Yungas Death Road - Uphill cycling

RB Road bike recommended / MTB Mountain bike recommended / GB Gravel bike recommended

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New in 2024
	Voras Ski Center NEW	2.074m	RB
	Monte Titano NEW	652m	RB
	Bwlch y Groes NEW	550m	RB
	Bwlch Pen-y-Feidiog NEW	530m	RB
	Dingli Cliffs NEW	245m	MTB
	Vatican Hill NEW	77m	GB

World's highest cyclable roads
	Overview v30 / January 2024

European Alps
	Theodulpass	3,332m	MTB
	Hohtälli	3,286m	MTB
	Col du Jandri	3,150m	MTB
	Hohsaas	3,142m	MTB
	Madritschjoch	3,123m	MTB
	Rothorn	3,103m	MTB
	Gornergrat	3,089m	MTB
	Gaislachkogel	3,040m	MTB
	Ortlerhaus	3,025m	MTB
	Wurmkogel	3,023m	MTB
	Colle Sommeiller	3,009m	MTB
	Festkogel	2,898m	MTB
	Eisjöchl	2,895m	MTB
	Stubai Glacier	2,889m	MTB
	Ötztal Glacier	2,822m	RB
	Cime de la Bonette	2,802m	RB
	Col de l'Iseran	2,770m	RB
	Viderjoch	2,763m	MTB
	Stilfser Joch	2,758m	RB
	Kaunertal Glacier	2,750m	RB
	Colle dell'Agnello	2,744m	RB
	Col du Chaberton	2,674m	MTB
	Gaviapass	2,652m	RB
	Col du Galibier	2,645m	RB
	Colle del Nivolet	2,612m	RB
	Großglockner	2,571m	RB
	Timmelsjoch	2,509m	RB
	Umbrailpass	2,503m	RB
	Nufenenpass	2,478m	RB
	Great St. Bernard	2,473m	RB
	Furkapass	2,436m	RB
	Hochwurtenspeicher	2,422m	RB
	Großsee	2,414m	RB
	Oscheniksee	2,394m	RB
	Col d'Izoard	2,360m	RB
	Albulapass	2,315m	RB
	Uina Gorge	2,309m	MTB
	Julierpass	2,284m	RB
	Kronplatz	2,275m	MTB
	Sellajoch	2,240m	RB
	Passo Pordoi	2,239m	RB
	Passo Giau	2,236m	RB
	Sustenpass	2,224m	RB
	Little St. Bernard	2,188m	RB
	Grimselpass	2,164m	RB
	Ofenpass	2,149m	RB
	Grödner Joch	2,137m	RB
	Pfälzerhütte	2,108m	MTB
	Passo Falzarego	2,105m	RB
	Jaufenpass	2,094m	RB
	Gotthardpass	2,091m	RB
	Col de la Croix de Fer	2,067m	RB
	Mangart	2,055m	RB
	Oberalppass	2,046m	RB
	Manghenpass	2,042m	RB
	Nockalmroad	2,042m	RB
	Silvretta / Bieler Höhe	2,032m	RB
	Kühtaisattel	2,017m	RB
	Zillertal Höhenstr.	2,015m	RB
	Col de la Madeleine	2,000m	RB
	Col de Sarenne	1,999m	RB
	Kitzbüheler Horn	1,996m	RB
	Malta-Hochalm	1,924m	RB
	Col du Glandon	1,924m	RB
	Lukmanierpass	1,914m	RB
	Mont Ventoux	1,912m	RB
	Alpe d'Huez	1,896m	RB
	Hahntennjoch	1,894m	RB
	Passo Campolongo	1,875m	RB
	Mortirolopass	1,852m	RB
	Furkelpass	1,789m	RB
	Monte Zoncolan	1,750m	RB
	Villach Alpine Road	1,732m	RB
	Sliezsky Dom	1,670m	RB
	Les Deux Alpes	1,650m	RB
	Col du Mollard	1,638m	RB
	Gerlospass	1,621m	RB
	Vršič	1,611m	RB
	Col du Telegraph	1,570m	RB
	Reschenpass	1,507m	RB
	Norbertshöhe	1,410m	RB
	Brennerpass	1,370m	RB
	Passwang Antenna	1,166m	RB
	Passo Predil	1,156m	RB

Spanish Sierra Nevada
	Mulhacen	3,482m	MTB
	Pico del Veleta North	3,394m	RB
	Pico del Veleta South	3,394m	MTB
	O Sel Ling	1,462m	MTB

