History

The Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve is situated in the eastern part of the state of Michoacán. It was created to protect the habitat of the monarch butterfly's winter migration and spans over 56,000 hectares of woodland.

The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south as the birds do. How the species manages to return to the same overwintering spots over several generations is still unkown, but hundreds of millions of them make the journey every year.

There are currently eight sanctuaries within the Biosphere Reserve, and four of these eight are open to the public. Of these, El Rosario near the town of Ocampo has the best developed infrastructure for visitors, including a visitor center, restaurants, well-defined footpaths, security patrols, and stone steps in steep places.

Things to do

The best time to see the butterflies is during the months from November to February, before they fly back north to the U.S. and Canada in the spring.
The terrain is also ideal for hiking, with picturesque forest trails and spectacular hilltop views.

Please contact us to check availability of these excursions and to make your reservations.

Check out our study package deals, for details of all inclusive study, accommodation and excursions.