A road trip around Delhi? Nah, that’s passé. Let’s go a step ahead, or well, millions and billions of steps ahead- buy an air ticket to a land far away from home and then go on the best road trip of your life. Sounds exciting? You bet it is. Whether you decide to travel to Europe, America, South Africa or New Zealand, this extensive list of the 10 most beautiful, most adventurous road trips in the world will definitely come in handy:
1. Pan American Highway
Looking for the ultimate retirement road trip? At nearly 48,000km (30,000 miles) in length, and stretching from Alaska in the United States down through the Americas to Chile and Argentina in the south, you’ll certainly need plenty of time to drive a Winnebago all the way along the world’s longest motor-able road.
2. Romantic Road, Bavaria, Germany
Stretching for 350km from the vineyards of Würzburg to the foothills of the Alps at Füssen, the Romantic Road (RomantischeStrasse) is Germany’s most popular tourist route. You could spend a month exploring this string of perfectly preserved medieval walled towns, hilltop castles, mighty cathedrals and pretty churches. Stopping-off points include the enchanting Rothenburgob der Tauber, the dramatic castle Burg Harburg and the stately town of Augsburg.
3. Garden Route, South Africa
Lush and bountiful, the relatively short stretch of coastline between Mossel Bay and Tsitsikamma is popularly referred to as the Garden Route, and its timeless appeal both to foreign travellers and to South African holidaymakers is reflected in a booming guesthouse and hotel industry. This, however, is a distinctly African garden with an exhilaratingly rugged coastline flanked by indigenous rainforest, blue lagoons, parallel rows of serrated mountain peaks and fields bright with fynbos (scrubland). Sights along the way include the fascinating Cango Caves, the snaking Seweweekspoort Pass, the Bloukrans Bridge and Knysna Elephant Park.
4. Glen Coe, Scottish Highlands
The mountain scenery around perhaps the most famous glen in Scotland is sublime. The landscape exerts a great deal of power and even the unimaginative must feel a shiver up their spine as they follow the A82 between the dark buttresses of BuachailleEtiveMor, BideannamBian and the AonachEagach. These Highland mountains are among Britain’s supreme mountaineering challenges. The National Trust for Scotland owns most of Glen Coe and exhibitions at its Glen Coe Visitor Centre near the foot of the glen tell its story.
5. Pacific Route
The United States’ iconic Pacific Route stretches from San Diego in Southern California all the way up the coast through Oregon and Washington to Seattle, not far from the Canadian border. Along the way there are quaint towns, wineries, giant redwoods, romantic beaches and historic sites, plus the big cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
6. Amalfi Coast
Whether you take the bus or brave it in a car, the drive along the Amalfi Coast is one heart-stopping journey you won’t forget. The 50km ribbon of road snakes its way between Sant’Agatasui due Golfi and Salerno, with vertiginous views of the sea below and the mountains above. The route encompasses two of the coast’s loveliest towns, Amalfi and Ravello, and is one of the most fantastic tours in Naples and the Amalfi Coast guide.
7. Grande Corniche, France
East towards the Italian border, the white limestone Pre-Alps fall almost directly into the sea, creating some of the French Riviera’s most dramatic settings and exclusive peninsulas. The Grande Corniche road goes all the way to Menton via Roquebrune. You can stop off at La Turbie or explore inland villages such as Peillon and Peille. La Turbie’s star attraction is the Trophée des Alpes, a ruin standing guard over Monaco.
8. Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand
The 260km route over the Arthur’s Pass to Hokitika on the South Island’s West Coast provides one of the country’s great geographical contrasts. This alpine highway climbs through a visual feast of mirrored lakes, caves and rock formations, ridges and valleys, wide shingle river beds and deep gorges.
9. Ring of Kerry, Ireland
The Ring of Kerry is one of Europe’s great scenic drives, a circular route around the rim of the Iveragh Peninsula, through rugged sandstone hills and verdant subtropical vegetation, with myriad mountains and coastal view.
10. Great Ocean Road, Australia
Begun in 1919 and finished in ‘32, the Great Ocean Road is known as one of the world’s great coastal drives and the journey from Torquay to Allansford, near Warrnambool offers spectacular natural scenery, delicious food, wine stops and adrenalin-inducing activities aplenty.
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