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    Forested mountains of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve at Sierra Chincua, Santuario Sierra Chincua, Michoacán

    Photo by Rafael Saldaña, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Entrance plaza with wooden posts below the fir forest at Sierra Chincua, Cerro Prieto, Santuario Sierra Chincua, Michoacán

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Souvenir shops and restaurant at the Sierra Chincua sanctuary entrance, Santuario Sierra Chincua, Michoacán

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Monarch butterflies feeding on yellow flowers, Santuario Sierra Chincua, Michoacán

    Photo by Fperezgo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Sign for the monarch butterfly sanctuary at Sierra Chincua, Cerro Prieto, Santuario Sierra Chincua, Michoacán

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Nature reserve Michoacán Monarch Butterfly country

    A quieter monarch sanctuary north of Angangueo, with a gentler trail, horses, and a visitor center with food stalls and a zip line.

    From Zitácuaro: 50 min by car (44 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Where to stay near Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Hotel Jardín Hotel · 5.7 km from the center Prices Hotel Juárez Hotel · 5.9 km from the center Prices
    Hotels in Angangueo Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Day trips and guided outings from Angangueo often include Santuario Sierra Chincua; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Morelia Morelia City Tour ★ 4.9 (115) · From US$33
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide Tours from Angangueo

    How to get to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    • From Zitácuaro: about 50 min by road (~44 km)
    • 6 km north of Angangueo
    • Nearest airport: Morelia (MLM), 1 h 42 min by car to Angangueo
    Rent a car at MLM Flights to MLM

    Route, map and directions ↓

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Tours from Morelia, near Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Morelia City Tour ★ 4.9 (115) 3 h From US$33
    Monarch Butterfly Tour (Departing from Morelia) ★ 5.0 (63) 9–10 h From US$200
    Pátzcuaro Tour From Morelia ★ 5.0 (43) 8 h From US$113
    Patzcuaro & Janitzio Private Tour ★ 5.0 (33) 8 h From US$83
    Monarch Butterfly Private Tour (Morelia) ★ 5.0 (32) 8 h From US$371

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Sierra Chincua is the second great monarch butterfly sanctuary near Angangueo, in the high forests north of town on the way to Senguio and Tlalpujahua. It sits in the central part of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, and it was one of the overwintering areas named in the 1986 decree that first protected the butterflies' forests. The land ranges from about 2,400 to 3,600 meters above sea level and is covered in oyamel fir, pine and oak.

    From November to March, millions of monarchs that flew in from Canada and the United States hang in clusters from the firs. Chincua usually draws fewer visitors than El Rosario, and its trail is longer but less steep, which makes it a good choice for families and for anyone who finds the climb at El Rosario too hard.

    The visitor center has a parking area, small restaurants, craft stalls and a few adventure activities, so a visit can easily fill half a day.

    How to get to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Drive from Zitácuaro: 50 min, 44 km

    The visitor center is about 10 km from Angangueo, roughly 20 minutes by car on the mountain road north toward Senguio and Tlalpujahua. During the season, taxis and pickups from Angangueo can take you. Visits are with a local guide, and the sanctuary usually closes at the end of March.

    6 km north of Angangueo

    Directions from Angangueo on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Santuario Sierra Chincua on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    From the nearest cities to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Santuario Sierra Chincua: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    150 pesos for adults and 100 for children in the 2025–26 season (the same rate as El Rosario). ADN40 (Nov 2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    Plan on about an hour each way from the entrance to the main colonies, on foot or on horseback. Tus Buenas Noticias (Nov 2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Late morning to mid-afternoon on a sunny day; before 10 am and after 4 pm the butterflies sit still in the cold. México Desconocido (2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    Open only in the monarch season: the 2025–26 season opened here on November 21, 2025 and ran to March 30, 2026. Clusters are densest from mid-December to late January. Uno TV (Nov 2025); México Desconocido (2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Certified local guides work the sanctuary's marked trails; ask at the entrance. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide ADN40 (Jan 2026) · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Warm layers, good non-slip shoes and water. México Desconocido (2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    No flash and no drones, keep quiet near the colonies, don't touch the butterflies or their branches, and stay on the marked trails. ADN40 (Jan 2026) · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Santuario Sierra Chincua: what to see and do

    Walk or ride a horse with a local guide along the forest trail to the colonies, roughly 2 to 3.5 km each way.
    Watch the butterflies take off from the firs when the sun comes out around midday.
    Try the zip line, hanging bridges or climbing wall at the visitor center.
    Warm up with mushroom soup or quesadillas at the food stalls before heading back.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Hotel Jardín Hotel · 5.7 km from the center Find on Expedia Hotel Juárez Hotel · 5.9 km from the center Find on Expedia Paso de la Monarca Hotel · 5.9 km from the center Find on Expedia Don Bruno Hotel · 6.3 km from the center Find on Expedia
    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Angangueo often include Santuario Sierra Chincua; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at MLM (Morelia): about 1 h 42 min by road to Angangueo, then 6 km more to Santuario Sierra Chincua, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Morelia (MLM), about 1 h 42 min by road from Angangueo, the base for Santuario Sierra Chincua.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on hiking at Santuario Sierra Chincua, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Angangueo: download a map of the way to Santuario Sierra Chincua before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.

    Photos

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    When to go to Santuario Sierra Chincua cool

    Santuario Sierra Chincua shares the climate of Angangueo, 6 km away. The best months to visit are February, March, April, and November.

    See the month-by-month climate of Angangueo

    Make Angangueo your base

    Neo-Gothic facade of the Templo de San Simón with Christmas stars over the street, Angangueo, Michoacán cool
    Michoacán Angangueo

    Santuario Sierra Chincua is an easy trip from Angangueo, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Santuario Sierra Chincua

    All 8 towns and sights around Angangueo →

    Near Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Santuario Sierra Chincua

    Nature Parks in Michoacán · 6 Nature Parks near Tlalpujahua · 7 Nature Parks near Zitácuaro · 7 Nature Parks near Ciudad Hidalgo · 6 Nature Parks near Valle de Bravo · 9 Nature Parks near Acámbaro · 4

    Something wrong or missing on this page? Suggest a fix or addition

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.