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Searching through the silver mines Potosi to Uyuni tour Route: Potosi - Silver MinesThe mining town of Potosi claims to be the highest city in the world; it is situated at 4000m, so easy does it. The city is surrounded by the Andes mountains, including the most important mountain, the 'silver mountain' Cerro Rico, the reason why many travellers come to Potosi. The morning after you begin your Potosi to Uyuni trip we'll arrange a guided tour of the Potosi silver mines for you. Before entering the mine you'll get suited up with mining equipment, for your own safety. As you walk through the narrow, dark hallways you can imagine how tough a miner's life is. Once you leave the mine and breathe in the fresh clean air, relieved to be outdoors, you'll find that there's more that makes Potosi a nice place to visit. The town isn't touristy at all and it has a cosy, historic town centre. It's just a great place to wander through town streets in an entirely authentic Bolivian atmosphere. If you would like to see where you could go after your Potosi tour, take a look at our other Bolivia tours, or if you are planning a longer trip including Peru we have a range of suggested Peru holidays which combine the best of both countries. |
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Duration |
2 days / 1 night |
Accommodation |
1 night in a double occupancy room with shower and toilet (see our photos here). Accommodation category 2. |
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Price |
£55 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes | Accommodation with breakfast, guide, transport in minibus and entrance fee for the mines. |
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Transport |
Round trip transfer hotel - mine |
Excludes |
Arrival transfer, meals and dynamite/ coca leaves for miners |
Day 1: Arrival in PotosiThis Potosi to Uyuni tour begins as soon as your bus arrives in Potosi, the city of explosions and thunder. Usually you'll come from Sucre or Uyuni, and you'll arrive in the afternoon. The town isn't very large, so it's easiest to arrange your own taxi cab to your hotel. Potosi is a lively city with a historic town centre. We've selected a nice hotel for you near colonial buildings such as Casa de la Moneda. The cosily decorated rooms each have en-suite bathrooms with a shower and a toilet. You'll see Cerro Rico Mountain when you look out of your window. This afternoon on your Bolivia tour you'll have time to yourself to send an email to loved ones or to take a stroll through the downtown streets. You'll soon notice how steep the streets are; once again you'll have to take it easy because of the altitude. Have an early dinner; the town's restaurants close early in the evening. Try the regional speciality k'arapulca, a sweet-smelling, thick soup made from corn flour. To keep the soup hot, it's served in a pre-heated terracotta bowl. |
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At an altitude of 4100m, Potosi is the unofficial highest city in the world. The city revolves around the Cerro Rico Mine; everyone depends on it. In 1544 an Indian discovered the mine by accident. He was watching his llamas when suddenly he found two of them missing. After searching an entire day, he made a fire to keep him warm in the evening. The fire was so hot that the ground beneath began to melt and a shimmering liquid emerged from the ground. Apparently he was sitting on top of Cerro Rico, a mountain filled with silver. Potosi was founded shortly afterwards and silver has been removed from the mines for over four centuries. Potosi means fire, explosion or thunder in the Quechua language. The city is all about the mine, not about tourists, and is perfect if you are looking for some relaxation on your Bolivia trip. If you go on a walk around a market during this Potosi to Uyuni tour no one will try to talk you into buying their goods. |
Day 2: Potosi to Uyuni tour and departureOn day two of your Potosi to Uyuni tour, you'll be collected from your hotel by your guide after breakfast for Potosi silver mines tour in the Cerro Rico mine, filled with about 10,000 hard-working miners. First he'll take you to the miner's market, where you can browse without having to buy anything. Aside from standard miner's equipment such as helmets and gas lamps you'll see pure alcohol, coca leaves, cigarettes and dynamite. Miners are very happy and grateful to receive gifts of coca leaves (and dynamite ..!) Buy an extra stick of dynamite for yourself, even though you won't be able to light it personally. Your guide will gladly do it for you. Coca Leaves are perhaps even more important than dynamite to the miners. A pouch of coca leaves in their cheek is the only way they can work as hard as they do and not be hungry. Once you're ready, you'll enter the actual Cerro Rico mine. In preparation you'll get suited up in a jacket, boots, a helmet and a lamp before you head off straight through the dark mountain. |
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Cerro Rico is a cooperative mine owned by the miners who work in the mine. However, there haven't been many improvements to the quality of living in four centuries. The miners work under incredibly primitive conditions. It almost seems medieval and much like in medieval times, superstition is very important to the miners. In the mine you'll see a statue of El Tio, the devil that owns all minerals according to the Bolivians. At 12:00 you'll be back in the town centre and this Potosi to Uyuni tour will come to an end. The mines can also be visited on Sundays, however the miners won't be in the mines then.In the afternoon you can travel straight to Sucre by bus (3 hours) for our Sucre to Bolivia trip, Springtime in the white city. During the ride you'll have a scenic view, the road is reasonable and most buses play Bolivian music. You can also continue your Bolivia trip in the other direction and go on our Bolivian salt flats tour, Flamingos and volcanoes, in Uyuni. If you have some room in your travel itinerary, Potosi is great place to spend an extra night at. You can add an additional night on your Potosi to Uyuni tour on your travel request form. |
Uyuni to Potosi tour - Accommodation (Click to enlarge)
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