The Houston Museum of Natural Science presents:
The Monarch Butterfly Migration, a tour to Mexico
with Dr. Nancy Greig

5 nights/6 days, February 2004

Back by popular demand - a trip to central Mexico to experience the spectacular and unique overwintering site of millions of monarch butterflies!

Like many songbirds, monarch butterflies avoid the lethal cold of our northern winters by migrating south to warmer climes. But unlike songbirds, where the young birds born in the north follow their parents back to their overwintering grounds in Central and South America, the migrating generation of monarchs has no-one to follow. Two or three generations have passed since the previous year's migration; the migrants must follow signals in their genetic memory to reach a site that may be over a thousand miles from their birthplace...... This is a truly amazing feat for an insect that weighs about as much as a paper clip! Yet year after year, millions of butterflies return to the same nine sites high in the Sierra Nevada mountains of central Mexico.

The packing of individuals in the monarch overwintering sites is astounding. A single tree bough may hold from 15,000 to 20,000 butterflies; branches are bent and even broken with the combined weight of these fragile creatures. The different colonies, which range in extent from a few trees to several acres of forest, are thought to contain between 5 and 6 million butterflies per acre; the combined total may reach as many as 250 million individuals. On warm days in late February and early March, shortly before the spring northward migration begins, millions of monarchs begin to fly around the colonies, mating, visiting flowers, and drinking water from small streams, creating an orange "snowstorm" of butterflies. This is truly one of the biological wonders of the world.

In addition to seeing this incredible natural phenomenon, we will also visit some of Mexico's loveliest colonial towns.

Dr. Nancy Greig, our trip leader, has served as director of the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science since 1994. She has visited the monarch colonies several times, and is a member of Monarch Watch, a non-profit group that helps to monitor the migration (see www.monarchwatch.org for information on this organization and on monarch butterflies). Before coming to the museum she lived and worked in a number of places in Central America, including Mexico. Her academic background is in tropical plant ecology and insect-plant interactions, but she is enthusiastic about all aspects of natural history.

Out trip includes:

• 3 nights at the Hotel Rancho San Cayetano (about 1/2 hour's drive from the monarch sanctuary). Situated on 12 acres of woodland just outside of the city of Zitacuaro in Michoacan, this charming hotel has six double rooms and three comfortable chalets. The accomodations surround a swimming pool and garden and offer views of the adjacent ravine and river. The hotel owners are French, and provide wonderful meals blending the best of Mexican and French cuisine.
• 2 nights at Posada Carmina in San Miguel de Allende. This delightful 18th century colonial mansion, now a 23 room hotel, is located only a few steps from San Miguel's central square (Jardin) and the famous Parroquia church. Hosts Dona Carmina and her son truly know the meaning of hospitality and the art of serving delicious food. Meals are served "al fresco" around a large patio filled with lush orange trees and bordered by a "cantera" stone arcade.

The Monarch Butterfly Migration Day 1: Tuesday, February 24: A direct flight takes us from Houston to Mexico City. There, our driver and guide will meet us for the transfer to the Hotel Rancho San Cayetano in Zitacuaro, which will be our home for the first three nights. Day 2: Wednesday, February 25: We will take the entire day to explore the wonders of the El Rosario sanctuary for the monarch butterflies. This is a chance to enjoy nature at its finest; the photo opportunities are exceptional so be sure to bring a camera! Day 3: Thursday, February 26: This morning we will visit San Felipe, an archeological dig as we make our way towards our second butterfly sighting spot - El Capulin. We have a choice to hike or ride on horseback into the sanctuary. We find the butterflies beside a meadow in a pine forest overlooking a deep valley. The cool clear air fills with butterflies as the sun provides the required warmth. This is truly a magical experience you will never forget. Day 4: Friday, February 27: In the morning we'll transfer to the Posada Carmina in San Miguel de Allende. In the afternoon you may take a city tour, and will have free time to explore and shop in some of the town's many charming shops full of Mexican artesania. Day 5: Saturday, February 28: Some people may wish to continue to explore San Miguel on their own, but we'll also offer trips to the adjacent towns of Guanajuato and Dolores Hidalgo. The latter is famous for its talavera pottery. Day 6: Sunday, February 29: Today we say "Adios" to Mexico, transferring to the airport in nearby Leon for our return flight to Houston. Please contact Graham Farebrother, 713 807 9620, Amy Featherstone 713 639 4744 or Dr. Nancy Greig 713 639 4678 for additional information. Print this Itinerary You can download a print-friendly version of this itinerary in PDF format by clicking here. Click here for your Reservation Form Dates: February 24th - 29th 2004 Prices: $1,695 per person. Including your flights from Houston and return. All accommodations as listed in the itinerary. All prices are per person, double occupancy and subject to availability, change, holiday/seasonal supplements, and any restrictions that may apply. Required travel Insurance: $97 per person Single Supplement upon request Not Included: Any items of a personal nature, such as gratuities, meals not specifically included in the detailed itinerary, gifts, telephone calls and similar expenses. Passports and visas