Cerro Rico
Cerro Rico
4.5
Monday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
About
This silver mining site dates back to the Spanish colonial era.
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4.5
718 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
201
Average
49
Poor
13
Terrible
22
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NorfolkFox
Norwich, UK169 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
An insightful trip to Cerro Rico, starting at the Miners Market with the purchase of Beer, Coca Leaves and Explosives. Then onto the Co-operative Processing Plant. Finally the trip into a dark cavern watching carefully where we walked, ducked and stepped. Working practices unchanged for nearly 500 years and a real eye-opener as to conditions facing the Miners extracting a living.
Written 31 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
erika c
5 contributions
June 2024 • Couples
I went on the mine tour with Julio, a great and very professional. I'm a little afraid of curves and mines etc but it was very patient plus it was super fun. It is a tour not very suitable for people with clausyrofpbia, I prepared mentally🤣🤣
Automatically translated
Written 30 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marietheres2710
12 contributions
Jan 2017 • Friends
Due to my 6-months stay in Potosi, I have entered the mines twice. One time with Big Deal Tours and the second one with Koala Tours. What's the difference? First, I liked both tours, good guides (ex-miners), good equipment, good information and I didn't feel unsafe. Big Deal is more expensive (Bs. 150) whereas Koala costs Bs. 120 and Bs. 100 for students/volunteers/bolivians. Both offer the same: entering the mines, miner's market and the mineral's refinery. Koala is more adventurous than Big Deal, you have to crawl and climb and balance a beam and you stay inside the mines longer than with Big Deal. Which one to choose depends on your physical shape and whether you are looking for an adventure or wanna keep it easy but still exciting.
Written 25 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anja G
Steinach, Germany2 contributions
July 2012 • Couples
We did the mine tour with Greengo Tours (which is also recommended by Lonely Planet, we can't imagine how they got in the book) and first were happy to be just the two of us as we thought we'll get more information. After the tour we are sure that the reason why so few people go with that agency is its poor quality. We are not sure if it was because we bargained a little (we payed "only" 80 bolvianos instead of 100) or if the guide is just not willing or capable to give an interesting tour, but we were really disappointed.
According to the guide's (Julio, who is also the owner) assistant, we would descend four levels of the mine to experience the difficult working conditions of the miners. In reality we only stayed at the first level and went into the mine for maybe 300 meters. We didn't see the miners in action except of pushing the waggon. When we asked why we don't descend further Julio said it's too dangerous (we wonder why all the other agencies do it). Half the time of the tour was waisted by the guide telling that he is the best guide in town ("I'm 46, I don't have to proof anything"), that all other tours are bad, that he has done so much for Potosi and the miners and so on. When we had questions we were treated like stupid children, getting as a response "Use common sense". Furthermore he constantly made sexual allusions about the behaviour of the miners to female tourists, which was completely out of place. We heard that other tours also saw the refinery, we didn't. One fellow traveller asked us what we have seen during our tour and to be honest we actually can't tell. Julio asked us to talk about the tour with other travellers (of course convinced that it was great) and hereby we do. It's sad, but in the end we were happy when the tour was over. So we can only advice: don't book with Greengo Tours!
According to the guide's (Julio, who is also the owner) assistant, we would descend four levels of the mine to experience the difficult working conditions of the miners. In reality we only stayed at the first level and went into the mine for maybe 300 meters. We didn't see the miners in action except of pushing the waggon. When we asked why we don't descend further Julio said it's too dangerous (we wonder why all the other agencies do it). Half the time of the tour was waisted by the guide telling that he is the best guide in town ("I'm 46, I don't have to proof anything"), that all other tours are bad, that he has done so much for Potosi and the miners and so on. When we had questions we were treated like stupid children, getting as a response "Use common sense". Furthermore he constantly made sexual allusions about the behaviour of the miners to female tourists, which was completely out of place. We heard that other tours also saw the refinery, we didn't. One fellow traveller asked us what we have seen during our tour and to be honest we actually can't tell. Julio asked us to talk about the tour with other travellers (of course convinced that it was great) and hereby we do. It's sad, but in the end we were happy when the tour was over. So we can only advice: don't book with Greengo Tours!
