Complaining about bad roads, broken and full of potholes, many do not even think about the fact that there are those in the world where drivers have to risk their own lives, because they have no choice. We have compiled a list of 10 most dangerous roads in the world, the journey through which is scary to imagine.
10. Eshima Ohashi
The rating opens with the creation of Japanese masters. Eshima Ohashi is the only bridge that connects the two cities, its length is almost two kilometers, and if you look at it from the outside, it gives you goosebumps. This curvature is explained by the fact that ships must regularly pass under the bridge and there is no time to move the level structure together.
9. Atlantic Road
Among the most dangerous roads in the world is the Atlantic Route, which is 36 kilometers long and located in Norway. It is a favorite place for tourists because it looks very beautiful, but local residents know very well how dangerous it is. In moments of a storm, the waves reach the path, making it slippery, and with their splashes depriving any visibility.
8. Luxor Al Hurghada
It is located in Egypt, and no, it does not end in a cliff, does not run along the side of a mountain, and is not subject to floods. The key danger that awaits the traveler on this path is bandits and terrorists. They take people hostage, rob and rarely release them alive. That is why any transport here is guarded by the military.
7. Fairy meadows
They are part of the Himalayas and were named so by tourists from Germany who were impressed by this road. It is located at an altitude of three kilometers, runs along the edge of the mountain and does not have any fences, while the people of Pakistan living in these parts manage to drive along it in trucks and buses.
6. Troll Staircase
Another property of the Norwegians, which also looks beautiful, but is fraught with 11 very sharp turns, because of which vehicles that exceed a length of 12 meters are prohibited from passing here. To avoid accidents, authorities close the Troll Staircase for the winter and autumn.
5. Sichuan-Tibet
Sheer horror and a test of endurance, because the path is 2.5 thousand kilometers long, passing through 14 mountains, a lot of rivers and forests. Its highest point is six kilometers above sea level and the mortality rate is simply off the charts. Sichuan-Tibet is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous mountain roads in the world.
4. Siberian road
The only way to get to Yakutsk. Also called the M56 highway, this is definitely not a place for cars, because even huge SUVs, tractors and trucks get stuck and loaded here for a long time.
Among the ten most dangerous roads in the world is this one, cut down in the Tereko Gorge in Taiwan. It has fences, but it is very narrow and low, and since many areas are not lit, without a person who has already driven it several dozen times without incident, it is better not to go there.
2. Halsema
Without a doubt, Halsema is a path that runs at a maximum altitude of 7.5 kilometers above sea level. It starts with cobblestones, and then generally turns into pure mud; the journey along it takes about 10 hours and during all this time the driver will not have even a minute to relax.
1. Death Road
The first place in the ranking is occupied by a highway located in Bolivia, which every year causes at least 20-30 accidents and claims the lives of at least 100 people. It passes along a mountain slope, where landslides often occur, and fog swirls, depriving normal visibility.
We often complain about the quality of roads in Russia, but there are much wilder and more dangerous roads in the world. Did you know that 5 times more people die annually on the most dangerous road on the planet than from shark attacks? Want to know more? Read under the cut...
No. 10. Karnali Highway, Nepal
The 250-kilometer Karnali Highway in Nepal claims the lives of 50 people every year. The road is a very narrow strip of land bordering a cliff. It's cramped here even on a motorcycle, not to mention cars. For most of the year, passenger cars are prohibited on the highway.
A large number of deaths on the Karnali Highway are due to the lack of guardrails on the highway, landslides, and rockfalls.
Despite the danger and the impressive number of victims, hundreds of cars drive here every day. The highway connects dozens of villages and is often the only way to reach some settlements.
No. 9. Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand
UK driving group Driving Experience called Skippers Canyon Road "as scary as it is beautiful." Skippers Canyon Road is a very narrow road that regularly experiences rockfalls and is completely covered in snow in the winter.
This mountain road with a huge number of steep descents into the gorge is so dangerous that it requires maximum concentration, patience and even special permission to travel along it.
