Death Road La Paz to Coroico
World's most dangerous road
The old Yungas Road earned its grim nickname honestly — this single-lane dirt shelf carved into vertical cloud forest cliffs has claimed thousands of lives. Starting at 15,260-foot La Cumbre pass, you descend through every ecosystem Bolivia offers, from alpine tundra to steaming jungle. The narrowest sections barely fit one vehicle, with 2,000-foot drops and no guardrails, just wooden crosses marking where trucks went over the edge.
Expert difficulty requiring nerves of steel and perfect vehicle control. High-clearance 4WD with good brakes essential — many sections are one-way downhill only. Dry season (May-October) safer but still treacherous; wet season adds mudslides and zero visibility. No permits but inform authorities of travel plans. What you earn is bragging rights for surviving the world’s most dangerous road, plus stunning transitions from Altiplano to Amazon basin in a single day’s drive.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 43 mi / 69 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 15260 ft |
| Best season | May-October |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | La Paz, Bolivia |
| Land manager | ABC Bolivia |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | Spotty |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4WD high-clearance vehicle handle Death Road, or do I need a built rig?
A stock 4WD high-clearance vehicle can physically complete the trail, but the narrow shelf road with sheer cliff drops punishes any driver error. Lockers and skid plates are strongly advised — a breakdown or slide-off on this road is not a situation you want to negotiate with a stock setup.
When is Death Road passable, and what happens if you hit it in the wet season?
May through October is the dry season and the only realistic window for driving it safely. During the wet season (November–April), waterfalls pour directly onto the road, the dirt turns to grease, and the already marginal visibility drops to near zero — several fatal incidents have occurred in those conditions.
Are there permits or fees required to drive the Yungas Road?
As of current information, there is no formal permit required to drive the road, but checkpoint fees and tolls can apply along the route. Confirm current requirements with local authorities in La Paz before departure, as regulations in Bolivia can change with little public notice.
What's the hardest section of the trail and what specifically makes it dangerous?
The most critical stretch is the narrow single-lane cliff section below the cloud line, where the road is roughly 3 meters wide with no guardrails and drops of up to 600 meters straight down. Oncoming traffic — trucks, buses, cyclists — is common, and the uphill vehicle has the right of way, meaning you may need to reverse on the cliff edge to let them pass.
Is there anywhere to get fuel or supplies between La Paz and Coroico on this route?
No reliable fuel stops exist on the road itself — tank up fully in La Paz before you drop. Coroico at the end of the route has basic supplies and food, but carry water, recovery gear, and emergency food for the full 43-mile run since cell service is spotty and rescue response in this corridor is extremely slow.
Trail track
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