Coroico is a hill top town in the La Paz department of Bolivia and is an excellent base for excursions into the surrounding Yungas Road region.
Beyond its modest size, Coroico sits at the heart of Bolivia’s Yungas coffee belt. Smallholder farms dot the surrounding terraces, and many families open their homes for informal coffee‑tasting sessions. Visitors can trade a modest donation for a freshly brewed cup, learning the nuances of altitude‑grown beans while hearing stories of how the crop survived the region’s volatile climate. This intimate exchange offers a richer perspective than staged tours, highlighting the resilience of a community that has turned a marginal land‑use into a distinctive flavour identity.
The route to Coroico, famously winding through jungle cliffs, is as much a travel experience as the destination itself. Drivers often recommend departing early to avoid the afternoon mists that can obscure the serpentine road. Carry a rain jacket and a small snack; roadside stalls appear sporadically, offering nothing more than fresh fruit and warm tea, but they provide a welcome break from the tight bends. For the adventurous, a motorbike hire lets you linger at pull‑outs for panoramic photographs, though caution is essential given the road’s reputation for sudden landslides during the rainy season.
Coroico’s calendar is punctuated by modest, community‑run celebrations rather than grand spectacles. During the annual ‘Fiesta de San Juan’, locals light torches along the main square, creating a soft glow that reflects off the surrounding cloud‑forest. Participating in these events gives travelers a chance to join impromptu dances and sample homemade empanadas, all while observing how traditional Andean rhythms blend with Afro‑Bolivian drum patterns. Timing a visit to coincide with such gatherings offers an authentic slice of daily life that typical guidebooks often overlook.
Place in La Paz Department, BoliviaCoroicoCoroicoLocation in BoliviaCoordinates: 16°11′S 67°44′W / 16.183°S 67.733°W / -16.183; -67.733Country BoliviaDepartmentLa Paz DepartmentProvinceNor Yungas ProvinceElevation1,525 m (5,003 ft)Population (2001 census) • City12,237 • Urban2,197 • Rural10,040Time zoneUTC-4 (BOT) Coroico is a town in Nor Yungas Province, in the La Paz Department of western Bolivia.
[edit] Coroico Viejo (Old Coroico) was founded above the river Quri Wayq'u (Quechua quri gold, wayq'u valley, hispanicized spellings Coriguayco, Kori Huayco). The town lived from mining gold, but the massive attacks by indigenous populations left the first Spanish colonial settlers in search of protection. Looking for a defendable position in the early 18th century, the settlers arrived at the current location of Coroico only to be chased into a cave by a powerful lightning on Cerro Uchumachi. The cave still exists below the church on the main plaza of Coroico. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Coroico survived a couple of Indian attacks - the biggest one was at the time of the Bolivian War of Independence. 5000 Aymaras attacked the town, which in those days only had 500 inhabitants. The town stood strong, forcing the Aymaras into retreat. Since then, Coroicans celebrate the Feast of the Virgin on October 20. Coroico became the capital of the North-Yungas in 1899 making Coroico the political and industrial center of the region, which produces wood products, fruits, and coca for the La Paz region of Bolivia. In 1958, the city was made the seat of the Territorial Prelature of Coroico, and elevated to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Coroico in 1983. An Afro-Bolivian woman dressed in traditional Andean clothing in Coroico From the mid-18th century, the lands in this region came under the control of a few powerful families, the hacienderos. These families maintained control of this region until the agrarian reforms that followed the 1952 revolution transferred land to local communities. Now, Coroico has a mostly Aymara and mestizo population. The town has become a major market for the surrounding region. Staple products arrive from La Paz and the surrounding areas to be sold in the colorful markets and stores all days of the week. The region around Coroico has remained a traditional coca growing area and is the smallest of three areas of coca production in Bolivia. On a part of the road from La Paz to Coroico a new highway has been opened at the end of 2006, and the old Yungas Road is now used mainly for bikers. This Yungas Road is also called the "death road". The municipality of Coroico also hosts the Unidad Académica Campesina-Carmen Pampa (UAC-Carmen Pampa), a satellite campus of the Catholic University of Bolivia. Founded in 1993, the UAC-Carmen Pampa offers B.S.-equivalent degree programs in agronomy, veterinary/animal science, nursing, education and ecotourism.