No. 8. Sichuan-Tibet Highway, China
Landslides and avalanches regularly occur on the Sichuan-Tibet highway. The length of the road is 2142 km. Here, for every 100 thousand people, 7.5 thousand deaths are registered.
No. 7. Karakoram Highway, China and Pakistan
This road has already taken 900 lives. And this is the number of workers who died who participated in the construction of the road. Some simply fell into a cliff, others were blown up while laying a road.
No. 6. Kabul-Jalalabad, Afghanistan
The Kabul-Jalalabad highway is 60 km long and consists of a continuous series of sharp turns and sharp drops. Terrible accidents happen here almost every day. But the reason lies not only in the road itself, but also in the fact that local drivers disregard traffic rules. The situation is aggravated by the fact that for several years now the highway has been under the control of representatives of the anti-government Taliban movement.
There have been virtually no records of deaths on the highway in recent years. But even the data that local authorities have at their disposal allows us to call this road the most dangerous in Afghanistan and one of the deadliest on the planet.
No. 5. Guolian Tunnel, China
The famous Guoliang Tunnel, which is located in the Taihang Mountains, is a national landmark of China. The length of the tunnel is 1.2 km, it was built by 13 local residents over 5 years. Many of the builders died. The road was opened on May 1, 1977. The tunnel has become a popular tourist attraction in China as it has many windows overlooking the valley. The Goliyan tunnel is especially dangerous for driving during the rainy seasons. Accidents happen here every year.
No. 4. Trollstigen, Norway
The Troll Staircase or Troll Road is one of the most popular attractions in Norway. The picturesque road that climbs the mountain slope with 11 sharp turns attracts tourists from all over the world.
The Norwegian government is well aware that this is one of the most dangerous roads, and therefore they are trying to widen this road, located on the side of a mountain.
No. 3. Commonwealth Avenue, Philippines
Drivers in the Philippines know to stay away from Commonwealth Avenue. The road is 12 km long, has 18 lanes, and serious traffic jams and accidents often occur here. Thousands of people die here from accidents every year.
No. 2. Zoji La Pass, India
The dangerous and winding Zoji La Pass road is located in Indian Kashmir. The road at the pass rises to a height of 3500 m and is more than 11 km long. The pass is often closed in winter; local authorities try to clear the pass of snow to organize traffic, but this is not always successful. The road is very narrow, so traffic on it is one-way. Since it is impossible to pass each other, the cars let each other pass one by one. Such conditions lead to fatal accidents.
No. 1. North Yungas Road, Bolivia
North Yungas Road literally lives up to its name "highway of death." For hundreds of people every year, a trip along Yungas Road becomes their last journey. About 300 people die every year from accidents on this highway. There are many memorials along the roadsides.
In 1995, the Inter-American Development Bank was choosing the most dangerous road in the world, and their choice fell on Northern Yungas. Lack of fencing, rain and fog, rockfalls in the summer - all this makes the highway deadly. This is the only road in Bolivia where drivers are required to drive on the left side to give other drivers a better view.
An article about the 10 most dangerous roads in the world. Interesting facts about killer roads. At the end of the article there is an interesting video about dangerous roads in different parts of the planet.
The content of the article:
Russian roads have long been a reason for constant ridicule and complaints about their quality and organization of travel. These claims are partly justified, which entails increased risks and danger. But our roads seem exemplary compared to those we present in this rating. We have specially selected ten of the most difficult and dangerous roads that take the lives of dozens of people every year, and driving along them is comparable to a feat.
Rating of dangerous roads in the world
The unofficial name of this transport artery is “Death Road”. The length of the most dangerous section is about 70 km, where between 100 and 200 people die annually and approximately 25 cars crash.
There is still no reliable information about who built it. According to one version, this work was carried out in the late 30s of the last century by prisoners, according to another - by an American construction company in the 70s. In addition, the complexity of the route is also due to the fact that the road connects settlements located at 3.6 km and 330 m above sea level, which only adds problems on the narrow and winding route.
The huge number of victims is also due to the fact that the main transport on this road is trucks and buses, and its width is such that in most cases it is impossible for oncoming traffic to pass each other; you have to wait in small natural “pockets” and negotiate with drivers about priority.
