If you are looking for a nice gentle drive through the countryside you have come to the wrong place. This top ten list of roads from all over the world is not for the faint-hearted.
Want to test your driving skills and work up a sweat navigating some of the planets most white-knuckle roads? Then you need to add this selection to your bucket list.
- Mount Iwaki Access Road, Japan
If you get your thrills from hairpin turns, this is the stretch of road you’ve been looking for all your life. Ten kilometres of nothing but 69 power-oversteer opportunities. Yep, you read that correctly. 69 turns in just 10km. Mount Iwaki Access Road, in Aomori Prefecture in the northern tip of Honshu, Japan will demand you to have the reflexes of a cat.
- Sani Pass, South Africa / Lesotho
Known to the locals as ‘The roof of Africa’ this actual dirt road will bring out your adventurous side. This road ascends from South Africa up to the Lesotho border, and it will depend on whether you are starting from the South African side or the Lesotho side as to which car you will be able to drive it in. The South Africans insist that you go by 4×4, but the much more laid-back Lesotho guards will let you drive whatever you come in. This is not something we personally encourage, as all along the road you will see vehicles that weren’t up to the challenge. Even the officials don’t think are worth retrieving. You won’t just have the hairy steep turns to contend with, mother nature rules this stretch of road offering up mud, ice, African wildlife and waterfall crossings to make the road even more treacherous. Add in reckless drivers in unreliable vehicles and this drive will have your heart pounding. But this daredevil road won’t be around for long with Chinese contractors planning to pave it all in 2019… It’s probably for the best.
- Pico de Veleta, Spain
The Veleta road is a seriously steep climb so don’t attempt it if you have an issue with heights. In just over an hour you will go from sea level to the highest driveable height in Western Europe – an ascent of 3,369m! You’ll need permits to go the entire length as there is a barrier across the road at the 2,600m mark. Up to this point, the road is in peak condition, after you cross the barrier it is a different story and you will benefit from a car with good suspension.
- Ronda Road, Spain
Want the perfect road to test your supercar? This is your road. In fact, this road has become infamous for European car manufacturers to display their cars capabilities. This smooth 50km piece of bitumen winds from the outskirts of San Pedro de Alcantara on the coast up to the historic town of Ronda. The higher you climb, the better the view gets, going from the golf courses of the Costa del Sol up to the millionaires gated community of La Zagaleta before turning seriously hectic. When you reach the top, you will be rewarded with a blend of technical turns and fast sweepers on the open plateaus.
- Dades Gorge, Morocco
Cut deep into the side of a gorge which overhangs in places, this zig-zagging road will have you on the edge of your seat for 160km. The scenery might be out of this world, but you will spend much of your time focusing on the dodgy surface and trying not to be intimidated by the local drivers that will think nothing of tailgating you on this hair-raising ride.
- Cuesta de Lipan, Argentina
Want to be on top of the world? This deserted blacktop will take you to the dizzying heights of 4,170m above sea level! Once you’ve done the climb drop down to Salinas Grandes, a giant salt flat that will allow you a wide-open plain to open up and see what you can do.
- Three-level Zigzag Road, India
The name says it all. Three levels of zigzagging is what is in store for you on this road. 100 hairpin turns squished into 30 kilometres on a 3,414m summit! Before you head off on this scarred and pothole dotted bitumen road, you will need to get a permit, but it is well worth the hassle for the spectacular views of the Himalayan foothills.
- Karakoram Highway, Pakistan/China
The Karakoram Highway (known as the KKH) is the highest paved road on Earth, peaking at 4,693m and is known as the ninth wonder of the world. This isn’t a relaxed Sunday drive. After you get all of the permits necessary to be able to travel between Pakistan and China you are facing 1,300km of rough, desolate terrain. Before setting out you will need to be extremely well prepared to tackle the 413km China owned road and the 887km Pakistan owned road. You’ll need spare tyres, fuel, radio, medical knowledge and nerves of steel just to start with.
- Lyell Highway, Tasmania
This one is a little closer to home and one for any Aussie to be proud of. Basically, all of Tassie is a great drive but you definitely want to grace the Lyell Highway with your presence while you are there. Starting in Strahan, head along the West Coast to Queenstown, then head east back through the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park to Derwent Bridge and Tarraleah on the A10. You will need to keep your eyes peeled for small animals crossing, but otherwise, this scenic and wild road will not disappoint.
- Transalpina, Romania
The Transalpina has well and truly earned its nickname “The Devil’s Path”. The 148km stretch was only paved in 2009 even though it was originally built in 1938. A quick glance at the map at its sheer drops and serpentine twists and turns, confirms that this is no hype. Located in the Parâng Mountains group, in the Southern Carpathians of Romania, it’s one of the most spectacular roads of the Carpathian Mountains and daresay the world.
