Potosi's mines

It is an obligation to see the mines when you visit Potosi. The history and life of the inhabitants are irremediably linked to the 120 mines. They reflect the golden age of the Cerro Rico, that gives all its richness to the Spanish crown and working conditions did not change since then. Miners organized themselves into cooperative mines in order to avoid another exploitation in an area that is already touched by the decline of world rates, but conditions do not improve. Be careful, what you will discover in these mines is not a joke elaborated for tourists. Guides are ancient miners so you would introduce into kilometers of dirty trenches, sliding and full of toxic products used to extract minerals. The anxiety of a landslide, the thump of dynamites, are part of this daily reality you will touch by the hand for only a couple of hours. Miners are generally more than happy to explain their daily life and point of view regarding the economy, the underdevelopment, and policy of their country. A quite difficult visit that can even shock the stronger ones; a brief overview of a reality shared by a lot of persons all around the world cannot let you indifferent.