You Can't Miss This Hot Air Balloon Festival

You wake up to the sound of a soft piano tinkle in your earbuds. The piano sickle slowly grows into a warm, all encompassing blanket of warmth and positivity.

You crack open your eyelids and click the right button of your iPhoneX. Right on time: 4:30 AM. You excitedly walk over to the bathroom to brush your teeth and wash your face, then you’re on your way. Each year, the second week of November is Mexico’s largest hot air balloon festival called, “Festival Del Globo”. The festival is home to 1,800 balloons from 20+ countries with over 3.5 million visitors worldwide making this the main tourism product of the Bajio region.

Up, Up, and Away

Festival Del Globo is unique. It’s located in Leon, which is the closet airport to fly into, which has many direct flights LA and Dallas. Leon is a historic city known for its Neo- Gothic temples, cathedrals, and sculptures. People come to the festival starting at 5:00 AM to catch the sunrise and the release of the first round of balloons. P.S Book hotels now, they fill up quickly!

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Light Me Up

This is our pilot, Scott from Alabama prep the hot air ballon to lift off. You can see he’s using a gasoline powered fan to blow cold air into the balloon. The air partially inflates the balloon to establish basic shape before the flame is aimed into the mouth heating the air inside. This lasts a good half hour, then it’s ready for take off.

See The World From a New Lens

You can even get lucky enough to take a ride on one of the balloons. We know the hookups, so contact us for details to plan your trip in November! The view from above is always better, especially over the Presa El Palote lake. Once you’re in the air, you notice how different each balloon. Each tells different stories, with pilots from all over, ballooning over Iguazu Falls in Argentina, or ballooning off the coast of Costa Rica at San Manuel National Park. It’s a magical setting.