By the way, vehicles moving uphill should occupy the inner side of the passage, and vehicles moving downhill should occupy the outer side of the slope.
The road received its terrifying name only in 1999, when a bus carrying tourists crashed on it, but despite this, operation, due to the lack of a full-fledged replacement, has not been stopped. Moreover, this object has already become a local landmark and attracts a lot of tourists.
This is the second longest highway in Brazil, part of which is called the “Highway of Death” because it runs along steep cliffs and cliffs, and also has many narrow tunnels.
Naturally, the development and organization of traffic here is far from being at the highest level, which is why the driver should take maximum precautions. In addition to difficulties with travel, local criminal gangs also operate on the road, which brings the death rate to several hundred people a year and makes BR-116 the most dangerous road in the country.
A unique high-mountain road stretching for almost 2.5 thousand kilometers. It goes around 14 mountains and crosses a dozen rivers, which makes its landscape extremely attractive. In addition to the very narrow road surface and the abundance of sharp turns, there is a danger of avalanches and landslides in a number of areas, so it is officially closed during the rainy season.
Despite this, it is called the “golden road” for tourists due to its picturesque scenery, as well as such attractions as the “72 bends of the Nujiang River”.
The highway is divided into northern and southern parts, and the bus route passing along it takes 7 days. Que'er Mountain Pass is the highest point of the road, its elevation from sea level is approximately 6 km. Thus, oxygen deprivation is added to all the difficulties, which weakens the drivers’ reaction and increases the risk.
Despite the enormous pace of motorization of the country and intensive road construction, the Sichuan-Tibet Highway will apparently remain in its current state for a long time.
This is the longest motorable road in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The path itself crosses 15 countries, but the most dangerous sections are located in Costa Rica.
This is one of the few highways that leads to virgin tropical forests, so its importance cannot be overestimated. Construction and restoration work is carried out here extremely rarely, so travel becomes difficult every time after a rainy season, since part of the road surface is simply washed away by seething streams.
There is also a danger of rocks and pieces of rock collapsing, even in good weather.
Visually, it seems that Croatia has excellent roads, but in the coastal zone, the beach is a constant distraction for drivers, which, coupled with the abundance of turns, leads to tragic consequences.
In addition, the local mentality does not provide for compliance with even basic traffic rules. In less densely populated areas, coastal roads become unpaved and very narrow, making travel difficult even for experienced drivers.
The road, which is only 25 miles long, earned a place in our ranking due to the constant danger of subsidence and landslides, which is doubly dangerous since it has no hard surface. There are a huge number of ruts and potholes along the way, which, combined with poor driving culture, makes it one of the most dangerous in the world.
As the name suggests, the road is built around mountains and volcanoes, which only aggravates the situation and causes constant landslides.
The reason for the colossal accident rates on this road is the habit of local drivers to drive along it at night with their headlights off at high speed. The fact is that the switched on light attracts roadside criminals and terrorists who are looking for easy prey.
The length of the dangerous section is 480 km, and not everyone manages to overcome them without losses, since patrols of representatives of radical movements ply along the entire length, often kidnapping people.
The general disregard for traffic rules in this country, as well as the low efficiency of the traffic police, does not increase confidence.
Quite surprisingly, our rating also included a road located in one of the most prosperous European countries. Most accidents are head-on collisions, which is quite logical on a narrow two-lane road. The authorities have installed many CCTV cameras to reduce accidents, but so far this has not borne fruit.
On the one hand, we are surprised that such a road exists in a developed and rich country, but on the other hand, if we analyze most of the UK country roads, it becomes obvious that the narrow carriageway, the winding trajectory and the abundance of trees and stone fences right on the side of the road are characteristic features of the roads of Foggy Albion.
This highway, which does not have a hard surface, passes through the most difficult sections of the terrain, and constant landslides and gullies that form after rains further aggravate the situation.
The problem is that this road is the only way to reach the highland region of Agaf. Due to the significant elevation difference, there are 180-degree turns along the entire route, which causes cars to fly off the track at high speed.
