Has there ever been something or someplace that has captured your attention? That you would think about dreamily? Would ponder, but wonder if you’d ever take the time to actually follow through with it? Well, for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to witness the overwintering of the Monarch Butterflies in Michoacan, Mexico. Every Monarch east of the Rocky Mountains, approximately 60-90 million of them, heads south for 4 months, November through March, to vacation in the Transverse Neovolcanic Mountain chain that runs from the Eastern Sierra Madre to where it joins the Western Sierra Madre. There are 3-4 generations that separate the monarchs from their ancestors before they arrive to begin covering the Oyamel fir trees of this region. This intrigued me on so many levels and I knew I must stop pondering and wondering and start planning. So I did. I began scouring the internet for travel information, details and specifics about the region. I learned that February was the best time to go as the butterflies begin to warm up and become very active. This research also brought me to Lisette and Pablo Span of the gorgeous Rancho San Cayetano in Zitacuaro, Michoacan, and they became extremely helpful in advising us on the other aspects of our trip, as well.
Pablo suggested that we fly into Toluca, Mexico by way of Houston, rather than Mexico City, and we were so thankful for that advice. Toluca airport has only been commercial for 3 years. 6 gates, simple security check, ease through customs equals convenient (and happy) traveling. Once we arrived, Sam, an employee of the ranch, met us at the airport and drove us safely one and half hours through the city of Toluca, and the countryside of Michoacan, through the tollbooths and the winding hillsides. Considering that Sam did not speak English, and the extent of my Spanish is “si” and “gracias”, it was a very quiet commute to our destination. Because of this silent ride, we were concerned that language would be more of a barrier than we had thought, but by the end of our stay, we were assured that a genuine smile, some simple hand gestures, and a little patience makes communication between cultures possible.
Once we arrived at the ranch, Doris helped us to our “casa”. To our delight, there was fresh filtered water in pitchers, and fresh flowers throughout the cottage, and stacked wood ready to become a toasty fire. I am a fussy traveler, and I can assure you, this was even better than I had anticipated. It was clean, rustic, authentic, and perfectly appropriate for our needs. I hugged Doris right then and there. We got situated and meandered across the beautifully manicured property to find a bite to eat. Lisette was joyfully managing her kitchen staff and kindly prepared a delicious sandwich lunch for us to enjoy on their garden patio where we joined a lovely couple from Australia, Tony and Elaine, and Lisette’s brand new 8 week old puppy, ShooShoo. The sun was gloriously bright and we felt warm and welcome here.
We spent the afternoon relaxing with these new friends, then we freshened up for dinner which is served at 7:30 p.m. in the dining room. We were joined with the other guests of the hotel. All here to see the butterflies. These magnificent, little, winged creatures are responsible for gathering people from all around the world to witness their genetic rituals. Their attraction is strong. And the more we spoke with the ones that were returning from the day, or from a previous trip, the more excited we became.
The next day, we were summoned awake by the sounds of the river, and a rooster across the way. The duvet comforter that topped our king size bed created a cocoon of its own that was difficult to leave, but the sounds were gentle, and we were well-rested, so Terry lit a fire to get the cottage cozy while I prepared coffee to enjoy in the fresh white robes provided by the hotel as we leisurely began our morning preparations.
It was a lovely day. Temperature was around 65 degrees as we strolled once again to the dining room. We found all the food at Rancho San Cayetano to be impeccable, but their breakfast is absolutely irresistible! We were seated to a plate of fresh tropical fruits, sliced and ready for devouring, with baskets of locally baked breads and pastries, homemade jams and jellies, warm butter, and hot coffee, with leche. We were offered several options for breakfast entrees, all delicious!! We knew that this morning meal would easily sustain us on our adventure!
Our butterfly tour was arranged by Pablo, and Joel was our guide. And, yay, he (thankfully) spoke excellent English. He is a very kind young man, and he offered much information about the ways of the butterflies, the culture of Mexico, and his own personal history. We were headed towards a town of 300, where he and his family live. They would provide us with the horses to navigate the rugged trail up to the mountain top where the butterflies were located. After a 30 minute drive, we passed under an arch, and then as we drove by homes, and people on the street, they all waved, shouting “Hola!!” We felt welcome here too. There were 5 others in our tour group. That’s all. Just 7 of us, plus Joel! It felt like we were the first ones to ever do this. This mountain, Cerro Pelon, or “Bald Mountain”, is a newer, more private sanctuary. There are approximately 5 different sanctuaries in the area, El Rosario being the largest and most well-known. A Saturday at El Rosario would typically see 5,000 people through their gates with 50-100 vendors lining the parking areas around the base of the mountain.