Canary Islands
	Roque Muchachos	2,426m	RB
	Pico del Teide	2,362m	RB

Pyrenees
	Col du Tourmalet	2,115m	RB
	Col d'Aubisque	1,709m	RB
	Col de Peyresourde	1,569m	RB
	Col d'Aspin	1,489m	RB
	Col du Soulor	1,450m	RB

Mallorca
	Puig Major	879m	RB
	Coll dels Reis	718m	RB
	Coll d'Honor	550m	RB
	San Salvador	510m	RB
	Coll de Sóller	497m	RB
	Port de Valdemossa	323m	RB
	Cap de Formentor	225m	RB

Giant Mountains / Ore Mountains
	Sniezka	1,602m	MTB
	Modré Sedlo	1,500m	GB
	Vrbatova Bouda	1,400m	RB
	Klinovec	1,244m	RB
	Fichtelberg	1,215m	RB
	Spindlerpass	1,200m	RB

Balkans
	Štulac Sedlo	1,957m	GB
	Durmitor Sedlo	1,908m	GB
	Sveti Jure	1,762m	RB
	Qafa Thores	1,681m	RB
	Visočica Sedlo	1,625m	GB
	Galičica Sattel	1,564m	RB
	Prevalac	1,560m	GB
	Qafa Bordolecit	1,355m	RB
	Krstac	958m	RB

Scandinavia
	Juvasshytta	1,851m	RB
	Dalsnibba	1,459m	RB
	Flatruet	975m	MTB
	Trollstigen	866m	RB
	Ørnevegen	623m	RB
	Møllehøj	171m	MTB

Baltics
	Suur Munamägi	318m	RB
	Gaizinkalns	312m	GB
	Aukštojas	294m	GB

Benelux
	Botrange	694m	RB
	Kneiff	560m	RB
	Vaalserberg	323m	RB

United Kingdom
	Great Dun Fell	848m	RB
	Lowther Hill	724m	RB
	Cairnwell Pass	670m	RB
	Bwlch y Groes NEW	550m	RB
	Bwlch Pen-y-Feidiog NEW	530m	RB

Greece
	Voras Ski Center NEW	2.074m	RB

San Marino
	Monte Titano NEW	652m	RB

Malta
	Dingli Cliffs NEW	245m	MTB

Vatican State
	Vatican Hill NEW	77m	GB

Serra da Estrela (Portugal)
	Pico Torre	1,993m	RB

Trodoos Mountains (Cyprus)
	Olympos	1,950m	RB

Matra Mountains (Hungary)
	Kekestetö	1,014m	RB

Carpathians (Romania)
	Transalpina	2,145m	RB
	Transfagarasan	2,042m	RB

Rila Mountains (Bulgaria)
	Kalin reservoir	2,550m	MTB

Great Caucasus (Georgia)
	Abano Pass	2,865m	MTB
	Gergeti Trinity	2,170m	MTB

Germany
	Osterfelderkopf	2,032m	MTB
	Nebelhorn	1,932m	MTB
	Alpe Schlappold	1,740m	MTB
	Eagle's Nest	1,716m	MTB
	Roßfeld-Höhenring	1,540m	RB
	Riedbergpass	1,420m	RB
	Feldberg	1,493m	MTB
	Fichtelberg	1,215m	RB
	Brocken	1,142m	RB
	Salwert	11m	MTB

Andes
	Uturuncu	5,768m	MTB
	Chacaltaya	5,300m	MTB
	Salar de Uyuni	3,650m	MTB
	Yungas Death Road	3,200m	MTB

Himalayas
	Khardung La	5,602m	MTB
	Taglang La	5,358m	MTB
	Potokonkga La	4,900m	MTB
	Namshang La	4,800m	MTB
	Lamayuru Monastery	3,714m	MTB

Rocky Mountains
	Mount Evans	4,307m	RB

Hawaii
	Mauna Kea	4,200m	MTB

Ethiopian Highlands
	Tulluu Dimtuu	4,377m	MTB

Alborz-Range (Iran)
	Dizinpass	3,257m	RB
	Emamzadeh Davod	2,929m	MTB

Marathon (European Alps)
	Ötztal Cycle Marathon	5,209Hm	RB
	La Marmotte	5,180Hm	RB
	Maratona Dolomites	4,190Hm	RB
	Dreiländergiro	3,546Hm	RB
	Alpenbrevet	3,643Hm	RB
	Alpen-Challenge	2,499Hm	RB

Yungas Death Road 3,200m
Uphill climb on "The most dangerous road in the world"

