Estrada de Ferro Madeira-Mamoré Heritage Railway Trail

The crumbling concrete ties and twisted rails of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway emerge from Rondônia’s jungle like the bones of some massive beast. Built between 1907-1912 to bypass the Madeira River’s rapids, this 366-kilometer line cost over 6,000 lives to malaria, yellow fever, and indigenous attacks—earning its nickname ‘Devil’s Railroad.’ Your route follows the abandoned railbed from Porto Velho through Abunã to the Bolivian border, where rusted locomotives still sit in jungle clearings and station ruins mark forgotten towns swallowed by green hell.

This moderate trail demands high-clearance 4WD for creek crossings, muddy sections, and occasional washouts that turn the old railbed into a technical challenge. Dry season (May-September) is essential—wet season makes this impassable. Pack fuel for 400+ kilometers, water purification, and camping gear since civilization is sparse. You’ll traverse one of South America’s most haunting industrial ruins while experiencing the raw jungle that claimed so many lives building Brazil’s most notorious railway.