Albuquerque: Rio Grande Balloon Flight & Private Option

4.53

(144 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest, I almost missed the pickup because I couldn’t find my other shoe in the hotel room. The driver just grinned when I came running out, still tying my laces. “Happens all the time,” he said, which made me feel better. We drove through Albuquerque while the sky was still that kind of blue that only happens before sunrise — you know, when everything feels possible but also a little chilly. Our pilot, Mark, checked the wind and changed our launch spot last minute. Apparently that’s normal here; they pick wherever the wind looks friendliest for the day.

The basket felt rough under my hands, and I kept glancing at the burners (they’re louder than I expected). Once we lifted off, though, it was just quiet — except for the occasional whoosh of flame and someone in our group whispering “wow” under their breath. We floated over fields south of Albuquerque near Los Lunas. You could smell alfalfa and river mud sometimes when we dipped low enough. Mark pointed out Tome Hill and told us a story about pilgrims climbing it every Easter — his voice kind of faded into the wind but I caught most of it.

I didn’t expect to actually touch down on the Rio Grande itself — they call it a “splash and dash.” The basket skimmed the water for a second and everyone laughed nervously (except Mark, who looked like he does this before breakfast). Afterward, there were mimosas or juice waiting in paper cups back on solid ground. Someone tried to say “cheers” in Spanish but trailed off halfway through — Li laughed and corrected them gently. The whole thing felt less like a tour and more like being let in on some local secret. Still think about that view over the river sometimes, especially how small Albuquerque looked from up there.