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Wildlife tour with Naturetrek to see Monarch Butterflies, Humpback Whales, birds and ancient pyramids. Dazzling programme with full days, superb guiding, good hotels and local freshly cooked food. Friendly group with a mixture of interests. In fact a really fantastic experience. Thorough pre-travel service, good updates and good advice and helpful and efficient service throughout. Excellent guides made sure that we saw absolutely everything and had such detailed knowledge of the birds and whales in particular.
K.C. Suffolk, Jan 24
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Mexico's Monarchs, Humpbacks & Birds
Tour Code: MEX03An 11-day wildlife holiday to central and western Mexico, home to millions of wintering Monarch butterflies, plus Humpback Whales and numerous birds.
11 days
from
£4,895 (Inc flights)
£4,895 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£4,295
£4,295
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Mexico is a vibrant country boasting an interesting natural history, as well as some stunning scenery and fascinating culture both past and present. This tour visits central and south-western Mexico. We begin our holiday in the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan, enjoying this superb site, home to the third largest pyramid in the world, as well as a variety of endemic and other birdlife. Next we drive to the Oyamel Fir forests of the central Mexican state of Michoacan where the microclimate provides the perfect winter home for millions of Monarch butterflies. We will visit two of the best reserves mid-morning and watch as millions of butterflies take to the wing! After a 3-night stay in this region, we fly to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast where we take to the ocean in search of Humpback Whales. Four days on the western coast allows us time to enjoy the Humpbacks and look for birds such as Boat-billed Heron and San Blas Jay before it is time to head back to Mexico City for our flights home.
- See the spectacular winter gatherings of Monarch butterflies
- Explore the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan & see its huge ‘Pyramid of the Sun’
- Vermillion Flycatcher, Cactus Wren & Canyon Towhee at Teotihuacan
- Red Warbler, Slate-throated Redstart & endemic Blue Mockingbird in Michoacan
- Two boat excursions to look for Humpback Whales
- Citreoline Trogon & Golden-cheeked Woodpecker among special birds at San Blas
Grading
Grade B. Day walks only, but walking to the Monarch sanctuaries involves a lot of steep steps at altitude.
Mexico is a fascinating and vibrant country: a colourful land steeped in history, myth and legend. This was the home of the ancient Aztec, Toltec and Maya civilisations, whose great pyramids rival those of Egypt, and landfall for the first of the Spanish Conquistadors as they searched for the fabled Cities of Gold. Today, Mexico is a modern, vibrant and welcoming country, full of natural history, scenic and cultural contrasts. It is also the stage for one of the most remarkable sights in the natural world, the winter gatherings of millions of Monarch butterflies.
Whilst south-eastern Mexico is clothed in thick tropical forests, in the north and west hot cactus deserts dominate. In between these extremes lie the cool Oyamel Fir forests of the central Mexican state of Michoacán. Here, the temperature, humidity and high altitude combine to create the perfect winter microclimate for millions of Monarch butterflies from the US and Canada which migrate south into Mexico every autumn to escape the cold further north. These are the third or fourth generations of butterflies that left Michoacán the previous spring and, to this day, little is known about how these delicate creatures navigate and how they find these small pockets of forest hundreds, if not thousands, of miles south from where they first emerged as adults.
As spectacular as the Monarch gatherings undoubtedly are, Mexico has many other wildlife facets to enjoy. During the same months that the butterflies gather in Michoacán, Humpback Whales congregate in Banderas Bay off Mexico’s Pacific coast, and numerous resident and wintering birds — including 25 Mexican endemics — can be found in the nearby wetlands, mangroves and forests. Although our tour takes in all these highlights, it begins with a flight to Mexico City from where we transfer to our first overnight stop at the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacán (‘Place of the Gods’). We will explore the site the following morning, enjoying such birds as Vermillion Flycatcher, Canyon Towhee and Say’s Phoebe beneath the imposing triangle of the huge ‘Pyramid of the Sun’, the third largest pyramid in the world!
