This forces fast vehicles to stop so that passing can be negotiated safely. Furthermore, descending vehicles never have the right of way and must move to the outer edge of the road. A driver on the left has a better view of the edge of the road. While the rest of Bolivia drives on the right side, here vehicles drive on the left. Such conditions made several precautions necessary. 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. At least 13 riders have died in various accidents in last the 10 years. Several tour operators organize such trips. Internet fame turned this road into a destination for extreme sports enthusiasts, especially downhill bikers. To make matters even worse, one is likely to meet groups of cyclists along this road. There are numerous mudslides and tumbling rocks, and small waterfalls occasionally rain down from the cliff sides. 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. Most of the road is only 3.5 meters wide, and some sections are unpaved, without guardrails. One side of the road is solid rock, and the other falls off into a 600-meter abyss. By some estimates, between 200 and 300 people die a year on the road.īuilt in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners during the Chaco War, at places, it was cut into the steep cliffside. This drop of over 3,650 meters is one of the longest stretches of continuous downhill road in the world. 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. In order to do so, the road must traverse the mighty Cordillera Oriental mountain chain. The road connects the Bolivian capital of La Paz with the low-lying region of Yungas in the Amazonian rainforest. 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.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |