La Paz: Death Road Bike Tour & Coroico Descent
Twelve Hundred Meters Down One of the World's Most Dangerous Roads
You ride a mountain bike from the high altiplano down through Bolivian jungle on the Death Road, dropping 2,400 meters in a single day with a professional guide, all safety gear, three snacks and a hot lunch at a hotel pool before the return drive to La Paz. The fixed schedule and included transport mean you don't arrange logistics yourself. You just show up at your hotel at 7am.
Options for this experience
3 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Death Road biking adventure and return
- 07:00 hotel pick up and depart to summit
- 09:00 equipment test and guide briefing
- Start biking on asphalt to Unduavi
- Rest and refreshments at Unduavi
- 10:30 begin dirt road descent
- Pass streams, waterfalls, and jungle
- Midday rest and refreshment break
- 13:45 arrive at bridge, end biking
- Transfer to Dos Rios hotel for lunch
- Free time by pool and showers
- 16:30 return to La Paz via highway
- Arrive La Paz at nightfall
What’s included
Hotel pickup and return transport by air-conditioned minivan, mountain bike, complete safety equipment (helmet, knee pads, gloves, knuckles), altitude jacket and trousers, professional bilingual guide, three snacks and a buffet lunch at Dos Rios hotel, unlimited bottled water, hot shower and towels, access to hotel common areas and pool, altitude souvenir shirt (red or black), and digital photos and videos via Dropbox.
Times
- Every day 06:00
Before you book
Operated by Altitude Travel
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The experience
You're standing at 3,600 meters on the edge of the Cordillera Real, and the road ahead is narrower than you expected. The Death Road biking tour starts early (pickup at 7am from your La Paz hotel), and the first part feels almost normal: asphalt, cold air, views of snow-capped peaks and high-altitude desert scrub. Then at 10:30, after a gear check and hot drink at Unduavi, the dirt road begins and the landscape changes completely. You drop into subtropical jungle, riding past waterfalls and streams, surrounded by vegetation that shouldn't exist this close to the altiplano. The guides (bilingual and trained for this) stay with the group the whole way down, watching the pace and stopping for water and snacks as the altitude falls from 2,700 meters to 1,200 by early afternoon.
The bike itself is straightforward: a mountain bike fitted with a helmet, knee pads, gloves and knuckles, all included. The descent takes hours, and your legs and hands do the work, but the guides handle the route and timing. By 1:45pm you reach the bridge at the bottom. A warm, humid place that feels like a different country from where you started. From there it's a 35-minute transfer to Dos Rios hotel in Coroico, where you shower, eat a buffet lunch and have free time by the pool before the return drive to La Paz on the new highway. You're back in the city around nightfall, tired and covered in dust, but with video and photos the tour company posts to Dropbox so you can relive the descent later.
The whole day is structured around the altitude drop and the single-track nature of the road. There's no flexibility once you start, which is why timing matters. Bring an extra set of clothes and shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent. The jungle section is humid and the sun at altitude burns fast. The entrance fee at Unduavi (50 bolivianos) is separate, and travel insurance is not included, so arrange that before you book. Groups are small enough that the guides know who's ahead and who's behind, and the pace is set for mixed ability. You don't need to be a cyclist, just steady on a bike.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full-day adrenaline experience without arranging your own transport, bike rental, safety gear or meals: the fixed schedule and included lunch at the hotel pool mean you're moving as a group from start to finish, which is what makes a 2,400-meter descent in one day feel manageable.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish and German.
How long is the actual biking on the Death Road?
The descent on dirt road starts at 10:30am and ends around 1:45pm, roughly three to four hours of riding depending on the group's pace.
Do I need to be an experienced cyclist?
No. You need a moderate level of fitness and comfort on a bike, but the guides set the pace for mixed ability and stop regularly for water and rest.
What happens if I can't finish the descent?
The tour description does not specify alternative arrangements. Contact the operator before booking if you have concerns about completing the full route.
Is the altitude jacket included?
Yes, altitude jacket and trousers are provided as part of the equipment package.
What's included in lunch?
A buffet lunch at Dos Rios hotel in Coroico, plus unlimited bottled water throughout the day and three snacks during the ride.
Do I get photos of the tour?
Yes, the tour company takes photographs and videos and uploads them to a shared Dropbox folder. They also post to their Facebook page.
How much does the entrance fee at Unduavi cost?
50 bolivianos, paid separately on the day. It is not included in the tour price.
What time do I get back to La Paz?
Approximately nightfall, after the return drive on the new Santa Barbara Cotapata highway from Coroico.
La Paz: Death Road Bike Tour & Coroico Descent
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from US$ 156 per person
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