Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Bolivia Nor Yungas North Yungas Road

North Yungas Road

Death road of Bolivia.

Nor Yungas, Bolivia

Added By
Stanislav Stanković
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  thejollynomad/Flickr
Yungas Road at San Pedro waterfall   Wikimedia
  jungle_boy/Flickr
  philliecasablanca/Flickr
  liako/Flickr
  dunnet/Flickr
  magda-maciek/Flickr
  thekjkev/Flickr
  jimmyharris/Flickr
  jimmyharris/Flickr
Old road to Coroico or the so called “ruta de los bicis”   Michael Fernando Jauregui Schiffelmann
  Mike
  User submitted
  User submitted
  User submitted
Keep Your Left   Anthony Tong Lee
  Matthew Straubmuller
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Due to abysmal driving conditions, Yungas road in Bolivia has earned the nickname "Death Road," and is included in several lists of the planet's most dangerous routes.

The road connects the Bolivian capital of La Paz with the low-lying region of Yungas in the Amazonian rainforest. In order to do so, the road must traverse the mighty Cordillera Oriental mountain chain. Starting from La Paz, the world's highest capital at 3,660 meters in altitude, Yungas road first climbs to 4,650 meters at La Cumbre Pass and then makes a steep descent to the town of Coroico, at an altitude of only 1,200 meters. This drop of over 3,650 meters is one of the longest stretches of continuous downhill road in the world. By some estimates, between 200 and 300 people die a year on the road. 

Built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners during the Chaco War, at places, it was cut into the steep cliffside. One side of the road is solid rock, and the other falls off into a 600-meter abyss. Most of the road is only 3.5 meters wide, and some sections are unpaved, without guardrails. Warm and humid winds from the Amazon hit upon the eastern slopes of Andes bringing heavy rains and fog drenching the already dangerous road in torrents of water. There are numerous mudslides and tumbling rocks, and small waterfalls occasionally rain down from the cliff sides.

To make matters even worse, one is likely to meet groups of cyclists along this road. Internet fame turned this road into a destination for extreme sports enthusiasts, especially downhill bikers. Several tour operators organize such trips. Prices range roughly between $50-$100. At least 13 riders have died in various accidents in last the 10 years. Besides safety, travelers should also keep in mind that the downhill ride offers a change in temps from freezing to sweltering, thus, they should dress accordingly.

Such conditions made several precautions necessary. Special rules apply at Yungas road. While the rest of Bolivia drives on the right side, here vehicles drive on the left. A driver on the left has a better view of the edge of the road. Furthermore, descending vehicles never have the right of way and must move to the outer edge of the road. This forces fast vehicles to stop so that passing can be negotiated safely.

The government of Bolivia is trying to improve safety on its roads, but construction in such extreme terrain is costly and slow. The northernmost section of the original road has been replaced by an alternative route with a modern and much safer two-lane motorway.

The road has gained certain attention in popular culture, including Top Gear's Bolivia Special and the BBC show World's Most Dangerous Roads.

Update as of October 2020: Today, a new paved highway has safely diverted most vehicle traffic including buses off of the so-called Death Road leaving the original curving, narrow, dirt route to guided bike tours and individual drivers looking for an adventure.

Related Tags

Roads Extreme Sports Disaster Areas

Know Before You Go

Take some extra money with you if you fancy zip sliding down three zip lines at speeds of up to 52 miles/hr at the village at the bottom of the road.

Community Contributors

Added By

stanestane

Edited By

SkareMedia, GemmaA, TeaAndCoffeeLover

  • SkareMedia
  • GemmaA
  • TeaAndCoffeeLover

Published

August 31, 2009

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/death-road
  • http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2013/10/24/a_terrifying_tour_of_the_world_s_most_dangerous_road_north_yungas_in_bolivia.html
  • https://www.twoscotsabroad.com/death-road-bolivia/
  • https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/110153588/cycling-tourists-big-users-of-bolivias-death-road-nowadays
  • https://rove.me/to/bolivia/the-death-road-camino-a-los-yungas
  • https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/bolivia/articles/10-things-to-know-before-visiting-the-death-road-bolivia/
  • https://trans-americas.com/death-road-bolivia-drive/
North Yungas Road
North Yungas Road
Nor Yungas
Bolivia
-16.266922, -67.791415
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Abandoned Chacaltaya Ski Resort

Milluni, Bolivia

miles away

Valle de las Animas

La Paz, Bolivia

miles away

Mi Teleférico

La Paz, Bolivia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bolivia

Bolivia

South America

Places 32
Stories 12

Nearby Places

Abandoned Chacaltaya Ski Resort

Milluni, Bolivia

miles away

Valle de las Animas

La Paz, Bolivia

miles away

Mi Teleférico

La Paz, Bolivia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bolivia

Bolivia

South America

Places 32
Stories 12

Related Stories and Lists

14 Precarious Roadways

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • The top quarter of the Stelvio Pass.

    Stelvio, Italy

    Stelvio Pass

    One of the highest mountain passes in Europe has been ranked among the best driving roads in the world.

  • Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Street Posts Museum

    An unexpected public exhibit showcases the diversity of Dutch street posts.

  • The main gate of Chōshō-ji Temple, built in 1629.

    Hirosaki, Japan

    Zenringai (Zen Temple Street)

    These 33 Zen Buddhist temples were built to protect the nearby castle.

  • Watch out for serious curves ahead.

    San Francisco, California

    Vermont Street

    Lombard Street may be more famous, but this is the real “crookedest street in the world.”

  • Come journey into the feudal past.

    Hakone, Japan

    Old Tokaido Way

    The centuries-old cobblestones of a feudal highway remain in the woods of Hakone.

  • Vernier, Switzerland

    Geneva Skateboard Musuem

    One of the world's largest skateboard collections is on display inside a historical mansion.

  • Heritage Street.

    Henderson, Nevada

    Heritage Street

    Clark County Museum has created an entire street of historically important buildings relocated from various other locations within the county.

  • The slide scarp.

    Sunshine Valley, British Columbia

    Hope Slide

    The morning of January 9, 1965, over 46 million cubic meters of earth, rock, and snow broke free, obliterating a section of the highway below.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.