Next we drive west into the forested hills of Michoacán for three nights in Valle de Bravo. From here we will visit two Monarch reserves. We plan on arriving mid-morning, at a time when the sun has warmed the forests sufficiently for the butterflies to start taking flight. It is a breathtaking spectacle. The trees here can become so laden with Monarchs that branches bend under their weight and, once the butterflies take to the air, the forest fills with the delicate sound of a million fluttering wings, turning the air into a whirlwind of orange and black! If we can drag our eyes away from the mesmerising clouds of butterflies for a few moments, we are also sure to find an interesting variety of birds such as Red Warbler and Slate-throated Redstart.
For the second part of our holiday, we take a short flight to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast. Once here, we will need to readjust our eyes from watching the small and delicate to the huge and mighty, for the next two mornings we take to the ocean in search of Humpback Whales. Humpbacks are one of the most entertaining whales to watch and during our time on the water we hope to witness a variety of behaviours, including spy-hopping, tail-lobbing and, for the fortunate, perhaps a full breach, whereby the whale launches itself fully out of the water before falling back with a resounding splash!
Moving on, we turn our attention to the excellent avifauna of Mexico’s Pacific coast, and drive north to the fishing village of San Blas. Mexico is home to nearly 1,100 species of birds, 10% of which are endemic. The estuaries, lagoons, mangroves and forests around San Blas attract a wide variety of these, including Boat-billed Heron, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Citreoline Trogon and San Blas Jay.
Finally, after two days spent enjoying the birdlife of western Mexico, it will be time to return to Puerto Vallarta for our short flight to Mexico City, where we connect to our onward flight home.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Fly Mexico City and overnight Teotihuacán
Day 2/4
Monarch butterfly reserves
Day 5/6
Puerto Vallarta
Day 7/9
San Blas
Day 10
Depart Mexico City
Day 11
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in comfortable hotels and lodges throughout, all with private facilities.
- Food:
All food is included in the price, except for dinner on Day 1 (allow £20).
Reviews
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Non-stop pleasure from start to finish. This is a 'MUST DO' for anyone interested in wildlife. I have always wanted to see a Hummingbird, dream fulfilled! The breaching Humpbacks are incredible and will always stay in mind too. From first booking until sadly saying farewell back at Heathrow, the experience was a perfect example of how a much longed for trip should flow. The pre-departure document covered every detail I needed to know about, the itinerary was thoughtfully compiled and carried out by leaders who clearly know their stuff. The accommodation was always just where you would have chosen yourself. Seriously cannot fault any aspect of the holiday, it'll stay with me forever. Naturetrek is a small company with a big reputation for delivering outstanding holidays. This is my forth trip with them and as always the brochure summary is just what you get. Long may they continue!
B.C. West Sussex, Jan 23 -
I’d always wanted to see the Monarch migration to the forests of Mexico and couldn’t believe my luck when I found a tour which not only took in the Monarchs but also Humpback Whales, one of my other passions. The whole trip fulfilled all my hopes and expectations in seeing not only the Monarchs and Humpbacks but also lots of other butterflies as well as birds. Everything was dealt with promptly and thoroughly and all my questions answered. Everyone was extremely helpful and I can highly recommend Naturetrek.
K.N. Cornwall, Jan 23 -
We chose this holiday because of its mix of seeing a range of wildlife, as well as its archaeological interest. We were not disappointed. We got a sense of what a vast and varied country Mexico is. We experienced high plateau, forested mountains, the Pacific coast, mangrove waterways and coastal and mountain villages.
J.M. Merseyside, Feb 20 -
We saw the phenomenon of the Monarch butterflies. Our first sightings of breaching Humpbacks, & heard them singing through microphones. Released Olive Ridgeback Turtle hatchlings into the sea. Viewed lots of birds & other butterflies in forests, & in the Mangroves. Also visited the archaeological ruins at Teotihuacan.
