I’ve always known that Michoacán, México was home of the Monarch butterflies but I didn’t know exactly why, until I visited El Rosario butterfly biosphere reserve. The reserve is also a World Heritage Center located in the high mountains of Michoacán. It’s such an unbelievable sight of nature that is worth seeing in your lifetime!

*Recommend: I would suggest planning your trip to the Monarch Reserve between January -March due to the fact that the butterflies come from Canada at a certain time of the year.

Getting to the Reserve

We booked our tickets with Michoacán Magico tours(mmtours) & with them it included the 3 & 1/2 hour car ride to the Reserve from Morelia. The tour buses were arranged to leave at 9 in the morning so we left 8am sharp to the main temple of Morelia -where we would meet up with our driver.

•The tickets were 750$ pesos per person which is about 40$ USD. I know it’s a little pricey but I’m sure you can find cheaper tours if you do more research/book in advance or if you rent a car and drive yourself.

•9:30am & we were off to the Monarch butterfly reserve.

•Our bus driver was very accommodating to our every need & also gave us a bit of history about the different parts of Michoacán during the drive. We would stop for snacks, restroom breaks & to buy some famous bread from a nearby town.

•Overall the journey was long but definitely worth the drive to experience a breathtaking view!

Arriving

The entrance fee to the Monarch Reserve was 50$ pesos which is about $2 USD.

In order to enter the reserve you have to be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. The guide will stay with you at all times to ensure the site is protected, & guide you up the high elevation of the mountain.

I heard a lot of people get altitude sickness so it’s incredibly recommended to walk slowly or take a horse up the mountain(extra charge) but I think Its honestly nothing to worry about. Just carry plenty of water & take breaks if you need too.

* Recommended -After hanging out with the butterflies, you can grab food to eat outside of the sanctuary.

The millions of Monarch butterflies go through an 8 month migration to Canada & back! According to the reserve, four successive generations of Monarchs are born and die during their migration.