After we returned from the jungle, and with my knee fully recovered we decided to take on the world´s most dangerous road by mountain bike. The narrow road winds its way through the Yungas region, with the real danger occurring when two large vehicles meet each other on the mostly single lane road. Over 200 people used to die every year, with the government eventually opening a new dual way road, greatly reducing the deaths.
Unfortunately for us on the day we cycled the new road was closed forcing all vehicles back onto the Death Road. On the Death Road, unlike the rest of Bolivia, all cars must drive on the left hand side of the road.
This forces the faster cars to stop when they meet another car and is supposed to reduce accidents, however, this also means that the bicycles travelling from the top of the mountain down must also cycle on the left had side of the road, closest to the cliff side. This is not usually a major problem until you meet a large truck coming up the road, forcing the bicycles right to the edge of the road. Since companies started offering biking tours 29 tourists have been killed, and many more have gone over the edge but luckily landed on a ledge or vegetation and survived.
We started the trip high up in the mountains at La Cumbre Pass at an altitude of 4650 meters. It was freezing cold and we were well layered up as we set on the first 20kms of paved road. The road was well maintained at this point and the steep gradient allowed us to get up some serious speeds. Every 15 minutes we stopped to take in the breathtaking view as it was easy to get distracted on the bike and have an accident.
After a quick ride uphill in the bus we began the real Death Road experience. The road is unpaved making it particularly easy for bikes to hit a loose stone and lose control. Also waterfalls and excessive rain often washes part of the road away making avalanches a real possibility. We were told to just keep our eyes on the road and waited for the many stops before admiring the scenery. Many accidents happen when people are going quite slowly but are taking pictures or looking around them while cycling.
Matt of course flew down with a few of the more experienced cyclists and after the first few corners my confidence picked up and I was able to relax and enjoy the experience. The road, while narrow, was more than wide enough for a bike, and while the closer of the new road did force extra traffic onto the death road, it was not too overwhelming. It was still crazy at times to see lorries filled with people meeting another truck and one slowly edging its way past the other with mere centimeters to spare.
We finished the tour at 1200 meters in a sub tropical rain forest. By this stage we had stripped off most of the layers we started with but it was still really hot. Most of us had brought swimming gear with us and went for a quick dip in the river before lunch.
While I originally wanted to do the Death Road just to say I did it, I didn´t expect to enjoy it was much as I did. The scenery was breathtaking and probably the most dangerous aspect of the road for tourists.It is difficult to remain focused on the road with snow capped mountains surrounding you. When you get to lower, the terrain changes to lush rain forest with waterfalls cascading down the cliff faces.
I also expected to be more frightened of the cycle and the possibility of falling off at any minute. However, after the initial five minutes you get used to the road and the bike and it stops being as scary and becomes more fun. The guides were also very professional and did a great job of telling us what to expect and calming any nerves. The many crosses and memorials along the way do offer a solemn reminder of what can happen and I saw many over confident guys who you could easily see flying off the edge, but there were no major accidents that day.
The scariest part of the trip was probably the end when we all climbed into the minibus and travelled back up the way we came. Thankfully it was dark and many of us stocked up on some beers before setting off. We just just got chatting and soon forgot about our mini bus and its wheels only inches from the edge of the world´s most dangerous road.