Any highway can be perilous due to bad weather or reckless driving, but there is one road in the world that stands out as the most dangerous. Known as the "Highway of Death," this road is not for the faint of heart.
Located in Bolivia, South America, this infamous route is called North Yungas Road but is more commonly known as Death Road. This narrow road, carved into the side of a mountain range, was once the primary route to the capital city of La Paz. Spanning 64 kilometers, it features a harrowing 3,500-meter drop along its path from the Andean city to the Yungas Valley.
The road’s width is a mere 3 meters at many points, and it is fraught with treacherous bends and waterfalls cascading from above, adding to the peril. Safety barriers are sparse, but memorials dot the route, marking the spots where travelers have lost their lives.
Although a new, safer road to the capital has been constructed, North Yungas Road remains popular, especially among mountain bikers seeking an adrenaline rush. The road's history is grim; it was built by Paraguayan prisoners of war in the 20th century, and during the 1990s, it claimed so many lives that the Inter-American Development Bank declared it the world's most dangerous road.
Despite its notorious reputation, the allure of its danger continues to draw adventurers from around the globe, making North Yungas Road a chilling yet compelling destination.
