Every winter, cloud forests in central Mexico play host to millions, perhaps a billion monarch butterflies. This aggregation of monarchs ranks as one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles on the planet. When masses of butterflies take flight, the beating of their wings sounds like rain falling. The cumulative weight of massive monarch clusters on oyamel fir trees bends branches.
Journey to the heart of Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Reserve with award-winning photographer Cheryl Opperman. This small group photographic expedition offers unparalleled access with the maximum amount of time possible in the heart of the monarch reserve.
Journey into a captivating world of sunswept limestone contours, mysterious ancient architecture, majestic elk crossing misty waters, and the crimson cheeks of a curious child captured through the eye of award-winning photographer Cheryl Opperman. Her bold images provide a vivid bridge directly into the heart of countries, indigenous peoples, wildlife, and landscapes spanning the globe.
An extensive list of credits for organizations and publications including the American Humane Association, Overseas Adventure Travel, The Denver Post, Ducks Unlimited, Apple and the National Geographic Society result from her alluring exploration of over 20 countries on seven continents. Cheryl’s esthetic compositions, artistic use of light, and exquisite detail have been honored with several prestigious awards including the Grand Prize in the professional category of the “Ultimate Image of Earth” international contest for Earth Day 2000, the “People in Nature” Category Winner in the 2003 Nature’s Best International Photography Awards, First Place for Travel/Tourism photography in the 2004 International Photography Awards, First Place “Birds” in the professional category of the 2006 National Wildlife Photography Awards, and the “Wildlife” Category Winner in the 2015 Windland Smith Rice International Awards. She has been interviewed on camera by 9News television in Denver, Colorado, the Luminous Landscape and Smithsonian Earth. She was also featured as a leading female nature photographer by Outdoor Photographer Magazine.
Her photographs have been displayed in solo and group exhibitions across the country at notable venues including the Temple Hoyne Buell Theater, Boettcher Concert Hall, and Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.
Employing the power of photography to inspire interest in the environment and other cultures, she has presented slide shows or classes on various topics to schools, camera clubs, the Intermountain Regional Headquarters of the National Park Service, the North American Nature Photography Association, and the Crane Trust. Cheryl is a 1992 honors graduate of Brooks Institute of Photographyholding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial/Scientific photography.
Most butterfly sanctuaries in Mexico have visitation time limits around 20 minutes. As long as the butterflies return to the same locations, we have SPECIAL access to reserves that allow us to stay longer. This additional time makes it possible to wait for ideal lighting conditions and butterfly activity.
Our local guides are experts on the habitat and behavior of these magical monarchs and share their wealth of knowledge to make sure you take home the images you want while also protecting these fragile environments.
Our small group size of only 6 photographers also makes for a much better experience at a very reasonable cost that is competitive with most companies offering similar itineraries with larger group sizes.
If you prefer private accommodations on single occupancy basis, add $995.
Upon arrival to Mexico City, we’ll be met by your local guide for the transfer to our hotel. Our hotel tonight is on the west side of town so that we may avoid traffic leaving the city tomorrow morning.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Express Santa Fe or similar
Meals: Welcome Dinner