Just driving any road on this list is enough to have an amazing vacation! After all, on the way you can see the most beautiful places on our planet and feel the spirit of life on wheels. You will never be able to forget these places.
1. Along the edge of the abyss. France: Verdon gorge
The Grand Canyon, but not in the US? Rocky gorge, but not in the desert? Whatever the name of the Verdon Gorge, the fact remains - today it is the largest canyon in all of Europe: its length is 25 kilometers, and its depth reaches 700 meters! Although the scale of the Verdon Gorge is inferior to the Arizona canyon, it clearly surpasses it in beauty: in spring and summer, trees and shrubs cover the slopes with a thick layer, grazing only in front of the most steep cliffs. It will take a whole day to go around the gorge in a circle, although there are only a hundred kilometers. But they all consist entirely of bends, descents and ascents, man-made tunnels and passages under the rocks hanging overhead and hiding the sky.2. High in the mountains. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Pamir Highway
Travelers are always attracted by places marked "the best": the northernmost point of Europe, the westernmost point of Russia, the highest mountain, the deepest depression. The Pamir Highway is one of such places. After all, it is the highest mountain road in the territory of the former USSR.
One of the most exciting stops along the way is the largest lake in Tajikistan, Karakul Lake, located at an altitude of 3914 meters above sea level. From here begins a steep ascent to the spurs of the Big Pamir. Rocks, gorges, tunnels, dirt road, dust, lack of vegetation, rare auls and flocks of sheep - such an almost Martian landscape stretches right up to the descent into the valley on the Tajik side.
3. From north to south. USA: Dalton Highway
This is Alaska, gentlemen! A harsh and at first glance unfriendly land, which will give only a prepared and responsible traveler an unforgettable experience and discover its riches.
Alaska really has something to share: the largest US state is still almost not spoiled by civilization, on its territory there are 23 (!) National parks and reserves. Through some of them: "White Mountains", the national wildlife reserve of the Arctic nature, reserves on the banks of the Yukon River, the "Gates of the Arctic" reserve - just passes the Dalton Highway, sometimes getting lost in a flat snow-covered or grass-covered plain, then winding between the surrounding wooded mountains on all sides.
4. To the homeland of Dracula. Romania: Transfagarasi Highway
Transfagaras is one of the rare examples of how an object created for military purposes becomes famous all over the world and attracts many tourists to the country. The 261-kilometer highway runs through picturesque valleys and fields of spitting wheat, which Romanians sometimes still harvest by hand, past lakes and reservoirs, through pretty Romanian villages with identical dark stone houses. Not far from the start of the highway is the pretty town of Sibiu with a classic Romanian architecture, where, as in the Romanian language, Latin, Romanesque and Slavic heritage is mixed.
5. The expanses of Altai. Russia: Chuysky tract
This ancient road is the first thread that connected Russia and China many centuries ago. Driving along the Chuisky tract is like crossing the whole of Russia. The path begins in Biysk, with birch groves and villages, in one of which the writer Vasily Shukshin was born. And after a hundred kilometers, it is worth passing Gorno-Altaysk, it seems as if you find yourself in the time of the development of Siberia: the stormy waters of the Katun, rocky gorges and green valleys. Mountain taiga begins.
If you turn left, you will get to Lake Teletskoye, to the right, to the foot of Belukha, where Roerich was looking for Shambhala on his way to the Himalayas. And if you go straight all the time, you will see the Kuraiskaya steppe at the foot of the Severo-Chuisky ridge. If you wish, you can drive up a few kilometers and walk up to the eternal snows. In the Kurai steppe, there are the last islets of taiga, and already beyond the pass begins a real steppe, where nomadic yurts stand and camel caravans roam.
6. On a visit to the trolls. Norway: Atlantic Road
The Atlantic Road (No 64) runs almost along the ocean itself, jumping from island to island using bridges and tunnels. This is a unique technological structure: there are as many as six bridges in the track with a length of only 8.5 kilometers! The main one is the Storseisundet bridge, which is also called the "Bridge to Heaven". If you approach it from the mainland, it seems as if the track bed breaks off at the highest point and the traveler can only jump straight into the sky.
