One of the world's most astounding wildlife events occurs each year in the forested Central Highlands of Mexico, featuring the most delicate of creatures. As we enter a grove of oyamel fir trees on a remote mountaintop, the trunks and branches appear to be blanketed with rusty autumn leaves. A closer look reveals they’re quivering. Then, as the sun emerges from behind a cloud to warm them, hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies take to the sky—so many that we actually hear the beating of their wings, which glow translucent orange against the blue sky. Sometimes, the monarchs float down to alight on our hats and shoulders. On special photography departures, learn to capture inspiring butterfly images, from intricate close-ups to great clouds of airborne monarchs. Experience this moving phenomenon with expert interpretation from Mexico’s premier naturalist guides.
Trip Highlights
Visit Monarch Migration Groves on Multiple Outings
On foot and horseback, enter the remote fir forests of Mexico's Central Highlands, where millions of monarchs roost in protected sanctuaries each winter
Listen to the Sound of Butterfly Wings
When the sun emerges, hear the hum of gossamer butterfly wings as tens of thousands of monarchs take flight, fluttering overhead in a cloud of orange
Discover Nature & Authentic Local Culture
Explore traditional mountain villages, soak in healing mineral springs prized by Indigenous people, and witness the benefits of butterfly ecotourism for local communities
Monarchs Photo Expeditions
On our butterfly photo departure, you'll travel with no more than 12 fellow photographers. Your Expedition Leader is an expert naturalist and an accomplished nature and wildlife photographer adept at helping you attain outstanding images of the monarchs in diverse settings. Regardless of your ability level, you'll benefit from tips and techniques for capturing the wonder of the butterflies and making your photos the best they can be. Traveling in a small group ensures quieter, closer photo encounters, plus the flexibility to adapt to changing weather and light conditions.
See More Butterflies on Our All-Inclusive, In-Depth Journey
Visiting Mexico’s monarchs in their remote winter roosting sites is an unusual nature experience that few travelers have access to. Our all-encompassing itinerary gives you extensive time among the butterflies, as well as a chance to enjoy authentic cultural encounters in the remote mountain communities we visit. Only Nat Hab offers this rare full-package adventure!
Make Three Different Monarch Sanctuary Visits
Very few companies offer tours to see the migration phenomenon of Mexico’s monarch butterflies. Of those that do, typically just a day trip is provided to one sanctuary. Our full package features a comprehensive itinerary including three separate monarch sanctuary visits, with all accommodations, meals and round-trip transportation from Mexico City.Our Small Groups Tread Lightly
We limit our groups to approximately 16 guests to our ecological impact and an foster a quiet, wondrous experience with the butterflies.Enjoy Authentic Cultural Encounters
Unlike most butterfly tours, which are simply day trips to a single sanctuary, we also include several cultural encounters to enhance your authentic Mexico experience. At Toluca, originally an Indigenous settlement founded in the 13th century, we tour the Cosmovitral Botanic Gardens and stained glass panels. We also enjoy a town tour of Angangueo learning about its history and growth through Monarch tourism.Mexican Lodgings & Cuisine with Local Color
From a cozy inn in the small mountain hamlet of Angangueo to a family owned Spa and Healing center near Jungapeo known for its thermal springs, our accommodations are chosen for their authenticity, charm, natural environs and access to the butterflies. We also savor home-cooked dishes sourced from fresh local food, reflecting the region's cultural heritage.Your Presence Makes a Difference for the Future of Monarchs
Your experience is enhanced by knowing that our presence is essential to the butterflies' continued survival: visitors demonstrate to locals that ecotourism can be a more viable and sustainable source of economic well-being than resource exploitation.Our Guide-to-Traveler Ratio Ensures Personalized Service and Attention
While the number of guides leading your trip depends on the number in the group (usually not more than 16, the maximum guest-to-guide ratio will never be more than 8:1, ensuring a quiet, low-impact experience with the butterflies.Outstanding Expedition Leaders with Unsurpassed Experience
Nat Hab has a well-deserved international reputation for employing the highest-quality Expedition Leaders in the industry. Our monarch guides have years of experience, with in-depth training as naturalists. And, they receive additional resources from WWF's top scientists. See our Expedition Leader bios with traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.Our Quality-Value Guarantee Promises a Superlative Butterfly Adventure
With Natural Habitat Adventures, you receive our exclusive guarantee that clearly states that we will meet the high expectations we set forth in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise.Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.Natural Habitat Adventures is WWF's Travel Partner
Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our small-group nature adventures, World Wildlife Fund, the planet’s leading environmental conservation organization, has named Natural Habitat Adventures its worldwide travel partner—a designation that makes us exceedingly proud!
