Blank Title2831

Depart from the U.S. and arrive in Mexico City. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel located on the Zócalo, in the heart of the historic city center. Check-in time is 3 pm. This evening, meet in the hotel lobby at 7 pm for a program orientation and welcome dinner.

Begin today with a short exploration of Mexico City, with a brief walking tour of the Zócalo, Cathedral, Templo Mayor, and National Palace. A boxed lunch will be provided. Depart for the colonial town of Angangueo, located high in the mountains in the state of Michoacán, about 100 miles west of Mexico City. Check in at Hotel Don Bruno. After settling in, enjoy a delicious Mexican dinner. (Please note that it can get cold at night and in the early morning. It is recommended that you bring warm sleeping clothes.) After dinner at the hotel, gather for a briefing to help prepare for the next day.

This morning, visit Sierra Chincua. This is one of several nearby monarch sites and is more isolated than El Rosario, which will be visited tomorrow. The journey starts with a hike up the mountain to about 10,000 feet. Horses will be available to rent for a portion of the trail. The cost is about 100 Mexican pesos, payable in cash only. Some walking will be required, but it can be done at your own pace and with stops and rest as needed. Once at the site, you have the day to enjoy and photograph the spectacular colony with a boxed lunch to be eaten at your leisure. Please note that restrooms are located at the bottom of the mountain and not in the reserve. You will have a short time to buy souvenirs at the craft market at the bottom of the mountain. If time permits, visit the Alternare Center, which has more than 20 years of experience working with rural communities with the goal of helping conserve butterfly habitat. They also teach sustainable farming techniques, the construction of adobe houses, wood-saving stoves, and water conservation practices. Later this afternoon, take a walking tour through the town of Angangueo with your guide. Founded in 1792, the town served as a main mining center, providing wealth for the area. Today the town derives its income from butterfly tourism and agriculture. As you explore the cobblestone streets, your guide will share sites of interest and the importance of butterfly conservation to the town. Dinner is at the hotel.

Early this morning, visit the monarch site of El Rosario. This large overwintering colony normally contains well over 100 million adult monarchs. An excellent trail system winds through the fir-covered slopes on which the colony is located. Additionally, there is a nearby stream where the butterflies may fly at midday to drink water. At this time of year, they may take flight for an hour or more for water, nectar, etc., before returning to their roost on the tree limbs or trunks. The hike to reach the colony may again reach up to 10,000 feet and will require hiking up the mountain. The hike is at your own pace, and birding can be done along the way. A portion of the hike can again be done by horseback rental. Once at the site, the day will be spent enjoying the colony with a boxed lunch to be eaten at your leisure. Restrooms are located at the bottom of the mountain and not in the reserve. In the late afternoon, return from the mountains to Angangueo. You will have free time to enjoy the hotel gardens, walk the town's cobblestone streets and take photos, or to just relax.

After breakfast, depart for the Mexico City area and the pyramids at San Juan Teotihuacán. After a delicious lunch near the pyramids, you'll have the afternoon to explore this world-famous archaeological site, which covers 32 square miles and contains many structures, including two large pyramids. The Pyramid of the Sun, at a height of more than 200 feet, is one of the largest structures created in the pre-Columbian New World. After time to explore the ruins on your own, return to your hotel on the Zócalo for a farewell dinner.

Breakfast will be included depending on your departure time. Airport shuttle service transfers are included and will be coordinated based on flight times. Check-out time at 12 pm.