However, the Atlantic Road is only part of the fjord route. Moving along it further towards Oslo, you will get to one of the most famous serpentines in Europe - the "Troll Ladder" climbing the slope of the mountain. Mischievous trolls often hang their stairs with a thick fog, but this makes the serpentine even more beautiful: gray stones and bizarre rocks appear through the "milk", densely overgrown with juicy bright green grass and moss.
7. Stand above the clouds. China: Great Gateway Road
This road is one of the steepest serpentines in the world in every sense. She climbs Tianmen Mountain, which is 8 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie in southeastern China. This asphalt belt, only 11 kilometers long, rises to the 1300 meter mark, making 99 turns along the way! For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred: this is the number of the emperor, as well as the number of palaces, which, according to legend, await a person in heaven.
The main attraction of the route is the "Heavenly Gates" cave. It was formed in the 3rd century, when a huge block broke off from the rock. The 131.5 meter high "gate" is often completely shrouded in fog. Locals believe that passing through them, you can really get to heaven.
8. Through the pampas. Argentina: Route 40
Route 40 (Ruta 40) crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south and runs along the high Andean ridges. This is one of the longest roads in the world: 5000 kilometers is no joke! Especially if they pass through several climatic zones. The landscape around is constantly changing: forests, rocks, lakes, fields, meadows, deserts, almost uninhabited pampas, asphalt and gravel, dust and red sand, sun and wind knocking down ...
In Los Glaciares Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, home to the world's third largest freshwater reserve. Its area is quite comparable to the area of the whole of Buenos Aires, while the glacier is in constant motion, changing its location by an average of 2 meters every day. You can admire it both from the observation platforms, and by going for a walk right along the ice crumb, accompanied by a climber.
9. Colorado Plateau. USA: Great Circle
The American Wild West is located west of the Rocky Mountains. When the pioneers just started to explore the Indian territories, they stumbled upon unique natural attractions that they could not appreciate. Today this area is called the "Big Circle".
The most convenient way to go from Denver is to first go up to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the Colorado River begins, and continue through Aspen to the Colorado Plateau. On the way, it is worth seeing the Arok Park and the famous Monument Valley in the Navajo Indian territory. Near the town of Page, you cannot miss the inconspicuous Antelope Canyon - on the side of the road there will be a simple wooden board with a corresponding inscription. Here you should go for a boat trip on Lake Powell, since you can rent a boat. The famous Grand Canyon begins just south of Page. If you drive along its southern part, then in addition to views of the canyon, you will be able to catch a preserved piece of the first trans-American Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.
10. Along the edge of the continent. Australia: Great Ocean Road
The 243 km long Great Ocean Road runs along the Pacific coast of Australia. The road has no practical significance - it was built by soldiers who returned from the First World War as a monument to the victims of the battles. After opening in 1932, the road became the largest war memorial in the world, and thirty years later it was recognized as one of the most picturesque on the planet. And for good reason: the track runs almost along the coast itself, from where you can see the endless expanses of water and quiet secluded lagoons. Among the main attractions on the way is the mysterious "Shipwreck Coast", which crashed 638 ships. And the "Twelve Apostles" - a group of limestone cliffs standing up to 45 meters high in the ocean. In fact, there are only eight rocks here, and until recently they were called nothing but "Pig and Piglets".
Just driving any road on our list is enough to have an amazing vacation! After all, on the way you can see the most beautiful places on our planet and feel the spirit of life on wheels. You will never be able to forget these places.
Let's take a look at some of the world's most stunning beautiful roads. And let's hope that we will have a chance to pass at least one of them. In the meantime, with the help of the video, let's go through them virtually.
1. Along the edge of the abyss. France: Verdon gorge
The Grand Canyon, but not in the US? Rocky gorge, but not in the desert? Whatever the name of the Verdon Gorge, the fact remains - today it is the largest canyon in all of Europe: its length is 25 kilometers, and its depth reaches 700 meters! Although the scale of the Verdon Gorge is inferior to the Arizona canyon, it clearly surpasses it in beauty: in spring and summer, trees and shrubs cover the slopes with a thick layer, grazing only in front of the most steep cliffs. It will take a whole day to go around the gorge in a circle, although there are only a hundred kilometers. But they all consist entirely of bends, descents and ascents, man-made tunnels and passages under the rocks hanging overhead and hiding the sky.
