Editor’s Note: For the latest version of this story, see The World’s Most and Least Expensive Cities, Ranked.
21.07.2023 - 07:59 / roughguides.com
Roads. They can be long and winding, yes. But they’re often a whole lot else: teetering on the edge of an abyss; carved through mountain terrain so high your head swims; engulfed by tides; and even swamped by molten lava (really). Here, we’ve chosen 15 of the world’s craziest drives.
Rock does some spectacular things in South Dakota. There’s the eerie vista of the Badlands; the carvings of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial; and the legendary Black Hills, sacred to the region’s native people. It’s through these hills that the 23km Needles Highway was threaded in 1922. The eponymous «needles» are gnarled granite pillars standing sentinel-like beside pine trees along the route.
Tunnel on Needles Highway in South Dakota © bradley pietzyk/Shutterstock
Concentration won’t be an issue at the start of this drive, which kicks off with a taxing climb out of Linthal. Soon, though, you emerge into distractingly beautiful scenery: isolated farms, a sprinkling of cows here, tumbling waterfalls and forested valleys there. But keep those eyes on the road – the pass itself is 1948m high, and the road is so narrow you’ve often got a deadly ravine right alongside you.
© Svjetlana Peric/Shutterstock
This is right up there, bumper to bumper, contending for the title of “Greatest Road Trip in Asia”. Spiti means “Middle Land”, since this desert-mountain valley is high in the Himalayas, in an otherworldly spot between India and Tibet. All manner of gorges and passes and clifftop drama await on this drive. And don’t expect a great deal of help if you break down, for this is one of India’s least populated regions. You’ll have to hope the goat herders are handy with a monkey wrench.
Breath-taking beauty ancient Tibetan Key Monastery, Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti district, India © otorongo/Shutterstock
With a nine percent gradient, you’d need thighs like a troll to cycle up this road. Eight years in the making, Trollstigen opened in 1936. It has drawn tourists ever since, attracted by the sheer power of the surrounding landscape, sliced through with deep fjords, waterfalls and verdant valleys. The fairytale theme extends to the mountains glowering down from all around: you’ll see Kongen (“the King”), Dronningen (“the Queen”) and Bispen (“the Bishop”).
continued below
Sharks? Box jellyfish? Snakes, crocs and spiders? Actually, the most dangerous thing you’ll face in Oz might well be driving in the Outback. The hazards are numerous: 50m-long road trains, rough tracks that shake your car apart and locusts that clog up your radiator. If you’re game, try the Mereenie Loop road, which passes through Aboriginal land (you’ll need a permit).
© Shutterstock
Applecross: it sounds like a village in the Cotswolds,
Editor’s Note: For the latest version of this story, see The World’s Most and Least Expensive Cities, Ranked.
We all know that air travel isn’t great for the environment, but a new study has found that tourism is four times worse for the environment than previously thought. The alarming research conducted by University of Sydney researchers and published in the journal Nature Climate Change found that the tourism industry (including direct sources like flights and indirect sources such as souvenir manufacturing) is responsible for eight percent of global greenhouse emissions, which is four times higher than scientists had previously estimated.
If you want to stay at the best hotel in the United States, head to the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. And if you’re looking for the best bargain hotel stay in the world, it’s in a small town in northern Spain. That’s according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which just shared the best hotel ratings for multiple categories heading into 2019.
With rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft taking over, you might be wondering where in the world it’s still possible to take a cheap taxi. Cabs aren’t dead, yet: These countries still heavily rely on them.
The rugged landscapes of the Outer Hebrides, off Scotland’s west coast, may be sparsely populated, but there’s a deep human history here, from ancient stone circles to traditional Gaelic culture. These interconnected islands have shaped a distinct way of life, not just in the Harris Tweed and whisky distilleries that travellers encounter, but also in the daily routines of remote fishing communities. Spanning over 150 miles, this island chain is stitched together by causeway, bridge, road and boat, meaning visitors can pick their own method — car, bike, bus or ferry — to make the most of this extraordinary destination.
Backpacking can be one of the most rewarding ways to travel – with little more than your clothes on your back and an onward ticket in your hand. But where are the world’s best backpacking destinations? We asked our readers, and here are the results.
Running along the shimmering Arctic tundra in Greenland, jogging across the African savannah and racing through the Amazon are some of the exhilarating marathon experiences now on offer around the globe. From coastal routes in Jamaica and California to challenging courses in the blazing Sahara and freezing Polar Circle, a growing number of endurance events provide a dramatic change of scene and pace. Read on for our pick of the world's best marathons.
Whether it’s a friendly face at check in or a taxi driver who’s full of useful tips, nothing beats getting a warm welcome on your travels – and our interactions with local people have a huge impact on how we view countries as a whole. We asked our Facebook and Twitter followers to share where they’ve found the most hospitable places around the world. Here’s what they said.
The ‘roof of the world’ has exerted a magnetic pull over travellers and adventurers for centuries. This vast, high altitude desert has spawned myths and legends since the dawn of time. Its mountains are home to the Hindu Gods, the scenery is awe-inspiring, its Buddhist monasteries are filled with art and treasure and the religious devotion of its people is humbling.
No matter where in the world you're headed, we bet you're looking forward to a delicious meal or two. And many of the dishes easiest on the pocket are the tastiest on the tastebuds too.
There are places in the world where little sign of western development exists, but it still threatens to change traditions and beliefs forever. Jimmy Nelson found and documented 31 of these traditional isolated communities in his quest to photograph the «purity of humanity».
As all travellers know, the world can be a weird and wonderful place, as seen in this overview of weird world fashion, from the exuberance of Bahamian Junkanoo parades, to Britain's Royal Ascot Ladies Day.