BootsnAll Travel Community

hello everyone i am off to south america in october.
i would love to visit this prison while i am in bolivia. if anyone could share their recent experiences or any info it would be greatly appreciated.
cheers michael

Hi Mick,

I think the prison is now closed to visitors (I went in March & that's what I was told). Double check if that's still the case.

I believe this book is abt this prison (I read it last autumn so I don't remember the name): Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America's Strangest Jail by Young, Rusty, and McFadden, Thomas. Fantastic book.

I couldn't get in, in November but there's a price for everything in Bolivia so I guess it depends how much it meas to you. Maybe people can shed light on how much they have tried.

Spazza

how did you guys try to get in??
did you try setting up a meeting with an inmate prior to visiting days?
speak spanish?
offer a bribe?

Yeah I read that book. Its one of the craziest books I've ever read. Highly recommended. After reading that book my understanding was that the prison doesn't give tours. Its just some of the inmates who charge for giving the tour. And additionaly, you have to bribe the officials on the way in. But that book was published a while ago I think. So they might have shut it down, I don't know. But I'm going to Bolivia at the end of this year, and there is no way I'm going through Bolivia without trying to get in. Unless I hear otherwise my plan is to just ask around and try to get in contact with someone on the inside, and then see what happens. The way they explained it in the book (the book is about ALOT more stuff then just these tours) you go to a kind of visiting area and pay someone to go and get the "tour guide" then you pay again for the tour. And maybe pay some more for the bribes.

Offered only $20, speaking spanish

i will be trying to get in around early november!!

Wow, I hadn't heard of this before, but now I'm wildly intrigued. I'll be going to Bolivia in January and would love to hear updates.

The only way to get in appararently, according to some ozzie guy i met in the pantanal is by knowing an inmate. I.e you can get a list of inmates from the consulate and arrange visting one. Altho, all this take quite a lot of time so it depends on how much of that you have...

Good luck. Hope its worth it? Let us know!

quote:

Originally posted by mick222:
hello everyone i am off to south america in october.
i would love to visit this prison while i am in bolivia. if anyone could share their recent experiences or any info it would be greatly appreciated.
cheers michael

I was there in 2003. I wrote this up for my blog: www.irish-guy.com



HOW TO GET INTO SAN PEDRO JAIL

OW TO GET INTO SAN PEDRO JAIL
They have goten strict in the last year and when I was waiting to get in, many tourists etc were turned away especially if they are a mixed groups of 3 or over (or mentioned the word TOUR). There is a big sign outside the gate saying NO TOURISTS. The best way is to ring the Public phone in the prison (i got this from a prisoner) 2324033.

In Spanish, ask the prisoner who answers for someone who speaks English or you can ask for Canadian George Redcloud. They are about 6 English speaking prisoners there (a German, a South African). They all do tours for money (helps pay the lawyers, bribes etc). Anyway who ever you get (it does not really matter) will put the paper work through.

Thurs and Sunday are visiting days but if the papework is good, you can go any morning (arrange a time with the prisoner). Never mention the word "tour" to anyone. This is a prison and you will enter as a sister, brother etc. I spent about 6 hours inside. They have a canteen etc. Dont bring valaubles etc.

Ask the prisoner how much you should bring. 50-80 Bolivars for the prisoner and maybe 15 for lunch. So its an experence, they are some bad people in there so mind yourslf. To summarise there are NO tours of the prison, It has to be done independently. You can go with one other person. Have about 3 B to pay a prisoner to go get your Sister/brother. Ask the English speaking guy whether he needs anything. Sometimes they may ask for pens or paper or a English Newspaper

HOW TO GET INTO SAN PEDRO JAIL

Theres a photo essay in todays BBC online NEws

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/0...vian_jail/html/1.stm

It says:

Tourists used to be allowed in, but the tours were stopped because many people were coming to buy cocaine, said to be the purest in Bolivia.

quote:

Tourists used to be allowed in, but the tours were stopped because many people were coming to buy cocaine, said to be the purest in Bolivia.

that is strange.

Have you ever heard of any tourists been in danger inside?

The prisoners who speak English and do the tours are quite rich (for prison standards) and with the money the unofficial tours bring in can buy /rent better and larger rooms. There are no cells as such. Many locals have no cells and sleep on the ground. When a prisoner leaves they sell on their cell for money. The gringo prisoners who are perceived to have this tour money are rsometimes in danger cos of jealousy.

There are quite a few prisoner deaths but as far I have heard no tourists have ever been attacked. No need, prisoners know they are not bringing in valuables. The prisoners are allowed to bring in women, prostitutes etc so no tension. Some tourists do take too much coke in there. Its only 3 US a gram.

SC

I was living in La Paz for a while, the whole time thinking they has shut the prison tours down - it was only later, when i read Marching Powder (love that book!)that I realised it was never really official tours in the first place....i wish i had known earlier.