Infamous Yungas Death Road leads from Bolivian Altiplano down to lowlands of Yungas jungle. The unpaved and almost entirely unsecured runway prides itself "The most dangerous road in the world". The way was built by Paraguayan war-prisoners in the 1930s and has only a few meters of roadway width. Partly there is a sheer of a few hundreds meters directly next to the runway. Any lack of concentration may have fatal consequences. Pictures of that road have been circulating on the internet for many years now and show trucks and busses trying to drive in contrarious directions. Respective reports on that road provide superlatives regarding the amount of fatal accidents and death in the past decades. However, many vehicles vanishing in the precipise and many hundreds cases of death are given fact. Only for a few years now there is a new asphalted main road which has absorbed almost the total motorised traffic. The old road is actually no longer in use and does only serve as a very popular tourist attraction in La Paz area when courageous riders go down there on mountain bikes and finally adorn themselves with "Survivor"-shirts. Anyhow, even this thrill has caused many casualties in the past. Once being in Bolivia to ride Chacaltaya one should additionally drop over the Death Road. However, in contrast to the tourists seeking for a downhill thrill I will do the much more challenging reverse way: An uphill climb of 2,000 meters of altitude difference on "The most dangerous road in the world"!

Starting point: Yolosa 1,200m
Altitude difference: 2,000m
Distance: 32km
May 2011

The first 15 kilometers up to an elevation of 1,800 meters have a moderate grade with even some flat passages. Afterwards the grade becomes continuously steeper and even exceeds 10%.

On the day before the ride after passing several police stops (anti-drug, road charge etc.) is this the view from the new asphalted main road down to opposite old graveled Death Road.

The runway is readily visible in the overgrown hillside. Not a bit of crash barriers...

Overnight stay in these huts in the Yungas village of Yolosa at an altitude of some 1,200 meters.

Departure on the next morning at 6.30am with some mixed feelings...

Just after sunrise is this the first impression of the road. The lower part is moderatly flat but shows that this ride will not become a promenade walk.

A local guide accompanies me in a 4WD vehicle. The guide has several years of detailed experience with the road and knows all lurid tales, every curve and all good photospots. However: It is his first uphill ride!

The Death Road is the only left-side traffic street in South America. Thus the vehicles driving down can better realise the brim which is then at the side of their steering wheel. Moreover, in the past several heavily laden trucks coming uphill down from the jungle slipped down the rain-sodden right side of the runway. Anyway, desire to see my family again, keeps me at the very, very left at the hillside of the road...

Keep always close to the wall and do not look to the right... The runway is acceptably rideable in the lower part but becomes afterwards partly quite rocky and steadily steeper.

At an elevation of some 2,000 meters is the first cross. Several further crosses and memorial stones will follow alongside the road and remind you to stay concentrated and precautious.

Most parts of the upcoming road are visible.

Water plashes down from an overhang forcing you to drive through a little waterfall.

Roofed view points have been built alongside the road instead of investing in the safety of the runway. The myth of the Death Road is obviously cultivated by the responsible authorities.

During the entire trip we only met five regular vehicles (without the support cars of the mountain bike tour operators). You can easily imagine how problematic it was in the past when two cars met at the narrowest parts of the road. In particular with such cars: No licence tag, no tyre profile, damaged headlights...

The most popular photospot of the Death Road section at an altitude of 2,400 meters.

And suddenly all the tourists on their borrowed mountain bikes show up. The typical rider is in his mid-twenties, backpacker and comes from North America or Europe - among them many young women. We met about eight groups each with six to fifteen riders.

Numerous tour operators in La Paz offer an adrenalin-pumping Death Road downhill thrill on mountain bikes. However, in fact this is only a very slow coasting from curve to curve. The ride is safeguarded by guides and the participants wear high visibility vests. This has nothing to do with cycling (or even "downhill riding") but requires courageousness and deserves respect! All groups are initially being transferred by minibusses from La Paz up to La Cumbre pass (4,700m). That is the starting point for the bike ride and the participants go down on the asphalted road to Cotopata for some 1,500 meters of altitude difference. At that place is the junction to the old graveled Death Road. Down in Yolosa or Coroico all riders get a hot shower and a meal and afterwards the minibusses return to La Paz on the new paved road. The whole trip takes one day and the total costs vary from 70 to 100 US-Dollars (depends on the respective tour operator).

This is the first view on the roadway when starting at the top of the Death Road.

The last mountain bike group starting midday is immediately absorbed by the fulminating fog. I am relieved having arrived at the top after 2,000 meters of altitude difference...

At an elevation of some 3,200 meters is this the exit (and for all others the entrance) of the Death Road. At the left you can find the paved new main road.