Trampolín de la Muerte — Mocoa to Pasto via Putumayo CloudForest.
Distance
150 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
2,200 m
Trampolín de la Muerte — Mocoa to Pasto via Putumayo Cloud Forest.
The 80km between Mocoa in Putumayo and Pasto in Nariño is one of the most dangerous roads in the Americas — a single-lane unpaved track carved into cloud forest cliffs in 1944 to supply troops during the Peru war. Sheer drops, no guardrails, two-way traffic, near-constant fog. The Trampolín (Springboard) of Death is also one of the most beautiful rides on the continent — orchids, waterfalls, Indigenous Kamëntsá villages. Ride dry-season only (Dec–Mar).
Quick facts
SurfaceMixed
Distance150 km
Days1
Total climb2,200 m
DifficultyExpert
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The route.
MocoaStart · Start in Mocoa, Putumayo's jungle capital. Fuel up; the 80km to Pasto takes 6–8 hours. Check road status — landslides close it for days at a time.
Quebrada San Antonio CliffsScenic Point · Where the road first leaves the Amazonian foothills and clings to the cliffs. 1,000m drop on the right. No guardrails. Two-way traffic on a one-lane track — yield to uphill traffic.
Sachamates Summit (3,000m)Mountain Pass · The high point at Sachamates through dripping cloud forest. Visibility often drops to five metres. Use the horn at every bend; locals do.
San Francisco — Sibundoy ValleyRestaurant · Drop into the green Sibundoy Valley — Indigenous Kamëntsá and Inga territory. Lunch on tamales de pipián and chicha de maíz fermented corn drink.
Laguna La Cocha — El EncanoScenic Point · Colombia's second-largest lake, rimmed by colourful stilt houses and the Isla La Corota shrine. A gentle reward after the Trampolín.
Pasto Descent into the Galeras ValleyScenic Point · The paved road climbs the flank of Volcán Galeras — Colombia's most active volcano — and drops into Pasto. The transition from death-road to highway is shocking.
PastoEnd · End in Pasto, Nariño's capital at 2,500m. Colonial churches, the Carnaval de Negros y Blancos heritage, and chocolate caliente con queso to recover.
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