Update: Please also check the second part of Most Dangerous Roads in the World
It’s hard to imagine how many dangerous roads there are. When working on this post I studied about 10 resources to find out that there are over 50 dangerous and scary roads and these are just the most famous we’ve heard of. There are different factors of danger so it’s really hard to say what roads are the most dangerous of all the dangerous roads in the world.
In our post today you will see the roads that are considered the most dangerous and that caught my attention because of the fact that the roads shouldn’t naturally be in those places. What I mean here is that it looks like the Nature has created the borders that shouldn’t be crossed using huge rocks, steep slopes, stones, volcanoes but the human beings were so stubborn that they finally erected the roads and trails, but what we still can’t do is ensure the safety. There’s always the risk that something will happen but the risk has never stopped the human yet.
The North Yungas Road (Road of Death), Bolivia
North Yungas Road also known as the Road of Death is considered the most dangerous road in the world. It stretches for about 40 mountain-hugging miles and is only 10 feet wide.
Sichuan-Tibet Highway, China
The highway is made right on the mountains, it’s high, pretty narrow, cloudy and definitely dangerous. The overall length of the highway is 2,028 kilometers.
Pan American Highway
The Pan American Highway is a network of roads stretching for nearly about 30,000 miles from Alaska to the lower reaches of South America. This is the world’s longest “motorable road,” according to Guinness World Records. Some roads are widely knows by narrow curves, steep cliffs, flash floods and landslides.
Coastal Roads, Croatia
Compared to the other roads from our post, the coastal roads of Croatia may look childish, but that’s not the case. The coastal roads and the fast-driving Croats that crowd them probably account for more deaths and injuries than accidents associated with unexploded ordinance ever do.
Guoliang Tunnel in Taihang mountains (China)
The name of the tunnel translates from Chinese as the “Road that does not tolerate any mistakes”. First the tunnel was created by the villagers from the remote area of the Taihang Mountains to get a way out to the outside world. Presently the road is 15 feet high and 12 feet wide which is pretty scary for the drivers. The tunnel has 30 windows to enjoy the scenes.
Halsema Highway, Philippines
Magnificent but dangerous road on the island of Luzon. Apart from the unpaved parts of the roads, landslides and big stones you can be stopped by the clouds.
Grimsel Pass, Switzerland
Grimsel Pass which is 2165 m. high is a Swiss high mountain pass between the valley of the Rhone River and the Haslital valley. Taking into account you are on a mountain, you can’t expect much safety.
Taroko, Taiwan
Taroko Mountain is a mountain in Taiwan with an elevation of 3,282 meters and it speaks for itself. Check the photos to get an idea of the little stones that can cross the road.
Karakoram Highway, Pakistan to China
Karakoram Highway is the highest paved road on the planet connecting Pakistan with China. It’s a popular tourist route, with motorists stopping to view K2 and other stratosphere-scraping peaks from the pavement.
Skippers Canyon, New Zealand
The Canyon road is carved from schist rock and travels through some of the most spectacular scenery in the New Zealand. That’s a narrow and unsealed road about 22 km long. Rental car companies warn clients not to take their cars on this dramatic and at times terrifying road which branches off the Coronet Peak ski field road.
Stunning and incredible, along with scary!
Posted by Gimme A Dream | April 22, 2009, 4:55 pmwow… very dangerous roads, nice post.
Posted by fati | April 22, 2009, 11:22 pmYou are right about Croatian drivers
Posted by 3kolone | April 23, 2009, 3:17 amSome of these roads indeed seem very dangerous and yet I can imagine how beautiful it was to travel on some of these roads on good weather. I have had a few experience when I was traveling in the mountainous region in the Philippines when I traveling from Davao City to Dipolog. There was once when we were traveling at night in the mountain and it was so foggy that we can hardly see more than a metres ahead of the van. And in one part of the journey, our van’s wheel got stuck in the mud but luckily we had so helping hands to get us out.
It was dangerous experience but memorable one.
Posted by BK | April 23, 2009, 10:08 pmquite honestly ive driving through the rocky mountains in B.C. (thats in canada eh
) plenty of times, and these roads dont seem that much worse to me… some seem like they even have less wildlife around, which to me is a big plus
Posted by redopz | April 24, 2009, 12:20 amJebus, just the thought of driving (my motorcycle) on any of these roads would put fear into my heart as I approach each turn, thinking “the person coming the other way doesn’t know I’m coming and could be taking advantage of the full width of the road.”
