7 Day-Monarch Butterfly Ecofriendly Tour i Mexico

Butterflies are wonderful. Hike and ride to get there are very good. And we were able to wait for the cloud to dissipate and sun to come out so we were able to see them! Ethereal experience. The bus ride not so much. Aarons bus looked great with leather seats. Seat backs were not adjustable, they laid back only, painful for me and there was zero leg room for tall people. Legs splayed to left and right. Not comfortable at all. Vallee de Bravo is beautiful. Our guide Sarah gave us a free day to do whatever. That day would have been nice for all of us to do another butterfly visit that was very close. Or take us to see some of townsite closer to the lake itself. Without a lot of Spanish I found it difficult to navigate. The bus sat and did nothing. Unclear why we as a group could not have another butterfly site as that was the purpose of the trip. Hotel had a restaurant but refused dinner service for 2 nights as there was an event. So it was necessary to go out and find a place to eat. Pitch black road in front of hotel had road construction as well. Large trench and large excavator and loader equipment and dump trucks that we had to navigate around. Slippery soil and mud as well. This construction should be complete now. The hotel itself and grounds were beautiful. The assistance from the hotel staff at LotoAzulHotel was excellent. Hotel staff at Catedral hotel in Mexico City were very helpful. Transfer to hotel from airport, then back to airport were very good.

The trip was amazing and so was Naara our guide. She took us to a beautiful private butterfly sanctuary. Great restaurants, sad is very knowledgeable about art, nature in the area. It was my birthday during the trip and she made the day very special.

I had hesitated to go on a tour because I prefer very small groups that allowed free time. When I reached out to the office to ask questions I received prompt and complete answers. I made a couple special requests related to extending my stay and all were met. The week's schedule was very manageable and allowed some free time. Accommodations were satisfactory. The driver was exceptional! He met us late in the evening at the airport, navigated Mexico City and the other towns with ease and then returned us back to the airport very early in the morning for our departure. The van was comfortable for the group. The tour guide really made the trip special. Not only did she explain the migration process of the Monarches, but also in tune with the needs of the individuals of the group. She was light hearted, informed and compassionate all at the same time! Please ask for Hugo as a driver and Naaraiop as a guide. You will not be disappointed!

This trip was exactly what I had hoped for and more. You see as many butterflies as you see in books or on TV. It is truly amazing. It is a little rough getting up there if you have breathing or Mobility issues but they let you stop or take your time if you need to. Naara our tour director and Rennan our driver were so knowledgeable about the area and the culture. They also translated for us and let us know areas to avoid for safety. I would highly recommend this trip if you're considering it.

It was an amazing experience. The butterflies were just beautiful to watch, and so many. Naara, our guide was great. She was informative , helpful and very nice. It was a great trip. You do have to be in good physical shape for the hike up and down the mountains.

The butterflies were beautiful. It was an amazing experience. Naara, our guide was great. I could not have asked for any thing more.

This was an absolutely amazing experience. February seemed to be a wonderful time to be at these sanctuaries. We went to 2 sanctuaries both used horses to get us up the Mountain. The first day was great, horses were well behaved unlike other trail horses I have ridden. The second day was a bit harder, horses were great but saddles were very uncomfortable and trail was much longer as well as steeper. Tour description did not clearly state this. Padded bike shorts as well as bike gloves would help. We had a fabulous extremely knowledgeable guide, not only about the butterflies but also about the history of Mexico, Clemente, that went above and beyond our expectations. On our free day he took us to a farm outside of town where a local has planted milkweed to entice Monarchs, then to the lake where he arranged a boat ride for our group. When we returned to Mexico City he gave us a walking tour to Plaza Mayor archeological site, the National Palace to see the murals, the Cathedral, and finally a Mexican Art Museum. The hotel in Valley de Bravo was very quaint and picturesque. They had some issues with leaking plumbing but were very attentive to our needs. The hotel in Mexico City was great! It has the best location for walking and seeing the sites. Both hotels served an amazing breakfast. I would definitely recommend the Monarch Butterfly Tour with EcoColors Tours. I will be looking for other tours with them.

What a great trip! Our tour was in January 2020 with Clemente and Laura as our guides. I recommend this tour because to see these butterflies in Mexico, where they spend their winters, is just something you have to see in person. My words alone cannot do it justice. Even though their numbers are dangerously low. these beautiful butterflies hang from the trees by the thousands...and when the sun comes out, they dance in the light. Breathtaking! Clemente and Laura were the perfect guides. They cared deeply for the environment and for the butterflies, they were so knowledgeable and helped us learn so much more about Monarchs then we knew before we arrived. You are in great hands on this tour. Every part of it including the accommodations, the driver, the shopping, museums, and the food were outstanding! Don't miss out on the opportunity to enjoy nature up close like this and stay longer if you can, there is so much to enjoy in this part of Mexico.

A must thing to do for those who enjoy nature trips! Hiking and horseback riding are involved. Must be moderately fit. I found the horseback riding extremely uncomfortable and preferred to walk when I could. Beautiful pine forests! Who would have thought we were in Mexico. I can’t say enough about our guides. Clemente was attentive to all our needs. I appreciate the cultural education he gave us: telling us about local customs, eating at local restaurants, and he was a wealth of information at the anthropology museum. Unfortunately, we were a little early (January) for the butterflies, as it was cool, and together with cloudy conditions we did not have many flying about. However it was very impressive to see them on the trees. I was glad we brought our hiking boots as it was muddy and rocky in places. Also be sure to bring a warm jacket such as a light weight down or heavy fleece. You eat outside sometimes, even when it’s chilly.

Pros: excellent lodging with full breakfasts; wonderful guide; plenty of free time with an excellent itinerary; very few American tourists; a small town mexican experience with Mexico City bookends; comfortable travel by van; only 11 people on tour; great adventure to reach incredible monarch butterfly colonies. Cons: very limited pre-trip communications from tour company; no brochure, no active confirmation of trip, online information and email only; horseback riding and hiking were strenuous and at least half of fellow travelers were over 80 years old, many indicated they did not expect the level of difficulty but...all said it was worth it and it was a life-changing accomplishment. I highly recommend this trip!