Best road trips in the world: from Scotland to Patagonia | The Canberra Times
Forget the cliché expression. Sometimes it’s about the journey rather than the destination. There are some roads where the lines in the asphalt rush past, or perhaps there is ocher dust etching behind… well, it’s worth the drive.
As I write this, I’m in the Canadian Rockies, driving along the 230-kilometer Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper, lined with majestic mountains, glacial lakes and roaring rivers. Trucks are banned from the road to keep the road open for tourists because believe me, you will want to stop often to admire the view!
But the Icefields Parkway is just one of the world’s most epic roads, and there are others worth exploring.
If you’re looking for fun, this might be the year to drive Route 66 because the famous US highway is currently celebrating its centennial. Following the original 1926 route requires some creative detours, with many sections replaced by modern interstates, but it’s a good excuse to explore American road trip culture.
Stretching nearly 2500 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, the area is filled with classic eateries, retro motels, and plenty of “you’re not all from around here” moments. But beyond the burgers and billboards, the diversity of landscapes, from the Kansas plains to the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico to the Pacific Coast, is also part of the appeal.
If Disney land doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps head to the castle that inspired the company’s logo: Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. This is the start of the 460-kilometre Romantic Road through southern Germany, connecting medieval towns, palaces and other historical sites (and being especially festive at Christmas).
Passing through river valleys, vineyard-covered slopes and towards the foothills of the Alps, it’s as if you were walking through a fairy tale full of castles built on the peaks. In particular, I recommend visiting two World Heritage Sites; the massive 18th-century Baroque palace, Würzburg Palace, and the small Wies Pilgrimage Church, both with ornately decorated interiors.
Along the northernmost tip of mainland Britain, the North Coast 500 takes you on an 830-kilometre journey through Scotland’s spectacular landscapes, from sheer windswept sea cliffs to rugged farmland and historic fishing villages. The roads are closed, but you will often encounter herds of Highland cattle and sheep on the narrow single-lane roads, forcing you to slow down.
There are ancient stone monuments, almost ancient stone castles, and beyond are ancient stone formations rising from the sea. But locals recommend not leaving your whiskey in the freezer when you pop into one of the distilleries to warm up with a single malt and a crackling fire.
Also hugging the coast, South Africa’s Garden Route is officially 300 kilometers long but is often combined with an additional 380 kilometers to Cape Town. The road is squeezed into a narrow strip between the sparkling Indian Ocean on one side and steep mountain ranges on the other, its terrain adorned with a kaleidoscope of flowers.
There are plenty of opportunities along the way to stop at viewpoints to hike or even bungee jump. Private game reserves offer an easy way to spot some of the Big Five, while cruises run sea safaris to see dolphins and seals or migrating whales from July to October.
Access to much of southern Chile can be difficult by sea or air due to fjords, thick forests and harsh weather conditions. The 1,200-kilometer Carretera Austral highway is one of the few roads leading to this impressive part of Patagonia, where you’ll find glaciers in the mountains, wild rivers flowing downhill, and clear barren expanses stretching on forever.
The road was officially finished only in 2000, and the difficulty is not in the surface but in the isolation, and due to the small number of gas stations there is still a lot that is not sealed. By driving all the way from the city of Puerto Montt to the 600-person town of Villa O’Higgins, you will pass 10 of Chile’s most beautiful national parks.
Central Asia’s Pamir Mountains are known as the ‘roof of the world’, and the roller coasters that run across them are some of the highest rides you’ll ever experience. The Pamir Highway reaches 4,655 meters as it crosses the Ak-Baital Pass in Tajikistan, and much of the route lies among rugged lunar-like plateaus surrounded by towering peaks and rocky gorges.
You don’t need to travel the entire 1,200 kilometers from Kyrgyzstan to feel like a Silk Road caravan stopping at roadside bazaars and ruins of imperial tiers. Karakul, a bright blue lake inside a meteorite crater, is one of the highlights, and you’ll find great cultural experiences in small mountain towns with few tourists.
We all know Australia is a great place for road trips, but if you’re looking for a challenge the Gibb River Trail might be for you. From Derby to Kununurra in Western Australia, you’ll follow vibrant red dust across the remote Kimberley region, with its spectacular gorges and groves of boab trees.
This 660-kilometer wilderness trail is open and you’ll need not only 4WD but also extra fuel, spare tires and recovery equipment. There are incredible hikes along the way and a famous crocodile-infested river crossing. Accommodation is mostly at either camps or large cattle stations, but this is all part of the adventure when you are looking for a journey and not a destination.