Posted by Phil E. Drifter | April 24, 2009, 1:44 amIf the Road of Death in Bolivia is the one I’m thinking of it is absolutely terrifying! Some companies take groups on mountain bikes down it and the day I went there was a think fog and the only way you knew if there was traffic coming was if they were kind enough to keep beeping their horns for you! You were riding next to sheer cliff drops and to top it off a bus had rolled down the side a couple of weeks earlier and you could see the wreckage once the fog had cleared! Huge adrenalin rush to do it even if it was a bit stupid!
Posted by BB | April 24, 2009, 2:57 amRoad to hell!! Amazing post. Bookmarked. Keep up the good work.
Posted by Windows Boy | April 24, 2009, 3:29 amWhere’s Poland???
Posted by Improbus | April 24, 2009, 10:16 ami loved these pictures very much. its interesting as they show peoples attempted to visit other places in the world. and because they needed to trade to survive. It means making roads regardless of danger. maybe fear for survival overwhelms the fear of heights. Or maybe because these people already live with heights all their lives they have zero fear.
oh well keep up the good work. kind Regards Dean Bradford (England)
Posted by Dean Bradford | April 24, 2009, 11:54 amWow. I’m a truck driver who would be scared to death on those roads.
Posted by kelli Busey | April 24, 2009, 12:43 pmI guess now I will take the ferry to Bela Coola, BC and drive up “the Hill.”
After seeing these roads, the hill doesn’t seem so bad anymore.
Posted by Horace Cessasshenky | April 24, 2009, 4:41 pmthose mountain pass are really dangerous specially those aren’t cemented and high risk running there in rainy season
Posted by supercars | April 25, 2009, 1:03 amI have seen some roads such as these in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Especially Honduras. I was on a bus trip going up to see the Mayan ruins: Copan. People actually screamed a couple of times.
The west coast road going down Baja California is also in the league. But bar none, the scarriest road I have ever been on is the one winding, down, down to Chichicastenango, Guatemala.
Posted by Lane | April 26, 2009, 11:00 pmEnough to make one buy a helicopter, or say screw it and stay where ever you started. Excellent research/photos/post.
Posted by Brandon M. Sergent | April 27, 2009, 7:13 amFirst time I ever got dizzy looking at a picture
Posted by charles | April 27, 2009, 12:10 pmThe view would make it worth it.
Posted by smoke juice | April 28, 2009, 1:09 amNice post. I would pee my pants driving on these roads.
Posted by e cigarette | April 28, 2009, 1:11 amI was scared in a car on the Skippers Road! The land is unstable and you may come around a corner to find that lots of pieces of rock have fallen down. There are vertical drops to the Shotover River below. It’s one lane wide and was built between 1883 and 1890 to improve access for miners. It’s the only 19th century road in New Zealand that has never had a major upgrade!
Posted by Wendy | April 28, 2009, 3:53 amI am missing the the Manali-Leh Highway in India.
Posted by Eric | April 28, 2009, 12:50 pmI think it’s going to take about 3 hours for my butt to unclench.
Posted by Bink | April 28, 2009, 1:47 pmever take the road from Kukahaile to Waipio Valley on the Big Island ?
Posted by Steve Mossman | April 28, 2009, 5:39 pmNot for the faint hearted. Makes the Hana Highway look like Interstate 10.
Posted by Harry | April 28, 2009, 8:16 pmjust curious, but these are the worlds most dangerous roads, and such, what about the freaking 400 serious of highways in canada? thousands of deaths and injuries are from these highways, especially the 404. Love the photo’s and gorgeous scenery.
Posted by kramer | April 28, 2009, 8:24 pmLovely. I would like to drive on one of these roads….
Posted by Frank Delano | April 28, 2009, 9:00 pmAll I can say is… you better take extra gas!
Posted by P33kuhboo | April 28, 2009, 9:42 pmI will keep it in mind, thanks for the tip….:)
Posted by Frank Delano | April 28, 2009, 10:59 pmI believe James Bond has had a chase on all of these.
Posted by joey | April 29, 2009, 12:34 amTaroko Gorge isn’t that dangerous. I live in Taiwan, and I’ve been up plenty of narrow, hardly-exists-at-all-because-of-typhoons-and-earthquakes roads on my motorbike in my time. Taroko Gorge is actually kept in good repair by the government, which is something that can’t be said for plenty of other mountain roads here.