2. High in the mountains. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Pamir Highway
Travelers are always attracted by places marked "the best": the northernmost point of Europe, the westernmost point of Russia, the highest mountain, the deepest depression. The Pamir Highway is one of such places. After all, it is the highest mountain road in the territory of the former USSR.
One of the most exciting stops along the way is the largest lake in Tajikistan, Karakul Lake, located at an altitude of 3914 meters above sea level. From here begins a steep ascent to the spurs of the Big Pamir. Rocks, gorges, tunnels, dirt road, dust, lack of vegetation, rare auls and flocks of sheep - such an almost Martian landscape stretches right up to the descent into the valley on the Tajik side.
3. From north to south. USA: Dalton Highway
This is Alaska, gentlemen! A harsh and at first glance unfriendly land, which will give only a prepared and responsible traveler an unforgettable experience and discover its riches.
Alaska really has something to share: the largest US state is still almost not spoiled by civilization, on its territory there are 23 (!) National parks and reserves. Through some of them: "White Mountains", the national wildlife reserve of the Arctic nature, reserves on the banks of the Yukon River, the "Gates of the Arctic" reserve - just passes the Dalton Highway, sometimes getting lost in a flat snow-covered or grass-covered plain, then winding between the surrounding wooded mountains on all sides.
4. To the homeland of Dracula. Romania: Transfagarasi Highway
Transfagaras is one of the rare examples of how an object created for military purposes becomes famous all over the world and attracts many tourists to the country. The 261-kilometer highway runs through picturesque valleys and fields of spitting wheat, which Romanians sometimes still harvest by hand, past lakes and reservoirs, through pretty Romanian villages with identical dark stone houses. Not far from the start of the highway is the pretty town of Sibiu with a classic Romanian architecture, where, as in the Romanian language, Latin, Romanesque and Slavic heritage is mixed.
5. The expanses of Altai. Russia: Chuysky tract
This ancient road is the first thread that connected Russia and China many centuries ago. Driving along the Chuisky tract is like crossing the whole of Russia. The path begins in Biysk, with birch groves and villages, in one of which the writer Vasily Shukshin was born. And after a hundred kilometers, it is worth passing Gorno-Altaysk, it seems as if you find yourself in the time of the development of Siberia: the stormy waters of the Katun, rocky gorges and green valleys. Mountain taiga begins.
If you turn left, you will get to Lake Teletskoye, to the right, to the foot of Belukha, where Roerich was looking for Shambhala on his way to the Himalayas. And if you go straight all the time, you will see the Kuraiskaya steppe at the foot of the Severo-Chuisky ridge. If you wish, you can drive up a few kilometers and walk up to the eternal snows. In the Kurai steppe, there are the last islets of taiga, and already beyond the pass begins a real steppe, where nomadic yurts stand and camel caravans roam.
6. On a visit to the trolls. Norway: Atlantic Road
The Atlantic Road (No 64) runs almost along the ocean itself, jumping from island to island using bridges and tunnels. This is a unique technological structure: there are as many as six bridges in the track with a length of only 8.5 kilometers! The main one is the Storseisundet bridge, which is also called the "Bridge to Heaven". If you approach it from the mainland, it seems as if the track bed breaks off at the highest point and the traveler can only jump straight into the sky.
However, the Atlantic Road is only part of the fjord route. Moving along it further towards Oslo, you will get to one of the most famous serpentines in Europe - the "Troll Ladder" climbing the slope of the mountain. Mischievous trolls often hang their stairs with a thick fog, but this makes the serpentine even more beautiful: gray stones and bizarre rocks appear through the "milk", densely overgrown with juicy bright green grass and moss.
7. Stand above the clouds. China: Great Gateway Road
This road is one of the steepest serpentines in the world in every sense. She climbs Tianmen Mountain, which is 8 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie in southeastern China. This asphalt belt, only 11 kilometers long, rises to the 1300 meter mark, making 99 turns along the way! For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred: this is the number of the emperor, as well as the number of palaces, which, according to legend, await a person in heaven.
The main attraction of the route is the "Heavenly Gates" cave. It was formed in the 3rd century, when a huge block broke off from the rock. The 131.5 meter high "gate" is often completely shrouded in fog. Locals believe that passing through them, you can really get to heaven.
8. Through the pampas. Argentina: Route 40
Route 40 (Ruta 40) crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south and runs along the high Andean ridges. This is one of the longest roads in the world: 5000 kilometers is no joke! Especially if they pass through several climatic zones. The landscape around is constantly changing: forests, rocks, lakes, fields, meadows, deserts, almost uninhabited pampas, asphalt and gravel, dust and red sand, sun and wind knocking down ...
In Los Glaciares Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, home to the world's third largest freshwater reserve. Its area is quite comparable to the area of the whole of Buenos Aires, while the glacier is in constant motion, changing its location by an average of 2 meters every day. You can admire it both from the observation platforms, and by going for a walk right along the ice crumb, accompanied by a climber.
9. Colorado Plateau. USA: Great Circle
The American Wild West is located west of the Rocky Mountains. When the pioneers just started to explore the Indian territories, they stumbled upon unique natural attractions that they could not appreciate. Today this area is called the "Big Circle".
The most convenient way to go from Denver is to first go up to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the Colorado River begins, and continue through Aspen to the Colorado Plateau. On the way, it is worth seeing the Arok Park and the famous Monument Valley in the Navajo Indian territory. Near the town of Page, you cannot miss the inconspicuous Antelope Canyon - on the side of the road there will be a simple wooden board with a corresponding inscription. Here you should go for a boat trip on Lake Powell, since you can rent a boat. The famous Grand Canyon begins just south of Page. If you drive along its southern part, then in addition to views of the canyon, you will be able to catch a preserved piece of the first trans-American Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.
10. Along the edge of the continent. Australia: Great Ocean Road
The 243 km long Great Ocean Road runs along the Pacific coast of Australia. The road has no practical significance - it was built by soldiers who returned from the First World War as a monument to the victims of the battles. After opening in 1932, the road became the largest war memorial in the world, and thirty years later it was recognized as one of the most picturesque on the planet. And for good reason: the track runs almost along the coast itself, from where you can see the endless expanses of water and quiet secluded lagoons. Among the main attractions on the way is the mysterious "Shipwreck Coast", which crashed 638 ships. And the "Twelve Apostles" - a group of limestone cliffs standing up to 45 meters high in the ocean. In fact, there are only eight rocks here, and until recently they were called nothing but "Pig and Piglets".
Self-driving and motorcycle travel is becoming an increasingly popular form of recreation. We have selected for you ten of the most interesting roads on four continents that can be a good reason to travel.
1. Along the edge of the abyss. France: Verdon gorge
The Grand Canyon, but not in the US? Rocky gorge, but not in the desert? Whatever the name of the Verdon Gorge, the fact remains - today it is the largest canyon in all of Europe: its length is 25 kilometers, and its depth reaches 700 meters! Although the scale of the Verdon Gorge is inferior to the Arizona canyon, it clearly surpasses it in beauty: in spring and summer, trees and shrubs cover the slopes with a thick layer, grazing only in front of the most steep cliffs. It will take a whole day to go around the gorge in a circle, although there are only a hundred kilometers. But they all consist entirely of bends, descents and ascents, man-made tunnels and passages under the rocks hanging overhead and hiding the sky. The most beautiful views of the gorge open up from the old Cretan road, or the Crete loop (Route des Cretes, D23), built in ancient times and passing along the northern edge of the canyon. This narrow winding path in some places comes to the very edge. There are observation decks along the edges of it, each of which offers breathtaking views of Verdon. The Cretan loop is considered one-way: you need to drive along it by car clockwise, starting from the town of Castellane towards the artificial lake of Sainte-Croix, which was formed after the dam was built in 1975. You can swim in the lake and spend several contemplative hours under the shade of the trees with wine and crispy French baguette. The Luberon Nature Reserve is located 100 kilometers from Verdon Park. It is worth stopping by to admire the unhurried village life and visit the ruins of one of the castles of the famous Marquis de Sade. 2. High in the mountains. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Pamir Highway
Travelers are always attracted by places marked "the best": the northernmost point of Europe, the westernmost point of Russia, the highest mountain, the deepest depression. The Pamir Highway is one of such places. After all, it is the highest mountain road in the territory of the former USSR. This almost completely unpaved road climbs the spurs of the Pamir Mountains and passes through the three main mountain passes of the Pamirs: Taldyk (3615 m), Kyzyl-Art (4280 m) and the closest point to the "Roof of the World" point - the Akbaital pass (4655 m). The eastern part of the tract - from the Kyrgyz city of Osh to the Tajik city of Khorog - was built in 1931-1934, when the USSR was actively developing the territory of the mountainous Pamirs. It passes through the green foothills, where horses graze and lonely yurts and huts smeared with manure, as well as past the Pamir National Park, over which the Lenin Peak (7134 m) rises.
