Half-Day Potosí Active Mine Trip to Cerro Rico
- 3h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Take a 3-hour tour to visit the local workers in the active mine of Cerro Rico (at 4,400m) and learn the history of Potosi. Discover the different galleries and interior levels of the mines and get a feel for the harsh working conditions. Experience the Potosi mines just like the local workers.
Inclusions
What's included
- English-speaking guide
- Transportation
What's not
- Gifts for the miners (can be purchased before going to the mine)
- Suggested tip for the guide ($10 Bs)
- Food and drinks
Itinerary
Your trip will begin with a short sightseeing tour around Potosi and a stop at the Mining Market on your way up to "Cerro Rico". At the market you will be able to observe a wide range of materials and tools used by the miners in their daily jobs at the mine. Buy dynamite, alcohol and coca leaves to give as a present to the miners you will meet on your tour.
Shortly before arriving to the mines, you will make a stop at a small storage room where you will put on work pants, jacket, boots, helmet and lamp to go into the mine as a security measure. Inside them you can appreciate the system of miners’ work that has not suffered great changes after so much time of exploitation. The use of dynamite, air compressors and mechanical perforators have all been used in the mining process. Your tour will take you through the different galleries and levels of the mines where you can see statues that the miners have built to represent their gods, such as the Uncle of the Mine. You will be able to view the mineral veins that are a group of rocks and chemical formations of minerals in the mine and other formations unique to Cerro Rico. Interact with the local workers, give them a small present as a token of your appreciation for their hard work and observe the humbling work they do here through different methods that are carried out numerous times a day.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
3.7
- 52
- 40
- 30
- 20
- 11
Ratings come from 3 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Plaza 10 de Noviembre (In front of the Cathedral)
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Bamba Travel
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age is 7 years old
How it compares in Potosí
- Its from-price is 40% above the median of the 15 experiences we list in Potosí.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 4 of 15.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Potosí
Potosí is a high-altitude Bolivian silver city at the foot of Cerro Rico, with a colonial mint, baroque churches and a World Heritage centre.
Potosí stands at about 4,000 metres in the Bolivian Altiplano, among the highest cities in the world, beneath the red peak of Cerro Rico. Silver was found on the mountain in 1545, and in the following century the city grew into one of the largest and richest in the Spanish empire. The Spanish phrase 'worth a Potosí' came to mean vast wealth. The historic centre is a World Heritage site.
Top-ranked sights in Potosí: Llama and Salt Museum (Museo de la Llama y la Sal), Cerro Rico, National Mint of Bolivia (Casa Nacional de la Moneda).
