If you ever wanted to visit the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, this is the right time to do it.

Monarch Butterflies

Last December, I had the opportunity to lead a private tour to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a Mom and her son from Washington D.C. joined me in this breathtaking experience.

As you might know, the population of the Monarch Butterflies that migrate south every year, have been declining in the last decade at a alarming rate, some experts have expressed that they’ve probably reached the level of extinction. Being 2014 and 2015 the years with the historically lowest population ever recorded, I was very conservative with my expectations.

It was a cold morning with a few clouds and a bit windy, after breakfast at our hotel, we started our journey and drove towards the El Rosario Biosphere Reserve, once there, we grabbed our cameras, bottles of water and started our hike at an altitude of 9000 feet. The first leg of the trail was as steep as it has always been, here is where everyone should take it easy and little by little get their own pace and try to catch their breath. We had a fancy welcome, Red Warblers, White-eared Hummingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Green violetear Hummingbirds and Ruby-crowned Kinglets greeted us as we walked across the Oyamel Fir forest. After 1 hour (or less), we arrived to the Valley of the Rabbits (Valle de los Conejos) the sky was clear and the temperature warmer than when we started our hike, I’ve been told that Monarch Butterflies require the weather to be at least 46.4 °F to be able to move and fly around, fortunately it was warm enough for us to enjoy the Monarch Butterflies, they were flying all over by the millions.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Red Warbler

Scientists estimate that the population of the Monarch Butterflies that overwinter in Mexico has doubled by this year, being of approximately 110 million Monarchs. Historically, El Rosario has been the sanctuary with the biggest concentration of butterflies and this year is not the exception, more than 50% of the population are happily staying there.

Travelers at Valle de los Conejos

Monarch Butterflies hanging in clusters

So, if have in your bucket list experience the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico, this is the right time to do it. Travelian tours have been operating highly-researched and flawless adventures to the Monarch Butterfly Reserve in the last 7 years.

Take a look at their website:

Monarch Butterfly Reserve
February 15-16, 2016
http://www.travelian.com.mx/tour-monarchs-2016.html

Call: +52 (1) 415 120 0307