Teotihuacan Planning Your Visit
ADVICE
The best time of day to visit Teotihuacan is right when the site opens in the morning. The three main reasons for this are:
There are fewer people. The tour busses begin to arrive in mass at 10 am.
There are fewer vendors. They arrive also around 10 to service the tour busses and crowds.
The air is fresher and cooler allowing easier walking, hiking and climbing.
Additionally from a photographer’s point of view, the morning light can produce a very nice creamy morning glow to your masterpieces.
Planning the Length of Your Visit
A visit to Teotihuacan will likely take 4 hours or more of a moderately challenging walk. The Avenue of the Dead is 2 kilometers (1 ½ miles) but the stairs leading in and out of the plazas and terraces and the stairs up the various Pyramids and Temples are numerous. It is a city of a Stairmaster workout!
The altitude is 2100 meters (7000 feet) high so unless used to such heights, be prepared to take lots of small breaks.
GETTING THERE
Determine how you will get to the site. You will be clear about the various Mexican Challenges!
Driving
Driving from Mexico City can be particularly challenging so make sure you have selected your route and that you drive early to avoid traffic. Mexico is one of the largest cities in the world and driving is complicated and aggressive.
It takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to drive to Teotihuacan from Mexico City Centro. There is pay parking onsite.
Taxi
Taking a taxi from Mexico City can be expensive. As an alternative you can often book a private car and driver in advance. Ensure it is a “safe authorized” vehicle from your hotel/.
Tours and Tour Busses
If you are selecting a tour bus from your hotel, try to select one that offers multiple arriving departure times. Compare what tours offer, if the entrance fee is included and if more activities are included.
As you will likely spend at least four hours at the site, it is unlikely that you will enjoy more tours crammed into a single day.
Consider that tour companies often will spend a lot of your time promoting specific vendors and stores.
Cost varies considerably.
Metro and Bus (Self-guided)
Take the Metro and get to the Yellow Line. (Politécnico is the last stop to the North and Pantitlán is the last stop to the east.
Get off at Autobuses del Norte Station.
2) Walk to the Bus Terminal and search for the Autobuses Teotihuacan booth. At the booth ask for tickets to Teotihuacan Pyramids. It is important because you do not want to end up in the town of San Juan de Teotihuacan.
3) The tickets have an assigned Gate (usually Gate 8) and seat number. Go to the gate and proceed.
4) The bus will let you off at the main entrance.
5) When you wish to return, go to the entrance off the Pyramid of the Sun or outside the complex at the Main entrance. The bus will pick you up there and the bus driver will take your fare onboard.
The buses run every 20 minutes or so. They are often run down – somewhat funky – and they pick up passengers from a variety of stops along the way. The cost is approximately 40 pesos per person (half price for children) and takes approximately 1 hour to get there. They run until 6pm.
Staying in Teotihuacan or San Jose
The best alternative is to stay in Teotihuacan itself or in a nearby village. Like everywhere the cost of accommodation varies considerably but you can often get bargains when you shop on the internet. A taxi ride from the town to the site will cost approximately 40 pesos or you can easily walk the distance in 15 minutes.
ACCOMODATION
HOTELS
We suggest you search the internet for the best price and quality of Hotel you prefer. Two hotels that provide good service are:
Quinta Del Sol Teotihuacan Hotel San Juan Teotihuacan
Av. Hidalgo No 26 Barrio Purificacion, San Juan, San Juan Teotihuacan, México
(A 10 minute walk or 40 pesos taxi to the site. Excellent restaurant. Immaculate facilities)
There is a “Motel” attached to this Hotel. Check for prices and facilities onsite.
(Villas Arqueologicas Hotel San Juan Teotihuacan
Periferico Sur S/N Zona Arqueologica, San Juan Teotihuacan, 55800, México
(Villas is the only hotel on the actual site. You walk to the entrance. It has a restaurant on site with acceptable food.)
Posada Quetzalcalli
Calle Constitucion 8 | San Sebastian Xolalpa, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico
Acceptable stay at a reasonable cost.
HOSTEL
Quetzalhostel Teotihuacan
Calle Canteroco No. 11-A, Colonia Barrio de Purificacion, San Juan Teotihuacan 55800, Mexico
RV PARK
Teotihuacan RV and Trailer Park
Lopez Mateos, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico
011-52-594-956-0313
See More Here
WHAT TO WEAR
Leave your stilettoes at home! It is important to wear good, comfortable, non-skid footwear. The stairs of the pyramids and temples are rock and can get very slippery. Additionally the Avenue of the Dead – the walking route from beginning to end – is over 3 kilometers long (nearly 2 miles) so you will need shoes that are comfy and practical.
Take a backpack that can store a bottle of water to keep you hydrated and also to store extra layers of clothes, your wallet or purse and camera. It is particularly important to have your hands free if you are going to climb the pyramids.
In the winter it can get cool mornings yet still be very warm in the afternoon. Determine what time of year you are going and plan accordingly. In the winter, wear a light jacket and layered top or shirt. You can always take off or put on more layers. Long pants or jeans are practical for the hike.
In the summer, again layer your clothing. It still may be cool in the morning so pack a sweater. Shorts are acceptable and they too could be packed in a backpack. Clothes that breathe are important.
Wear a hat.
Additional
The sun can get quite hot so pack accordingly. Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must. Pack your camera of course. If you have a working cell phone it can be fun to call someone you love at the top of the pyramid!
WEATHER AND CLIMATE