AWL Images / Fotodom The Pamir Highway is open for travel only in warm weather - in winter there is a great danger of avalanches.
One of the most exciting stops along the way is the largest lake in Tajikistan, Karakul Lake, located at an altitude of 3914 meters above sea level. From here begins a steep ascent to the spurs of the Big Pamir. Rocks, gorges, tunnels, dirt road, dust, lack of vegetation, rare auls and flocks of sheep - such an almost Martian landscape stretches right up to the descent into the valley on the Tajik side. Your traveling companions all this time will be trucks, donkeys and jeeps, packed full inside and hung with luggage outside. Turning off the road, you can visit several more interesting places: the villages of local residents, the Farewell Youth Pass, the Yamchun fortress of fire-worshipers, the Bibi-Fatima hot springs and much more. 3. From north to south. USA: Dalton Highway
The Dalton Highway is a 666 kilometers of dirt road that crosses Alaska almost in the middle from north to south. The route was built in 1974 to deliver cargo to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and to service the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. And the name was given in honor of the engineer James Dalton, a specialist in Arctic construction. On a motorcycle or some overly voracious car, you need to get in here with caution: on the entire highway between Fairbanks, 100 kilometers from which it begins, and Deadhorse, where it ends, there are only two gas stations: at the crossing of the Yukon River and in Coldfoot (400 km from Fairbanks), so it is better to take the necessary supply of gasoline, as well as tires, tools, food and other essentials right away. Medical assistance can also be obtained only in Coldfoot or Deadhorse. This is Alaska, gentlemen! A harsh and at first glance unfriendly land, which will give only a prepared and responsible traveler an unforgettable experience and discover its riches. Alaska really has something to share: the largest US state is still almost not spoiled by civilization, on its territory there are 23 (!) National parks and reserves. Through some of them: "White Mountains", the national wildlife reserve of the Arctic nature, reserves on the banks of the Yukon River, the "Gates of the Arctic" reserve - just passes the Dalton Highway, sometimes getting lost in a flat snow-covered or grass-covered plain, then winding between the surrounding wooded mountains on all sides. Another must-have ritual for all travelers on the highway is to take a photo with a sign for the Arctic Circle.
4. To the homeland of Dracula. Romania: Transfagarasi Highway
When he conceived the construction of a high-altitude highway through the Fagaras massif in 1970, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu thought least of all about creating an attractive tourist route. Worried about the events in Czechoslovakia, he feared a military invasion of the country and therefore decided to connect the regions of Wallachia and Transylvania with an inaccessible mountain road for the speedy transfer of military equipment. Now, Transfagaras is one of the rare examples of how an object created for military purposes becomes famous all over the world and attracts many tourists to the country. The 261-kilometer highway runs through picturesque valleys and fields of spitting wheat, which Romanians sometimes still harvest by hand, past lakes and reservoirs, through pretty Romanian villages with identical dark stone houses. Not far from the start of the highway is the pretty town of Sibiu with a classic Romanian architecture, where, as in the Romanian language, Latin, Romanesque and Slavic heritage is mixed. In almost every village on the way there is an Orthodox church, a church, and a mosque. And in the town of Curtea de Arges, you can admire the cathedral with stunning carvings and stucco on the walls. Count Dracula awaits travelers on the Transylvanian side of the Carpathians. It is found everywhere: in the names of streets, restaurants and hotels, in souvenir shops, in ancient castles. One of them - Poenari Castle, towering over the canyon of the Arges River, in the 15th century belonged to Prince Vlad II Tepes, who became the prototype of the famous Dracula. Another is Bran Castle a little away from the Transfagarasian Highway, where Count Dracula has never been, but where he was "settled" by the writer Bram Stoker, thanks to whom the world learned about Dracula.5. The expanses of Altai. Russia: Chuysky tract
