Mexico | Migration of the Monarch Butterflies

About this trip

One of the most amazing phenomena in nature is the annual migration of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) southward from their breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to overwintering sites high in the mountains of southern Mexico. Hundreds of millions of Monarchs fly along the Gulf Coast, or across the Gulf of Mexico, to eventually reach the belt of high volcanic mountains which stretches across the southern end of the central Mexican plateau. At about a dozen isolated places within the high-altitude forests of this zone, Monarchs pass the winter in aggregations that can exceed 2 billion individual butterflies. Stand amid the fir-covered mountains and witness this awe-inspiring spectacle firsthand as the monarchs flutter, dip, and swoop overhead.

Highlights

• Hike or ride horseback to two different monarch reserves in Michoacán, where millions of individual monarch butterflies gather.
• Photograph the dramatic colors of the butterflies as they hang in clusters from the trees, drink from streams, feed on wildflowers, and soar in the air above.
• Visit the pyramids at Teotihuacán, one of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican sites of pre-Columbian times. 
• Take a brief walking tour of Mexico City's historical city center, including the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, and Templo Mayor. 

Meet your leaders

Ben Jones

Benjamin Jones grew up near Houston exploring the pine forests and beaches of the upper Gulf coast. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science and a master’s degree in veterinary anatomy – reproductive physiology. After graduate school, Ben worked for Accenture as a business analyst and then served the National Audubon Society for seven years in multiple roles including Texas state director of education. Ben also served the Dallas Zoo for 15 years in various capacities including senior director of conservation. In 2020, he joined the Texas affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation as executive director leading initiatives to protect Texas wildlife and their habitats across the state. Ben now serves as Houston Zoo’s vice president of conservation and education where he is responsible for the strategic direction of the Zoo’s community-based wildlife conservation initiatives locally, regionally, and around the world.

Ginger Moon

Ginger Moon, a native of Houston, Texas, has dedicated 18 years of her career to the Houston Zoo and has loved every minute of it. She has a genuine passion for connecting people with their shared love of saving and protecting wildlife. In her role as the Director of Development Events and Stewardship, one of her responsibilities includes managing Zoo Ball, the Zoo's largest fundraising event generating millions of dollars that directly support the Zoo's animal care, education, and wildlife-saving programs.

Ginger’s other passions include spending time with her family, her two dogs and the most recent addition, a granddaughter named Sawyer.

Activity Level 4: Moderate-Strenuous

This journey is for fit and active nature enthusiasts. Daily activities last for 5 or more hours. There are challenging excursions to butterfly colonies that may require walking for approximately 2 miles at altitudes of up to 10,660 feet on some trails that are narrow and rugged. These may involve both steep uphill and downhill hikes of 30 minutes or more (hiking at your own pace), and require horseback riding for part of the way; please note there is a maximum weight limit of approximately 260 lbs to ride the horses. Restrooms are only available at the base of the mountain. Weather in the Central Highlands during the migration is typically cool and dry with average temperatures in the 50s. Though days are typically sunny, there can be some windy conditions, and nights occasionally drop below 30°F. Also included are walking tours in provincial towns and in Mexico City. Here, at the Teotihuacán archaeological site, you can choose to climb two pyramids: the largest is over 200 feet high with 248 steep steps.

Additional Notes

During site visits, the days entail walking around the butterfly sites on your own and photographing and watching butterflies. Please be prepared to be independent during butterfly watching.

Please also see the information about Safety & Risk Management under the Travel Info tab.