Exploring Teotihuacán: Our Day Trip to the Pyramids from Mexico City
For our last full day in Mexico City, we stepped back in time to explore one of the most awe-inspiring archaeological sites in the world: Teotihuacán. This UNESCO-listed ancient city, home to the third-largest pyramid in the world. It’s also an easy day trip to the pyramids from Mexico City—but deciding how to visit can make or break your experience.
Why We Chose a Private Guided Tour
Teotihuacán is enormous (roughly twice the size of Disneyland), and while you can explore on your own, having a guide makes a huge difference. We wanted someone who could bring the history to life, answer our questions, and help us make sense of the ruins beyond just, “Hey, cool pyramid.” Plus, let’s be honest—it’s much easier to ask questions in English than to decode an information board.
We also knew that group tours can sometimes feel rushed and overly structured, and we like to wander at our own pace. If we wanted to stop for an extra five minutes to photograph a new-to-us bird, we didn’t want to feel guilty about holding up a busload of tourists. Plus, neither of us wanted to navigate Mexico City’s roads.
We chose this tour because it offered “personalized service”, private transportation, had good reviews and pickup at your hotel or any other address* in Mexico city.
Diego, our guide, picked us up from our hotel a little before 10 AM. The tour was originally scheduled for 9 AM, but traffic in Mexico City has its own agenda. No complaints, though—we got to sip our morning coffee and enjoy our breakfast buffet a little longer.
Full transparency
Yes we are affiliates for Viator – which means if you purchase a tour using one of our links we’ll make a tiny little percentage of a commission – but we are also customers of Viator and purchase our tours – so you can trust that we give honest reviews. (See our budget break down below for how much we spent on today’s activity)
The Teotihuacán Archeological Site
At 7,500 feet (2,300 meters) above sea level, Teotihuacán is a breathtaking (literally) destination that offers a fascinating glimpse into pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilization.
Quick Facts
- Entrance Fee: $95 MXN (~$5 USD per person)
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM, daily
- Main Attractions:
- Templo de Quetzalcóatl (Temple of the Feathered Serpent)
- Pirámide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun)
- Pirámide de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon)
- Palacio de Quetzalpapálotl (Palace of Quetzalpapálotl)
- Mural del Puma (Puma Mural)
- Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead)
It’s a massive site, and while most visitors stick to the main areas around the pyramids, exploring everything would take a full day or more.
Where to stay in Mexico City?
This is the place we stayed in Mexico City – conveniently located, clean, comfortable, and the restaurant downstairs was also a great value!
Exploring the Site – Visiting the Pyramids of Teotihuacán
The Teotihuacán Archeological Site is long and narrow and the Avenue of the Dead runs between the two areas that are open to the public, so you can just come in at one end of the site and explore the whole thing. From Templo de Quetzalcóatl at the southern end to Pirámide de la Luna at the northern end is just over 2km (1.3 miles). Allow some extra time if you choose to walk because you’ll also have to walk back when you’re done.
There isn’t a lot to see in between the two areas so the only reason I could see doing it would be if a) You really like to walk or b) the parking lots are packed and you don’t to fuss with finding a new parking space after you drive over to the other parking lot. On a Wednesday morning in February the parking lots were fairly empty, our guide Diego said that on Sundays it gets crazy because it’s free for Mexican Nationals.
Diego started us off at the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, also known as Templo de Quetzalcóatl. This area, called the Citadel, was once a political and religious hub, and though the Temple of the Feathered Serpent itself isn’t climbable, there are platforms nearby that offer a great view. He said that only about 10% of the site has been excavated so far. Archaeologists are still working here, slowly piecing together Teotihuacán’s story. The pyramids date to the 1st century, the Palace of Quetzalpapálotl dates to the 5th/6th century but was built on top of an earlier structure. Many of the other platforms date to the 8th century Aztec civilization which built onto the previously abandoned city.
Diego also pointed out that the site is a mix of original structures and reconstructions; wherever you see small stones inset in the mortar, that indicates it is a reconstruction.
Note about Accessibility: The staircases to climb the pyramids and platforms (where allowed) are very steep and the steps are very shallow, allow yourself plenty of time to move up and down because there are no handrails on most of them. This site is not ‘accessible’ by any stretch of the imagination. If you have serious mobility issues or use a wheelchair you will miss out on more than half of the experience.
We felt like an hour was about the right amount of time to explore this end of the complex.
From there, we drove out and around the site to the other parking lot, then entered the northern end of the complex.