Posted by Dana | April 29, 2009, 1:24 amSadly, we were on the road from Sichuan to Tibet and saw a mini van turned upside down, the roof was totally ripped off and the weight of the van was resting on the backs of the seats. That far out there was no medical service or anything. It had obviously happened right before our own mini van drove past the scene. Scary roads out in China.
Posted by Lauren | April 29, 2009, 1:48 amHmmmmm, I’ve been to Toroko, it’s amazing.
Funny how danger seems to be synonymous with beauty…
Posted by Gman | April 29, 2009, 5:01 amWell, Croats do drive quite fast but if you don’t like those coastal roads, you always have alternative – excellent highway network (both the scenery and technology).
Funny thing is that those roads are exactly the same as any other Mediterranean coastal roads (Spain, France, especially Italy) and Italians drive even faster (especially south of Italy).
Another interesting thing about driving in Croatia: official highway speed limit is 130 km/h.
However, there is no fine for driving up to 156 km/h. Here is the math:
156 km/h measured speed
- 10% (or 10 km/h, whichever is greater) tolerance 16 km/h = 140 km/h
- 10 km/h – (no fine for +10 km/h outside city limits) – 130 km/h
Police will not stop you for this speed at all.
If you are ready to face the 300 Croataian kuna fine (40 EUR / 53 USD), you may do more:
that’s for 30 km/h over the limit:
178 km/h measured speed -10% (18 km/h) gives you 160 km/h – 30 km/h over the limit.
For 500 Kuna (67 EUR / 88 USD) you may do 200 km/h – tolerance 20km/h – gets you to 180 km/h and that’s 50 km/h over speed limit.
Do not go past that speed since fines get harsher and you may get ban on driving in Croatia.
Posted by Mahniti Tapir | April 29, 2009, 5:14 amYou clearly have never been to Turkish back-country.
Posted by Spectre | April 29, 2009, 9:36 pmUndoubtedly you will get the “hey, what about this road?” comments.
There are almost certainly other roads which are even more dangerous… this list can’t be comprehensive. Maybe if you want to keep everyone happy this could be re-titled “The Most Dangerous Roads In The World That More Than A Couple People Know About”.
In any case, it’s a fun collection – thanks for sharing!
Posted by Charles Robinson | April 30, 2009, 11:06 amThanks for your comment, but I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that these and only these roads are most dangerous. I’ve explained why I have chosen these ones in the very beginning of the post
Posted by Anastasia | April 30, 2009, 11:25 ami think we should just admire the post, because I have not seen such roads before and I am sure many people who visited this post have not seen this many dangerous roads in one place…..keep up the good work Anastasia
Posted by Frank | April 30, 2009, 1:22 pmWow! I got car sick just looking at these! Love the tunnel road but no way in hell would I ever drive it! Nice job, very entertaining.
Posted by Beamer | May 1, 2009, 4:17 amThe most dangerous/difficult roads and you do not have Ladakh! You have obviously never been to India and have never heard why people travel all the way from Europe, Americas and Australia (Mind you, I’m not mentioning Indians at all among the visitors yet!) to India to make this road trip! Or should I call it a pilgrimage! Manali to Leh. That’s the route. In the heart of Himalayas, and from first hand experience I can tell you, the most incredible and most dangerous trip you’ll ever make. Google it, check it out for yourself!
Posted by Hetch | May 2, 2009, 5:25 amIndeed creepy. There is a road in Arizona that hugs the side of nearly sheer cliff for several miles on either side of river. I drove it several years ago in a truck camper. Several miles down, bridge over the river and then several miles back up again. My wife stayed in the camper so she would not have to watch.
Also, even though these are scary and dangerous I don’t think they are any worst than many of the freeways in America. At least on these roads you don’t have to deal with 18 wheelers tailgating you at 70 MPH. I would like to know the death rate per miles driven compared to the highway I drive to work everyday. I bet mine is more than any of these.
Posted by Dave | May 2, 2009, 9:24 pmI’d add the Ice Road to the list!
Posted by starnight | May 3, 2009, 2:24 amI have to say.. i NEVER comment these things, but i loved this psot! incredibly beautiful pics!
