Biking Death Road
A non-negotiable for your Bolivia bucket list
If you’re a globetrotter that identifies with: thrill seeker, risk taker, fun lover or outdoor enthusiast then tackling Death Road, a 55km downhill bike ride on one of the most infamous stretches of road in the world, should absolutely be on your bucket list.
Death Road – proper name Yungas Road – links La Paz to the town of Coroico and was chiseled into the mountainside by prisoners of the Chaco war in the 1930s.
It inherited its morbid nickname due to the overwhelming number of lives claimed by its sheer drops, hairpin bends and death-defying corners. For more than half a century vehicles, particularly trucks, would succumb to the cliffs every other week. At its worst more than 100 lives were lost in a single bus crash.
In 2009 a new, much safer, two lane road was opened and all traffic now uses this route with Death Road being reserved exclusively for tourism activities.
With more than 50 tour operators offering the Death Road experience and a big difference between the cheapest and the most expensive, you want to do a bit of research about which company is best for you. Gravity is touted as being the premier and longest standing provider. You can expect to pay $125 for a day trip with them (September 2019). We went with Barracuda Biking – another highly reputable provider with a good safety record. The main difference between the two companies is that we had Bolivian guides (with perfect English) rather than international guides, and slightly older bikes. For the price difference (we paid $82.50) it was a no brainer for us and I couldn’t recommend them more highly.
Having booked at their office before 7pm the day prior, we met the rest of our group at 7.30am at a downtown café. After a little more than an hour on the bus we disembarked at 4,700m amongst stunning snowcapped mountains and sub zero temperatures.
The view that greeted us when we stepped off the bus
The first 21km is a gentle warm up on the new asphalt road. The hardest thing about this stretch is tearing your eyes away from the dramatic jagged peaks in which you are immersed.
One of many roadside crosses en route
Descending onto the old road and into the warm Amazonian climate requires more concentration and control as you find yourself racing down the hills at surprising speeds.
It’s not the least bit unnerving, flying past innumerable roadside crosses as you hurtle round one gravel corner after the other for 34kms.
After the perfect amount of photo and snack stops, the final destination is Coroico where, following a final 400m uphill nudge, you’ll be rewarded with a beautifully clean swimming pool and generous buffet lunch.
Death Road. Your only regret will be not doing it!