Written 18 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isolde1852
Amsterdam, The Netherlands2 contributions
Nov 2013 • Solo
When in Potosi I wanted to visit the mines like many tourists. Because Greengo Tours was recommended by LP I choose this agency. We were with 3 tourists. Unfortunately the other tourists were claustrophobic and left within 10 minutes.
As a single woman I went down with Julio. I am very disappointed in the tour. At first the tour was 130 Bs (which is expensive) and before going into the mine we were pressed to buy alcohol, coca leaves and lemonade. We spend another 100 Bs per person on this.
When I was left with Julio we did not go far into the mine, maybe the 1st level. I had more the impression that Julio went to visit his friends in the mines and played for Santa Claus giving everybody quickly all the presents. He hanged out with the miners talking (about sex and relationships). I asked him a couple of times to move on because I wanted to see more of the mines. Unfortunately we did not. I not see much of the mines.
Besides that Julio took a lot of cocoleaves and alcohol and was definitely under influence. Also his behavior became aggressive. He also talked a lot about sex and asked a lot of questions about sex while down in the mine together (Devils place). This felt very very uncomfortable. I was glad when the tour was over. It was a waiste of time & money with this agency. And if you read further on Trip Advisor I’m not the only one with this experience with Greengo Tours.
As a single woman I went down with Julio. I am very disappointed in the tour. At first the tour was 130 Bs (which is expensive) and before going into the mine we were pressed to buy alcohol, coca leaves and lemonade. We spend another 100 Bs per person on this.
When I was left with Julio we did not go far into the mine, maybe the 1st level. I had more the impression that Julio went to visit his friends in the mines and played for Santa Claus giving everybody quickly all the presents. He hanged out with the miners talking (about sex and relationships). I asked him a couple of times to move on because I wanted to see more of the mines. Unfortunately we did not. I not see much of the mines.
Besides that Julio took a lot of cocoleaves and alcohol and was definitely under influence. Also his behavior became aggressive. He also talked a lot about sex and asked a lot of questions about sex while down in the mine together (Devils place). This felt very very uncomfortable. I was glad when the tour was over. It was a waiste of time & money with this agency. And if you read further on Trip Advisor I’m not the only one with this experience with Greengo Tours.
Written 26 December 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary M
10 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
I'm sure I'm not the only person with ethical reservations about taking a tour into the Cerro Rico mines. My only advice to anyone considering it is that cheaper definitely isn't better, as is the case with most tours in Bolivia. A friend of mine took a cheap tour and came back completely traumatised by what he called an "unsafe" and "irresponsible" trip. The less you pay, the bigger the group as well and therefore the higher element of risk within the mine.
I opted to pay that little bit extra (130 BoB) and went with GreenGo Tours. I'd read about them in Lonely Planet and they seemed the most ethical and responsible company around. The owner, ex-miner (and subsequent tour guide), Julio, has his own foundation aimed at providing better education for miner's children. The son of a miner himself, he knows the importance of breaking this vicious cycle; another good reason to dig a little deeper into your pockets as you will be supporting a good cause.
Julio has a bit of a reputation for his rudeness. He's been known to throw people out of his office who ask if his tours include dynamite demonstrations, and during the tour itself he's very firm with his instructions. For me, he isn't rude - he's passionate. Passionate about people taking their own safety seriously and passionate about tourists respecting the very real plight that these miners face every day. I won't go too much into the details of the tour itself, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone. But what I will say is that the groups are small (6 people max.) and that whilst you were facing very real dangers in the mine - it's not for the faint-hearted - I didn't once feel unsafe.
A bit of advice would be to bring a spare bit of cash with you (around 30 BoB), as you are expected to buy refreshments for the miners (juice, coca leaves, dynamite and/or cigarettes, if you wish). I've seen a lot of people complaining about parting with (what is in reality a very small bit of) cash, but I think it's a very small price to pay for entering the workplace - and essentially at times, disrupting - their jobs. Why wouldn't you want to help, after all?
That's my penny's worth - go with GreenGo.
I opted to pay that little bit extra (130 BoB) and went with GreenGo Tours. I'd read about them in Lonely Planet and they seemed the most ethical and responsible company around. The owner, ex-miner (and subsequent tour guide), Julio, has his own foundation aimed at providing better education for miner's children. The son of a miner himself, he knows the importance of breaking this vicious cycle; another good reason to dig a little deeper into your pockets as you will be supporting a good cause.
