guanajuato mine tour

Guanajuato Mines Tour in English

Discover the abandoned mines of Guanajuato, a tour of the most representative ex-haciendas and mines in the city, some of them still in operation and with free access to the public.

Explore the ex-haciendas of Guanajuato

The tourist is picked up directly in the lobby of their accommodation to start the tour. The tour lasts 4 hours and can start at the time of day that best suits the tourist.

Discover the colonial city of Guanajuato and its silver mines

As a private tour, we are flexible in the places we visit. If you have a specific location that you would like to see, we are happy to incorporate it into the tour. Below are some of the most commonly requested tourist attractions that we visit:

Ex-hacienda San Gabriel de la Barrera.
Paseo de la presa.
Mirador mina de Rayas.
Interior of the Castillo Santa Cecilia.
Interior of the Mine of the Valenciana.

Stories, Tips and Itineraries for Attainable Travel

Guanajuato Mine Tour Options

Historically, mining has been one of the biggest economic contributors to Guanajuato, Mexico. The effect that mining has had on the city can be seen from the fine silver shops found near the Callejon del Beso, to the distinctive tunnels that route traffic off of the main roads and create a pedestrian friendly hamlet. The same technology used to bore mine shafts into the earth created the tunnels that cars take today. Taking a Guanajuato mine tour is a great way to learn about this influential economic driving force.

Getting There

Most of the mines are located to the north of town off of Highway 110. Take Avenida Benito Juarez to the square where all the buses stop, west of Mercado Hidalgo. You can then hop on one of the buses towards Valenciana. Alternatively, you can book a tour guide or take a taxi. As always, negotiate the fare with the driver before getting in and beginning your trip.

Museo de Sitio Mina Valenciana is the most famous mine in Guanajuato. Located north of town in the hills, you can hire an Uber, taxi, or find a bus that says “Valenciana.” When you’re there, do not miss the cathedral at the mouth of the mine. It is known for its extensive use of gold leaf and large art pieces inside. While there, you will truly feel the influence that the rich mine had on the construction.

Bocamina San Ramon appears to have leaned in to the tourism factor and have quite a lovely event space in addition to the mining museum. If you ask around you may be able to request an English speaking tour guide (not guaranteed). They have a lovely restaurant on site. Nearby Bocamina SanCayetano is a more “quick and dirty” tour where you descent 60m into a shaft and back out.

Mina el Nopal is the mine that I visited; it is also the mine that each photo in this post is from. It is closer to the heart of town. The home we were staying at was just up the hill from this mine so we simply stopped by one afternoon. The extensive tour (led in Spanish) was conducted by a student from the local university who was studying minerals and mining. You could tell that the topic was one close to her heart. We were able to go deep into the mine and throw stones into a shaft and hear just how far down it went. That was a little freaky!

If you don’t want to leave town, stop at the Museo de Mineralogía located at the University of Guanajuato. They have been rated one of the top 3 mineral museums in Latin America and you can learn some about the regional industry and see specimens of minerals and crystals.

It appears that each tour is approximately 35 pesos, or $2USD. You can also tip the guide if you want.

Where to Stay, Eat and Drink in Guanajuato

Important notes.

The majority of these tours are conducted in Spanish. It helps to have a fluent speaker in your group who can briefly translate the relevant points for you. When I visited, two in our group quietly translated and provided context, we were standing slightly to the back of the larger group to be less obtrusive.

Second thing to note- these tours are not for those with claustrophobia or have ever felt claustrophobic tendencies. Part of the appeal (for many) is journeying down into tunnels, but if that gives you the heebie-jeebies, please plan an alternative activity for that day.

See all Voyageer posts about Mexico

Have you ever toured a mine in Mexico or elsewhere? I wonder how similar they are from country to country. I know I toured a mine in Colorado when I was in elementary school but I can’t remember what it was like. Share your experience in the comments!

All photos by Staci Jackson for The Voyageer.

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I did a mine tour in Bisbee Arizona. It was a fascinating experience. I think I didn’t realize how far into the mountain the mines go. That was awhile ago though. With the incident in Chile and a few in other places, I would be a little nervous to do another tour. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.

You’re so right, luckily the Chilean miners didn’t cross my mind during the tour. It can definitely be a dangerous profession!

I’ve never toured a mine, but it looks like such an interesting experience! I also wonder how do they differ from country to country! Anyway, Mexico would be a great place to start #TheWeeklyPostcard

Thanks for stopping by!

Wow these tunnels sounds very interesting! I don’t have claustrophobia but I have a feeling though it would make its appearance if I were to go into them! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!

Luckily the mining tunnels were well lit throughout. Thanks for reading!

The tour sounds very interesting. Lucky you to have an enthusiastic mining student guiding your tour. I’m a bit claustrophobic so hearing the delay of the sound of the stones reaching the bottom of the shaft would freak me out too.

It was so crazy to comprehend that depth! Thanks for stopping by.