Posted by optyks | May 3, 2009, 3:16 amI just hope that each driver is always considerate of what could be around the next corner! This is so scary but, man!, the views look like they are worth it. I would take a freakin’ bicycle if I had to go on any of these roads!
Posted by Casey | May 3, 2009, 12:02 pmHeyy check out the one between Les Angles until just north west of perpignan in france. that was scaryy. the road was one laned, but not one way, cliff face either side, with road crumbing away at some points. my dad decided to go down it at about 20 miles an hour. still too fast, and my mum was shrieking in the front seat. super bendy road too. Id say worse than the ones above :S
Posted by Rosie | May 3, 2009, 3:25 pmI ride the Panamerican highway all the time here in Argentina. I have driven extensively in Croatia, Mexico and Italy, but the road from La Paz to Coroico -#1- was absolutely insane. My friend Guidotti and I were fighting each other to drive the old 4 Suzuki 4×4 rental, back in 1992. It took us over an hour to realise that the upwards going trucks have priority and always drive closest to the mountain regardless of the valley being on your left or right! Missing in the pictures: the dozens of white crosses, in memory of just “average”· drivers who dared.
Posted by diebor | May 3, 2009, 7:50 pmScariest moment of my life had to be visiting my uncle in Croatia – he decided to take us on a road trip to the National Park – a 4 hour drive each way. Coupled with the fact that we spent most of the day traipsing around the park and looking at all the waterfalls, my uncle was exhausted by the time we started on the 4 hour drive home – I could visibly see his eyes drooping in the rear vision mirror as he hurtled along the Croatian coastal roads at speeds of over 100km/hr, but I was a terrified timid 12 year old, and didn’t speak nearly enough Croatian to try and give him some advice. Instead I asked to stop every 20 minutes or so for a restroom break in the hope that he would splash some water on his face or wake up a little. It was traumatic. I still get chills from that memory these days when I visit Croatia and take to the roads.
Posted by dangermouse | May 3, 2009, 10:31 pm2 Mahniti Tapir: Well, it’s not like that any more. We still drive fast, but not as fast as we used to. I usually drive around 160km/h on the highway, and around 100km/h on the open road. This days there are too much police controls, so you can’t put a pedal to the metal.
2 dangermouse: To which national park did you go to? The roads are fine, but your uncle war irresponsible.
What about German autobahns?
As for Croatian coast roads: They are beautiful, but old, ruined and being replaced by highways.
Posted by Tin | May 5, 2009, 11:24 amSorry but the Grimsel Pass road in Switzerland is a ridicolous entry. There are many pass roads in Switzerland going high through the alps, but Grimsel is one of the easiest ones. The road is wide and is well protected. It has very nice view on the top, towards the dam lake, and there is a very small road (access every hour) that lets you drive a bit further (that part is more dangerous). I have not driven any of the other roads you mention, but Grimsel pass road would not even make it into the top 10 most dangerous roads in Switzerland.
Posted by kgf | May 5, 2009, 11:54 amWHEN DO WE GO?!?
ACTUALLY SOME OF THE ROADS IN UTAH AND COLORADO COULD RANK HERE FOR BEAUTY … AND FEAR FACTOR.
Posted by BALDRIC | May 6, 2009, 10:01 pmI still think the road to Hana should make this list. It’s really scary, I’ve driven on it. Not such a fun time lol. One part is considered so dangerous that they close it off and it’s labeled “restricted” but many people ride on it still…
Posted by Monica | May 17, 2009, 1:30 pmThere is a fail in descripition photo number four and five of Halsema Highway, Philippines, the local correct is Santa Catarina – Brazil, Serra do Rio do Rastro.
Posted by Willian Rochadel | May 18, 2009, 5:29 pmI’d drive them all,drunk,in a bugatti veyron,blindfolded
Posted by Bottom Gear | May 23, 2009, 2:29 amSpectacular roads! I drove the Philippine one back in 1985, beautiful views and hardly any traffic.
Obviously there are many other candidates which may be more or less well known. The road in northern Afghanistan through the Salang tunnel, if only for the lack of oxygen; the coast road from Tripoli to Benghazi in Libya; for the stupidity of the drivers etc. etc. etc.
But this is a great list and very well illustrated.
Posted by Pedrotski | May 23, 2009, 4:03 pmIf you want danger then you ought to try the A23 through Brixton anytime after sunset, preferably on foot.
