As we keep climbing, snow-capped mountains will come into a view. Just before arriving to the Cumbre pass we will pass several artificial lakes that supply drinking water to La Paz. Arriving at the pass we will turn off the main road entering into the Cotapata National Park and continue climbing through a moon-like landscape to the beginning of the Choro Inca Trail. The pass Apacheta Chucura, where the trail starts is at 4880 m (16010 f). The views from the pass are unforgettable. For those who feel well in this altitude and want to have some truly amazing view we can follow the ridgeline for a while and climb up to 4990 m (16371 f), from where we will have truly amazing view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. We return to the Cumbre pass and start a long descent towards Coroico. Along the way the road descents more then 3500 m (11482 f), thus there is a drastic change in scenery and vegetation; starting surrounded by snow-capped mountains with barely any vegetation at all we end up at a humid tropical valley with tropical flora and fauna. The first 25 (15.7 mi) km is paved and the road is fairly wide and generally in a good condition, however after arriving to a village of Cotapata, the road narrows and is unpaved. (Unless the “new” road is open and passable, this is paved and wider.) The next section of the road has the infamous reputation of being the “most dangerous road in the world”. I do not agree with this, but nevertheless it is a spectacular road, it is actually the most scenic road around La Paz. It hugs cliff walls on one side and on the other side it is cut off by a sheer cliff. At several points, waterfalls fall directly on to the road. Eventually we arrive to village of Yolosa, typical transit village, full of cheap restaurants and market stalls for the transit passengers who continue through here to Amazonia. We however turn off the main road and start a short climb to the village of Coroico which is perched bellow the Uchumachi Mountain.
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