Karakoram Highway:

  • Route:  800 miles from Xinjiang, China to Punjab, Pakistan
  • Description:  The KKH is the highest paved international road in the world at an elevation up to 15,397 feet.  It provides access to 5 mountains over 26k feet and multiple glaciers, rivers, and lakes.

Ruta 40:

  • Route: 3,107 miles (Argentina)
  • Description:  One of the longest roads in the world, it spans the entire country of Argentina from north to south, crosses 20 national parks, 18 major rivers, 27 passes on the Andes, and up to an elevation of 16,404 feet.

Pan-American Highway:

  • Route:  30,000 miles from northern Alaska to southern tip of Argentina
  • Description:  The world's longest drivable road, connecting almost every mainland nation of the Americas.  It passes through many diverse climates and ecological types, from dense jungles, to arid deserts.  (Note: There's one 50-mile impassible stretch called Darién Gap between Panama & Columbia that can be done by ferry)

Great Ocean Road:

  • Route: 151 miles between Torquay & Allansford (Australia)
  • Description:  This scenic drive winds through diverse terrain along Australia's southeastern coast, providing access to ancient rainforests, beautiful beaches, and several prominent landmarks, including the Twelve Apostles limestone stack formations.

Chapman's Peak Drive:

  • Route: 5 miles between Noordhoek & Hout Bay (South Africa)
  • Description:  With 114 curves, it skirts around Chapman Peak along the Atlantic coast providing amazing views.  The cliffs drop away from the road down to majestic scenes of wide sand beaches & blue ocean.

Honorable Mentions:

Cost:
$ $ $
 Difficulty:
⚒ ⚒ ⚒ 
 Bliss Level:
☺︎ ☺︎ ☺︎