Death Road, Bolivia

Death road in Bolivia, or «Yungas Road» — one of the most famous attractions of the country and beyond. And invariably it leads the top World’s most dangerous roads last century. Like any other mountain road, it has lots of sharp turns, and the slope is almost 3 km from 4000 m to 1200 m. in addition, the heavy rains that go on without end in the «wet season», eroding the road. And the lack of fences and bump stops at the edge of the road, behind which often steep cliffs up to 600 m or more, give the trip a very thrill.

After a rather relaxing stay in Rurrenabaque we wanted. So, there are several ways to take a ride on the Bolivian road of death from La Paz, which we will tell you today.

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Content:

• From La Paz to Coroico by bike
• From La Paz to Chulumani by bus
• Autostop
• Personal experience on Yungas road, tips and photos

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From La Paz to Coroico by bike

• On average, prices for bike tours on the road of death in Bolivia are around $50 and above, depending on the level of service.

There are many tour agencies in the city and each of them offers a Bicycle tour on the road of the death of Yungas. And this is 60 km of adrenaline! The largest concentration of travel agencies on the street calle Sagarnaga near the Museum of San Francisco (Museo San Francisco) — this is actually the center of the city, and to find a tour office is not difficult. The tours include protective equipment, lunch and transfer.

Also tourists sign a document saying «in the event of my death, no one is to blame».

I met reviews on the Internet that came across bad bikes with bad brakes or shock absorbers. And this is not surprising, as the track is complex, rocky and bikes are quickly killed. In General, people often complain about the service of tours in Bolivia. Just check yourself the condition of velobike.

• Another more budget (maybe!) option to ride on the road of death on a rented bike. Bike rental offices are located in the same area, next to the Museo de la Coca Museum.
• Another way is to buy a bike on the black market in the center of La Paz (Mercado Negro, Adolfo Ortega street) or in El Alto, and then return to La Paz by bus and sell it. El Alto market is the largest in Bolivia and it has everything from old tin soldiers to auto parts.

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From La Paz to Chulumani by bus

There are regular buses and minibuses from the bus station in the area of Villa Fatima. Schedule from La Paz: 10am to 8pm approximately every hour. On a minibus the price is a little more expensive, than the bus.

While we were walking from one transport company to another, and traded with ticket sellers with «stone» faces, one bus to Chulumani left right in front. The next had to wait for an hour, but it was worth it, took the best places for such a case: over the driver’s cab, with a panoramic view.

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Autostop

Officially, the death road in Bolivia was closed to public transport in 2009. Instead, it built a paved road from La Paz to Coroico, which goes further to Caranavi and Rurrenabaque. And still on the old road still goes private transport and trucks. It’s not much, but it is. If you have a tent in case the machine will not be long, and a strong desire to go it on the old road of death, that is an option. Part of the route can be reached on foot. But all the adrenaline is on a trip by car, bus or bike. About halfway — CAT-item charge.

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Personal experience on Yungas road, tips and photos

Of all the possible ways to go on the road of the death of Yungas, we chose a bus to Chulumani.

The trip in some places resembled a roller coaster and sometimes really breathtaking.

Only here everything is real and no safety belts, otherwise it would not be Bolivia.

On sharp turns really cling to the back of the chair and grab the armrest.

But in the eyes of excited joyous luster of.

By the way, we noted that cars and buses always leave here as if «on the contrary», i.e. in such a way that our driver at the oncoming junction, always rebuilt on the outside of the road and missed the oncoming car on the right, not on the left, as is customary, while almost closely approaching the abyss. So take the places of the left side and the thrill is guaranteed.

If you eat on the bus, be sure to take the first place at the top with a panoramic view.

Sometimes on the road of death are wooden pegs — that’s all the fence.

And our neighbor with indifference slurp chewing gum and flip the screen all the will of God.

Certainly the drivers are getting used to daily danger as the doctors of death and disease.

We wish you thrills and an interesting trip to Bolivia.

Share your travel experience in the comments. That chose you? Bicycle, bus, hitchhiking?

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