Yungas Road

Yungas Road

Yungas Road, also translated as Cloud Ride Road, Yungas Highway, or Yanguz Road, is a mountainous road located in the Yungas region northeast of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia in South America. The road section passes through the North Yungas Road and stretches 69 kilometers in total. Due to frequent accidents involving vehicles plunging into valleys and a high death toll, it has earned the nickname “Death Road.” Its extremely dangerous and legendary reputation led the Inter-American Development Bank to name it the “world’s most dangerous road” in 1995.

The North Yungas Highway connects La Paz in western Bolivia to Coroico in the Andes mountains. This road features extremely perilous cliffs, single-lane width, narrow passing spaces, densely winding curves, and almost no guardrails. In addition, fog and rain reduce visibility, while muddy road surfaces increase the risk of skidding. On average, there is a fatal accident every few weeks on this road, with an estimated 200 to 300 travelers losing their lives here each year.

Although the North Yungas Highway is incredibly dangerous, ironically, since the 1990s, it has become a tourist attraction, drawing around 25,000 thrill-seekers. Nowadays, many tour operators offer services related to visiting the road, including information, guided tours, transport, and equipment. In 2009, the BBC TV show *Top Gear* (Season 14, Episode 6) aired “Top Gear: Bolivia Special.” The three hosts drove second-hand cars they had selected, traveling from the Bolivian rainforest to the Pacific coast — a total of 1,610 kilometers — which included driving along the perilous North Yungas Road.

North Yungas

Reason to visit: The world’s most dangerous road

Continent where the attraction is located: South America [South America]

Country/region where the attraction is located: Bolivia [Bolivia]

Province/state where the attraction is located: La Paz Department [La Paz Department]

City where the attraction is located: La Paz [La Paz]