Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Bolivia

Potosí

Give Potosí one night, two if you take a mine tour: at 4,000 m the altitude, not the sights, sets the pace.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
BOB
Best months
Apr–Nov (dry season)
avoid Dec–Mar (rain, cold, muddy mine roads)
Airport
SRE
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
  • South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
  • South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
  • South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
  • Bolivia ↗Visa rules depend on your passport (some nationalities need a visa in advance): check with Bolivia's migration authority or a Bolivian consulate.
  • Bolivia ↗Most of the tourist route is above 3,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on arrival, and see a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.
  • Bolivia ↗Protests and road blockades (bloqueos) are frequent and can close routes and cities for days; watch local news and keep plans flexible.

Potosí sits at about 4,000 m and was founded in 1546 after silver was found in the Cerro Rico, the hill that still dominates the skyline. The colonial centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site: the Casa Nacional de Moneda, churches and narrow streets built on that silver. Most travellers come for one night between Sucre and Uyuni, or for a cooperative mine tour. Cold nights, thin air and a compact centre mean one full day covers the core.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Potosí, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or pastryBs 5–15
  • Street or quick mealSet lunch (almuerzo) in the Mercado CentralBs 10–20
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi in the centreBs 3–5
  • Metro or bus rideCity bus, centre to terminalBs 1
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekBs 40–80
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personBOB 50
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, guesthouse or hotel, a night, per roomBOB 200
  • High-end bedDouble room, guesthouse or hotel, a night, per roomBOB 400

A day, not counting the bed: Budget BOB 150 · Mid BOB 260 · High BOB 450

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cerro Rico silver minesCasa Nacional de MonedaUNESCO colonial centreCooperative mine toursKalapurka soup
Airports
SRE Sucre (Alcantarí) (Shared taxi from the airport rank to Potosí, about 2–3 h; agree the fare before leaving.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Potosí: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

15°C

4°C

15 rd

Feb

15°C

4°C

13 rd

Mar

16°C

4°C

11 rd

Apr

17°C

2°C

5 rd

May

17°C

−1°C

2 rd

Jun

16°C

−3°C

1 rd

Jul

16°C

−3°C

1 rd

Aug

17°C

−2°C

2 rd

Sep

18°C

0°C

3 rd

Oct

19°C

2°C

5 rd

Nov

18°C

3°C

7 rd

Dec

16°C

4°C

12 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable; taxis are cheap and plentiful for the terminals and the cemetery-side restaurants. Agree the price before you get in, and check whether it is per person or per car. A city bus between the centre and the main terminal costs about Bs 1; a taxi from the terminal about Bs 3–5.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Sucrego

Door to door: 3.5–4 h

Hourly buses, about 3.5 h, or a shared taxi from the old terminal

Lower altitude and warmer; the usual next stop.

Uyuniovernight

Door to door: 5–7 h

Buses from the new terminal, 5–7 h

Too far to return the same day; continue to the salt flats.

Tupiza

overnight

Door to door: 5–8 h

Morning and evening buses from the new terminal, 5–8 h

Gateway for some Salar tours and onward to Argentina.

Villazón and La Quiaca

overnight

Door to door: check

Long-distance bus south

Border crossing into Argentina; plan a full travel day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Historic centre (around Plaza 10 de Noviembre)

Walk to the mint, cathedral and most restaurants; best for one night.

Near the old terminal (Av. Universitaria)

Uyuni buses and shared taxis to Sucre leave here; 30 min walk uphill to the centre.

Near the new terminal (northeast)

Most long-distance buses; a 30 min bus ride from the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Bs 120–200 excl. bed
Mid
Bs 200–350 excl. bed
High
Bs 350+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, guesthouse or hotel1 × 1 night × BOB 200BOB 200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × BOB 260BOB 520
Casa Nacional de Moneda entry, foreigner2 × BOB 40 · check; photos cost extraBOB 80
Cooperative mine tour2 × BOB 100 · check; shop around, Bs 80–130BOB 200
eSIM, about a week of data2 × BOB 60 · checkBOB 120
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeBOB 112
Trip total≈ BOB 616 per person per day, bed includedBOB 1,232

2026 estimate in bolivianos; long-distance buses and tours excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Set lunch (almuerzo) in the Mercado CentralBs 10–20
Kalapurka soupcheckBs 20–35
Big plate at a local restaurantBs 30–35
Coffee or pastryBs 5–15
City bus, centre to terminalBs 1
Taxi in the centreBs 3–5
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekBs 40–80

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Potosí is relatively safe, but altitude is the real risk: take day one slowly, do not walk alone at night away from the main plaza, and back away slowly from aggressive street dogs.
  • Altitude: about 4,000 m. Take the first day slowly, drink water, and treat headaches or breathlessness as a signal to rest.
  • Mine tours are real working mines: dust, tight passages, low safety standards. Skip them if you are claustrophobic; wear the mask offered.
  • Street dogs can be aggressive; back away slowly and do not let one get behind you.
  • Do not walk alone at night away from the main plaza.
  • Nights are cold year-round; heating in rooms is not standard.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Ambulance
118
Fire
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

PotosíPotosí

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Ambulance118
  • Fire119

Embassy

Most embassies are in La Paz; check your country's list before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shared taxi, Sucre airport → Potosí: about Bs 50 per person (check)
  • Bus, Potosí → Sucre: about Bs 17, 3.5 h (check)
  • Bus, Potosí → Uyuni: about Bs 35, 5–7 h (check)

Say or show

  • Disculpe — Excuse me / Sorry (dees-KOOL-peh)
  • Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-see-as)
  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
  • La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR)
  • ¿Es por persona? — Is it per person? (es por per-SOH-nah)
  • Necesito ayuda — I need help (neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah)

Altitude about 4,000 m: take the first day slowly.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Potosí. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Nov (dry season) · avoid Dec–Mar (rain, cold, muddy mine roads) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SRE: shared-taxi rank, fare band, and a Potosí drop-off point field-checked.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Plaza 10 de Noviembre, the mint, the churches, the miners' market.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours and tour cutoffs (Casa Nacional de Moneda, Santa Teresa, Torre de la Compañía) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Altitude and cold-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Bolivia

Sources