El Rosario - visiting the Monarch Butterflies

(text in ENG)

A branch of butterflies

  This weekend went to see the Monarch butterflies! Again! (For me, it was already the 3rd time.)
This time we went to El Rosario, the biggest and most popular sanctuary. Although it was warm and sunny in Mexico City, it became cloudy on the way and that bad weather continued in El Rosario unfortunately... Unfortunately, because the most spectacular sight of the butterflies is in sunshine, when they fly off the branches in masses in order to get some warm sunlight. Last year I was fortunate to see this phenomenon and it was beautiful - first of all, the blue sky gives a beautiful background to the orange color of the butterflies. Then, it is breathtaking when the butterflies fly off of a branch (maybe 10 or 100 thousands) at one time to circle around in the sunshine.
  Anyway, unfortunately this time we missed this sight, but even in this cloudy weather many butterflies were circulating among the branches and trees.

Monarchs flying aroun

   We arrived around 11 o`clock (El Rosario is about 160 kms from Mexico City). Unfortunately - I guess because it is a UNESCO heritage since 2008 - dogs weren`t allowed (although last year I saw a poodle in Angangueo, another sanctuary...). Fortunately, there was a small room to keep dogs until we climb up the mountain to see the butterflies, so we left our dog into this room and took horses to go up. Although it is not too far (even on foot it is about 40 minutes), there is so many dust on the road (you sink until your ankle) that we preferred horses. On horses it took about 20 minutes and from the "terminal" we still walked about 15 minutes until the butterflies.

taking a horse to the butterflies

   This year there were far less butterflies as last year. Last year we went in January, I think in the peak - in March, most of the butterflies are either left for Canada or stay here to die. Unfortunately there were many already on the ground dead or dying...but this is the circle of life indeed. It is amazing that these small creatures fly 5000kms from Canada to lay their eggs here. The generation that comes live longer then the "normal" generation in order to be able to make this 4 months journey. They come here, lay their eggs but they never see Canada again. Even their "children" won`t see their homeland, as they are a "normal" generation, so in 2-3 months, they die. It is only the 2nd generation that reaches Canada just in order to lay eggs for the next generation that would come to Mexico again. The circle of life, indeed.

the circle of life - many of these creatures die in Mexico

   There is a rope on the trees not to disturb the butterflies, so one can see only a fraction of them - we could see many trees in the back with butterflies. This day, although it was a bit cold and cloudy, still was more butterflies flying around then in January. After taking hundreds of pictures, had a little picnic (some onigiri and chicken) and headed back to the horses. The view of the butterflies were amazing, it was only too cold to stay for long in only sweaters. The way back was more fast as it was mainly downhill. The way to (and from) the parking lot goes through a long road full with souvenir shops and local children who sing the "butterfly song" in the hope to get some money from the tourists. In the shops (mainly the same in every shop) they sell everything with the symbol of the Monarch butterfly: T-shirts, table cloths, refrigerator magnets, cups, key holders etc. The quality of these products might be questionable, but it is very cheap as well.

For more pictures, click on the link! →El Rosario