Its one of the natures beautiful phenomenon you will ever witness. The moment you see the butterflies, its a jaw dropping moment. No photo or video can capture what your eyes will witness. Neither anyone will beleive you if you tell them what you saw. If you are planning a visit to the sanctuary consider the following things: - Direction on google map is not correct, use any other maps to reach the location - sanctuary is in forest area of michoacan better to reach and leave early, avoid travel during the dark - you will need a good car and good driving experience - you will need to pay toll before reaching the sanctuary which is about 60-100 pesos - after paying toll you go further inside the are which is steep so good car is a must - upon reaching the location you will get multiple options for parking, be careful as i noticed few kids trying to steal car logos - you will also see hotels and bathrooms - make your way towards the sanctuary and you will need to buy tickets 80 for adults and 50 kids above 5 yrs - you will have two options to reach the location which is by trek or by horse ride - trek is moderate and will take about 60-90 mins - horse ride will cost you 150 pesos for one way ride - upon reaching the location you will have to go inside the forest where the directions are marked and many forest rangers are there to help you out. - it will take about 10-15 mins of walk to reach nesting area of butterflies - its important you dont litter and maintain silence - you will stay there for about 30-45 mins and then your way back down Its a must visit place before climate change eliminates this experience.

We had such a wonderful visit! The millions of butterflies!! I didn't realize how many stairs there were to get up to the top. I should've gone by horse but my daughter didn't want too. We had a great visit and memories for a lifetime.

Visited Jan 16th, 2021. The fee to park is 50 pesos and it costs 80 pesos per person to enter the sanctuary. Horses are 300 pesos per person to get to the sanctuary spot where. Butterflies are. If you decide to walk by foot, it is a long hike!! If you a bringing an elderly or disabled person, be prepared to spend 1 hour hiking to the spot and 1 hour to get back. Dont wear a coat and bring shoes and clothes you dont mind getting dusty. There are places for pretty pictures as well. Bathrooms are on site, clean, and cost 5 to 7 pesos per person. The food in the local towns is good and cheap. PS. The butterflies weren't flying around this day because the sun wasnt out.

It is great or disappointing depending on the year. It's all up to the butterflies. In 2019 they where all over the santuario and they settled near the entrance slopes. In 2021 they choose very remote trees and you had to walk for two hours to see only a few of them. Enquire before going, but not with the park as they always tell you it is great.

Do not miss this extraordinary beautiful event!!! Things cannot be explained in context. You have to be there!! To understand and see this magnificent event.. highly recommended check for best months to pay a visit

This is a truly magical and sacred space. We had an amazing experience, the butterflies were everywhere even before we got to the reserve. We arrived around 11am, had a quick bite before going inside. The quesadilla was delicious with a homemade blue corn tortilla. The paring attendant kept an eye on our dog inside the car. Once inside we opted to use a local guide and hike up. The hike was more of a walk, but be aware you’ll be going over 10,000 feet. The air is much thinner than sea level. Our guide did a great job explaining the whole lifestyle of the monarch and did it in basic Spanish so we could understand. We were there yesterday (2 March) and the butterflies were swarming and even mating. I’d definitely recommend this place to visit. It only took us about an hour total to hike up, see the butterflies at the top and hike down.

The most magical experience in the world. The walk is a bit long but quite bearable and definitely worth it. The forest is amazing and the views are breathtaking. But absolutely no words can describe the beauty of the sanctuary and the greatness of the place

It's a hard hike so bring trekking boots and poles. Don't forget water and day snacks. It will take you around 3 to 4 hours to make it to the butterflies. I highly recommend renting a horse, but keep in mind that is a hard ride up and even harder to go down. You have to leave the horse and do a 30 minute hike up to the butterflies. Once you are there you must be quiet and sit down. It’s a magical experience. I absolutely recommend it.

Heaven on earth! I feel so connected to earth every time I see this majestic view. My family: Carmen, Lu, Sol and Lluli have this place rooted within their heart.

Nice place to visit, and of course you need to visit during the winter. The temperatures in December are about 30°F at night and 55°F during the day. The best time of the day to visit the sanctuary is 12:00 noon, we went to "Sierra Chincua" near Angangeo. The entrance fee is cheap, $30 pesos per person if I remember. As you enter you are assigned a guide, a little boy or girl, at the end you give them a tip. They suggest you to rent a horse to go to the sanctuary, they charge you $100 pesos per person each way. The way up is doable taking a few breaks, the way back is really easy. If you don't have good condition you can rent a horse on your way up, but for sure you don't need it in your way back. There are like 12 small restaurants in the area, all are the same, they are local and they prepare local food, cheap and delicious, you need to try it. Hope you enjoy your visit.

We went in January, during a good time. We were told that February is even better. Photos do not do the monarchs justice, you just have to see and experience it for yourself. Go early as it’s gets very crowded in the afternoon. We took guided horses up (100 pesos per person each way) and walked down. I would do it the same if I go again. Bring cash from afar as the local towns are not consistent in having functioning atms (we experienced this first hand). Wear layers as it’s cool early and warm by noon. You start at 2400 mtrs and get to 3600. Take it slow and easy if you are not accustomed to the altitude.

Sadly, the butterflies haven’t arrived yet. We tried to go today (11/5) but the men working there said that they haven’t arrived yet (usually they are here by now). They said that we will have better luck in December/ January. There were about 20 other people who were also disappointed :(

We got there afternoon. It was a little cold. The climb was intense. The butterflies were resting on top of the tree tops most of them folded. We expected to see them in their orange color but we saw mostly gray… better to get there early on a warm day. The view would be amazing.

It’s a must if u are in Michoacan! The hike was hard but well worth it when u get to the top. Their is a choice of riding a horse cuts some of the hike.

An exceptional experience, I have fallen in love with this place.

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Such a magical place!! Very knowledgeable and friendly staff at the reserve. Millions of monarch butterflies flying freely living their lives.

Great place So beautiful 😍

unique experience, beautiful forest. the elevation is above 10,000 ft and it's a long, steep hike - be prepared for heavy breathing! it's worth the effort.

Absolutely gorgeous. Top 10 most incredible things I have seen in my life. 100% recommend.

I have been there in 2017. It was beautiful watching millions of butterflies along a horse trail I was riding in. I loved every minute of it.

Be sure to go on a sunny day. Park in the top parking lot nearest to the horses. We didn't know and parked at the bottom. It's a very steep climb and a long way up. My daughter went ahead and sent a kind man with the horse down to get me. The ride was amazing and beautiful. Everything smells like pine trees and wood smoke. Then you leave the horses and hike uphill some more. It's very high so I needed a guide to help me hike. And I stopped to catch my breath often. When I got to where we could see the butterflies, I yelled out " Wow!" And everyone went " Shhhh!". It's a sacred place. Like an outdoor cathedral. We went to the closest viewing area. Butterflies were everywhere. Them they moved

Wow !! If you have a chance to travel this place is a must see, simply beautiful