Tours go here
Piedra Herrada
The sanctuary on the shared tour from Mexico City. About a 40-minute walk, with horses. Opened last season; 2026–27 date not confirmed yet.
About Piedra Herrada →
Open late Nov – Mar · densest Jan–Feb
The State of Mexico side
Valle de Bravo Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary
The monarch sanctuaries near Valle de Bravo are in the State of Mexico, about 2 hours (140 km) from Mexico City. That makes them the shortest trip from the capital. Piedra Herrada is the one tours visit, with a walk of about 40 minutes and horses for hire. Tours from Mexico City start at $91 and add time in the lakeside town of Valle de Bravo.
Valle de Bravo day trip
$91 ppCheck dates
$91 ppCheck dates
- From CDMX~2 h · 140 km
- Walk~40 min
- Tours from$91 pp
- AdvisoryUS Level 2
Three names, one area
Which Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary is open
Around Valle de Bravo there are several monarch sites: Piedra Herrada, El Capulín and Cerro Pelón. Piedra Herrada lies outside the core of the biosphere reserve and announces its season separately from the Michoacán sanctuaries; its 2026–27 opening was not confirmed when we checked in November 2026. It opened as usual last season.
Sources: Mexican press reports on the 2025–26 and 2026–27 seasons; GetYourGuide catalogue, Nov 2026.
Three ways to go
Monarch butterfly sanctuary Valle de Bravo tours from Mexico City
Three GetYourGuide tours cover this area from Mexico City. The shared day trip is the cheapest monarch tour on the platform and includes Piedra Herrada, a waterfall and free time in town. The private tour adds hotel pickup and a flexible start. The 7-day trip stays in Valle de Bravo and visits two sanctuaries.
Swipe · 3
Source: GetYourGuide tour pages and live prices, Nov 2026. Prices change by date.
Where the tours go
Piedra Herrada: the Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary tours visit
Piedra Herrada is the sanctuary on the shared day trip from Mexico City, about two hours by van. Guides describe a walk of roughly 40 minutes up through the forest; horses wait at the bottom, and many visitors ride up and walk back down. One guest on the day trip took the horse “since it was slippery and muddy.”
Entry is not included in the tour price: the operator lists about US$13 per person, paid on site. Last season the gates opened Monday to Friday 9:00–15:00 and at weekends from 8:00 (press report); confirm this season’s hours before you go.
Piedra Herrada day trip · $91~2 h
Mexico City to Piedra Herrada by van
~40 min
Walk up through the forest
Horses
Optional ride up, cash
~US$13
Entry per person, paid on site
No tours go here
Cerro Pelón monarch butterfly sanctuary near Valle de Bravo
Cerro Pelón is in Donato Guerra municipality, State of Mexico; visits are arranged from the village of Macheros. No GetYourGuide tour goes there, so you would need a car or local transport and a local guide. If you want a guided day from Mexico City, Piedra Herrada is the closest option with tours.
Make a day of it
Combining Valle de Bravo town with the monarch butterfly sanctuary
Both day tours pair the sanctuary with Valle de Bravo, a lakeside town of white-and-red colonial streets. On the shared day trip you visit Piedra Herrada in the morning, stop at the Bridal Veil (Velo de Novia) waterfall and get free time in town before the drive back. Guests report about five hours in the town, so expect a long day: 15.5 hours in total.
16:45 departureBarceló México Reforma
2Piedra Herrada~2 h by van, guided walk
3Bridal Veil fallswaterfall, ~20 min
4Valle de Bravofree time, lunch, shops
5Back to Reforma~2.5 h drive
On the shared day trip
Round-trip transportGuided visitWaterfall stopTown visitHotel pickupEntry (~US$13)
Source: GetYourGuide itinerary for the shared day trip; guest reviews, Nov 2026.
Three ways in
colonial street in Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo hillside and marina
forest road on the State of Mexico side
Getting to the Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary from Mexico City
Valle de Bravo is about 140 km from Mexico City, roughly 2 hours by road, the shortest monarch trip from the capital. Most visitors take the shared day trip from Paseo de la Reforma; a private tour picks you up at your hotel; driving yourself keeps you in the State of Mexico, which carries a lower US advisory level than Michoacán.
6:45 from Paseo de la Reforma
The cheapest option: a van leaves Barceló México Reforma at 6:45, takes about 2 hours to Piedra Herrada, then stops at the waterfall and Valle de Bravo before the drive back. Minimum two people per booking; entry, about US$13, is paid on site.
$91 ppmin 215.5 h
Day trip details →colonial street in Valle de BravoHotel pickup, start 7:00–12:00
A private car with an English-speaking driver-guide picks you up at your hotel, with fuel, tolls and water included. You choose the start time between 7:00 and 12:00; the operator does not name the sanctuary on its page.
from $223 pp10 hyour start time
Private tour details →Valle de Bravo hillside and marina~140 km, about 2 h
Driving takes about 2 hours from Mexico City. The State of Mexico is rated US Level 2, “exercise increased caution”. Check this season’s Piedra Herrada opening before you set off, as it was not confirmed in November 2026.
~2 hUS Level 2
Which sanctuary is open →forest road on the State of Mexico side
Staying a night or two?
More to do in Valle de Bravo besides the monarch butterfly sanctuary
Valle de Bravo has more to book than the monarchs, and this site doesn’t cover the lake town itself. If you plan to stay, these are GetYourGuide’s activities around Valle de Bravo.
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Closer vs bigger
Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary vs the Michoacán sanctuaries
Valle de Bravo is about 2 hours from Mexico City, its tours are the cheapest, and the State of Mexico has a lower US advisory level. The Michoacán sanctuaries, El Rosario and Sierra Chincua, are about 3.5 hours away. El Rosario had last season’s largest colony, and Sierra Chincua has the best-reviewed tour.
Sources: travel.state.gov (updated Aug 2025); WWF México / CONANP; GetYourGuide, Nov 2026.
Verified bookings · Valle de Bravo tours
Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary reviews
Guests on both Valle de Bravo tours praise patient guides and the horse option on muddy days. The shared day trip averages 4.1 stars from 19 reviews, and the private tour 3.9 from 8. Low scores mention a late pickup and a guide who didn’t show, so keep the booking confirmation handy.
Swipe · 5
JJames
★★★★★ 5.0
★★★★★ 5.0
“Eduardo was an amazing host! We were so excited to ride horses. He was extremely patient with the entire group.”
Valle de Bravo & Piedra Herrada day tripCheck dates →
LLaurie
★★★★★ 5.0
★★★★★ 5.0
“Humberto was a great guide, very kind to me when I was very slow climbing the mountain in the butterfly sanctuary. Well worth the trip and effort!”
Valle de Bravo & Piedra Herrada day tripCheck dates →
DDavid
★★★★★ 5.0
★★★★★ 5.0
“Gustavo was an excellent guide. We hiked 2 miles up a mountain to see the Monarchs butterflies.”
Valle de Bravo private tourCheck dates →
HHelene
★★★★★ 5.0
★★★★★ 5.0
“Mariana was an amazing tour guide. She was promptly on time, she stopped to accommodate our kid's potty breaks, she provided water for the long 3 hour journey.”
Valle de Bravo private tourCheck dates →
LLaura
★★★★☆ 4.0
★★★★☆ 4.0
“Super cool tour. Was not really prepared for cooler weather and muddy conditions. Was a cool partly cloudy day so wasn't as active as I have seen in videos but still stunning.”
Valle de Bravo private tourCheck dates →
Quick answers
Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary FAQ
When does Piedra Herrada open?
It announces its season separately from the Michoacán sanctuaries. It opened last season; the 2026–27 date was not confirmed in November 2026. Season →
How far is Valle de Bravo from Mexico City?
About 140 km, roughly 2 hours by road. Tours from Mexico City →
Which is closer to Valle de Bravo, Piedra Herrada or Cerro Pelón?
Piedra Herrada is the one tours from Mexico City reach; Cerro Pelón is in Donato Guerra municipality, reached via Macheros, with no tours. Cerro Pelón →
Can I do the sanctuary and Valle de Bravo in one day?
Yes. The shared day trip visits Piedra Herrada, a waterfall and the town in one 15.5-hour day. The day →
Is Cerro Pelón hard?
We could not confirm trail details from a reliable source; ask a local guide in Macheros before you go. Cerro Pelón →
Do tours leave from Valle de Bravo town?
No GetYourGuide tour starts in Valle de Bravo; all three start in Mexico City. Compare tours →
Are there horses at Piedra Herrada?
Yes, for the ride up, paid in cash. Many visitors ride up and walk down. Piedra Herrada →
Weekdays or weekends?
Weekdays are quieter at every sanctuary; weekends bring local families and groups. Crowds →
Cheapest from Mexico City · $91 pp
Check dates for the Valle de Bravo monarch butterfly sanctuary tour
Piedra Herrada, the Bridal Veil waterfall and free time in Valle de Bravo, leaving 6:45 from Paseo de la Reforma. Minimum two people per booking.
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