Potosi - Active Mine Tour - Half Day -
- 3h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Potosí, at over 4,000 meters, is one of the highest cities in the world. But even an elevation as high as, this does not stop the nearby Cerro Potosí from dominating the surrounding landscape. Potosí was founded as a mining town in 1546 by the Spaniards. Over the next 200 years, more than 40,000 tons of silver were shipped out of the town, making the Spanish Empire one of the richest the world had ever seen. Millions of the indigenous people were forced to work at the mines in the extraction process. In 1672, Potosí became one of the richest cities in the world. To this day, workers extract minerals from the mine and it’s possible to take an amazing tour inside and to appreciate their life style.
Inclusions
What's included
- Transport.
- Necessary equipment for the mine tour (helmet, boots, pants, jacket and lamp)
- Specialized Bilingual Guide.
What's not
- Gifts for miners.
- Tips.
- Extra drinks.
Itinerary
Itinerary After getting picked up from downtown and before reaching the “Cerro Rico” (Rich Hill), make a little stop at the Mining Market, the most attractive in the area. Have some free time to buy some dynamite, alcohol and coca leaves as a present for miners to be visited inside the mine. The mines visited are located at the base of the historical Rich Hill of Potosí. Inside, appreciate the system of miners’ work that has not suffered great changes after so much time of exploitation. Touring the different galleries and interior levels of the mines, visitors can meet some places where the miners built statues that represent to their gods as The Uncle of the Mine (the devil). Visitors also can see the mineral veins that are a group of rocks and chemical formations of minerals, chimneys, apart from having an experiential sharing time with the miners and observing the different work methods that they carry out every day.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.4
- 510
- 41
- 30
- 21
- 11
Ratings come from 13 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
- Meeting point, prior announcement. at 9:00 a.m. The main gate of Museum "Casa de la Moneda" on Ayacucho Avenue. +Drop off time 12:00 p.m.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 6 travellers
- Operated by
- Inti Travel
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Potosí
- Its from-price is 13% below the median of the 15 experiences we list in Potosí.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 2 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).