If you drive between the two main areas, like we did, you actually go out and around which will allow you to visit a souvenir shop with a pretty fair selection of carved obsidian items, wine, tequila, jewelry and more. The road between the two ends of the site is also lined with restaurants so if your plan involves a meal, you’ve got a lot of options, Just going by appearances, it looks like selections range from ‘stand in the sun and eat street food’ all the way up to higher end, table service restaurants.
At the northern end of the site, you will find Pirámide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun), Pirámide de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon) and Palacio de Quetzalpapálotl.
Pyramid of the Sun is the third-largest pyramid in the world. It’s truly massive, and up until recently, visitors could climb it. That’s no longer allowed. There are some climbable platforms and viewing areas at the northern end which provide a slightly better vantage point than ground level. You can enter Palace of Quetzalpapálotl and see the Patio de los Pilares (Patio of the Pillars). This area will take a little longer to explore, we had 90 minutes which wasn’t exactly rushed but was also just barely enough time for us. Near the palace you will also find some food and drink stalls.
Unexpected Encounters
One thing we didn’t expect? The sheer number of vendors inside the site. They had small displays of obsidian carvings, jaguar whistles, and jewelry set up along the paths. Some of the items looked genuinely beautiful, but Diego warned us that a few vendors sell “obsidian” that’s actually painted glass.
Also, if you hear the sudden, eerie growl of a jaguar while walking through the ruins—it’s not a jaguar. It’s one of the vendors blowing into a special whistle. You’ll know it when you hear it.
Our handy map of the Teotihuacán Site
(star ⭐ this map to view it in google maps!)
Tips for Visiting Teotihuacán
- Wear good walking shoes – paths are gravel, and be prepared to navigate some very uneven surfaces.
- Bring a hat or your parasol, and sunscreen as there no shade on this site.
- Go early to beat the heat, especially during the warmer months.
- Water and snacks are available at both ends of the site and prices are reasonable.
- Consider pre-booking a guide who can provide insights into the history and significance of the site.
- You can get there by public transportation – there are regular buses all day long from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte (Northern Central Bus Terminal). Ticket prices vary but run up as high as MXN$140 return right now. That’s about US$7.
- Skip the “tours” on ATVs – Do not fall victims to the individuals on the four wheelers who offer to give you a ride – they will drive you around the town to different shops where the staff will give you a presentation that ends up being a sales pitch.
How to Choose the Right Teotihuacán Tour
When booking a tour, look out for:
- Carefully read the description of the tour – nuances in wording can totally change your experience
- Does your tour offer hotel pickup, meeting points or pickup at any address in the city? – we ran into this issue before and had to walk to a hotel to be picked up (we were staying in a short term rental).
- Is there an extra cost for early pickup?
- Is the tour private, semi private or a group?
- Is the cost per person or varies by group size?
- If there is a lunch stop, do you have options or is it a specific place? (Restaurants included in guided tours tend to be tourists traps)
- Are entrance fees, drinks, “tastings” and lunch included in the price?
- When reading the review, look to see how many tour guides are mentioned by name – getting the right tour guide can make or break your experience
What we spent to visit the pyramids of Teotihuacán:
- Cost of Tour: $165 US for
- Snacks: $8 US (Ice Cream Bars for three people!)
- Time on Site: We spent a total of 3 hours
Final Thoughts: Is Teotihuacán Worth Visiting?
Absolutely. We really enjoyed visiting this site and we’re glad we hired a guide. Not only did he provide some information we wouldn’t necessarily have found ourselves, we avoided the transportation and parking issues. Even one of us (who was on the fence) left completely fascinated by the scale and history of the site. Whether you’re a history buff or just looking for an unforgettable day trip from Mexico City, Teotihuacán is well worth a visit.
Where We Stayed in Mexico City
We stayed at Hotel Catedral, and we’d book it again in a heartbeat. It was within walking distance of major attractions, had an incredibly quite and comfortable room in the Pyramid Tower, and came with a solid included breakfast buffet. Plus, the restaurant downstairs had great food at reasonable prices.
Videos from our visit to the Pyramids of Teotihuacán and Mexico City
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👋 New Here? We’re Jeff and Sandra, American expat and senior nomads, living abroad, on a budget, one country at at time. Most days, we’re just doing what we’ve always done— making ourselves a home, working on projects, cooking, and running errands, wherever home might be at the moment. Sometimes that means checking out local activities and visiting museums and historical sites; other times, it means finding out which local restaurant has the best pizza or empanadas and which grocery store sells peanut butter.
This life isn’t always glamorous; but it’s ours—and we’re here to share with you what we learn.
