Untiring traveller
of the skies of North America, the monarch butterfly
crosses more than 4000 kilometers from Canada to the
center of Mexico in a passage without comparison in
the animal kingdom.
Is indeed in this
region of the country, specially in the bordering
zones between the states of Mexico and Michoacan,
where this species finds the ideal place to
hibernate and to make its mating in the middle of
the coniferous forests of the zone, in a natural
spectacle that attracts in each one of its
sanctuaries several millions of these butterflies,
that upholster green perpetual of pines and the firs
with a layer of oranges wings that flutter
incessantly by all the forest, in a natural
experience that attracts every year hundreds of
visitors between the months of October and March
when it is possible to observe these creatures.
The main
sanctuaries of the monarch butterfly in the zone are
the one of Chinjua Mountain range and the one of El
Rosario. In both we can made strolls on foot and
horse trough the forests, always respecting the
indications and norms that have been created by the
environmental authorities for not to interfere with
the reproduction of the species. Also these
sanctuaries have local guides authorized that can be
helpful when making these routes. In the middle of
both sanctuaries is the village of Angangueo, an old
mining villa that enjoyed a great economic peak at
the end of XIXth century, by means of the operation
of the rich mines of silver that existed in the
zone. With the passage of time, these mines were
left, being the town congealed in the time,
preserving interesting examples of popular and
religious architecture, like the cathedral of
neogothic style, their central park and some houses
with beautiful rustic details whose tile roofs are
covered occasionally with snow in winter. These
sanctuaries and the population of Angangueo are
located at the east of the state of Michoacán
and is easily accessible taking the highway Toluca -
Zitácuaro, making a route of approximately 2 hours
from Mexico City. When visiting these places it is
recomended to wear comfortable and warm clothes.
