night in the beautiful, colonial “pueblo mágico” (magic town) of Angangueo.

The other main reserve is Piedra Herrada, in Mexico State, a bit closer to Mexico City. This is the reserve I visited, and although busy on the weekends, it’s very beautiful, with a large population of butterflies reached by a 40 minute uphill hike.

Arriving by Car or Bus

To reach any of these reserves, you have a few options. You can rent a car in Mexico City, which is fairly easy. Just study the route beforehand or bring a map/printed out directions, as you probably won’t have a cell signal there. The roads are fairly good and mostly paved, and there is plenty of parking.

Although it’s a more complicated option, you can also take buses to nearby towns. To get to Agangueo near the Michoacán reserves, you can take a “Zina bus” running every two hours from 6 AM to 6 PM, from the Terminal Central de Autobuses Poniente in Mexico City, at Observatorio. From there, you can take a taxi or local bus to the reserves. The same goes for visiting the Piedra Herrada reserve: from the same bus terminal, just look for ticket counters listing “Valle de Bravo” as a destination. On these buses, ask the bus driver if he can leave you directly outside the reserve, or if you need to take a taxi or local bus from the town of Valle de Bravo to the reserve. The town of Valle de Bravo is wonderful for spending the night, too. That said, these bus options are more challenging and time consuming.

Arriving with a Tour

You can also just take a simple bus tour from Mexico City, which frankly I recommend. Many bus tours simply provide comfortable transportation, and give you hours of free time at the reserve to explore. They’re also similar in price to taking the regular bus, and they’re more direct and less stressful. I took a cheap, good Espíritu Aventurero trip, and the company offers a similar trip to the Michoacán reserves. While I’m not normally a fan tours, this was a practical option for someone with no car and limited time. There will be crowds on the weekend no matter what option you choose, so a tour bus doesn’t make much difference. There are plenty of similar tours, but these were the cheapest I found.

What to Bring on Your Visit

While the Monarch Butterfly reserves are just a couple hours from Mexico City, don’t underestimate them! They’re a world apart from the cosmopolitan, developed capital. The absolute must-bring items are cash and a face mask or thin scarf. This is because there’s no ATMs or card readers anywhere near the reserves, so you want to bring at least $600 – $700 pesos, just in case you need food, to pay bus fare, and so on. The face mask is because the reserves are extremely dusty, and you’ll need to protect your throat and nose. Sunglasses are a good idea as well, because the sun is intense, and they help protect your eyes from the dust.

Just wear shorts or jeans you don’t much care about, as they’re gonna get dirty and dusty. Bring a t-shirt and light jacket, a baseball cap or other sun hat, and good hiking boots ideally. A water bottle and packed breakfast are a great idea, since the earlier you start out, the better. Finally, if you have allergies or asthma, bring your medicine and/or inhaler, because of the dust and unfamiliar pollen.

This might sound like a lot of preparation, but it’ll be worth it — visiting the Monarch butterflies is an absolutely unique experience, and not one that I’ll soon forget!