Yungas Road in the Andes Mountain of Bolivia is known by a couple names, the most memorable being The World's Most Dangerous Road or Death Road for short.
The road earned those nicknames because it has more deaths per mile than any other road in the world. |
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Each year, AT LEAST 25 vehicles fall off the road. There are NO guardrails. And though it's supposed to be two-way, the road is, for most part, barely wide enough for a single car.
Despite these facts, Yungas Road isn't paved in bones or anything. The human skulls are in the unseen jungle valley at the bottom of the 1500 ft vertical plummet off the edge.
Bike rides down the road are "highly recommended" for extreme mountain biking enthusiasts with a death wish.
- link:// Travel Bolivia
comments
THERE SHOULD NOT BE A ROAD THERE.
by:// BOBBIEJESKE BOBBIE JESKE - Nov 14th 2008
where is that place? I would sure as hell want to go there!!!!!
by:// evster - Nov 15th 2008
I was in the Philippines from august 1967 to January 1970. There was a road similar to this that we had to travel to get to Subic Naval Base in Olongopo City. (sp)? If you dared to look down you would see buses or jeepnees that had tumbled off the side.
A frightening ride but the scenery was breath taking. I would travel it in a second to see that beautiful country again.
Thanks for the memories.
by:// Lynne - Nov 17th 2008
I recall a road like that in New Mexico
by:// J - Nov 18th 2008
more cool similar pictures
Amazing holes in our earth
http://www.curiousread.com/2007/10/7-amazing-holes-sfw.html
by:// Jon - Nov 18th 2008
We drove on 3 roads in Monaco, one where Princess Grace died. The Grand Corniche. The Moyene Corniche and the Bas Corniche. I'm not sure my spelling is correct. The Grand Corniche had quite a few spots like the pictures above. And the locals drove like a bat outta hell. In an unfamiliar rental car on a dangerous road is something I don't care to do again.
by:// John - Nov 18th 2008
you have to be a friggin idiot to use these roads!!!!!
by:// brian - Nov 18th 2008
About 40 years ago, my father was in the US State Department stationed in La Paz, Bolivia. My family drove this road several times to the other side of the Andes. Towards the top is perpetual snow, and the car barely ran because the air was so thin. On the other side of the mountain was a different world of tropical jungle.... very cool. I remember seeing crosses marking where vehicles ran off the road and over the cliff. They were usually small buses carrying locals (cholos, Andean indians) to the nearby town. I've always wanted to drive the Pan American highway to La Paz.
by:// TT - Nov 18th 2008
http://philipmercadante.blogspot.com
by:// Philip Mercadante - Nov 18th 2008
I have been on many roads like this around the world and it scares the shit out of me.
by:// don - Nov 18th 2008
Makes my hands sweat! I just got back from Costa Rica and it reminds me of driving in the mountains. Not quite as bad as this, but still frightening as the road is basically a car and a half wide, very curvy and no guard rails. When the land/mudslides occur, the edge of the road sometimes gets washed away. Don't drive it at night-early fog was scary enough. The scenery was breathtaking, though. As they told us--if you have a problem, head toward and run into the mountain! Nice.
by:// LORAINE - Nov 18th 2008
ALL roads are dangerous without driver training. Crahes kill more than 6,000 teenagers every single year in the USA! Get the training they need at www.drivetolive.com
by:// HH - Nov 18th 2008
In 1997 I had the opportunity to be a passenger of a small bus taking this road from La Paz to Coroico and back. It was very scary on the way down to Coroico because the traffic coming from Coroico hugged the mountain, and the traffic facing them had to "make room" which usually meant the traffic on the cliff side had to move BACKWARDS up the mountain just inches to spare on the edge looking down into the abyss! Your life was literally in the driver's and his ability to maneuver the bus. SCARY. Coroico is a beautiful little city well worth the visit. Going back to La Paz was a breeze because the traffic we met had to make room for us no matter what size vehicle they were driving. Due to so many deaths I later found out that the road was limited to one way traffic different times of the day. At the end of 2006, after 20 years of construction, a new road (a by-pass) from La Paz to Coroico was opened to public. This new route features modern construction (bridges, drainage, etc.), multiple lanes, pavement, guardrails and many other elements that make it considerably safer than the original route. As a result, the original North Yungas Road is currently much less used by traffic, although an increasing number of adventure travelers bike it for the thrills.
by:// Azahar - Nov 18th 2008
OMG....totally went on this road from La Paz to Yungas and I really saw my life pass before my eyes! My cousin was drivin the car and I know he was trying to scare us more. It was crazy...especially when another car tried to pass us! Never will I go down that road again. If had known before going I would have never gone!
by:// maria - Nov 18th 2008
I drove this road several times and had no problems. I think people are making up stories of how many fall off. I never saw anybody fall off.
by:// i_drove_this_road_with_no_problems - Nov 18th 2008
What do you suppose the last words of those going over the side might have been? Rather a safe bet, I would suppose, it wasn't - oopsie! ;-)
by:// Steve - Nov 18th 2008
The BQE is by far the scariest road ever lol.
by:// big t - Nov 18th 2008
The Going To the Sun Road in Glacier National park is pretty scary too. Also, the roads in Jamaica along the coast to get to the resorts are a white knuckle experience too.
by:// audrey - Nov 18th 2008
you want catch me at any of them placec, i am very scard of height. i would just pass out.
by:// frank posinski - Nov 18th 2008
LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE WOULD NEED GOOD CONCENTRATION TO NAVIGATE THAT ONE. CHECK OUT MY SITE FOR IMPROVED CONCENTRATION & ENERGY. http://mxi.myvoffice.com/dubljbs
by:// JAY - Nov 18th 2008