Imagine embarking on an exhilarating bike ride where survival is uncertain. If such an endeavor sounds like the thrill you're after, then you might be interested in Yungas Road — also known as "Death Road." This mountain route is so treacherous, it's earned the distinction of being "the most dangerous road in the world." And it's not just cyclists who've risked their lives to traverse this deadly stretch. But what, exactly, awaits those who dare drive or cycle through this unforgiving path? Stay tuned to find out why this Bolivian road is one of the most dangerous places on earth.
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00:00What does it take to earn the title of most dangerous road in the world? Don't go anywhere,
00:04because we're about to discuss the perils of the dreaded Yungas Road.
00:09In the mountains of Bolivia, a lonely two-lane highway clings to the sheer cliffs between
00:13the capital city of La Paz and the frontier town of Carrico. This road, only 43 miles
00:18long and about 12 feet wide, is formally called the Yungas Road. But since the 1930s, it has
00:24earned another, more thrilling name, the Death Road.
00:27In 1995, the Inter-American Development Bank named the Yungas Road the most dangerous road
00:31in the world — and with good reason, too. Until 1994, an estimated 300 people died on
00:37the road every year, many falling off and down the 2,000-foot cliff along its bank.
00:42That is a massive, massive drop.
00:46Mountain roads are often dangerous, of course, with their hairpin turns and long, fatal drops.
00:51But the Yungas Road has more than its share of unique driving challenges. Huge rocks spike
00:55out of the mountain face and sometimes fall onto the road unexpectedly, while thick fog
01:00often envelops the route like wool. Cars, trucks, and bicycles all share the left-hand
01:04side of the road, which is said to make passing safer, even though Bolivians generally drive
01:09in the right lane.
01:10Until recently, there were no guardrails apart from the crosses you might have found along
01:14the edges to commemorate those who have died on its route.
01:17The Yungas Road was built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners of war following the
01:22Chango War. Originally, it was a one-lane path that had to accommodate all kinds of
01:26traffic, as it was the only route from Corriego to La Paz. Then, in 2006, the Bolivian government
01:31built Route 3, a paved two-lane alternative to the Yungas Road.
01:36People kept using the old road despite the presence of a safer choice. It's partly the
01:40danger that draws them. Tens of thousands of cyclists brave the murderous mountain path
01:44every year, often just for the bragging rights and spectacular views. Some companies even
01:49offer tours of the route for adventurous cyclists, with a cost of $50 to $110 for
01:54the trouble.
01:55As one young tourist to Bolivia told the BBC after embarking on the journey,
01:58I asked myself a thousand times, why am I doing this? The answer is that, firstly, everyone
02:03is doing it. If you've come to Bolivia, you have to cycle down the most dangerous road
02:07in the world. And secondly, it's a personal challenge.
02:09Luckily, the danger on the Yungas Road is somewhat less mortal than it once was. In
02:14the past decade, it has only claimed the lives of about a dozen bicycle riders. As the road
02:18has continued to remain open to drivers and cyclists, the government began building safety
02:22measures to stave off its deadly reputation.
02:25The Yungas Road now has two lanes, a paved surface, drains, and even guardrails along
02:30some sections. Bike tour operators say some of the risks can also be reduced by common-sense
02:34measures. Alistair Matthew, a New Zealander who began a tour company in Bolivia, told
02:38the BBC,
02:39It is our belief that the vast majority of the risks can be mitigated by providing people
02:43with great bikes and equipment, lots of instruction, and lots of warnings about the potential for
02:48accidents.
02:49Matthew told the BBC that his tour company Gravity has had just one casualty on the road
02:53— a man in his 50s. Still, he says, every two weeks, someone from one of his tour groups
02:58needs to go to the hospital.
03:00Interested yet? If so, Gravity has provided a list of do's and don'ts for people wanting
03:04to bike down the death road. Riders shouldn't try to race down the mountain path, for example,
03:09or make their journey with a hangover. They should also definitely avoid the rainy season
03:13when the overhead rock faces can turn into waterfalls — except for maybe experienced
03:17mountain bikers, that is.
03:18And more than anything, listen to the tour guides, stay in communication with the other
03:22bikers along the route, and dismount from your bike before taking photos. Follow all
03:26that guidance, and with a little luck, you should be just fine.