The New Mexico Outdoor Center and our family of outdoor adventure travel companies welcome you to Albuquerque for the 48th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, October 5 – 13, 2019!
There are so many unique ways to view the most photographed event in the world — but have you ever thought about checking it out from the nearby Rio Grande? We did!
Starting in 2008, New Mexico Kayak Instruction, Inc. (NMKI) began leading small groups of paddlers down the Rio Grande as a way to say “Thanks!” to our best customers and sharing our love for the river with the broader community. After a few stunning photos and a few thousand social media shares, and our well-kept secret got out.
In 2009, we started offering our trips to the general public — and 7 of our 9 trips sold out.
In 2010, we were virtually sold out every day. We knew we could have purchased more kayaks and brought on more staff, but we made a strategic decision that was true to our core values; Quality over Quantity. NMKI maintains a strict guide-to-guest ratio of 1:6. The industry standard is 1:10, and some groups will be as large as 1:20; that’s one guide to 20 paddlers.
We noticed an unusual trend in 2010. One of our most frequently asked questions was “What is there to do in the middle of the day? We know all about the morning flights and the evening glows, but what do people do in the middle of the day?!” Our answer: “Kayaking!” of course!
In 2011, NMKI began running mid-day Rio Grande Nature Tours between the morning and evening ballooning activities on the field. The Rio Grande ‘Bosque‘ (‘forest‘ in Spanish) is full of wildlife and color when the leaves change from green to yellow to gold to orange and red in the fall. The Rio Grande Bosque is one of the largest urban forests in the United States. Levees and irrigation canals prohibit development in the bosque, meaning stunning views of the river, surrounding forest and Sandia Mountains in the background. You’ll feel like you’re miles away from civilization when you’re paddling on the Rio Grande. While balloon sightings are rare in the afternoon, it’s not uncommon to see coyotes, blue herons, snowy egrets, and sandhill cranes and other wildlife, especially as the migrating birds travel south for the winter. This trip starts at noon and is typically off the river by 5pm, with plenty of time to make it back to the field before the evening glow activities.
In 2017, after the adding of Kokopelli Rafting Adventures to the New Mexico Outdoor Center’s family of companies, we began offering our half-day class II-III whitewater rafting trip during the week of the Balloon Fiesta. This trip provides round-trip transportation from Santa Fe to Pilar, NM (about 1hr northwest of Santa Fe), a full lunch and some of the best fun, playful whitewater in the Southwest.
In the News! Check it out!
Choose from three GREAT activities during the Balloon Fiesta!
Balloon Fiesta Kayak Tours (6 – 11am)

Balloon Fiesta Kayak Tours
Enjoy the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta from the best seat in the house! No crowds or traffic jams. Limited availability keeps group sizes small and efficient on and off the river. Click here for Balloon Fiesta Kayak Tour FAQs, including minimum ages, October weather forecasts and more! Click the “Balloon Fiesta Kayak Tour” tab below for availability and online registration!
Rio Grande Nature Tours
(1 – 6pm)

Rio Grande Nature Tours
If you’re looking for something fun to do between the morning flights and evening balloon glow, check out our Rio Grande Nature Tours! Click here for Rio Grande Nature Tour FAQs, including minimum ages, October weather forecasts and more! Click the “Rio Grande Nature Tours” tab below for availability, online registration and more!
Half-day Whitewater Rafting
(11:45am – 5pm)

Rio Grande Half-day Whitewater Rafting
We offer whitewater rafting trips on the Rio Grande “Racecourse” through our sister company Kokopelli Rafting Adventures. This half-day trip includes 7 class III rapids, including Albert’s Falls, The Narrows, Rock Garden, Big Rock and Souse Hole, and numerous class I-II rapids, making it fun, playful and beginner friendly. Minimum age is 7. This trip includes a sandwich buffet lunch (vegetarian options available upon request) and transportation from Santa Fe. Click the “Balloon Fiesta Whitewater Rafting Special” tab below to learn more!
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Meet Your Guides!
See what sets Kayak Albuquerque apart from other guides, outfitters and liveries in New Mexico. The difference will surprise you!
About Kayak Albuquerque
Kayak Albuquerque has been leading Kayak Tours during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta under the name of New Mexico Kayak Instruction since 2008. Owner Kelly Gossett started leading Balloon Fiesta kayak tours as a way to say “Thank you!!” to NMKI’s best clients. Word spread quickly in the years that followed, including numerous news stories from local news stations, and publications like Local Flavor and Local IQ. In 2014, Trailer Life magazine published our story and drew national attention to our quietly kept secret. “Let us share our love for the Rio Grande with you too! If you’re a visitor to our city, or a life-long resident, we’re certain to show you a side of Albuquerque that few have ever seen before. The Rio Grande is a beautiful river, add to it the Fall colors, hundreds of balloons in every direction, wildlife from the Corrales Nature Preserve and dozens of species of migrating bird, and you have a unique New Mexico “True!” experience that you’ll never forget.” – Kelly Gossett, Owner – New Mexico Kayak Instruction, Inc.