We’ve all been there; you’ve taken an excursion on holiday with the hope of getting out of your resort and seeing your destination up close and personal, perhaps you want to integrate with the locals, or just see the country you’re in beyond the four walls of your hotel.
It sounds like a great idea on paper but suddenly you’ve found yourself stuck on a tourist coach without
air-conditioning & struggling to get up a hill as the tour guide rambles on with nonsensical stories that may or may not be true. It’s an all too common mistake, but why suffer any more? It’s time to get yourself out of the tourist trap and onto the open road as you become your own tour guide on the greatest driving roads in the world.
Los Angeles to San Francisco
Considered one of the greatest drives in the world the roads on this route have been the location for countless movie scenes and now it’s your turn to join in the fun.
Driving along the California coast you’ll take in the Pacific Ocean, watching in awe as waves crash against the jagged shoreline before stopping at one of the many picturesque mountain ranges. Be sure to visit towns including Laguna Beach and Carmel by the Sea.
The real highlight of the trip is yet to come, as you enter San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge opens up before you welcoming you to one of America’s most famous landmarks.
Driving Time:
11 Hours Non Stop
Highlights:
Carmel by the Sea, Monterey Bay, Hearst Castle, Golden Gate Bridge
Watch out for:
Devils Slide, named due to erosion that previously made the road impassable.
Stay at:
The Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire (L.A) Marriot Union Square (San Francisco)
Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road – United Arab Emirates
English: Jebel Hafeet mountain in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There’s something slightly impure about having this road on our list, after all it was built specifically to be the ultimate driving road and only leads from a car park to a hotel (albeit a very luxurious one.)
However what the road lacks in purity it more than makes up for in terms of sheer driving fun, with 60 formula one inspired corners and a 4,000 foot ascent. Furthermore, it’s almost always empty
(after all it doesn’t really go anywhere) meaning you are assured of hours of fun without the risk of a single traffic jam.
Driving Time:
30 minutes Non Stop
Highlights:
60 Formula one inspired corners and an 18 hole golf course at the summit,
Watch out for:
Due to the 45c heat the surrounding Sand Dunes seem to move, be sure to keep your eyes on the road!
Cape Town – Port Elizabeth – South Africa
Wine enthusiasts will love this journey from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth as your drive past 65 different wineries all more tantalising than the other… but be warned, you may need to appoint a designated driver.
The route passes through South Africa’s famous Winelands and offers 748km of winding roads and stunning landscapes, well what else would you expect in a country as diverse and magnificent as South Africa?
Stop at the natural springs and Roman baths located at the warmwaterberg spa, it’s a great place to relax after hours of driving. The route also takes you past Klaasvoogds game reserve, an ideal location to spot wildebeest, leopard and zebra.
Driving Time:
9.5 Hours Non Stop
Highlights:
Take a donkey trail over the Swatberg mountain range
Watch out for:
This is a long journey so be sure to split driving duties
Stay at:
Cape Grace Hotel (Cape Town) Protea Hotel Marine (Port Elizabeth)