Coroico: Getting there & around

The new La Paz-Coroico road is now open for public use and has cut the journey to around two hours.

From the Villa Fátima area in La Paz, buses and minibuses leave for Coroico (2-3.5hr) hourly during the day. Minibuses stop in Yolosa, where you can catch buses and camiones (flatbed trucks) north to Rurrenabaque (15-18hr) and further on into the Bolivian Amazonia. Camiones from La Paz to Coroico run until mid-afternoon. To avoid the backbreaking truck journey to Chulumani, arrange a taxi.

An exhilarating way to get from La Paz to Coroico is to descend by mountain bike. The World's Most Dangerous Road (aka 'Death Road'), is a narrow dirt strip that hugs the side of the mountain and has sheer drops of over 1km (0.6mi). An ever-increasing number of mountain-bike operators run the trip. Choose carefully - if your company cuts corners, it's a long way down. There have been many fatalities, the vast majority caused by gung-ho bikers going way too fast.

Coroico is made for walking. It's compact center is Plaza Garcia Lanza. Buses to La Paz stop opposite here. There are hiking trails on the outskirts of town - the steepest areas are connected by steps.