The road was built back in the 16th century and has remained virtually unchanged since then. This stone-paved path is constantly crowded with trucks, buses, scooters and horse-drawn carts due to the fact that it is an important transport artery.
The abundance of vehicles moving at different speeds is the main cause of constant road accidents, including fatal ones. It was high time to transfer the road to the category of architectural monuments, but the lack of funds for new construction does not allow closing the dangerous direction.
Conclusion
All of the above roads annually cause fatal accidents; they deservedly have a bad reputation, and drivers try to use them as little as possible. But this is precisely why they attract numerous extreme tourists, so the situation there is unlikely to change in the coming decades.
Video about the most dangerous roads in the world:
Twenty-five years ago, a bus overcrowded with passengers fell off a steep cliff in the Bolivian Andes. More than a hundred people died, being buried at the bottom of the canyon under a huge pile of sand, writes Forbes. Unlike many other tragedies, this one was not caused by alcohol, speeding or negligent driving, just a small miscalculation of the kind that many experienced drivers make every day.
This topic continues a series of LifeGlobe stories about the most dangerous cities in the world. In addition to it, we decided to write about the roads :) Some roads are more forgiving of small mistakes in driving, some less so, but the Old Yungas Roads highway does not forgive anything. This incident remains one of the most terrible in the history of Bolivia and, unfortunately, not the only one. Every year, the number of deaths among those who dare to drive along the forty-mile Old Yungas Road exceeds one hundred. Ironically, this route has become a place of tourist pilgrimage among those foreigners who want to add “riding the most dangerous road in the world” to their list of achievements. But this route is not the only one of its kind. There are enough roads in the world that deserve the dubious title of “The Most Dangerous in the World.”
A non-profit organization in Washington, D.C., there are at least nine roads that rival the Old Yungas Trail in its dubious popularity. The AMA compiled data on broken down cars, local road regulations, government support for road maintenance and several other factors provided by the US State Department, the UN, the International Health Organization and other organizations to determine the most dangerous roads in the world. Since different organizations provide different data on safety and accident statistics, ABMDP collected all possible information and analyzed it to ensure that the results were as objective as possible.
1.The North Yungas Road, Bolivia
This road is called “Death Road”
On this stretch of about 70 kilometers, connecting La Paz and Coroico, more than 25 cars crash every year, killing 100-200 people. According to some sources, the road was built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners. Others say that an American construction company worked here in the 70s. The road descends from a height of 3.6 thousand meters to 330 meters above sea level. There are very steep slopes and slippery and muddy surfaces. In some places on this winding and extremely narrow “road” it is impossible for two cars to pass each other - you need to stop, go forward, sort it out and negotiate. By the way, one of the local road rules requires the driver of a car going downhill to stay on the outer edge of the road, and vehicles going uphill always have priority right of way. In some places, even one truck fits miraculously, despite the fact that trucks and buses are the main transport on the “Road of Death.” And for those who love flying more than driving on roads - a story about the most dangerous runways in the world
Often, due to thick fog, the road can only be seen a few meters ahead. And then you need to move very slowly and carefully. Not only to avoid colliding with oncoming traffic - due to tropical downpours, landslides often occur, and a piece of the road can simply be washed away. This is the recipe for mortal fear.
The road received its name relatively recently, in December 1999, when a car carrying eight Israeli tourists fell into the abyss. But this is not the loudest accident on this route. On July 24, 1983, a bus with more than a hundred passengers fell into the canyon here - to date this is the worst accident in the entire history of Bolivia. Local residents, if they have to travel through the “road of death,” pray to get there alive. After all, if something happened, it would take more than an hour to get to the nearest hospital. Along the same road, by the way.
However, North Yungas Road is one of the few routes connecting northern Bolivia with the capital, so its operation does not stop, no matter what. Since the early 1990s, the road's deadly dangers have made it a popular tourist attraction.
Many people come here to raise the level of adrenaline in their blood by going down it on an SUV or mountain bike, reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h in some sections. Not everyone returns. But those who managed to travel along it and survive compare this route with conquering Everest. And ordinary Bolivians continue to “conquer” this road every day.
