Experiences and Tours Mexico City Internationals and Expats

Let´s explore the amazing Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary at the feet of the Popocatepetl Volcano.

The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is a World Heritage Site containing the over-wintering habitats of the population of the monarch butterfly. The reserve is located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests ecoregion in the State of Mexico, 100 km (62 milles), northwest of Mexico City. Millions of butterflies arrive in the sanctuary annually. Butterflies only inhabit a fraction of the 56,000 hectares of the reserve from October-March. The biosphere’s mission is not only to protect the butterfly species, but it's habitat as well.

Some practical information:

• To reach the heart of the colony of the butterflies, it´s a steep walk uphill of around 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the location of the colony (they move every night, in search of the ideal circumstances to survive). We will be at 3000 to 3500 meters / 9800 to 11450 feet, but we take it easy to get used to the height. The return walk is around 2.5 hours.

• Please bring confortable shoes / walking shoes, warm clothes in multiple layers, sweet and salty snacks and water. To help the local comunity we will lunch with them, not included.

During this trip we will explore the State of Mexico.

It is important to pay 7/10 days before the date tour, to make sure we can arrange the right transport for the right amount of people.

The price is 1150 Mexican Pesos and includes transport for the group, experienced driver, tour guide, entrance to the sanctuary, walk enjoying the forest and explanations in Spanish and English.

You can make a transfer, a cash deposit at any Banamex bank or a cash payment at any 7 Eleven store.

Let´s explore more hidden jewels of México together !

Let´s visit 2 incredible places on 1 wonderful day trip, visiting Tula (archeological site) and Tepozotlán, north of Mexico City (1 of the 177 Pueblo Mágicos) - NOT to be confused with Tepoztlán south of Mexico City.

Tula is a Mesoamerican archeological site, which was an important regional center which reached its height as the capital of the Toltec Empire between the fall of Teotihuacan and the rise of Tenochtitlan. The main attraction is the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl which is topped by four, four metre high basalt columns carved in the shape of Toltec warriors. Tula fell around 1150, but it had significant influence in the following Aztec Empire.

Tepozotlán (not to be confused with Tepoztlán south of Mexico City): The center of town has maintained it colonial-era appearance with cobblestone alleys, arcades and plazas. There is a small, secular plaza in front of the main church, which contains a kiosk at which many cultural events take place. The municipal market is known for its food stands selling traditional dishes as quesadillas, sopes, pambazos, and tacos as well as barbacoa, and carnitas.

The price is 1050 Mexican Pesos, and includes private transport for our small group (semi-private) and explanations in English and Spanish. Please make the payment 3 to 5 days before the tour.

Payment is 100% in advance. From abroad you can pay by making a transfer by Wise. And in Mexico you can make a cash payment at any 7 Eleven store, a cash payment at any Oxxo store, or by making a cash deposit at any Banamex bank. Or, if you have a Mexican bank account, by local transfer. Please send a WhatsApp to +52 55 1308 3732, to check availability and to receive the payment information from Lidia Herrera.

Let´s explore more hidden jewels of México together !

The Nevado de Toluca is a large stratovolcano in central Mexico, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of Mexico City near the city of Toluca in the State of Mexico, around 2 hours from Mexico City. It is generally cited as the fourth highest of Mexico's peaks, after Pico de Orizaba, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl.

There are two crater lakes on the floor of the basin that we can visit on a hike of about 3.5 hours, at about 4,200 m (13,800 ft), the larger Lago del Sol (Sun Lake) and the smaller, but deeper, Lago de la Luna (Moon Lake). If you just like to hike up to the crater to enjoy the great views that is also possible.

The trip is not too heavy, we take it slow to get adjusted to the height; you can make the trip as heavy as you want, during this great encounter with nature.

Let´s explore on a guided walking tour the beautiful archeological site of Cuicuilco in Mexico City, one of the 6 archeological sites of Mexico City.

The settlement of Cuicuilco goes back to 1400 BC. Based on its date of occupation, Cuicuilco may be the oldest city in the Valley of Mexico and was roughly contemporary with, and possibly interacting with the Olmec of the Gulf Coast of lowland Veracruz and Tabasco (also known as the Olmec heartland).

Cuicuilco was destroyed and abandoned following the eruption of the volcano Xitle, causing migrations and changes to the population and culminating in the Teotihuacan consolidation as classical period ruler of the Central Highlands.

The price is 250 pesos and includes a guided walk of around 2.5 hours by certified guide in English and Spanish. Opcionally we can have lunch afterwards.

Payment is 100% in advance. Please send a WhatsApp to +52 55 1308 3732 (Whatsapp, Lidia Herrera), to check availability and to receive the payment information. We will Meetup near the archeological site of Cuicuilco; we will share the exact Meetup place, after receiving your payment.