Mexico’s Monarch Migration: Butterflies, Local Heritage & More

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

Both a valid passport and a personal permit are required for entry into Mexico and returning to the United States. Non-U.S. citizens please check with Mexican Consulate and U.S. Immigration for individual requirements. Passport must not expire within six months of travel date. The permit (FMM-Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is included in your flight fare and is provided by the airline during your international flight. Upon entering Mexico, it is stamped by the Immigration Bureau. It is important to keep the permit with you, it must be returned at flight check in upon departure from Mexico. If you enter Mexico by land, you must process this permit at the border at a cost of approximately $25 USD.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

No inoculations are required for Mexico. All drinking water and ice served in restaurants, homes, etc. is purified. DO NOT drink water out of the tap.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on December 7, 2026

Meet the group at Zocalo Central Hotel in Mexico City

Start of Trip:  3:00 p.m. hotel check-in; 6:00 p.m. Orientation followed by Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: Participants who purchased air with Road Scholar: Pass through immigration and customs and pick up your luggage. Exit the gate and look for the red Road Scholar sign. Your Group Leader will be waiting for you to board a vehicle that will take you to the hotel. Flights should arrive by 3:00 p.m. in order to arrive in time for the 6:00 p.m. welcome dinner. If you purchased your air through Road Scholar, the transfer will be provided for you. Independent Travelers: PRIVATE TAXIS - recommended Taxis, both private and collective, are the best means of transportation for your transfer from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to the hotel where the program starts. Taxi services are located at the international and domestic entrances at Terminals 1 and 2. In both cases, taxi tickets are sold at the modules located in the Baggage Claim area and in the walkway areas. Many companies offer the service, all are similar. Price is approximately $30-$35 USD per cab. Driving time is approximately 45 min with average traffic to reach the hotel. HOTEL SHUTTLE: Not recommended. Charges a fee for the service, must reserve ahead of time, and generally requires a 30 mins-1 hour wait time at the airport.

Your trip ends on: Monday, December 14, 2026 in Mexico City at Hotel Fiesta Inn Ciudad de Mexico Aeropuerto

End of Trip: 12:00 Noon after breakfast; 12:00 Noon hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: The last overnight is at an airport hotel in Mexico City includes courtesy transfer to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of the Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez MEX

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.