Julio has a bit of a reputation for his rudeness. He's been known to throw people out of his office who ask if his tours include dynamite demonstrations, and during the tour itself he's very firm with his instructions. For me, he isn't rude - he's passionate. Passionate about people taking their own safety seriously and passionate about tourists respecting the very real plight that these miners face every day. I won't go too much into the details of the tour itself, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone. But what I will say is that the groups are small (6 people max.) and that whilst you were facing very real dangers in the mine - it's not for the faint-hearted - I didn't once feel unsafe.
A bit of advice would be to bring a spare bit of cash with you (around 30 BoB), as you are expected to buy refreshments for the miners (juice, coca leaves, dynamite and/or cigarettes, if you wish). I've seen a lot of people complaining about parting with (what is in reality a very small bit of) cash, but I think it's a very small price to pay for entering the workplace - and essentially at times, disrupting - their jobs. Why wouldn't you want to help, after all?
That's my penny's worth - go with GreenGo.
Written 9 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
anielsen
Copenhagen, Denmark8 contributions
June 2011 • Friends
I went with a friend of mine. We went to the office where Julio Morales the owner told us a lot about mining in Bolivia and life in general :-)
Julio is quite a character and a man who says what he means. He is also very friendly and he helped us with organising transport to our next destination and other things.
Julio is strongly against using dynamite in the mine for tourism/fun.
We went to the mine on a Friday and most of the people inside and outside the mine was quite drunk.
The whole experience was a bit scary but also extremely interesting and we learned a lot about the tough life in the mines. I would say it is one of the strongest memories from my 10 weeks in South America.
If you are against the use of dynamite for fun I would recommend going with Greengo.
Julio is quite a character and a man who says what he means. He is also very friendly and he helped us with organising transport to our next destination and other things.
Julio is strongly against using dynamite in the mine for tourism/fun.
We went to the mine on a Friday and most of the people inside and outside the mine was quite drunk.
The whole experience was a bit scary but also extremely interesting and we learned a lot about the tough life in the mines. I would say it is one of the strongest memories from my 10 weeks in South America.
If you are against the use of dynamite for fun I would recommend going with Greengo.
Written 11 August 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gophiles
San Francisco, CA6 contributions
Feb 2011
This experience rates as one of our favourite in our trip thus far and I can't compliment this outfit enough. Marco Polo is an agency in Potosi run by Willy, an ex-miner. Willy comes from a legacy of miners - both his father and grandfather worked with him in the mines from age 13.
Willy is friends with all the miners and has a deep understanding of the operations, traditions, customs and politics of the Potosi mines. Willy ensured our safety, whilst also letting us experience some really cool things that travelers on other tours weren't exposed to. I'd tell you what they were, but I don't want to spoil it for you ;)
Willy is friends with all the miners and has a deep understanding of the operations, traditions, customs and politics of the Potosi mines. Willy ensured our safety, whilst also letting us experience some really cool things that travelers on other tours weren't exposed to. I'd tell you what they were, but I don't want to spoil it for you ;)
Written 5 February 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donall81
Galway, Ireland1 contribution
July 2018 • Couples
This mine has a huge amount of loose asbestos (causes lung cancer) inside which we weren't informed about beforehand. Dust masks do not protect against the loose Asbestos fibres.
Written 2 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DanG404
Sydney, Australia303 contributions
We were travelling as a group and our tour leader made arrangements for a private tour with a guide. When we met with our guide he advised us that when visiting the mine it is nice to take a present to the miners as their working conditions are poor and they don't earn much money. He recommended we purchase coca leaves and soft drinks. We did this and also purchased a few pairs of new gloves for them. When we arrived at the mine it was literally a hole directly in with no supportive framework and did not look at all safe! We went in a small way (about 70m) where we then saw a shrine for the miners to worship the devil. The guide lit up a cigarette and put it in the shrine object mouth and let it burn. While already suffering from limited oxygen it was difficult to breath with the cigarette smoke filling the confined space. We went a little further in (20m) and then saw that the rocks above were collapsing and broken wooden beams were all that were holding them from falling upon us. We immediately exited. Some others continued. When they returned they said it was more dangerous as they went in and were told two months earlier 50tonnes of rocks had fallen and part of the mine collapsed. They also met a 15 yr old boy who was inside working. This disgusted us even more. Not recommended!!!!