We got situated on our horses, and began our ascent. The horses were strong, and happy to oblige us. They managed over the terrain as is their sure-footed nature, sometimes teasing by traveling a little too close to the trail’s edge. The mountain side was gorgeous on it’s own, knowing that the butterflies were vacationing amongst the trees, made it even more spectacular. There were colorful wildflowers, and beautiful little vignettes of wildlife. As we got closer and closer to the summit, the aroma from the Oyamel trees embraced us… uniquely sweet, and musky with just a tiny hint of pine to balance the sweetness, it is a smell that I will never forget. Joel’s sisters create baskets and trinkets from the needles, but I chose to gather some up to add to my collection of rocks and sand at home.
After an hour and fifteen minutes, the butterflies began welcoming us. We would spot one or two at a time. Floating and gliding past us. The horses were unaffected by them, but I was laughing with delight every time one came close. We spotted clusters of the butterflies hanging on the trees in the sunshine, their orange and brown colors making them appear as dry leaves. Another 15 minutes brought us to a meadow, where the mountain leveled off. The view was breath-taking. At 10,000 feet above sea level, the air was clean, and full of energizing ions of oxygen that heightened the sensation of the beauty all around us.
The horses were sweaty and ready for a break, and so were we! Our legs were wobbly, but ready for the next part of the journey. We followed Joel as he lead us up a short way by foot, and as we came to the Monarch butterfly’s perches, it was apparent that this was truly a sacred place. Everyone fell completely silent as we listened to the whisper of their wings, their millions of wings… audible like leaves, or light rain drops… and we were overwhelmed by their majestic beauty. I stared up in wonder, completely joyful, overwhelmed, and tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks…
Then, all at once, we began chattering, oohhhh-ing and ahhhh-ing, because it was amazing! And we were enthralled by the mass amount of them, by the way they would burst all at once off the trees as the sun shifted. We ventured further into their ecosystem, walking carefully to prevent injury to ones that were hovering on the ground, warming their wings. And then each of us found a spot to lay down, to raise our eyes heavenward and to completely absorb the moment. The complimentary colors of the blue sky and the orange wings intensified what we were seeing! Laying there seemed like a dream!
I truly could have stayed at the top of that mountain until sundown. But Joel had a picnic lunch and cool bottles of water, packed by Lisette, to share with us. Simplistic perfection as we sat in a circle enjoying delicious food, surrounded by the peacefulness and serenity of this place. I prayed with praise and thankfulness to my Heavenly Father for creating the beauty and majesty of this butterfly world, for creating this heaven on earth to showcase His Love for us, to share with us as we wait to join Him…
And then our horses navigated their way back home. With us changed forever having seen this glorious sight.
The next day, we had planned to explore another sanctuary, but decided against it. Our experience couldn’t have been more perfect, and nothing could’ve compared to what we had seen, and the way we had seen it. We wanted to remember it that way. So we spent the day, completely relaxed and pampered by the members of the ranch. We lounged by their beautiful pool, savored their impeccable Mexican dishes, explored some other natural areas around their property, and reconnected with ourselves and each other.
For anyone who has ever had the desire to witness this spectacular event, I encourage you to go! And go soon! It was hard for me to believe that 10 years ago, there were even MORE butterflies. My eyes could barely focus on all the ones that were fluttering, swooping and gliding around us on this perfect day! But their environment is changing on a yearly basis, and the people of Mexico are starting to see a decline in the number of butterflies that are able to make this journey.
To witness the extreme beauty and pure joy of these creatures brought together by God, collected together by the millions was captivating. I had no way of knowing before we arrived that their magnificence would be such a poignant reminder of the Goodness and Grace of God Himself. To experience this place… and to realize that this is not the end of our journey… that God has something even more for us…more dazzlingly brilliant than our minds could possibly imagine… brings peace and hope to my heart and soul.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” ….. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Just like the butterfly.
Live well.
…..
To view the photos from this trip, click here: The Butterflies
The video highlight movie from our trip can be viewed here: BUTTERFLIES
And if you would like any additional information about traveling to Mexico to see these beautiful creatures, please comment below or through vimeo with an email address. I am happy to share!
Loves Doves 