Death Road in the Yungas region of Bolivia, also called Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, and Road of Fate. It leads from La Paz to Coroico, which is 56 kilometres northeast of La Paz in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger, and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it the "world's most dangerous road". Similarly, as with the south— A South Yungas Road (Chulumani Road) exists that connects La Paz to Chulumani, 64 kilometres east of La Paz, and is considered to be nearly as dangerous as the North Road.
Road death was built in the 1930s during the Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay. One of the few routes connecting the Amazon rainforest in northern Bolivia, particularly the city of Coroico, to La Paz, the largest city in the country.
This road is one of the few routes that connects the Amazon rainforest region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends to around 4,650 metres, or 15,260 ft, at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to 1,200 metres, or 3,900 ft, at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool Altiplano terrain to rainforest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
The largely single-lane road has no guardrails and cliffs that rise up to 600 metres (2,000 feet). Most of the road is the width of a single vehicle, about 3.2 metres (10 ft). During the rainy season from November through March, rain and fog can severely hamper visibility, and water runoff can turn the road into a muddy track, affecting traction. In the summer, rockfalls are common, and vehicle dust limits visibility as well.
One of the local road rules specifies that the downhill driver never has the right of way and must move to the outer edge of the road. This forces the faster downhill vehicle to stop, allowing for safe passing. Unlike the rest of Bolivia, vehicles are required to drive on the left side of the road to give the driver a better view of the vehicle's outside wheel and make passing safer. [Source —Wikipedia]
First Image credit: The World by Road
Image credit: The World by Road
The danger of the road made it a popular tourist destination starting in the 1990s, drawing some 25,000 thrillseekers. Mountain biking enthusiasts in particular have made it a favourite destination for downhill biking, with a 64-kilometre (40 mi) stretch of continuous downhill riding and only one short uphill section. There are now many tour operators catering to this activity, providing information, guides, transport, and equipment. Nevertheless, the Yungas Road remains dangerous. At least 18 cyclists have died on the ride since 1998. [Source —Wikipedia]
Image credit: The World by Road
Image credit: The World by Road
Image credit: The World by Road
Image credit: The World by Road
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Source — Wikipedia
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