Dorothy and I have been driving around Mexico for more than 35 years, and there are certain sights that still stop us in our tracks no matter how many times we’ve seen them. A sky full of hot air balloons drifting silently over the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon at sunrise is one of them. It’s one of those experiences that photographs don’t quite do justice to — you really do have to stand there and watch it happen.
Getting there
Teotihuacán is an easy one-hour drive from Mexico City, which makes it one of the most accessible bucket-list experiences anywhere in the country. You don’t need to plan an expedition — just an early alarm.
Booking your flight
Balloon flights over Teotihuacán are bookable right through your hotel — no need to hunt down a separate tour operator once you’re there. Ask when you check in, or arrange it a day or two ahead if you want to be sure of a spot.
What the morning looks like
Pick-up is early, well before sunrise. You’re driven out to Globoport, the balloon launch site near the pyramids, where the balloons are already being laid out and inflated. Once they’re up, crews escort each group of travellers to their designated balloon — there are usually several balloons launching together, which is part of what makes the sight so spectacular once you’re airborne and can see the others drifting alongside you.
Music plays throughout the whole experience, from the drive out to the moment you’re hovering over the ancient city itself, watching the sun come up over pyramids that have stood there for close to two thousand years.
One small piece of advice: take your phone up with you, and call someone you love while you’re airborne. Let them share the moment with you in real time. It’s the kind of experience that’s better when someone else gets to hear you react to it.
Watch it before you go
We put together a short video from photos taken on flights over the pyramids — balloons inflating in the pre-dawn light, the burners firing, and that unforgettable view once you’re up over the ancient city.
One thing to sort out before you leave
However you’re getting to Teotihuacán — as a day trip from Mexico City or as part of a longer Mexico road trip — make sure your Mexican auto insurance is arranged before you go. Canadian and U.S. policies generally do not satisfy Mexico’s liability requirements, so this is something we prefer to sort out before reaching the border.
See our Mexico auto insurance guide and compare coverage options here.
We may receive a commission if you purchase through our insurance links, at no additional cost to you.
Put Teotihuacán by balloon on your Mexico bucket list. It’s an easy add from Mexico City, and it’s the kind of morning that’s hard to describe properly until you’ve floated over it yourself.
Drive Mexico – Best Travels
Photography by Bill Bell
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