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 ride on them. But the facts of this version do not confirm. There are places on the planet where people are so accustomed to daily risk that they regard 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 laid in the mountains, they have many sharp turns, a very difficult terrain and bad cover, the state of which is difficult to control due to the tropical climate, frequent rains, significant temperature drops and the poverty of the state treasury. Reviews about traveling on the Bangladeshi "road of death" are extremely rare, tourists almost do not go on it, it is too risky, even for extreme lovers. Visitors admire the beauty of the winding route from Koroyko to the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, more often, knowing that relatively few people die on it, “only” a hundred or two every year.
The importance of the Koroyko-La Paz highway for Bolivia
The northern death road in Bolivia is the vital transport artery of this Latin American country. It is simply impossible to prohibit its operation, this is the only highway through which you can get from the city of Koroyko, 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 Chuck war was fought).
In the 70s, it was reconstructed by a company from the USA, but the work was limited to paving 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 soaking, becomes extremely slippery. The terrain on which the road is located is in close proximity to the valley of the great Amazon River, which seriously affects its condition. Wet soil often collapses directly under the wheels, and no, even the highest qualification of the driver can in this case prevent a disaster. Air temperature also varies from tropical heat to high altitude cold, which increases the likelihood of erosion.
Rules of the road on the death road
The width of the web does not exceed 3 meters 20 centimeters, and this creates significant problems for oncoming traffic flows. But moving in one direction is also very dangerous, in the narrowest places the tread half its width hangs over the precipice.
Before each flight, and they occur many times daily, both the driver and passengers pray earnestly. It helps, but not always.
The usual traffic rules do not apply here. The road of death in Bolivia has developed its own etiquette, observed by drivers during meetings on it. Priority is given to vehicles moving up. In controversial situations, both cars stop, drivers get out and talk for a while among themselves, with Latin American composure figuring out who needs to be handed back and how much to get away safely. Most of the transportation is carried out here by rather old buses and trucks, these vehicles have considerable dimensions, and if we take into account their imperfect technical condition and “bald” tires, we can conclude about the courage that comes to the recklessness inherent in local motorists, as well as about their high professionalism.
Where does the name come from
By the way, the road of death in Bolivia got 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 that fell from a steep slope, and this accident became known to the world public.
The skeleton of trucks, buses and the trees broken by them during the fall are visible from some points on the route, they cause gloomy feelings among drivers, recalling the many victims.
The gloomy reputation of the road contrasts with the beautiful views that open with its bends. A riot of tropical greenery, as well as a wealth of colors, inspire insidious and erroneous carelessness. Sometimes this road is called shortly, in one word: "death."
Tourist paradise. Or hell ...
And yet, not only local drivers drive along the Koroyko-La Paz highway. The road of death carries with it the danger and beauty of the landscapes of extreme tourists. Since 2006, the most dangerous section can be circled along an additionally laid part of the path, but traffic along the old route is not prohibited.
It is considered commonplace to cross in a group of cyclists with an instructor and a minibus loaded with auxiliary and spare sports equipment. Before departure, each participant in the run 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. A medical aid car may leave for the injured, but she will have to overcome the same deadly path, and this cannot be done quickly. But people still take risks, developing downhill speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
Road of death, photos and impressions
Each person, leaving for distant lands, hopes to find something of their own in them. Some leave their home to relax quietly and comfortably, sitting in a sun lounger by the gentle sea and enjoying the all-inclusive service. Others are interested in attractions, museums, and exquisite architecture. There is even culinary tourism that gourmets enjoy. None of this is on the shores of the Amazon.
What attracts tourists to Bolivia? The road of death, a photo in the background in the form of a picturesque abyss or a skeleton of a car torn 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 to his homeland.