Monarch Butterflies

El Rosario Sanctuary

6 kilometers from the town of Angangueo, to the north of Zitácuaro, lies the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

It is estimated that every winter, some 100 million monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the U.S. to alight and often weigh down the branches of the pine and fir trees of the area.

The sanctuary is open daily from November through March, from 9 am until 6.

To get there by car, make your way to Zitácuaro via highway 15 from Morelia or Toluca/Mexico City, drive north to the town of Ocampo then to Angangueo and park your car. From there you can take a truck to the sanctuary unless you prefer the pretty tough hike that takes you up a steep and rocky trail and through two river fords at over 8,500 ft. in altitude.

Tours can be arranged through a number of travel agencies.

Take good walking shoes or boots for walking in the sanctuary no matter how you plan to get there.

Near Angangeo is also the Sierra Chincua Butterfly Sanctuary.