2. BR-116, Brazil
The second longest road in Brazil, BR-116, stretches from Porto Allegre through Curatiba and Sao Paulo, all the way to Rio de Janeiro. The section of road from Curatiba to Sao Paulo was nicknamed “Rodovia da Morte” (Highway of Death). And again, not in vain. The highway stretches along steep cliffs, and at times turns into tunnels made in stone. As a result, tourist guides write that “accidents and fatal car accidents occur all the time” on this road.
3. Sichuan-Tibet Highway, China
The 2,412 km long Sichuan-Tibet Highway starts from Chengdu in Sichuan Province in the east and ends at Lhasa in Tibet in the west. The road extends to Lhasa near Ya'an, Garze and Chamdo. The Sichuan-Tibet Highway passes through 14 high mountains, average 4000-5000m, covers dozens of famous rivers (Dadu River, Jinsha River, Lantsang River, Nujiang River), crosses primeval forests and numerous dangerous areas. These are breathtaking views of the line, with unique ethnic customs.
The highway is located on the mountains, which is very high, the roads are narrow, it is often cloudy and definitely dangerous.
Over the past 20 years (from 1985 to 2005), the number of road traffic deaths in China has almost doubled (from 3.9 to 7.6 per 100,000 population). During this time, the number of cars on the road has increased, as have other vehicles, mainly motorcycles. According to Xinhua News Agency, in 2006 there were almost 82,000 fatal accidents on the roads, in other words, for every 10,000 vehicles there were 5.1 fatalities. The irony is that the highest rates of road deaths were found in the least densely populated regions. Undoubtedly, the high mountain road from Sichuan to Tibet, especially on the Chengdu-Tibet section, where landslides and rock avalanches are common, is one of the most problematic in this sense
4. Pan American Highway, Costa Rica
The "longest motor road in the world" (according to the Guinness Book of Records) is another killer, at least in Costa Rica.
The Pan-American Highway begins in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in North America and ends in southern South America.
Although only a small section of the road passes through Costa Rica, it nevertheless can compete for the title of the bloodiest highway. This road is one of the few routes leading to the country's picturesque tropical forests. But leaving the rainforest untouched comes at a price: due to the lack of construction, sections of the Pan-American Highway are washed away during the rainy season and remain, at best, a dangerous route at other times of the year. just when the traffic is heaviest.
Here the roads are narrow and crooked, surrounded by steep cliffs, and floods and landslides often occur here.
5. Coastal Roads, Croatia
Compared to other roads from our topic, the roads of the Croatian coast look simply childish, but that’s not the point. The problem here is the “hot” Croatians who love to drive around on sharp turns. Therefore, no fewer accidents occur here than on more dangerous roads.
Good news for the throngs of tourists flocking to Croatia's fishing villages and seaside resorts on the Dalmatian (Adriatic) coast: they don't have to worry about land mines left over from the breakup of Yugoslavia. A much more serious danger lies in the coastal roads and numerous reckless Croatians.
6. Cotopaxi Volcan, Ecuador
If you are traveling in Ecuador, be careful, the roads here are dangerous, and the most dangerous of them is the one that extends slightly south of the capital (Quito), the Cotopaxi Volcano Highway. It's 25 miles of dirt road riddled with dangerous curves that leads from the Pan American Highway to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park. The road is full of potholes, and in addition, there is a high probability of landslides and mudflows. Add to this the numerous old cars and their less experienced drivers, and you can assume that you have a fair idea of what it is like to “drive a car in the jungle.”
7. Luxor-al-Hurghada Road, Egypt
This road connects recreation areas along the Red Sea coast with the ancient southern city of Luxor. The Luxor-Hurghada highway is a real road of death. At night, drivers race through the dusty desert with their headlights off, colliding head-on with each other. Ironically, on the Luxor-Hurghada highway, the only thing more dangerous than driving at night with your headlights off is driving at night with your headlights on. Bandits, robbers and even terrorists patrol the dark road in search of easy prey. In 1997, 62 German tourists died at the hands of terrorists on this road.
