Mexico City Is Better Viewed From The Air (In A Hot Air Balloon)

There are many ways to see and explore a country or region and one of the best is from the air. The hot air balloon rides in Mexico City are not so much balloon rides of Mexico City itself, but rather the archeological attractions around the mega-metropolis of the Teotihuacan Valley. It is very surreal to bob around in the crisp morning sky in a basket dangling from a balloon while looking down at the ruins of a civilization that lived thousands of years ago.

Famously one of the best places in the world for hot air balloon rides is over Cappadocia in Turkey. And there are certainly many good reasons why one should take a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia - an utterly remarkable park of the world. In the United States, one of the best places is in the Rockies in Colorado (the USA doesn't have many ancient ruins like Cappadocia and Teotihuacan that can be admired from the air).

Teotihuacan From The Air

Teotihuacan is an ancient pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city famous for its stunning ruins. It is located just 25 miles northeast of Mexico City and is known for having many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids surviving today.

At the city's zenith (around 1 AD to 500 AD) Teotihuacan was the largest city in the Western Hemisphere and had a population of around 125,000 (making it the sixth-largest city in the world at the time).

Fun Fact: Hot Air Balloons Were The First Form Of Controlled Flying Invented by The French long Before The Wright Brothers

The city was sacked systematically burned at around 550 AD but may have lingered on to sometime between the 7th and 8th centuries.

Teotihuacan: Famous For Its Pyramids and Was Once The Largest City in the Americas
Abandoned: Teotihuacan Was Abandoned Sometime Between the 7th and 8th Centuries

It began as a major religious center of the Mexican Highlands and was home to multi-floor apartment compounds so that it could accommodate its large population. Today it is one of the best places in Mexico to enjoy a scenic hot air balloon flight.

It may come as a surprise to many but the second-largest pyramid in the world (after the Great Pyramid of Giza) is the Great Pyramid of Cholula. It was made of mud and so large the Spanish thought it was a hill and built a church on it.

Hot Air Ballooning In Teotihuacan

Hot air balloon flights offer beautiful panoramic views set against the beautiful blue morning sky of Teotihuacan. The flight packages typically include morning coffee and tea, private transportation from one's hotel (needs to be in the pick-up area), and passenger insurance.

Photographs are normally priced separately and tickets do not include access to the archeological sites (but they are often optional extras to the tickets). Often there are other tours that can be purchased as part of the package - like post-flight bike rides and walking tours.

Duration: These Flights Are Typically 3 to 5 Hours
Languages: Most Flights Are Available in English and Spanish

There are plenty of hot air balloon flights listed on Tripadvisor. One can browse there or book directly with the tour company.

Volare Hot Air Balloons

One of the hot air balloon companies in the area is Volare. They offer the chance for visitors to discover the Teotihuacan Valley and its rich archaeological past from the sky floating around in a balloon.

Their most popular option is to share the balloon with other travelers. They also offer Family Private Balloon flights and Privat Balloon Flights for two.

Price: $2,700 MXN ($132 USD) Per Person Shared Flight
When: Every Day (Weather permitting)

Volare also has a number of special services for special occasions. For birthday flights they have a happy birthday basket sign, as well as a giant happy birthday sign during the flight. Plus they have a birthday cake to share.

If the occasion is a marriage proposal then they display a giant sign during the flight with the message "Will you marry me?" and a bouquet of roses.

Sky Balloons Mexico

Another local company is Sky Balloons Mexico. They offer both shared and private flights of Teotihuacan. Their most popular option is the shared hot air balloon flight. These packages include traditional toast Cava Freixenet, a flight diploma with one's name, breakfast, and insurance during the balloon flight.

Shared Flight: