Sanctuaries prepare for butterflies, visitors

Monarchs are en route, which means sanctuaries get ready for visitors

Monarch butterflies are heading south to Mexico and the sanctuaries in which they overwinter are preparing to open to the public.

The butterflies are traveling from the northern reaches of the continent to their overwintering grounds in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the forests of the states of Michoacán and México.

Once the migrating insects are settled for the season in November, sanctuary towns start receiving visitors. The monarchs will remain clustered in hibernation through February.

The small towns that manage the sanctuaries organize tours and hikes within the biosphere reserve, taking groups of up to 100 people on foot or on horseback.

Several of the sanctuaries in Michoacán have organized activities designed to complement and add value to the experience.

The largest sanctuary within the reserve is El Rosario. Located two hours away from Mexico City, the hike to the overwintering grounds is two kilometers long. The admission fee to the monarch sanctuary is 35 pesos for children and 45 pesos for adults (about US $2 each), prices that are the same throughout the region.

Along the way, the ejidatarios, or communal land owners, talk about the different plant species found in the forests and the life cycle of the butterflies.