8. A44, UK
The A44 from Oxford to Aberystwyth is a narrow two-lane road that has seen so many road traffic accidents in recent years that it has become notorious as a road where CCTV cameras are installed to try and reduce the number of accidents. Considering that 25% of all accidents on this highway are head-on collisions, caution really doesn't hurt.
9. Road Patiopoulo-Perdikaki, Greece
Even though the Ottoman Empire occupied Greece for 400 years, they failed to conquer one small mountainous region in the central part of the country - Agatha. They had military power, political will and all that, but the Turks simply did not know how to approach him. The roads in this mountainous region are now as dangerous and steep as they were in those days.
10. Grand Trunk Road, India to Afghanistan
This road was built in the 16th century, connecting the main cities of India with the cities of Pakistan and Afghanistan and, unfortunately, has not changed at all since then. The road is chronically crowded with carts, animals, bicycles and pedestrians, not to mention the huge number of cars and buses.
It was the top ten most dangerous roads in the world according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel.
But I would like to present to your attention a couple more roads, which are also the most dangerous. After looking at the photographs of these roads, I thought that some of them, such as the road that ranks 1st in this top ten, should not be located where they are. After all, nature has created boundaries: using huge rocks, steep slopes, stones and volcanoes, perhaps they were not intended to be crossed. But people are so stubborn that they have made roads there, but they cannot guarantee safety on these roads. There is always a risk, especially under such conditions, but risk has never stopped a person.
Guoliang Tunnel in Taihang Mountains (China). The name of the tunnel is translated from Chinese as “The Road That Makes No Mistakes.” First, a tunnel was created by villagers from the remote region of the Taihang Mountains to get to the outside world. Now the road is 15 feet high and 12 feet wide, which is quite scary for drivers. The tunnel has 30 windows to see what's what).
Halsema Highway, Philippines. A magnificent but dangerous road on the island of Luzon. In addition to paved parts of roads, landslides and large rocks, heavy fog is possible.
The A682 Road (England)
Grimsel Passage, Switzerland The Grimsel Pass, which is 2165 m high, is a Swiss high mountain pass between the Rhone River valley and the Haslital valley.
Taroko, Taiwan. Mount Teroko is a mountain in Taiwan with an elevation of 3,282 meters
Karakoram Highway, Pakistan towards China. The Karakoram Highway is the highest road on the planet, connecting Pakistan to China. This is a popular tourist route.
Skippers Canyon, New Zealand. The Canyon Road is carved out of shale rock and travels through some of the most spectacular scenery in New Zealand.
Be careful and careful while traveling on these roads!!!
In his poem “The Road Less Traveled,” Robert Frost talks about what a successful walk he took when he chose a road he had not previously explored because it was radically different from the usual routes. And although the unknown road is more interesting, picturesque and filled with adventure, among other things, it can also be more dangerous. Cliffs, obstacles, holes... With the help of modern technologies and materials used in road construction, they are trying to minimize their danger to human life, but today the whole world is full of places where you should think a thousand times before setting foot.
There are no cliffs, sheer cliffs or sharp turns. A typical section of the Australian highway is 1100 km long. It would seem that what could be dangerous? Everything is simple and boring. Yes, but don't forget that the road is in southern Australia. This region is rich in wild animals. Kangaroos, emus, camels and many other animals often cause serious damage to cars. Dawn and sunset are the most dangerous periods, because usually it is at this time that animals try to cross the road.
The Transfagarasan road is a true legend among car enthusiasts. With spectacular descents and 90 kilometers of hairpin turns, the BBC Top Gear team named it "The Best Road in the World". It was built as a military route in the 1970s, during the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu. It is the second longest road in Romania and also connects the two highest mountains in the southern Carpathians. The paved route connects the historical regions of Transylvania and Wallachia, and its numerous switchbacks offer some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. There are more tunnels and viaducts here than on any other road in the country.
Stelvio Pass is considered the highest paved road in the Eastern Alps. It was built during the Austrian Empire between 1820-1825 and connects the Valtellina and Adige valleys. The road has very sharp turns. The unusual zigzag route looks like a child's scribbling. The sides of the highway are protected only by a low concrete fence, so even the most experienced drivers often feel dizzy. The road is open from June to September. It is at this time that numerous tourists come to the Eastern Alps to experience the extreme road.