This ancient road is the first thread that connected Russia and China many centuries ago. Driving along the Chuisky tract is like crossing the whole of Russia. The path begins in Biysk, with birch groves and villages, in one of which the writer Vasily Shukshin was born. And after a hundred kilometers, it is worth passing Gorno-Altaysk, it seems as if you find yourself in the time of the development of Siberia: the stormy waters of the Katun, rocky gorges and green valleys. Mountain taiga begins. If you turn left, you will get to Lake Teletskoye, to the right, to the foot of Belukha, where Roerich was looking for Shambhala on his way to the Himalayas. And if you go straight all the time, you will see the Kuraiskaya steppe at the foot of the Severo-Chuisky ridge. If you wish, you can drive up a few kilometers and walk up to the eternal snows. In the Kurai steppe, there are the last islets of taiga, and already beyond the pass begins a real steppe, where nomadic yurts stand and camel caravans roam. Such a trip should not be planned for a week, because each turn is a reason for a separate small trip. Mentions of the present Chuysky tract, formerly called the Mungalsky tract, can be found in Chinese sources a thousand years ago. From then until the beginning of the 20th century, it was just a mountain trail used by merchants and pilgrims who walked to the sacred tree in the upper reaches of the Katun River. The wheel road from Ongudai to Kosh-Agach (255 km) was equipped only by 1903. Today Chuisky tract is one of the few roads in the world that has been awarded its own museum. It is located in the building of the Biysk Museum of Local Lore - here you can see archival documents and photographs, a volumetric model of the road, paintings and dioramas.6. On a visit to the trolls. Norway: Atlantic Road
The Atlantic Road (No 64) runs almost along the ocean itself, jumping from island to island using bridges and tunnels. This is a unique technological structure: there are as many as six bridges in the track with a length of only 8.5 kilometers! The main one is the Storseisundet bridge, which is also called the "Bridge to Heaven". If you approach it from the mainland, it seems as if the track bed breaks off at the highest point and the traveler can only jump straight into the sky. The impression is enhanced if you drive along the Atlantic Road in the fall, when the storm season begins: huge waves roll over small islands, crash with a crash on the pillars of the bridges, and sometimes cover the entire road, trying to lick off the cars driving along it. However, the Atlantic Road is only part of the fjord route. Moving along it further towards Oslo, you will come to one of the most famous serpentines in Europe - climbing the slope of the mountain "Troll Ladder" (Trollstigen). Mischievous trolls often hang their stairs with a thick fog, but this makes the serpentine even more beautiful: gray stones and bizarre rocks appear through the "milk", densely overgrown with juicy bright green grass and moss. At the top of the mountain, visibility sometimes drops to 3-5 meters: the more curious it is to look at the sheep suddenly appearing out of the fog, black lakes and numerous cairns made of stones by tourists, and maybe by the trolls themselves ... If you drive even further along Route 63 ( and there is almost nowhere to get away from it), you will find yourself in one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway - Geiranger. Here you can admire the numerous waterfalls, fish or simply wander around the area.7. Stand above the clouds. China: Great Gateway Road
The Chinese are famous not only for their hard work and perseverance (which is only the Great Wall of China!), But also for their love of symbols, signs and numbers. Therefore, even a person who is far from Asian culture will not be able to just drive along the "Road of the Big Gates". The fact is that this road is one of the steepest serpentines in the world in every sense. She climbs Tianmen Mountain, which is 8 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie in southeastern China. This asphalt belt, only 11 kilometers long, rises to the 1300 meter mark, making 99 turns along the way! For the Chinese, the number 9 is sacred: this is the number of the emperor, as well as the number of palaces, which, according to legend, await a person in heaven. That is why the road to Tianmen is also called the Road to Heaven. 
Age / East News Traditional boats are still a popular means of transportation in China.
