Read more about your trip with Explora Latin America
Booking payment / Cancellation policy
For group tours, a 10% down-payment of the total price is required to secure your spot. The remaining 90% is due 90 days before trip start. Please note that the down-payment is not refundable. We recommend to purchase a travel insurance within 14 days of booking, to secure your investment. For private tours the payment plan is individually arranged.
Group size
We believe that traveling in a small group provides everyone with a better experience. Generally, our tours have a maximum of 14 people.
Hikes at the monarch reserves
The hikes at the monarch reserves take place at about 3000meter/10.000 feet. You will notice that the air is a bit thinner at this altitude and that your breathing might be a bit harder. We are planning our hikes in a way, that your body can adjust to the conditions and that you can walk at your own pace. This is crucial to not be affected by the altitude. At each reserve are horses available to help you with the majority of the hike, if you wish.
For the Monarch Butterfly Tour it is recommended to be able to hike about 3-4 miles on partly uneven and rocky terrain and sometimes steep inclines closer to the clusters.
Please see also our detailed description of the monarch reserves.
Horses at the monarch reserves
There are horses available at each reserve. After we have informed you about the hiking trail, you can option to get the help of a horse for parts of the hike. Please be aware that you will always have to hike the last stretch of the trail, as the horses are not allowed to go all the way to the clusters. Each horse comes with a guide, who generally is also the horse owner. By hiring their service you directly support the local community. Price for horses in 2026 are 200pesos each way (about 12 USD) and you pay the horse owner in cash. We will be there to assist you.
Insurance
It is mandatory to have a travel health insurance for the duration of the trip. We strongly recommend that the insurance you choose covers repatriation and emergency rescue as well as personal liability, cancellation and loss of luggage and personal effects. Bear in mind that you will not be able to join the trip if you do not hold a travel insurance. We will collect the details of your policy on arrival day.
Itinerary Disclaimer
We will be traveling in a part of the world where things sometimes function differently than back at home. Although our intention is to follow the itinerary as close as possible, unexpected incidents out of our control might force us to slightly change the itinerary. You can be assured that our main concern is your safety and that you will have a wonderful experience and that we will always do our bests to create an amazing holiday for you.
Money
It is advised to always have some cash on you for smaller purchases. Furthermore, some of the areas we visit don't offer payments by card and won't have ATMs available. Your tour leader will inform you in advance how much local currency you should plan in for the upcoming days.
Optional Activities
Overall, our tours are designed in the way that they include all essential and important activities. Depending on the tour, there might be the option of adding individual activities. Your tour leader will inform you about your options in each place and help you decide what to do and can assist with the booking.
Passport and visas
You need a passport valid for at least 6 more months upon arrival in Mexico. In terms of visas, USA and Canada citizens and most western European nationalities do not need a visa. Nevertheless, please contact the embassies of the countries we visit on our tours for an up to date visa requirement for your nationality. Having the valid documents is your own responsibility.
Tour Leaders
Our tour leaders will be there with you from day 1 of your trip until your departure day. They will be in charge of all the logistics and activities included in the itinerary and assist you with whatever you might need. Our intention is to take all the hassle out of your holiday so you have time to enjoy every minute of it. They will be there for you 24 hours a day and share their knowledge about the places you are visiting. At archeological sites and at the butterfly reserves we work together with certified guides and ejidatarios.
Tipping
It is customary to tip in the regions we are visiting and people taking care of you will appreciate it in exchange of good service. A lot of employees have a low wage and rely on tips.
In restaurants 10 to 20 % is recommendable. For guides in the ruins 3 to 5 USD (50-100 MXN).
Private van driver a few dollars too (50-100 MXN/day).
Maids 2 USD per night (30-40 MXN).
When in doubt your Tour Leader will assist you.
Transport
We are mostly traveling on private air-conditioned vehicles. Depending on the tour, we might use also private boats, ferries and/or taxis.
What to bring?
A brief list of important things to bring. About 3 months before trip start, we will send you a detailed packing list.
- USD or EU cash
- Credit and/or debit cards (inform your bank you will be using them outside your country)
- Passport (with photocopies)
- Travel insurance (with photocopies)
- Camera and memory cards (if you still use one)
- Reading/writing material
- Head phones (so you can listen to your own choice of music or an audio book during travel hours)
- Money belt
- Adaptor for electronic devices according to your country (if you are coming from the US or Canada, you won't need one)
- Sunblock (preferably biodegradable)
- Fleece top
- Windproof/waterproof jacket
- light hiking or trail running shoes
- Small towel and swim wear
- Sun hat
- Headlamp
- Small padlock for bag
- Waterproof cover for backpack/duffel
- Insect repellent (we suggest natural as opposed to DEET based products)
- Refillable water bottle
- Personal medication
- First-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
Extend your stay
Extend your stay at our start or finishing destination. We are happy to send an email with recommendations with activities, restaurants and other useful tips for your extra time.