​MEXICO - NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION!!
Monarch Butterflies and Birds of Central Mexico​FEBRUARY 12-18, 2027: Payment due by Oct. 15, 2026

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. Join Grand Valley Audubon on this 7-day adventure to stand amid the fir-covered mountains and witness this awe-inspiring spectacle firsthand as the monarchs flutter, dip, and swoop overhead.
   To cap off the experience, make the most of special birding opportunities along the way. 

What's Included?

• Accommodations
​• Activities
• Entrance fees
• Meals & beverages
• In-country transportation
• Full-time guide
• Most tips/gratuities
• Bottled water on bus
• Carbon offset

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ENROLL: ​
Contact Shannon Young at [email protected]
Monarch photo in banner, by Shannon Young.

Red Warbler by Shannon Young

More Trip
Info on Holbrook Travel

Monarchs during migration by Pelin Karaca.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Hike or ride horseback to two different monarch reserves in Michoacán, where millions of individual monarch butterflies gather.
• Go birding at several local hotspots for the chance to observe species like the Sierra Madre Sparrow, Red Warbler, Orange-breasted Bunting, and more.
• 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 a local home with Ecolife Conservation and learn about their conservation program, which improves lives and protects butterfly habitat. ​
• Moderate-strenuous rated trip

Hepatic Tanager, photo courtesy Holbrook Travel.