The main attraction of the route is the "Heavenly Gates" cave. It was formed in the 3rd century, when a huge block broke off from the rock. The 131.5 meter high "gate" is often completely shrouded in fog. Locals believe that passing through them, you can really get to heaven. But to earn this right, you have to work hard. There are several ways to climb to the cave. The easiest one is to drive a car or a tourist bus, the more extreme one is to make an “express climb” in a sports car with a professional race car driver behind the wheel, and the most difficult one is to climb an impressive staircase with 999 steps. If you want a truly exciting experience, you should climb to the top on the world's longest funicular (7455 meters!) - from its windows you can see views of the entire winding line of the road. 8. Through the pampas. Argentina: Route 40
Route 40 (Ruta 40) crosses almost all of Argentina from north to south and runs along the high Andean ridges. This is one of the longest roads in the world: 5000 kilometers is no joke! Especially if they pass through several climatic zones. The landscape around is constantly changing: forests, rocks, lakes, fields, meadows, deserts, almost uninhabited pampas, asphalt and gravel, dust and red sand, sun and wind knocking down, 27 mountain passes, 18 large rivers, finally, 20 national parks, in each of which you can spend several days. For example, in Los Glaciares Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, you can visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, which contains the third largest fresh water supply in the world. Its area is quite comparable to the area of the whole of Buenos Aires, while the glacier is in constant motion, changing its location by an average of 2 meters every day. You can admire it both from the observation platforms, and by going for a walk right along the ice crumb, accompanied by a climber. The same road will lead to the famous "Cueva de las Manos", where all the walls are covered with prints of human hands and images of hunting scenes, the oldest of which date back to the ninth millennium BC. The second largest national park in Argentina, Calchaqi Walley, deserves special attention, where you can get from the mountain deserts to the subtropical forest in one day - the climate changes so dramatically on one relatively small piece of land. And, of course, it is worth driving along Ruta 40 to be impressed by the "Martian" landscapes of the deserts and to see the flamingos living on the lakes of Patagonia. 9. Colorado Plateau. USA: Great Circle
The American Wild West is located west of the Rocky Mountains. When the pioneers just started to explore the Indian territories, they stumbled upon unique natural attractions that they could not appreciate. Today this area is called the "Grand Circle". The name comes from the bus tour, which was called the Grand Circle Tour. The most convenient way to go from Denver is to first go up to the Rocky Mountains National Park, where the Colorado River begins, and continue through Aspen to the Colorado Plateau. On the way, it is worth seeing Arches Park (arches.national-park.com) and the famous Navajo Monument Valley. Near the town of Page, you cannot miss the inconspicuous Antelope Canyon - on the side of the road there will be a simple wooden board with a corresponding inscription. Here you should go for a boat trip on Lake Powell, since you can rent a boat. The famous Grand Canyon (grandcanyon.com) begins just south of Page. If you drive along its southern part, then in addition to views of the canyon, you will be able to catch a preserved piece of the first trans-American Route 66 (illinoisroute66.org) from Chicago to Los Angeles. Here it is worth turning back towards the Grand Canyon and living on a real ranch (grandcanyonranch.com). And only then go to the Hoover Dam - a giant monument of the 30s of the last century, from where the direct route to Las Vegas begins. This will take you across the Great Circle from east to west, visiting four states — Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. You cannot see all the beauty of the Grand Circle in one trip - after all, the Colorado plateau has the largest concentration of parks in the United States - so be ready to come back here again. 10. Along the edge of the continent. Australia: Great Ocean Road
The 243 km long Great Ocean Road runs along the Pacific coast of Australia. The road has no practical significance - it was built by soldiers who returned from the First World War as a monument to the victims of the battles. After opening in 1932, the road became the largest war memorial in the world, and thirty years later it was recognized as one of the most picturesque on the planet. And for good reason: the track runs almost along the coast itself, from where you can see the endless expanses of water and quiet secluded lagoons. Among the main attractions along the way is the mysterious Shipwreck Coast, which crashed 638 ships. And the "Twelve Apostles" - a group of limestone cliffs standing up to 45 meters high in the ocean. In fact, there are only eight rocks here, and until recently they were called nothing but "Pig and Piglets". The poetic name "Twelve Apostles" appeared simply to attract tourists. Another rock, about 20 million years old, has a similar story - "London Arch". For a long time it was called "London Bridge" for its amazing resemblance to Tower Bridge, and in 1990, when the span closest to the mainland collapsed under the pressure of ocean waves, it turned into an "arch". This is the uniqueness of the Great Ocean Road: the coastline is changing so quickly that tomorrow you may not see what it was today. It is worth driving here not only to admire the scenery, lie on the beach or conquer the wave. This is also an Australian safari route: in Warrnambula you can observe the migration of right whales, and in the Tower Hill Game Reserve you can walk with kangaroos and emus and see koalas and seabirds.