Written 14 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wie sieht es denn mit der möglichkeit einer tour an feiertagen aus? Wir wären am 31.12. Und 1.1. da.
Written 24 November 2018
Je ne sais pas mais je ne pense pas que ce soit possible à cette date,vous pourrez toujours vous renseigner sur pkace.
Written 24 November 2018
Can you see the mines without a tour? I don't want to go really deep in there
Written 24 June 2017
According to the information we got at the tour operators office and we read in travel guides it's only possible to visit the mine with a guide. Do the research carefully in advance and ask your questions at the tour office, they are willing to answer and discuss your doubts. We did it with Big deal tours which was a good company because the guides are ex miners (what we thought was a good idea, even it was not the cheapest, but good guides in english and spanish) They didn't force us to do the tour and gave us time to decide. Keep in mind, the shafts are narrow and it is demanding. Think about if you have claustrophobic issues. We spent approx 2 hours inside the mine. The mine is on approx 4200m. Overall, it was impressive and good we could hand over some gifts to the miners, but it's also demanding (physically and think about voyeurism). Do research well before taking a decision.
Written 24 June 2017
Hola, buenas:
A inicios de Octubre voy a estar de vacaciones en Bolivia y me gustarÃa conocer Potosà y las minas en cerro Rico. Tengo las siguientes dudas que espero por favor puedan responderme:
1- Datos de contacto de agencias que realicen el tour.
2- ¿El tour lo realizan todos los dÃas?
3- Dicen que no es apto para claustrofóbicos, ¿esto es para todo el recorrido o solo una parte?
Quedo atenta a las respuestas, se lo agradecerÃa mucho
Saludos
Cassandra
Written 14 April 2017
Hola estarÃamos viajando en setiembre, pero queremos saber cómo está el tema de seguridad?? debido al suceso ocurrido en los últimos dÃas. Saludos
Written 27 August 2016
Con toda seguridad, alguien desde Bolivia, y desde PotosÃ, puede responder mejor a la pregunta.
El tema de la seguridad intrÃnseca durante la visita a las minas en Cerro Rico ha quedado ampliamente comentado en las respuestas previas. (Abstenerse personas claustrofóbicas, o entrar dispuestos a mantener el control mental y una actitud centrada, ayudados por agua y hoja de coca para oxigenar).
En cuanto a lo sucedido entre los mineros cooperativistas (como lo son también los mineros que gestionan actualmente las minas de PotosÃ) y el gobierno de Evo Morales, está en relación a la aprobación de una reforma por la que se permite la creación de sindicatos en esas instituciones.
Las cooperativas mineras funcionan internamente con grupos minoritarios de patrones y decenas de miles de trabajadores subcontratados en condiciones de explotación.
De algún modo, y aún con estas caracterÃsticas raramente explicitadas - ya que hablan de cooperativistas y cuentapropistas -, el sector minero es el que ha sido más privilegiado y el que ha dado un soporte incondicional a Evo en estos años. Según los analistas, se desprende de esto que las exigencias del sector son actualmente ilimitadas, y se ha propuesto declarar la guerra al gobierno.
Por lo que pude observar el pasado mes de marzo, el clima de los mineros es muy deprimido (los potosinos justifican asà el estado etÃlico de sus mineros a la salida de la mina los viernes por la tarde); y, en general, en el paÃs reina la decepción después de una década de gobierno de Evo - parece que se puede estar cuestionando incluso la nacionalización de los recursos, ante la falta de inversión -. Puede ser que, a nivel de los trabajadores más desfavorecidos, cualquier incidente encienda la mecha.
Si las agencias turÃsticas de Potosà garantizan la paz durante la visita a la mina, y seguro que en los enclaves turÃsticos la deben cuidar, ésta es muy recomendable para ver las condiciones de trabajo y dialogar con su guÃa - ex minero o familia - cuánto han de trabajar en ese entorno, cuánto pueden llegar a ganar, con qué condiciones laborales, pactos patronales, etc. para tener una visión personal más amplia.
Written 28 August 2016
Ramón A
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
hola soy Haniel, quiero saber, desde cuando explotan la plata del cerro Rico de PotosÃ?
Written 26 August 2015
Ramón A
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
hola soy Haniel, quiero saber, desde cuando explotan la plata del cerro Rico de PotosÃ?
Written 26 August 2015
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