J.T. Kent, Feb 19 -
My husband and I love nature, and to be able to go on this Naturtrek holiday to Mexico was a dream come true. My husband loves butterflies so we were in awe of the annual migration of Monarch butterflies. To see humpback whales has always been on my bucket list, and our boat trips out fulfilled all my dreams. I can now die happy. These two were the highlights of our holiday, but interspersed with these there was ample opportunities to appreciate the huge variety of birds, a trip into the mangroves to see crocodiles etc. It is a holiday neither of us will forget.
O.T. Lincolnshire -
The holiday was targeted at seeing the Monarch butterflies in their winter roost in Mexico - up at over 10,000 feet above sea level. It was quite an expedition to get there, but the sight was phenomenal. We will never forget the sight of so many butterflies, perched on branches in such numbers that the branches bent down under the weight of so many insects. Then it was off to the Pacific where the Humpback Whales were giving birth in the warmer waters there. A totally different scale, from tiny insects to huge whales. Then it was on to another site, and a trip into a Mangrove swamp in late afternoon with so many interesting birds beginning to roost up for the night, and a few crocodiles to be seen, followed by a trip back after dusk. Another memorable event. Lastly there were a few days for birdwatching or butterfly spotting with an expert with us to help find the unusual. We have lots of photos and lots of memories of a wonderful holiday, and will be travelling with Naturetrek again in the near future, as we have found their holidays reliably full of wonderful wildlife, and we are always escorted by experts who add so much value to the trips.
D.G. Cumbria -
Cultural visit to Teotihuacan, fantastic experiences with the overwintering Monarch butterflies in Michoacan, various excellent sightings of Humpback whales off Puerto Vallarta and San Blas plus varied birding opportunities throughout, especially with the varied habitats around San Blas.
O.V. Cumbria -
The visits to the Monarch reserves were a lifetime highlight – spending two days there was marvellous.
L.D. & I.D. Worcestershire
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 27th Jan – Thu 6th Feb
FULL
£4,895
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£4,295
Room sharing options:
If a customer on this departure has already expressed an interest in sharing a room it will be flagged here. We will identify if there are sharing options for male, female or both.
Female sharing available
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£470
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Martin Pitt
Tour Leader: Martin Pitt
Martin has had an interest in wildlife since an early age and, although he worked in development and consultancy across the globe, he has always kept this interest going. He has been leading tours for Naturetrek, both in the UK and overseas, since 2017.
Primarily interested in birds and mammals, his time living in the Middle East (a year in the UAE and 2 years in Israel) gave him a deep love of desert ecosystems. More recently, he has spent an increasing amount of time focused on butterflies and dragonflies. He is the author of the ‘Crossbill Nature Guide to Southern Morocco’ and as of 2023 he is also the Bird Recorder for Hampshire.
Martin has led a number of tours, including day trips and weekends in Hampshire and the adjacent areas, as well as tours overseas including Austria, Ethiopia, France, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Spain and Uzbekistan.
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 26th Jan – Thu 5th Feb
SPACES
£4,995
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£4,395
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£495
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[description] => Whale Watching Cruises – See Whales in their Wild Habitat
Seeing whales in the wild is one of the top 10 things most people want to do during their lifetime. Scanning the water, waiting to hear a blow or see a dorsal fin, is one of the top wildlife experiences in the world, and it can get addictive! A sighting of whales in their natural habitat is consistently rated in the top 10 wildlife experiences in the world. These gentle giants of the ocean hold a special place in our hearts. Our dedicated small group tours offer the thrilling opportunity of an up-close-and-personal encounter in the wild; scanning the water, waiting for the sound of a blow or the sight of a dorsal fin is both thrilling and addictive.
Naturetrek Whale Watching Tours
Our dedicated small group whale-watching holidays encompass a range of destinations all over the world to offer the best chance of sightings on short trips or longer cruises. Whether it’s a day excursion in the UK or an extended 14-day cruise to an exotic far-flung location, we offer the chance to encounter these giant cetaceans in all of the world’s oceans, from the tropics to the Polar regions.
