Albuquerque | Sunrise from a Hot Air Balloon

As a stopover during my New Mexico trip, Albuquerque isn’t just about Breaking Bad filming locations—it’s also a must for a hot air balloon ride! 🎈 By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Albuquerque had become a major hub for hot air ballooning. Located in the high desert of New Mexico, the city offers ideal conditions for balloon flights—steady winds and vast open spaces. And the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest and most famous event of its kind in the world! Every October, hundreds of balloons fill the sky—it’s absolutely spectacular.😒 While there are many companies offering balloon rides, only one lets you experience the sunrise from above: 🎈 Rainbow Ryders 💰 $179 per person. You gather before sunrise for a brief safety intro, then take a bus to the launch site.❤️ Each balloon carries around 10 people. For some reason, Albuquerque seems to be especially popular among older American travelers—so most of the passengers were lovely grandparents 😄. Since everyone helps during setup, us younger folks got assigned to hold open the balloon while the pilot controlled the inflation.💕 The landing spot is always a surprise! The ground crew drives around tracking the balloon via walkie-talkie to find a safe place to touch down. And then… there’s a tradition: after landing, everyone celebrates with champagne! 🥂 Why? Because hot air ballooning used to be risky and unpredictable. A safe flight and landing called for a toast—and that charming ritual continues today. #Albuquerque #HotAirBalloon #SunriseFlight #NewMexicoTravel #BalloonFiesta #RainbowRyders #TravelTradition #ChampagneCelebration #DesertAdventure