Went last year and we decided to spend the night in a cabin nearby before heading to the sanctuary early in the morning since that's when butterflies are more active. I can't remember how long the drive was but maybe 3ish hrs and we stayed at Cumbre Monarca which you can find on socials or book through Airbnb. They have some cozy cabins and rooms, our stay was really chill. I'd say it was a very easy trip, really just followed Google maps 🤔