Fabulous - We were fortunate to have Rodrigo as our guide. He made the trip a joy, showing care and concern for our needs the entire day. The visit to Sierra C. is absolutely worth a vist, and we arrived early so and had the whole place to ourselves. Although the monach population is down by over half, there were still plenty and watching them was mesmerizing. It just doesn't get much better!

Beautiful, loved seeing... - Beautiful, loved seeing the butterflies. Rode the horses which we would highly recommend. Hike after the horses was very strenuous.... but worth it!

A very memorable experience - We departed Morelia very early, at 06:30. As a result, we were the very first up the mountain and were able to view clusters of butterflies in the trees waiting for the weather to warm up. No one else was there to experience this. When the sun hit the branches where the cluster of butterflies were, they simultaneously dropped from the branches and flew towards us by the 1000’s. At this time, there were only a few other people present to see this. As we were leaving, larger tour groups were arriving who would have misses everything we experienced, it was great. Anyone planning a trip should try to book a private tour that leaves early and see how the monarchs reacted to a slight change in weather.

Fantastic tour!!!! - It was spectacular!!! Highly recommend. Rodrigo the tour guide was fabulous. Very knowledgeable about the area.

Rodrigo Rosales is fantastic!! - Rodrigo was fantastic & very informative. We talked not only all about the monarchs but also about everything Mexican. He was extremely knowledgeable & spoke English very well. I highly recommend him to anyone interested in all things Mexican.

A MUST excursion if you visit Morelia!! - Rodrigo Rosales of Yei Tours has curated an excellent day trip to visit the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Meticulously planned for your enjoyment, it kicks off with an early 6:30am start for several good reasons: 1) You skip heavy traffic getting there, 2) Parking isn’t an issue once you arrive, 3) You avoid the crowds that arrive later in the day (e.g. schools make this excursion part of their curriculum), 4) The butterflies are just beginning to wake up with the warmth of the sun so you get to see tree branches drooping with the weight of 4-5K monarchs, and 5) You return before the hot mid-day sun at an altitude of 11K feet bakes you into the landscape. Having worn shoes fit for a hike, we were nonetheless very appreciative that he offered hiking poles as most of the 3.5 km dirt path to see the butterflies has uneven surfaces (stones, tree roots) and moderate changes in elevation. He supplied us with water, carried a first aid kit for our safety, and provided a box lunch afterwards (sandwich, juice, and cookies). Rodrigo expertly navigated the hairpin curves on the mountain roads; his vehicle is immaculate and comfortable. He takes care of all the transportation from toll booths to entrance fees, etc. Honestly, all you have to do is show up to experience of one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders!!

Best tour! - I loved it all! The experience is really one of a kind and Rodrigo is the best guide ever! If you wanna see the monarchs during your stay in Morelia, this is the tour you should absolutely choose : - Rodrigo will pick you up early to make sure you’re the first one site to see the clusters. I saw that other visitors arrived too late to really see the clusters since the monarchs will disperse when the sun hits. - I could observe the clusters for an HOUR AND HALF! That’s so much more than the 20mn others visitors get. And the reason is you’ll be on site at 9am before everyone else show up. Sounds disturbs the monarchs, visitors are not allowed be too many (too loud) on the same spot + there’s not enough space anyways. - Spending so much time in total silence with the butterflies felt like a sacred experience and a privilege. - You will be escorted by the butterflies on your way back to the car. It means that you’ll get to experience both the quietness (on your way up and on site) + the liveliness of it all on your way back. - Rodrigo is the nicest, most helpful, passionate and knowledgeable guide. He even treats you with a lunch box to enjoy on your way back to your hotel. He was so nice to lend me his own binoculars and trekking pole. He really thinks about everything! He will provide you with fresh water from his cool bag. He also offered to keep the bottle of water I had on me in his cool bag for when we’d come back from the hike. I would definitely take his other tours next time I’m back in Morelia.

Worth every peso - Did the butterfly tour with Rodrigo today and can't say enough on how amazing this tour was. It was not only the opportunity to be a of this amazing experience, but it extend to our tour guide, Rodrigo. He was so warm and weighing and welcoming. He put us at eaze the entire time. He is extremely knowledgeable in the butterflies and shared many insights about the butterflies and their habits. When we got to the viewing sight he has glad to answer and questions we had making the experience more meaningful. We left the sanctuary with a greater knowledge of these magnificent creatures. He's very intune with his clients needs to make then feel comfortable. He even played music from his play list that was familiar to our age. He is as professional as they get.