The A537, nicknamed the Widow's Road and locally known as the Cat and Fiddle Road, is considered the most dangerous road in the UK. According to information provided by the UK Road Safety Foundation, 34 people died on the ten-kilometre stretch of road between 2006 and 2008, and 44 serious accidents occurred between 2007 and 2011. The track is particularly popular with motorcyclists and those who want to enjoy the open space of the English countryside. Sharp turns and drops, stone walls - all this makes the road very dangerous for drivers.
Locals call the Kolyma highway “Route” because it is the only main road in Eastern Siberia. It is also called the “Road of Bones” because it was built by thousands of political prisoners exiled to the region during the Stalinist regime. There are rumors that during the construction of the highway, many were shot and buried right here, under the road asphalt. In 2008, the Kolyma Highway was awarded the title of federal road. Actor Ewan McGregor traveled along the Kolyma highway especially for the TV show “Long Way Around”. Since then, it has attracted adventurers from all over the world.
The four-kilometer road in the eastern Himalayas connects Kullu, Lahaul and the Spiti valleys. The pass is famous for its numerous frequent landslides, unpredictable snow storms and avalanches; it is not surprising that the word “Rattan” means “mountain of corpses” in translation. The road is open from May to November. In 2010, a group of 300 tourists were stranded here due to a snow storm. A tunnel is currently being built under the pass to ensure safer traffic.
The Pakistani government has named the road "Friendship Highway", but there is absolutely nothing friendly about it for drivers or passengers. The Karakoram Highway is the highest asphalt road in the world (4800 meters). The 1,300 km stretch connects Pakistan to China via the Khunjerab Pass, as well as some of the highest mountains in the world, including Nanga Parbat, also known as “killer mountain”. Avalanches, landslides and floods often occur on the Karakoram Highway.
Trollstigen means "Troll Path" or "Troll Staircase". This is a very accurate description of the extremely dangerous mountain road that connects the towns of Åndalsnes and Valldal. In winter and spring it is closed due to heavy snowfalls, but in summer it is a very popular tourist route. It took eight years to build. It opened in 1936 as part of the Norwegian National Road 63. Although it has been widened in recent years, the section remains narrow. The 9% incline and 11 sharp turns are what sets it apart from many others. The government has issued a decree prohibiting vehicles longer than 12 meters from traveling on it. Nevertheless, there are parking lots, observation platforms, and you can also admire the Stigfossen waterfall.
According to the International Road Safety Association, between 100 and 200 fatalities occur on the Yungas road each year. The 65-kilometer stretch of road connecting the capital La Paz and the jungle town of Coroico is called the “Road of Death,” but locals simply call it “winding.” It is decorated with a huge number of monuments and crosses that appeared here as a result of countless deaths. Because of this, the track looks more like a cemetery than a road. Yungas is located at an altitude of 3650 meters above sea level. Its width is only 3 meters. There is often fog here and landslides occur. In 2006, a safer route was built between La Paz and Coroico. However, this was not the reason that the extreme road was abandoned. Extreme cycling tours are often organized there for everyone who wants to tickle their nerves and tease death.
Formally, the highway is called a “ring road.” Highway 1 or A01 is part of a 2,200 km road network connecting Mazar, Kabul and Kandahar, as well as many other cities. However, it is the section connecting Kabul and Jalalabad that is the most dangerous. The narrow winding road rises to a height of 600 meters through the Kabul Gorge. However, harsh environmental conditions and poor infrastructure are just part of the problem. The route passes through Taliban territory, which is why it is so dangerous. There are numerous police checkpoints along the road. Patrols are sent here every day to provide security for NATO convoys. Bombs, ambushes, mortars, small arms fire, and extreme weather conditions make Highway 1 the most dangerous in the world.
And yet, despite all the dangers, drivers will have to travel thousands of kilometers along such roads, because it won’t be here soon, and they can’t save them from all the troubles.
