Top 6 World's Best Road Trips - Lonely Planet

Feeling the urge to experience the freedom of the road? Well there is certainly no shortage of highways on Planet Earth, with the USA road network alone totaling a staggering 6.58 million kilometers. To make planning your road trip adventure a little easier, study our list of the world's best road trips as detailed in the Lonely Planet book: Epic Drives of the World. With endless possibilities to explore, your time is now!

Mountains caught in the wing mirror on the The Stelvio Pass (Italy). Photo by Chris Raven.

1. Desert Drives


Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Namib Desert: Namibia - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Lüderitz; end – Walvis Bay; distance – 466 miles (750km)

Dakar Rally: South America - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start/end – Buenos Aires; distance – 5776 miles (9295km)

Tanami Track: Australia - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Alice Springs; end – Halls Creek; distance – 643 miles (1035km)


2. Wildlife Watching Drives

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Grand Teton to Yellowstone, Wyoming: USA - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Jackson; end – Mammoth; distance – 250 miles (402km)

Gippsland and Wilsons Promontory: Australia - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Phillip Island; end – Walhalla; distance: 308 miles (495km)

Kaikoura Coast: New Zealand - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Picton; end – Christchurch; distance – 219 miles (352km)


3. Hairpin Heaven

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Susten-Grimsel-Furka Loop: Switzerland - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start/end – Andermatt; distance – 75 miles (121km)

Cirque de Combe Laval: France - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Vassieux-en-Vercors; end – Pont-en-Royans; distance – 28 miles (45km)

Serra do Rio do Rastro: Brazil - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Tubarão; end – São Joaquim; distance – 83 miles (134km)


4. Mettle-Testing Trips

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Dempster Highway: Canada - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Dawson City; end – Inuvik; distance – 457 miles (736km)

Highway 500: Malaysia - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Kota Kinabalu; end – Tambunan; distance – 47 miles (75km)

Uluru and the Red Centre: Australia - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Uluru (Ayers Rock); end – Tyler Pass Lookout; distance – 761 miles (1224km)


5. Grape Trails

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Chianti Road: Italy - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Florence; end – Siena; distance – 44 miles (71km)

Douro Valley: Portugal - Lonely Planet (PDF)

Start – Porto; end – Miranda do Douro; distance – 222 miles (358km)

Lavaux vineyards: Switzerland - Lonely Planet (PDF)

- Start – Lausanne; end – Château de Chillon; distance – 25 miles (40km)


6. Tropical Trips

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

B9 Road: Mauritius - Lonely Planet (PDF)

- Start – Le Morne; end – Souillac; distance – 25 miles (40km)

Coral Coast Road: Fiji - Lonely Planet (PDF)

- Start – Korotogo; end – Pacific Harbour; distance – 45 miles (73km)

Shek O Road: Hong Kong - Lonely Planet (PDF)

- Start – Central Hong Kong; end – Shek O; distance – 14.5 miles (23.5km)

Lonely Planet Travel Guides >

Lonely Planet book: Epic Drives of the World



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Driving the Trans-SiberianThe Ultimate Road Trip Across Russia

Black Sea Circuit: An Adventure Through the Caucasus

Carnival Express: A South America Adventure

Living the Linger: Freedom on the American Highway