THE DEATH ROAD IN BOLIVIA: YUNGAS ROAD

You might probably start booking your cheap flights from India to USA after reading about this particular road in Bolivia. So before you plan on looking for any cheap flights, let’s talk about the very famous Yungas road in Bolivia, from the central of South America. La Carretera de los Yungas was, probably, the most famous road in the world as well as the most dangerous. This gravel dirt track covers a 69-kilometre (43 mi) stretch between La Paz and Coroico, in the Yungas region of Bolivia. To be fair, it’s technically not considered the “World’s Most Dangerous Road” anymore due to the construction of a new highway close by, which directs most traffic away from its path.

It’s estimated that 200 to 300 people traveling on it died each year. The thin road climbs jungle-clad mountains to a height of 4,650m, winding and turning all the while with nauseatingly deep canyons below. Dozens of vehicles went off the road each year, and with vertical drops of up to 1000m over the edge, annual fatalities reached into the hundreds. While the rest of Bolivia drives on the right side, here vehicles drive on the left. A driver on the left has a better view of the edge of the road. Furthermore, descending vehicles never have the right of way and must move to the outer edge of the road. This forces fast vehicle to stop so that passing can be negotiated safely. It was the black widow of roads and notorious for being the most treacherous stretch of road in the world as threats of landslides and the 1000 meter cliff faces pose serious danger while traveling its slick and rocky path.

The former world’s most dangerous highway (alternatively known as Death Road, Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, El Camino de la Muerte, Road of Death, Unduavi-Yolosa Highway) climbs up a famous Bolivian mountain pass, La Cumbre, at an elevation of 4,650 metres (15,260 ft) above the sea level. This road was legendary for its extreme danger. Based on the ratio of death per mile, on an average, 26 vehicles plummet over the edge each year, claiming more than 100 lives. The estimation is that 200 to 300 travellers were killed yearly along the road. With these numbers, in 1995, the Inter-American Development Bank christened this highway "The Most Dangerous Road in the World”.

This road has humbled many egos. It’s not for the sissies and shouldn’t be attempted by novice drivers. It’s not hard to see why the road was so dangerous: It’s barely the width of one vehicle, with no guardrail to protect you from falls of up to 2,000 feet. Rain can make the road muddy and slippery, and rain or fog can reduce a driver to feeling blindfolded. The very good news about this dirt road is that you don’t have to take it. Back in the ’90s before an alternative and safer road was built, it was identified as the most extremely dangerous road in the world. The road is in dreadful condition and requires strong nerves to negotiate it. And just as a reminder that you’re not going on any regular road trip, some drivers pray before they begin their route. One thing’s for sure — easily distracted drivers, watch out! It goes without saying that any San Diego DUI attorney would advise against drinking and driving on this dangerous road.

The road was especially dangerous because is only 3 meters wide and was navigated by trucks and buses, because its constant sheer drops of at least 600m without any barriers or guard rails, the extreme dust clouds from vehicles in the summer and fog all year round often reduced visibility to almost zero and the fog and the rain in the winter months that often washes away parts of the road, reduces visibility as well as causing mudslides and the loosening of rocks from the hillsides above. Without guard rails, most of the road is no wider than 3.2 meters (10 ft.). The surface is often muddy, with loosen rocks from the road and rain, fog and dust can reduce visibility. To make matters worse, the road is often swathed in cloud, and in places waterfalls crash down onto its surface. Drivers will likely encounter groups of cyclists during the treacherous journey tour operators lead rides along the road, marketing the experience as an extreme-sports challenge. So come on and start planning for booking cheap flights to USA to India. You should really not miss this road. Book last minute flights if you have to and start looking for places to go further too. Adios!

-Indian Eagle