Mountain biking on Death Road

At 7 o'clock in the morning we are ready outside in the cold and only vaguely know what to expect. In addition to us, a Swede and a German couple are invited by the neighboring house Altitude biking. Among the numerous providers, Altitude Biking is one of the cheaper providers, others still offer all sorts of additional items and sometimes slightly better bikes. We leave La Paz and continue high up. After about an hour we have it Starting point at a breathtaking 4650 m altitude Reached on the La Cumbre Pass. Here we get our equipment Consisting of helmet, knee and elbow pads, pants and jacket and of course a full suspension mountain bike, the relevant instructions and a small breakfast. The sun's rays are able to suppress the icy cold of the night and something awaits us ideal bike weather.

The first section leads on the tarred pass road in wide curves through a spectacular mountains down. After a half-hour descent, loading is carried out again, as a short climb follows. Then the real Yungas street, better known as Death Road or Worlds Most Dangerous Road. The narrow, unpaved road served as the main route to the Bolivian Amazon until 2006 and achieved dubious fame. Again and again there were fatal accidents, every year 200-300 people lost their lives on the route along the yawning abyss. The landscape is now changing rapidly, the first bushes and trees appear and soon we are in the cloud forest that is dripping with water. On the partial only 3.2 m wide dirt road prevails Left-hand trafficso that drivers can recognize oncoming traffic earlier!

Logically, this is where you get to work with a little more respect and caution. We lay Regular photo and refreshment stops on. The view of the steep, green Yungas valleys alone is worth the jarring but fun descent. But extreme caution is advised, after all, at least 18 tourists lost their lives here. Fortunately, since the opening of the new, paved and safe alternative route, the route has rarely been used, so bikers have the route almost to themselves. water falls fall down again and again and in some places even directly on the Camino de la Muerte. With the rapidly decreasing sea level, the temperature also rises, so that we will soon reduce our layers.

After 2.5 hours, 64 kilometers and 3450 m altitude We reach Yolosa at 1200 meters above sea level in a sometimes rapid drive.

There is something to eat, a shower and a pool waiting for us in a pretty restaurant. At 4 p.m. we go to the three hour way back up to La Paz. This time, however, on the hardly less spectacular new line. In La Paz we have a quick meal before we go to bed exhausted.