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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchSan Pedro Prison is a real detention facility in La Paz, Bolivia, known internationally through accounts of its unusual internal society and unofficial, inmate-led visits. Those visits are historical, controversial, and not confirmed as currently available; research reviewed for this article found no current official visitor-access confirmation. The prison should not be treated simply as a tourist attraction: a UN report following a 2017 visit documented severe conditions and called for urgent action.
Why San Pedro Prison became famous
Accounts of San Pedro describe a prison society with internal arrangements and an economy, and the facility became known to foreign visitors through paid visits led by inmates. These reports helped make the prison a subject of travel stories and books, but they should not be taken as a current description of conditions or permission to visit.
In January 2009, The Guardian reported on paid inmate-led visits, safety concerns, access problems, and reports of exploitation and fake guides. On 25 March 2009, Bolivia’s Agencia de Noticias Fides reported that authorities had ordered San Pedro’s side entrance closed and restricted visits by foreign citizens after controversy over visitors and paid tours. These sources describe events and restrictions at that time, not the present visitor policy.
Can you still tour San Pedro Prison?
Do not assume that a tour is available or authorized. A traveler’s post from around 2019 said the tours had ceased, but that is anecdotal rather than an official notice. The research reviewed here did not confirm a current official access policy, so this article cannot verify whether any visitor access is permitted today.
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Do not attempt to enter without clear authorization from the relevant Bolivian authorities. Historical accounts of paid visits are not current travel instructions, and this article does not provide ways to bypass prison controls.
Documented conditions and human-rights context
After visiting Bolivia from 2 to 11 May 2017, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture reported that San Pedro’s population was 400 percent of capacity. It also found that the prison did not meet minimum standards for hygiene, health services, ventilation, or mattresses, and called for urgent action to close it. The Subcommittee stated that “conditions of detention in this prison amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” These are findings from the 2017 visit, published in the Subcommittee’s 2018 report; they are not a new inspection or a verified description of conditions in 2026. Read the UN report on its Bolivia visit for the source and context.
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Ways to learn about San Pedro Prison
There are no verified current tour operators to compare. These sources serve different purposes and should not be mistaken for visitor-access guidance:
| Source | What it offers | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Marching Powder by Rusty Young | A narrative associated with San Pedro’s notoriety and its connection to Thomas McFadden. | A book, not an official record or current travel guide. See the publisher’s page. |
| Reporting on the tour controversy | Historical context on paid visits, access concerns, and the 2009 restrictions. | Dated journalism, including The Guardian’s January 2009 report and Agencia de Noticias Fides’ 25 March 2009 report. |
| UN Subcommittee report | Findings on detention conditions and the Subcommittee’s recommendations. | Official human-rights documentation based on a May 2017 visit, published in 2018. |
FAQ
Is the San Pedro Prison tour in La Paz real?
Historical reporting documents unofficial, paid visits led by inmates. That does not mean a tour is currently operating or authorized.
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Can you still tour San Pedro Prison?
Current official access was not confirmed in the research reviewed. A traveler report from around 2019 said tours had stopped, but it is anecdotal; check with relevant Bolivian authorities rather than relying on old tour accounts.
Why is San Pedro Prison famous?
It became internationally known through accounts of its unusual prison society and unofficial inmate-led visits. Its history also includes serious, officially documented concerns about detention conditions.
What is Marching Powder?
Marching Powder by Rusty Young is a book associated with San Pedro Prison and Thomas McFadden. It can provide narrative background, but it is not official documentation or current guidance on visiting.
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