A faithful iron horse and a flat strip of asphalt under the wheels - what else could an avid travel lover dream of? However, sometimes you can close your eyes even to the absence of the second, in the case when the beauty of nature spreading on the sides and in front of it covers all the inconveniences from road irregularities.
You have probably seen a selection of the most beautiful roads in different countries of the world more than once and dreamed of driving along them someday. But few people know that there are truly picturesque trails in Russia. Connecting the most remote regions of our country, they run through dense forests, endless steppes and harsh taiga. Try to drive along each of them, and you will provide yourself with unforgettable impressions from the views of the landscapes surrounding these routes for the rest of your life.
1. Route M-18 "Kola"
Route R-21 (M-18) "Kola" originates in St. Petersburg and stretches to the village of Borisoglebsky on the border with Norway. The further north the road goes, the more beautiful the landscape becomes: taiga with pines and spruces is gradually replaced by forest-tundra, there are many serpentines, passes and lakes of glacial origin. And ahead, the Khibiny mountains are looming more and more clearly in the haze.
2. Karelia. Road A-135
The A-135 Kem - Kalevala - Lonka road begins in the town of Kem, located on the shores of the White Sea, and ends at a checkpoint on the Russian-Finnish border. Unpaved sections of the road with "blind" turns, unexpected hills, behind which you absolutely cannot see oncoming traffic, and much more can be forgiven on this road, just by looking at the views of forest thickets and lakes.
3. Kalmykia. The road Volgograd - Elista - Stavropol
Everyone should take a look at this track. In the spring, in April - May, the lifeless steppe that stretches along the sides of the track (to be honest, in some places it is in a terrible state), literally transforms before our eyes and amazes with a riot of colors. The fantastically colored herb carpet fills the air with the scent of countless blooming tulips.
4. Western Caucasus. Route А-147
Federal highway M-27 Dzhubga - Adler is one of the most beautiful roads in our country. The closer to the sea, the more picturesque views of mountains, serpentines, vineyards, beaches and other landscapes of the Krasnodar Territory open up.
5. Georgian Military Highway A-161
The Heavenly Gorge Road, completed at the end of the 18th century, played an important role in the development of economic ties between Russia and the Transcaucasus. It runs through the Main Caucasian ridge and connects Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia with the capital and largest city of Georgia - Tbilisi. The road passes through numerous passes and suddenly descends steeply into the gorge of the Aragvi River. Along the entire length of the route, there are Georgian cathedrals, fortresses and watchtowers.
6. Kabardino-Balkaria. Highway A-158
The road A-158 "Baksan - Elbrus", if you have not been on it yet, will surely give you a lot of new impressions. The route crosses the Kabarda valley and goes along the narrow Baksan gorge. Then, having overcome the rise of almost 2.5 thousand meters, you will find yourself practically at the foot of the famous Elbrus volcano.
7. Northern Urals. Serov tract
Rolling across the forested Ural Mountains, paving a path between rivers and swamps, the Serov tract strives from Yekaterinburg to the north to the city of Serov. To Nizhniy Tagil, the tract is two separate one-way roads. Sometimes they diverge quite far from each other, separated by forests and mountains, and near Tagil they finally converge into one narrow route.
8. Mountain Altai. Route M-52
Chuisky tract is the main transport artery of Altai and at the same time one of the most beautiful roads in Russia. The path runs through the entire Altai Mountains, showing the local landscapes in all their splendor. The road stretches away to the very border with Mongolia and, gradually, alpine meadows and snow-capped mountain peaks give way to desert boundless steppes, from which breathtaking.
9. Khakassia. Route M-54
The section of the M-54 highway from Abakan, the capital of the Republic of Khakassia, to Kyzyl and further to the border with Mongolia is known under the historical name Usinsky tract. The road runs through the pristine wild, practically untouched by man, the Sayan Mountains, in places going down into the almost bare steppe. The contrast is amazing!
10. Kamchatka. The road Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Ust-Kamchatsk
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a unique region on the map of Russia. This is a zone of modern volcanism, there are 30 active volcanoes and about 300 extinct ones. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to get to most of the picturesque places in Kamchatka due to the almost complete absence of highways. The main Kamchatka route, 600 km long from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Ust-Kamchatsk, runs next to Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest volcano in Eurasia (4750 m).
