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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Join the Raven brothers on four epic overland adventures across the USA, Russia, Black Sea and South America!
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Driving the Trans-Siberian: The Ultimate Road Trip Across Russia
Driving the Trans-Siberian: The 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