In short, The tour was awesome!
They sent the pickup time around 4:45pm the day before. They wanted to communicate via WhatsApp, so I set that up. We confirmed the time for 7am the day of the tour.
The day of the tour a message popped up at 6:34am that we’ll be there in 15min. So they were about 10 min. early. I made it down at 6:55. Surprisingly Another couple was already in the van! After picking up another family, we took a short stop to overlook and take pictures at Tlatelolco first at 7:40.
We continued on to Teotihuacan. During the ride our tour guide, Ines, talked about the history, temples, etc. After about an hour ride, we stopped at the temple of Quetzalquatl, about 8:30am. FYI there was an ATM there with minimal fee at the building entrance. After passing through, We hiked up to the top of the temple (very steep), and back down in between where we got a good view of the serpent heads. Ines explained about them. The temple of Quetzalquatl, which is about 1/5 to 1/4 the size of the sun and moon temples was the tallest temple we could go up. Ines explained that The INAH wanted to stop people from climbing to the top of the sun and moon temples back in 2017 or 18, due to wear and tear on the structure, but did not. However COVID restrictions gave them the excuse to close off Access. So at the date of this review of YOU CAN NOT HIKE UP THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN OR THE MOON. Ines talked like they are not going to reopen them to hiking up. I was a little bummed about it, but no one else could do it either.
After the stop at The Temple of Quetzalquatl, we left and went slightly outside the park and stopped at place to see the use of cactus, rocks, and to shop. Then we went back to the park to a different parking/entrance location between the sun and moon temples.
We walked to the moon temple, while Ines told us about it. That was just before 11:00. Then we had from 11:00-12:30 free time to shop with different vendors along the Avenue of the dead, between the two main temples. FYI Most only take cash! We could also walk around the space, walk down to the sun pyramid, and go to the gift shop and museum, which are at the southwest corner of the sun temple. There is another entrance just outside the museum with more small shops. Luckily the official Gift shop was outside the museum. I didn’t make it into the museum. I could have used another hour for that, although I’m sure others in our party were ready to head back to Mexico City. There is a virtual tour online though. By then it was getting quite warm outside.
At a little past 12:30 we went to a Mexican restaurant, Mayahuel’s. They had order by picture, and the food was really good! We had great conversation with a US expatriated retired couple and the other family on the tour from Sardinia, Italy. The food was not included with the tour, but reasonably priced. It was not crowded. Ines said the week before Easter it will get crowded.
We Left the restaurant at 2 to go back to town. The only thing better would be to have a couple of bottled waters available in the van. I was going to bring one and forgot it. You can buy some at some of the stops though. Overall Ines and the driver, Carlos, provided an outstanding tour! Ines was very knowledgeable!