Picture a mountain forest in Mexico at the end of a long trip. Not your trip, but the monarchs’, which finish their winter migration in the oyamel forests of Michoacán each year. One Texas travel company plans to bring its first group there next February, and it already has dates for the trip after that.
The company is Traverse Journeys, a female-founded outfit in Austin that plans small-group trips and custom travel around local partnerships. Its butterfly retreat is brand new for 2027, and so is a women’s trek in Chilean Patagonia. The company said both trips are nearly sold out.
Mexico’s Monarch Retreat Adds 2028 Dates Before Its First Run
Traverse’s inaugural Monarch Butterfly Retreat runs Feb. 20-24, 2027. The company reported strong demand and has already released 2028 dates.
Two guided sanctuary outings pair travelers with expert local conservationists. You can go on foot or on horseback. Yoga happens daily, and meals use locally sourced food.
The group also spends time with the community of Macheros, whose artisans and small businesses share a close link to the health of the reserves.
Patagonia, Egypt, Cyprus and Jordan Round Out the Lineup
- Patagonia W-Trek Women’s Retreat, April 18-24, 2027: Longtime retreat leader Kim Jeffs, a licensed therapist and somatic coach, leads this one-time departure, her fifth retreat with the company. In Patagonia, the group hikes roughly 45 miles of the W Trek through Torres del Paine National Park with a local, certified trekking guide. The trip also includes a day at a working Patagonian estancia and a boutique fjord lodge stay to celebrate.
- Egypt Reimagined, March 14-22, 2027: This new itinerary looks at living Egypt as much as ancient Egypt. Travelers cycle into the Dahshour countryside to see lesser-known pyramids and share tea in a colorful Nubian village. They also meet local artisans and women entrepreneurs and tour the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
- Cyprus Adventure Retreat, April 17-25, 2027: Retreat leader Allison Kirsch hosts a trip that mixes hiking and food with mountain villages, mythology and Mediterranean culture. Traverse describes Cyprus as still under the radar for much of the U.S. market.
- Taste & Trails of Jordan, returning in May and October: Traverse saw renewed interest in Jordan after a successful 2026 group departure. Past travelers praised how safe and welcomed they felt the whole way.
Custom Trip Requests Are Spiking, Even for Alaska
Traverse can customize nearly all of its itineraries for private groups of two or more, and demand in that category is rising.
“I think people are looking for flexibility in when they’re able to travel and how they want to experience a place,” founder and CEO Ashley Blake said.
“Just this year, we’ve had a spike in custom travel itineraries for Morocco, France and Jordan as well as custom retreat groups, business retreats and even places that we don’t traditionally offer such as Alaska.”
If the 2027 butterfly retreat fills up, don’t panic. The monarchs make this trip every winter, and Traverse already has 2028 on the books. That’s a full extra year to plan and grab a spot.