Mexico Guide
Northern Jalisco and Michoacán
The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary
Each winter more than 150 million monarch butterflies migrate from the northeastern US and Canada to the Oyamel fir forests in the lush mountains of Michoacán in order to reproduce. It's an amazing sight any time, but especially in January and February when numbers peak: whole trees are smothered in monarchs, branches sagging under the weight. In the cool of the morning, they dry their wings, turning the entire landscape a rich, velvety orange, while later in the day they take to the air, millions of fluttering butterflies making more noise than you'd ever think possible. As the afternoon humidity forces them to the ground, they form a thick carpet of blazing colour.
The best place to see them is in the Sanctuario de Mariposa El Rosario (middle weekend in Nov to third weekend in March daily 8am–5pm; M$35; 
www.turismomichoacan.gob.mx ), just outside the village of El Rosario, about 120km east of Morelia. It is best to go early in the morning (and preferably on weekdays, to avoid the crowds), when the butterflies are just waking up and before they fly off into the surrounding woodlands. Guides, whose services are included in the entry fee, show you around the sanctuary and give a short explanation of the butterflies' lifecycle and breeding habits. For a couple of weeks on either side of the main season, those same guides run the place unofficially, still charging the entry price and offering their services for a tip. There are fewer butterflies but it is still worth the journey anytime from early November to early April. The walk to the best of the monarch-laden trees is about 2km, mostly uphill at an altitude of almost 3000 metres: take it easy if you're not acclimatized.
Visiting the monarchs is possible on day trips from Morelia and Mexico City, but it is more satisfying to stay locally (probably in Angangueo) and visit at a more leisurely pace. During the season there are five direct buses a day from Mexico City (Autobuses Zincantepec from Terminal Poniente) to El Rosario, but getting there by public transport generally involves changing buses in Zitácuaro. From Zitácuaro, buses run to Ocampo (every 15min; 30min) and continue to Angangueo (a further 20min). From Ocampo there is a minibus along a 10km cobbled road to El Rosario (every 15min; 30min). There are also minibuses from Angangueo to El Rosario (1–4 daily; 1hr) along a very rough mountain road, but it is usually more convenient to backtrack to Ocampo and take a minibus from there. Those with their own wheels can drive direct to El Rosario from Ocampo. If you are staying in Angangueo you could conceivably walk back downhill in a couple of hours.
The closest accommodation to the butterfly sanctuary is Rancho Givali ( 
715/115-5236, www.ranchogivali.com.mx ; Price: M$750-1100), 2km down the hill, which has comfortable rooms, tent camping and a good restaurant. There are also basic daytime restaurants that line the approach to the sanctuary. All other accommodation and dining options are in Ocampo and Angangueo").
For further information, ask at the tourist office in Morelia or the information booth on the highway outside Zitácuaro, towards Toluca.