World’s Most Dangerous Roads | Bolivia - The Road to Death in the Andes | Free Documentary

Free Documentary19 minutes read

La Carretera de la Muerte in Bolivia is one of the most dangerous roads globally, where spiritual healers perform rituals at La Cumbre Pass to protect travelers. Omar, a seasoned truck driver, successfully navigates this perilous route, facing changing weather and treacherous conditions, but completes the journey feeling grateful and accomplished.

Insights

  • Spiritual healers at La Cumbre Pass perform rituals to protect travelers on the dangerous La Carretera de la Muerte, a road notorious for fatalities and accidents.
  • The Road of Death in Bolivia poses significant challenges with changing weather, steep cliffs, and narrow passages, but experienced truck drivers like Omar manage to navigate it successfully, highlighting the importance of skill and caution in traversing this treacherous route.

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  • What is La Carretera de la Muerte?

    A dangerous road in Bolivia with high fatalities.

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Summary

00:00

Treacherous La Carretera de la Muerte Road

  • La Carretera de la Muerte is considered one of the most dangerous roads globally, where many people die yearly.
  • The road stretches 500 kilometers from Ixaymas in Bolivia's tropical lowlands to La Paz, nearly 5,000 meters above sea level.
  • At La Cumbre Pass, spiritual healers perform rituals to protect travelers from harm and accidents.
  • Omar, a seasoned truck driver, navigates this treacherous route, transporting 25-ton loads without incidents in three days.
  • The dry season makes the road dusty, but impending rains will turn it muddy and challenging to traverse.
  • Crossing rivers on wooden pontoons, like the Rio Beni, requires skill and caution to prevent accidents.
  • Fishermen in the area struggle due to low water levels, impacting their catch of giant catfish.
  • The road through the Yungas region is perilous, with steep cliffs and narrow passages, demanding utmost concentration from drivers.
  • Roadworks aim to improve Bolivia's infrastructure, but they often lead to traffic congestion and dangerous driving conditions.
  • Coca farming, supported by Bolivia's government, provides a livelihood for many, like Albertina and Valerio, who earn well from their harvest.

29:09

Bolivian Adventures: Love, Death, and Triumph

  • Omar and Jaime find washing in crystal clear mountain water after a long day to be a refreshing and rejuvenating experience, feeling cleansed and ready to continue their journey.
  • Omar, a trucker, leads a life on the road with different women in different towns, stopping to meet his second wife, Veronica, in Coroico, where they visit her father's grave and pray together.
  • All Hallows is a festive celebration in Bolivia where families commemorate the dead at cemeteries, with marching bands playing and offerings of food, bread figurines, sweets, fruit, and alcohol.
  • Omar navigates the dangerous "Road of Death" in Bolivia, a treacherous route with narrow paths, changing weather, and a history of accidents, but he successfully completes the journey, feeling grateful and accomplished.
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