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary El Rosario and Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Sierra Chincua - This is for two tours. Thanks to our exceptional guide Rodrigo! The is a private tour by an amazing, knowledgeable and compassionate guide. We had an amazing visit to the Monarch Sanctuary at El Rosario and a couple days later to Sierra Chincua. His knowledge of butterflies, and his great enthusiasm and love for them made this a truly magical experience of a lifetime. We were picked up directly at the hotel at 0630 in the morning to avoid crowds. The vehicle is modern and the drive was pleasant and informative on the way there and back. There is a reason for the early departure as we were one of the first ones to arrive at the Monarchs and we didn’t see one person until we were at the viewing area for a bit. Being early we could also see the early clusters and then the transition as the butterflies started to fly around in the sun almost like falling snow. Wear layered clothing as mornings are chilly and take water, binoculars and camera. Also hiking poles and good boots are a must. Be prepared for an aerobic workout to reach the monarchs. On this tour we were also required to be accompanied by a local guide named Sophia and she graciously stopped and explained the plants and Fauna - one was actually used to help curb some altitude queasiness, which does disappear as one gets acclimatized. Mature travelers just need to take things slowly and pace yourself. They do offer horse rides up to a certain point for a fee (not included in the tour price but with considering if you don't feel physically fit) Rodrigo doesn't ride the horses but will hike up and meet you at the drop off point. He supplies a packed lunch and water and great conversation for the return drive. This tour is well worth the investment and time, it is awe inspiring and we dare say spiritual! We wish continued success for Rodrigo - go on one of his tours and experience the wonders of nature. Larga vida a las mariposas monarca! And: Thanks again to our exceptional guide Rodrigo! The is a private tour by an amazing, knowledgeable and compassionate guide. We had an amazing visit to the Monarch Sanctuary Sierra Chincua and a couple days earlier to El Rosario. His knowledge of butterflies, and his great enthusiasm and love for them made this a truly magical experience of a lifetime on both occasions. Once again we were picked up directly at the hotel at 0630 in the morning to avoid crowds. The vehicle is modern and the drive was pleasant and informative on the way there and back. There is a reason for the early departure as we were one of the first ones to arrive at the Monarchs and we didn’t see one person until we were at the viewing area for a bit. Being early we could also see the early clusters and then the transition as the butterflies started to fly around in the sun almost like falling like snow. We personally liked this sanctuary a bit more as the hike was longer but more even and natural - there is one point where you see the same horizon that is on the back of the 100 peso note. I don't think I mentioned in the El Rosario post about the birds and especially the humming birds you hear and see at the sanctuaries - just amazing! We feel we were lucky both days with the weather and the sun coming out and the waves of monarchs coming off the clusters as the sun warmed them. Flying to eat nectar, drink from the streams and mate. The walk back was beautifully graced by the monarchs flying around you. Again wear layered clothing as mornings are chilly and take water, binoculars and camera. Also hiking poles and boots are a must. Be prepared for an aerobic workout to reach the monarchs. The forest and Fauna and meadows were spectacular on this tour and Rodrigo was able to guide us unlike El Rosario which required a local guide as well. Again mature travelers just need to take things slowly and pace yourself. They also offer horse rides up to a certain point for a fee (not included in the tour price but with considering if you don't feel physically fit) Rodrigo doesn't ride the horses but will hike up and meet you at the drop off point. He supplies a packed lunch and water and great conversation for the return drive. This tour is well worth the investment and time, it is awe inspiring and we dare say spiritual! It was nice seeing both sanctuaries as a comparison and also not knowing what the weather conditions might be, in our case both days were warm with sunshine - but you may get cloudy and cool conditions where the monarchs stay clustered and not fly. So if you can, do two tours, I also think Rodrigo just does the week days to avoid the weekends where it gets more crowded and not as nice viewing experience or as much time allowed with the monarchs. We wish continued success for Rodrigo - go on one (or two) of his monarch tours and experience the wonders of nature. Larga vida a las mariposas monarca!

Beautiful Butterflies - Thanks to our exceptional guide Rodrigo from Yei Tours , my friend and I had an amazing visit to the Monarch Sanctuary at Sierra Chincua. His knowledge of butterflies, and his great enthusiasm and love for them, made this a truly magical experience. He ensured that we left early in the morning to avoid crowds. This was a blessing as we didn’t see one person until we were on our way back on the trail. Being early we could also see the early clusters and then the transition as the butterflies started to fly around in the sun. Wear layers of clothes as mornings are chilly. Be prepared to experience high altitude breathlessness, which does disappear as one gets acclimatized. Mature travellers ( like us!) just need to take things slowly.