Summit altitude
4,824m
Tour duration
3-4h
Silver extracted
50,000t
Tour cost
Bs80-150
Active miners
15,000
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50,000 tonnes of silver
Between 1545 and 1825. The largest silver deposit in human history. 80% of the world's silver for 280 years came from this 4,824m cone.
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8-9 million lives
"The mountain that devours men." Indigenous people under the mita, African slaves, free workers — the greatest human catastrophe in the history of the Americas.
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Active mine today
Bolivian mining cooperatives continue extracting silver, tin and zinc. 15,000 active miners. Tours are conducted in real galleries with active miners.
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4,824m altitude
Cerro Rico is visible from all of Potosí (4,090m). The galleries where tourists enter are between 4,000 and 4,500m.
The mountain that changed the world
1545–1987: how a mountain funded an empire and destroyed millions of lives.
1545
Discovery
Diego Huallpa "discovers" the silver-rich cone. Legend says the mountain itself spoke: "God does not want silver taken from this hill. It is kept for other masters."
1546
Potosí founded
The Villa Imperial de Potosí is founded on 1 April. Within 70 years it grew to 200,000 inhabitants — larger than London or Madrid at the time. The richest city on Earth.
16th–17th c.
Mita and tragedy
Forced labour: each indigenous community had to send 14% of adult men to the mines. Indigenous workers under the mita, African slaves. An estimated 8 million deaths over three centuries of extraction.
1987
UNESCO Heritage
Potosí inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cerro Rico and the Historic City are inseparable — the mountain created the city, the city wrote its history.
"Vale un Potosí" — the phrase Cervantes used in Don Quixote (1605) to mean "a fortune." Born when Potosí was the richest city on Earth. The piece of eight minted at the Casa de la Moneda de Potosí was the first global monetary standard. Cerro Rico is not just Bolivian history — it is the material origin of modern capitalism.
The tour step by step
3-4 hours you will not forget.
Step 1
Mining market
First stop. Buy gifts for the miners: coca leaves, cigarettes, soft drinks, pure alcohol. It's culture — not theatre.
Step 2
Equipment
Helmet, headlamp, overalls and boots. Your guide explains the rules: duck when told, don't touch cables, always follow the guide.
Step 3
Gallery entrance
First impression: darkness, dust, smell of sulphur. Temperature in upper galleries: cold. Lower galleries: up to 40°C.
Step 4
El Tío
The mine's protective spirit. Horned statue in a niche, covered in offerings — coca, cigarettes, alcohol. Miners pray to him before each shift.
Step 5
Active miners
Real encounter with working miners. They share their coca, answer questions. Most started at 14-16 years old.
Step 6
Exit
3-4h later. Fresh air never felt so good. The city of Potosí below.
Before the tour: what you need to know
Cerro Rico is not an ordinary tourist visit. Prepare properly.
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Acclimatise first
Spend at least 1 full day in Potosí (4,090m) before the tour. Altitude sickness makes the tour impossible and dangerous. No rush — the mountain has been here since 1545.
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Dress in layers
Technical base layer + fleece or jacket. Upper galleries are cold; lower ones reach 40°C. Wear clothes you don't mind ruining.
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Hydration and snacks
Minimum 2 litres of water. Energy snack. No alcohol before or during the tour — the galleries and altitude don't forgive.
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Mask at all times
Operators provide one. The dust contains silica — it causes silicosis over time. Wear it inside the gallery at all times without exception.
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Camera with caution
Allowed in most galleries. Protect it from dust (sealed bag). Never photograph a miner's face without their explicit permission.
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Gifts for the miners
First stop: the mining market. Coca leaves, cigarettes, soft drinks, pure alcohol. A genuine gesture of respect — miners expect and appreciate them.
FAQ
Ready to book the mine tour?
We help you find the right operator and organise your visit to Potosí and Cerro Rico.
Contact Daihana— Gallery
Bolivia in focus
Real photography from our routes. No stock images. Hover to explore.
