NEED HELP WITH DAY OF THE DEAD AND BUTTERFLIES TRIP
 

Hello Fellow Travelers! I'd like to take my 20-something kids on a trip to Mexico that would include one of the Day of the Dead festivals, seeing the monarch butterflies, Xcaret Eco Theme Park, Mayan ruins and other outdoorsy adventures.

I'm usually good at planning, but I'm finding it so confusing trying to understand where things are relative to each other and how to get around. I'd like to fly in and out of Cancun if possible.

I'm also concerned to know what the safety issues would be. The monarchs are rural, right, and is that area a hotspot for cartel activity? How about normal-day and festival street crime?

I appreciate any wisdom anyone can share! Thank you so much.

We saw the monarch butterflies several years ago. They aren't located anywhere near Cancun. We were staying in Morelia which is a few hours north of Mexico City in the mountains.

While I love Mexico with all my heart I "do" the Monarchs in the Monterrey California area & Dia de Muertos (I am told no Los) in Oakland, California's Fruitvale area.
The butterflies are by the thousands there & much easier to get to & the Oakland Fete is truly done with dignity & honor the day deserves with well over 100,000 folks attending, hundreds of alters, exhibits & more at this liquor free family event.

Couple things. First, Morelia is not north of CDMX, it's west. And as Susan mentioned, the butterflies are some 1000 miles by air from Cancun. The butterflies can be found in the Angangueo area, roughly halfway between CDMX and Morelia. You can easily get flights to/from MEX/CUN. Check Volaris and Interjet for the best fares.
If you're planning on DOD activity anywhere near Patzcuaro, you may be hard pressed to find lodging at this late date if you're planning this trip for 2016.
Don't expect 007's DOD in CDMX.
Security is always an issue during such events, but it'll be pretty much limited to pickpockets and such. Cartels are not a problem in tourist areas.
If you're set on the butterflies, do some googling and contact lodgings in the butterfly area(s) for advice on how to best get to their location, and status on the arrival of the butterflies.

I visited Morelia last March and took a daytrip to see the monarchs. Even from Morelia, it is a long drive. There was no visible cartel activity and no visible street crime. We then drove to Patzcuaro. Highly recommended but you are probably too late to make booking for Patzcuaro DOD this year unless you can join a small tour. And in no way should you fly into Cancun to do this.

Stew, the OP is going to be in Cancun. So you think its going to be easier for her to fly to California? Than to Mexico City? There is also a monarch flyway in the Missouri river valley. That would be closer than California.

Thank you so much, everyone!!! I realize now how far away the official butterfly reserve is from Cancun - Duh! Oddly, though, Cancun is on their migratory path to the mountains in Central Mexico. I wonder if the butterfly pavilion in Xcaret Eco Park gets a lot of them stopping for a rest.

Also - in trying to make this Cancun-centric (Frontier flights from Philly there are very economical) - there is a place near there rated in the top 10 locations for DOD. It's Pac Chen. Anyone been there for that festival or anytime? It seems very rustic - did not have electricity until 2007 I believe. I don't want to intrude on them if they're not really looking for visitors for their Day of the Dead observance.

Only a thought Baldone as I do not know where the OP lives but also with lot of flights from almost anywhere in the US it is a easy contact.
Obviously Cancun would not be included on such a trip which I did not think necessary to state. I would not include Cancun with any trip to the butterfly sanctuaries or Patzcuaro unless you loved "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium".
PS As you know I grew up along the Mississippi flyway & it "ain't" even close to The West coat one.

OMG! Of course Morelia is not north of Mexico City. My mind was saying one thing and my fingers typed something else ......

Sounds lovely!!! The monarchs continue up on their journey to Sabine Pass Texas!
You can also get 2 mifi devices that will keep all 20 devices connected at www.mitraveldata.com I know that many of you will want to be posting the amazing picures to instagram!

Haha. She doesn't have 20 kids with devices... You only wish ... so she could pay you more for your services. Ads not allowed.

Stew, I was curious about the 'muertos' v 'los muertos'. It seems that in Latin America when 2 nouns are joined by 'de' it is the custom to omit the definite article 'los'. However, in Castilian Spanish, the practice is to include it. So, from an academic standpoint 'Dia De Los Muertos' is probably more correct since the Royal Academy favors the Castilian Spanish. But for practical purposes, Mexicans omit the 'los' but both would be correct and of course understood.