Is Potosí safe?
Low violent crime. The real dangers are altitude sickness, cold, mine hazards and opportunistic theft in markets and around the bus terminal.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2026-04-27.
- Homicide rate in Bolivia: 4.4 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Bolivia: 21.1 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
Safety in Potosí at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Pickpocketing in markets and buses, bag theft at the bus terminal, and occasional fake police stops. Violent crime against visitors is rare. |
| At night | The centre is quiet and cold after about 9 pm. Take a radio taxi rather than walking dark side streets or hills. |
| Solo women | Generally safe in daytime. Expect stares and some catcalling; avoid empty streets at night and use radio taxis. |
| Other risks | Altitude sickness: acclimatise for a day before mine tours; Mine dust, dynamite and tight shafts on Cerro Rico; Freezing nights and fast-changing mountain weather |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Fake police asking to inspect your passport or cash
- Tour sellers promising cheap Uyuni or mine trips and switching operators
- Taxi drivers refusing fixed fares from the terminal
Take care
- Bus terminal and market streets after dark
- Mine tours with operators who skip safety gear or briefings
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Any amount of illegal drugs counts as trafficking; the minimum sentence is eight years
- Prison tours are illegal and unsafe
- Coca leaves are legal in Bolivia but illegal to carry into most other countries
How Potosí compares in Bolivia
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Uyuni | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Sucre | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Copacabana | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rurrenabaque | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Potosí | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| La Paz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Santa Cruz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Potosí safe for solo female travelers?
Generally safe in daytime. Expect stares and some catcalling; avoid empty streets at night and use radio taxis.
Is Potosí safe at night?
The centre is quiet and cold after about 9 pm. Take a radio taxi rather than walking dark side streets or hills.
What is the crime rate in Potosí?
Pickpocketing in markets and buses, bag theft at the bus terminal, and occasional fake police stops. Violent crime against visitors is rare. Nationally, Bolivia records 4.4 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Potosí?
Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
More about Potosí
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Entel Bolivia
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.