CDMX · MONARCH BUTTERFLY SANCTUARY DAY TRIPS

The 4 Best Monarch Butterfly Tours from Mexico City

4 tours  ·  from $169

The colonies sit in fir forest at three thousand metres and they are only there from November to March. These 4 compare the sanctuaries, the walking or horseback climb up to them, and the long drive each way.

Butterfly Monarch Tour from Mexico City - The 6:30 a.m. start from Polanco
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Trips, Tour Reviews, Tours

Butterfly Monarch Tour from Mexico City

1.Butterfly Monarch Tour from Mexico City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $250Our pick

Leave Mexico City at 6:30 a.m. with guides such as Martha and Alonso for the long drive to Sierra Chincua. Hike through pine forest to the monarchs at high altitude, or pay for a horse ride, then enjoy a traditional Michoacán lunch. Small groups, private transport, and English service are included.

“Really good experience. Guides picked us up on time at our hotel and brought us to Sierra Chincua reserve. The driver/guide provided by the company was not that knowledgeable but the guide that we met at the butterfly reserve was very knowledgeable.”

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Mexico City: Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Tour - The long road from Mexico City to Michoacán
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Trips, Tour Reviews, Tours

Mexico City: Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Tour

2.Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 33 reviews · 12 hours · from $262

Travel from Mexico City to Sierra Chincua with a private or small group, English or Spanish guide. Hike through the monarchs’ winter forest, learn about migration and conservation, then enjoy Michoacán food and crafts. Guides including Alexei, Antonio, and Diego have helped visitors make the most of the long day.

“A very long and adventuresome day. Our guide Eduardo was fantastic--engaged, tuned in to our needs and an excellent communicator. Will also say that the monarchs were great but we honestly didn't realize how far away we would be from their nesting site (the government limits how close you can get). Still, we saw a lively part of Mexico outside of CDMX that was worth the visit. Final comment...be prepared for some very bumpy and challenging road conditions along the way. Drive takes so long because average car speed is 5-10 MPH through much of the trip!”

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Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Trips, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Private Tour from Mexico City

3.Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Private Tour from Mexico City

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 25 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $360

Travel from central Mexico City to Piedra Herrada Sanctuary with a private English-speaking guide and driver. Expect a long scenic drive, a steep mountain hike, thousands of wintering monarchs, and an optional horseback ride for the first section.

“Great tour to the butterfly sanctuary, a very special thing to see. Very convenient to be able to access the reserve from Mexico City with Viator.”

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Mexico City: Monarch Butterflies, Sierra Chincua & Angangueo - The journey from Mexico City takes patience
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Day Trips, Tour Reviews

Mexico City: Monarch Butterflies, Sierra Chincua & Angangueo

4.Monarch Butterflies, Sierra Chincua & Angangueo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $169Best value

Travel from Mexico City to Sierra Chincua with a local guide, hike or ride partway by horse to the monarch colony, then explore Angangueo. The 12-hour trip runs November to March, with guides available in five languages and private or small-group options.

“Our trip with Andrés was great. He was smart enough to redirect us to another monarch sanctuary due to the much better conditions this specific year, which made all the difference. He was friendly and easy to communicate with (in both Spanish and English) and he had a wealth of information about the monarchs and their migration, as well as information about the ecosysytem and the local conservation efforts and the challenges they're facing.”

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