Mexico’s monarchs: a magical experience for the whole family

Published February 10, 2023

It’s high season for monarch butterfly viewing in Mexico — the time of year when millions of butterflies arrive to their wintering grounds in the central highlands. These amazing insects migrate upwards of 3,000 miles to their winter habitat in the mountains in México state and Michoacán.

They’re here from November through March, so there’s still time to see them this winter.

We made the trip to the monarch sanctuaries of Cerro Pelón and Sierra Chincua in January with our 10-year-old daughter, friends from the U.S. and their two kids (ages 10 and 13), as well as their grandmother in her 70s. We were pleasantly surprised to find out just how accessible and family-friendly the experience was.

First of all, you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to see the butterflies. In fact, they aren’t active until midday, when the sun is strong enough to warm their bodies.

Secondly, you don’t have to hike long distances. While their colonies are high up in the mountains, most sanctuaries have horses you can ride to the top. Thirdly, you don’t need binoculars or spotting scopes like with most other wildlife viewing. In fact, the butterflies fly so close — some will land on you — you need to watch your step so you don’t hurt any.

Now back from our adventure and still abuzz with beautiful butterfly memories, I thought I’d share some tips for how to make your experience even more enjoyable if visiting the sanctuaries with kids (and grandparents).

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