Depending on the location, our itineraries can focus on one or several of the planet’s 86 key species, including Blue and Killer Whales, or form part of a broader wildlife-watching experience to encounter dolphins, birdlife and other marine species. Led by expert biologist or naturalist guides, our tours often allow participants to get thrillingly close to one of the most fascinating animals on Earth. We've been organising specialist wildlife tours for 32 years and our experience, passion and knowledge have earned us a reputation as the best in the business. Our range of whale-watching holidays is so popular that we are rapidly expanding our programme to include some of the most exciting, wildlife-rich places in the world.
Why book a Naturetrek whale & dolphin watching holiday?
- Expert biologist-led & wildlife photographer-led holidays
- Dedicated whale-watching tours focusing on one or a few key species
- Many of our whale-watching tours offer the chance to see dolphins as well (and vice versa)
- A range of tours from day trips out on small boats to week-long liveaboard cruises
- A chance to look for cetaceans in all of the world’s oceans, from polar waters to the tropics
- A wide range of the world’s 86 species are seen on our whale-watching holidays, including Blue Whales & Killer Whales
- A wide range of the world's dolphin species have also been seen, from Bottlenose and Risso’s, to Spinner, Striped and Heaviside’s
Our specialist recommends...
"In the UK I'd recommend our full-day dolphin tours to look for White-beaked dolphins off Lyme Bay. Madeira offers a good variety of dolphins close to shore including Risso's, Atlantic Spotted and Common, while if you fancy warm tropical waters Sri Lanka or the Maldives offer a good range of acrobatic species in sunny conditions!"
Sara Frost - Tour Leader & Marketing Manager
Sara Frost - Tour Leader & Marketing Manager
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Butterfly Watching Holidays Led by Expert Naturalists
Who can fail to be delighted by butterflies – the intensity and variety of their colours, their delicate beauty and fascinating life cycles? Our tours allow butterfly-watching enthusiasts to observe marvellous species all around the world. Sadly, butterflies are in decline in many regions. To help prevent the loss of these beautiful creatures, our butterfly holidays make a direct contribution to their conservation.
Naturetrek Butterfly Tours
- We offer an excellent range of dedicated butterfly holidays
- All tours are led by a Naturetrek butterfly-watching expert
- Although butterflies are the main focus of our butterfly tours, we also take time to observe other wildlife
- By booking one of our dedicated butterfly holidays you will automatically be making a contribution to their conservation.
Here’s a selection of our dedicated butterfly tours:
Although we include butterfly-watching in many of our holidays, we offer a wide selection of dedicated butterfly tours, including:
- The Cevennes – we look for butterflies in the Massif Central
- Butterflies in Normandy – we go in search of some of Normandy’s 160 species of butterfly
- Sweden's Butterflies & Dragonflies – Sweden is home to Large Blue, Apollo, Scarce Copper and many more species
- Butterflies of the Dolomites – we explore sheltered valleys and butterfly hot-spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Sri Lanka - A Butterfly Tour – seeking Sri Lanka’s dazzling tropical species
- Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlas Mountains – a search for the butterflies of the High Atlas Mountains, with a wealth of other wildlife and mountain walks in spectacular scenery.
Naturetrek & Butterfly Conservation
As a top category ‘Gold’ corporate sponsor of Butterfly Conservation (BC), we donate around £1,500 annually to the charity. As well as this, since 2002 we have donated 10% of all income generated by our annual programme of butterfly tours that we run in partnership with BC, and give BC membership to all non-members joining the tours.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend Naturetrek's Butterflies of South Africa holiday. On this butterfly holiday we look for butterflies in the Wajkkerstrom (montane grassland), which supports a wonderful diversity of species. Closer to home I'd suggest our Butterflies of Hungary tour, or Butterflies of Croatia for unspoilt landscapes and a density of butterfly-life rarely seen in western Europe now."
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
