Camping area
Camping
Your tent in a watched area, with bathrooms and a fire pit. The choice for groups of friends.
From$250 / person
IN SEASON · 29 NIGHTS LEFT
The forest lights up three months a year.
Firefly watching in the fir forests of Nanacamilpa. A guided walk in silence, with no lights. Afterwards, a cabin that fits whatever you brought.
29
Nights left this season
jun — aug
Rainy season
$270
Per person · walk
2 h
Guided walk
What to expect
Not a show. A forest courting.
Fireflies come out when rain soaks the floor of the fir forest. Males and females look for each other with flashes: thousands, at once, among the trees. You walk slowly, without lamps, with a local guide who knows the sanctuary.
i.
Arrival at dusk
We meet between 7:00 and 8:00 pm. Check-in, café de olla and the sanctuary briefing.
ii.
Walking in the dark
Small groups, marked trails. Your eyes take ten minutes to open up to the night.
iii.
The clearing
We stop. Nobody speaks. This is the part no one manages to explain afterwards.
iv.
Back to the cabin
Only minutes away. If you came for the night only, there is plenty of time to hit the road.
Fir forest trail at dusk
Before you go in
- No lamps, flash or lit screens.
- No repellent or perfume: it drives them away.
- Low voices. Noise interrupts the courtship.
- Closed shoes, a sweater and a light rain jacket.
- Never touch or catch a firefly.
Cabins
Tell us your budget. We place you.
We work with several cabins in town and in the forest. There is no single rate: tell us what you are bringing and how many you are, and we place you in the one that fits best.
Rustic cabin
Rustic
Wood, fireplace and two beds. For couples or four people who are not after luxury.
From$900 / night
Family cabin
Family
Up to eight people, full kitchen and grill. The first one to go on weekends.
From$1,600 / night
Reference rates · to be confirmed with the operator
Packages
Three ways to come.
i.
Firefly walk only
Two-hour guided walk. Come, watch and drive back the same night.
$270Per person
ii.
Full night
One night in a cabin for two, firefly walk included and breakfast in town.
$1,290Two people
iii.
Weekend
Two nights, firefly walk and a pulquería visit. For groups and families.
$2,450From · 4 people
Reference prices · the firefly walk stays at $270 per person
Tinacal at a local pulquería
Other experiences
By day, pulque.
A guided visit to a local pulquería: the maguey, the scraping of aguamiel, the tinacal and a taste of curados. Add it to any package or book it on its own.
Ask about the pulqueríaGallery
The place, unfiltered.
Forest
Inside a cabin
Group on the trail
Food and café de olla
Campfire
The town of Nanacamilpa
What people say
I had never seen anything like it this close to the city. My kids went quiet for twenty minutes, which is a miracle already.
We told him our budget and he found us a cabin that same Friday. All over WhatsApp, no back and forth.
The guide knew the name of every tree. The pulquería the next day sealed it.
Sample testimonials · replace with real reviews
Getting here
Closer than you think.
Mexico City1 h 50 min
Puebla1 h 20 min
Tlaxcala city50 min
Nanacamilpa de Mariano Arista, Tlaxcala. Take federal highway 117; the last stretch to the sanctuary is well-kept dirt road. We send the exact location once you are confirmed.
Open in Google MapsAccess map to Nanacamilpa de Mariano Arista
Frequently asked
What everyone asks.
Can I take photos?
Not inside the sanctuary. Flash and screen light interrupt the courtship, and phone cameras cannot capture them anyway. Bring your memory, not your lens.
Is it good for kids?
Yes, from six years old they walk it fine. It is an hour and a half on foot, in the dark and in the cold. Under three cannot enter the trail.
What if it rains?
Even better. Rain is what brings them out. The walk happens anyway with a rain jacket; we only suspend for electric storms and then we reschedule.
What should I bring?
Closed shoes, a thick sweater, a light rain jacket and the patience to walk slowly. No repellent, perfume or lamps.
Do I need to book ahead?
Yes. Nightly capacity is limited and July weekends fill up weeks in advance. Bookings are made over WhatsApp.
Is there anything to do off season?
The cabins and the pulquería run all year, and the fir forest can be walked by day in any month. Ask us what is on that weekend.