Tripomatic

Potosi Department

Region · 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Population 856,419
Area 110,129 km²
Time zone America/La_Paz
Official website www.potosi.gob.bo
Potosi Department

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Featured Lists

moi maison / CC-BY-SA

Departamento de Potosí Absolute Essentials

The Potosí Department features the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, home to the Sol de Mañana geothermal field and mineral-rich high-altitude lakes like Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca. The historic city of Potosí, a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains the National Mint and the Cathedral Basilica, all overshadowed by the silver-rich Cerro Rico mountain. Natural landmarks include the Árbol de Piedra rock formation and the Salvador Dalí Desert. The region is a hub for high-altitude trekking and exploring the volcanic landscapes of the southern Altiplano.

16 places
Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

Bolivian Natural Wonders

This collection highlights the geological diversity of Bolivia’s Potosí Department, centered on the high-altitude Altiplano. It features mineral-rich lagoons like Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde, the steaming fumaroles and mud pools of the Sol de Mañana geothermal field, and prominent stratovolcanoes including Licancabur and Tunupa. The list also encompasses the historic silver-mining site of Cerro Rico and various saline wetlands that serve as essential habitats for Andean wildlife near the Chilean border.

20 places
S23678 / CC BY 3.0

Bolivia's Historical Treasures

Potosí's historical landscape spans from the industrial legacy of Cerro Rico, once the world's largest silver source, to pre-Columbian archaeological sites. This collection features the high-altitude ruins of San Antonio del Nuevo Mundo, the ancient rock art of Pinturas Rupestres, and the defensive Pucará Ayque. It also includes the Necrópolis near San Juan, where pre-Hispanic mummies remain in coral-rock tombs, and monuments dedicated to South American liberators like Simón Bolívar.

11 places
einalem / CC BY-SA 2.0

Bolivian Catholic Churches

This collection highlights the religious architecture of the Potosí Department, spanning from the 16th-century urban centers to remote Altiplano villages. Key sites include the Cathedral Basilica of Potosí with its Neoclassical grandeur and the Iglesia de San Lorenzo, famous for its intricate Mestizo Baroque stone carvings. The list also features high-altitude stone churches like those in Tahua and San Pedro de Quemes, illustrating the spread of colonial influence across the rugged Andean landscape near the Salar de Uyuni.

18 places
Bernardo Andrade Tapia

Bolivian Viewpoints and Natural Wonders

This collection features the dramatic high-altitude landscapes of the Potosí Department, ranging from the vast Salar de Uyuni to the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. It highlights mineral-rich lagoons like Laguna Colorada and Laguna Verde, the volcanic peaks of Licancabur and Tunupa, and unique geological formations such as the Valley of Anacondas. These sites offer vantage points over ancient craters, deep canyons, and wetlands that serve as habitats for Andean flamingos.

20 places

Potosi Department — Map

Potosi Department — Map

Climate & when to visit

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Good
  • 20° (feels like 17°) · extremes 1°–24°
  • 5° at night
  • 17 rainy days
  • 18 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 15 · extreme

Typical weather in February

Good
  • 20° (feels like 16°) · extremes 0°–23°
  • 5° at night
  • 14 rainy days
  • 18 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 15 · extreme

Typical weather in March

Good
  • 19° (feels like 16°) · extremes -1°–22°
  • 4° at night
  • 11 rainy days
  • 25 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 14 · extreme

Typical weather in April

Good
  • 17° (feels like 13°) · extremes -4°–20°
  • 1° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 28 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 12 · extreme

Typical weather in May

Poor
  • 14° (feels like 9°) · extremes -5°–17°
  • -2° at night
  • 1 rainy day
  • 30 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in June

Poor
  • 12° (feels like 6°) · extremes -5°–15°
  • -3° at night
  • 1 rainy day
  • 29 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in July

Poor
  • 12° (feels like 6°) · extremes -5°–16°
  • -3° at night
  • 0 rainy days
  • 30 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 8 · very high

Typical weather in August

Poor
  • 14° (feels like 8°) · extremes -5°–17°
  • -3° at night
  • 1 rainy day
  • 30 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in September

Fair
  • 17° (feels like 11°) · extremes -5°–20°
  • -2° at night
  • 2 rainy days
  • 28 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 12 · extreme

Typical weather in October

Fair
  • 19° (feels like 14°) · extremes -5°–22°
  • 0° at night
  • 5 rainy days
  • 29 sunny days
  • 12 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 14 · extreme

Typical weather in November

Good
  • 21° (feels like 16°) · extremes -3°–23°
  • 2° at night
  • 6 rainy days
  • 27 sunny days
  • 12 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 15 · extreme

Typical weather in December

Good
  • 21° (feels like 17°) · extremes -1°–24°
  • 4° at night
  • 12 rainy days
  • 23 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 15 · extreme

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Practical information

Currency
Bolivian Boliviano BOB · Card payments · Cash preferred
Emergency numbers
911
Electricity
Type A / Type C
230 V · 50 Hz
Languages
Aymara, Spanish, Guarani, Quechua
Tap water
Not safe to drink
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+591
Learn more

Tours & Activities

Riverside Hotel
Taxi · 8 min
Potosi Department
2h
Walk · 6 min
Corner Café
45 min
Walk · 18 min
Riverside Hotel

Potosi Department – Add to Your Trip

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Related destinations

Bolivia Uyuni Salar de Uyuni Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve Tupiza Municipality Potosí Municipality Torotoro

Other Destinations

La Paz Department Santa Cruz Department Cochabamba Department Oruro Tarija Sucre Municipality

Data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata, Wikipedia, Tripomatic, Official websites, geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0).