Road of death in Bolivia. La Paz: road of death (photo)

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:48

We have long been accustomed to the idea that the most reckless people in the world are Russians. Moreover, there is an opinion that the roads in our country are such that only desperate daredevils can drive on them. But the facts do not support this version. There are places on the planet where people are so accustomed to daily risk that they treat it as a simple and annoying routine.

The scariest roads

The two most dangerous roads in the world are in Bangladesh and Bolivia. Both of them are mountainous, have many sharp turns, very difficult terrain, and poor pavement, the condition of which is difficult to control due to the tropical climate, frequent rainfall, significant temperature fluctuations, and the paucity of the state treasury. Reviews of traveling along the Bangladeshi "road of death" are extremely rare, tourists hardly drive along it, it's too risky, even for extreme lovers. Visitors admire the beauty of the winding road from Coroico to the Bolivian capital La Paz more often, knowing that relatively few people die on it, "only" a hundred or two every year.

MeaningCoroico-La Paz tracks for Bolivia

The Northern Death Road in Bolivia is a vital transportation artery of this Latin American country. It is simply impossible to ban its operation, this is the only highway along which you can get from the city of Coroico, the center of the northern province of Yungas, to the capital. Throughout its seventy-kilometer length, it goes obliquely, the minimum height above sea level is 330 meters (almost 1,100 feet), and the maximum exceeds 3,600 meters (12,000 feet). The road of death in Bolivia was built in the 30s of the twentieth century with the involvement of the labor of captured Paraguayans (then the Chaco war was going on).

In the 70s, it was reconstructed by a company from the USA, but the work was limited to asph alting the first 20 kilometers of the track. The rest of the distance is devoid of hard surface, and the cars are forced to drive on clay soil, which, when wet, becomes extremely slippery. The area on which the road is located is in close proximity to the valley of the great Amazon River, which seriously affects its condition. Wet ground often collapses right under the wheels, and no, even the highest qualification of the driver, can prevent disasters in this case. Temperatures also range from tropical heat to high mountain cold, which increases the likelihood of erosion.

Death Road Rules

The width of the canvas does not exceed 3 meters 20 centimeters, and this creates significant problems for oncoming traffic flows. But movement inone direction is also very dangerous, in the narrowest places the tread hangs over the abyss for half its width.

Before each flight, and they occur many times daily, both the driver and the passengers are praying earnestly. It helps, but not always.

Regular traffic rules don't apply here. Death Road in Bolivia has developed its own etiquette for drivers to meet on it. Priority is given to vehicles moving up. In disputable situations, both cars stop, the drivers get out and communicate with each other for some time, with Latin American composure, finding out who needs to back out, and how much, in order to pass safely. Most of the transportation is carried out here by rather old buses and trucks, these vehicles have considerable dimensions, and given their imperfect technical condition and “bald” tires, we can conclude that the courage, reaching the recklessness inherent in local motorists, as well as their professionalism.

Where the name comes from

By the way, the road of death in Bolivia received its terrible name relatively recently. Until 1983, when a bus with a hundred passengers fell into the abyss, its official name sounded prosaic: "North Yungas Road".

Then, in 1999, another major disaster occurred, eight Israelis died in a car falling down a steep slope, and this accident became known to the world community.

Truck wrecks,buses and trees broken by them when falling are visible from some points of the route, they cause gloomy feelings among drivers, reminding of the numerous victims.

The road's bleak reputation contrasts with the beautiful views it offers. The riot of tropical greenery, as well as the richness of colors, inspire insidious and erroneous carelessness. Sometimes this road is called briefly, in one word: "death".

Tourist paradise. Or hell…

And yet not only local drivers drive along the Coroico - La Paz highway. The death road attracts extreme tourists with its danger and beauty of landscapes. Since 2006, the most dangerous section can be bypassed using an additional section of the road, but driving along the old route is not prohibited.

It is common to cross-country in a group of cyclists with an instructor and a minibus loaded with auxiliary and spare sports equipment. Before leaving, each runner signs a paper in which he declares in Spanish that there are no claims in the event of an unfortunate outcome. Not every fall ends fatally, but in the event of a serious injury, getting to the local hospital is not easy. An ambulance can follow the injured, but it will have to overcome the same deadly path, and it is impossible to do it quickly. But people still take risks, developing speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour on the descent.

Road of death, photos and impressions

Each person, leaving for distantcountries, hoping to find something of their own in them. Some leave their home to have a quiet and comfortable rest, sitting in a sun lounger by the gentle sea and enjoying the all-inclusive service. Others are interested in sights, museum displays and exquisite architecture. There is even culinary tourism, which gourmets are fond of. There is nothing like this on the shores of the Amazon.

What attracts tourists to Bolivia? The road of death, a photo with a background in the form of a picturesque abyss or the skeleton of a car that fell off a cliff, an atmosphere of exoticism and mortal risk - this is what a traveler from a long journey to this South American country brings home.