La Paz Department · Bolivia
La Cumbre to Coroico
Ruta 3La Paz to Coroico
Bolivia’s paved Ruta 3 climbs from La Paz over La Cumbre at 4,650 m then plunges 3,450 m through every Andean climate zone, from altiplano to subtropical cloud forest, to the colonial town of Coroico in the Yungas.
Leaving La Paz via Villa Fátima, the paved Ruta 3 climbs into the Cordillera Real to La Cumbre (4,650 m) amid snow peaks and high lakes. The descent to Coroico is one of the most dramatic altitude transitions on earth, 3,450 m lost over roughly 70 km through Cotapata National Park as altiplano scrub gives way to cloud forest and warm jungle. The old unpaved 'Death Road' runs parallel as a cycling track; this is the active paved highway that replaced it in 2006.
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La Cumbre to Coroico on the map54.9 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 16Elevation
approximateunder 4%4–8%over 8%1,202.5 – 4,663 mPoints of interest3 stops
- La CumbreViewpoint12 mi in
- San JuanViewpoint39 mi in
- Mirador Turístico San JoséViewpoint54 mi in
Hazards
- Altitude sickness at La Cumbre (4,650 m)
- Steep gradients on the descent
- Landslides in the rainy season
- Fog in the upper sections
Sources
“The road climbs to around 4,650 meters at La Cumbre before gradually descending to 1,200 meters. Travelers experience both chilly Altiplano highlands and hot humid rainforest below.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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