Posted by Kevin | May 29, 2009, 1:55 amAnd now, for something completely different…
Posted by Clarkson | May 29, 2009, 4:26 amAwesome roads……………hope to visit
Posted by Amol | May 29, 2009, 6:12 amGreat Ocean Road Australia
Posted by anon | June 15, 2009, 7:40 amIT is more than words can say , and this is certainly GODS work for us to see and BELIEVE!!!!
Posted by llcool | June 19, 2009, 10:44 amMy friend, these roads are nothing compared to the Manali-Leh highway in India…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leh-Manali_Highway
Posted by vineetgupta | July 1, 2009, 4:56 amFor sheer loss of property, injury and death I would like to submit the Pacific Coast Highway – 10 miles south of and 20 miles north of Malibu, California, USA.
Posted by Spencer | July 23, 2009, 8:18 pmWhat about the “Brooklyn Queens Express Way” in NYC? Plenty of fast driving cabbies, semi’s and rogue scooters littered with pot holes making any other roadway look like a cake walk.
Posted by BQE | July 23, 2009, 8:37 pmWow ammezing realy v the human beings are v lucky to view these gods creations..Realy fantastic tat views of the caves well its beautiyfull Including v dangerious….Thank u friend
Posted by syeda asifa banu | August 5, 2009, 5:42 amLol.I used to always drive on the BQE.terrible roads that need to be fixed.I’m a truck driver so I’m 1 of those semis flying down the road.I live in puerto rico now and thesemountain roads are hardly big enough for1 lane nevermind 2.beautiful pics though.you should take pictures of the ice roads.only roads that can drown you.lol
Posted by desnin vesnei | August 11, 2009, 3:22 amI love that tragic roads in the entire globe, i have already seen pakistan china way most dangerous rout when ever you drive that road you feel very happy, thanks for free journey through this web .
Posted by Dr. Aftab Ahmed Soomro | August 22, 2009, 5:39 amThere is a road section between Muramvya Turn-Off to Bujumbura City in Burundi. If you have never seen “flying bicycles” loaded with chunks of bananas cruising downhill, please come here, or just read the book “A Biograpgy of a Little Country Burundi by Nigel WATT”…he explains the dangerous aspects of this road.
Posted by Freddie Mantchombe | October 18, 2009, 6:49 amI never have been on those roads, but by seeing the pics only we can imagine how danger those roads are. I would like to see a documentry on these roads if its there.
Posted by Anand | October 23, 2009, 5:11 pmwOw.. i need to be drive in this road…
Posted by ruby.. | October 24, 2009, 1:22 amIt´s unbelievable what men can do when they really want.
Posted by Michael Rijnhart | October 24, 2009, 4:35 amwow very wonderful dear sharing marvelous road which are known to the world dangerous.
i indeed enjoyed all all
thanks
Posted by sunil singh | November 17, 2009, 5:00 ami really loved lookin at all the roads not only would i love to drive on them it would be fun also to ride horse up and down them!!! thanks so much nancy whitlock
Posted by nancy whitlock | December 2, 2009, 5:55 pmmt Lyell in Tasmania should be included
Posted by Gozzo | December 3, 2009, 10:27 amWOW nice pics ^^ i have a rather ironic story, this is when i was in Tanzania driving from Arusha to Mwanza (africa btw -.-) this road was huge, like 6 metres wide, it was rocky but flattend for cars to cross since its not used oftenly, and stretches for 60 kms with no curves, so everyone tends to go upto the speed limit of 120 km/h its was pitch black but luckily we rented a land cruiser with spot lights, after driving for around 30 mins i got used to it and i was pretty much laid back, next thing you know the road ends with a tight curve to the right…did not hit the brakes because it wud slide on tht surface and braking would not allow me to turn and most probably end up in the trees ahead, as i turned the steering to a full right we skid but dodged the edge of the path because the grip caught the road tht started at the end of the curve, if there was no road who knows where we wud’ve skidded to….
Posted by E|-MoroZ | December 27, 2009, 2:52 amsend me all dangerous,amazing pictures
Posted by Haseeb | December 27, 2009, 11:47 amI’ve seen a lot of these roads before and some of them I haven’t. Each road has at least one photo I haven’t seen before. And each road definitely has a better description than I’ve come across in other places. Thanks for the interesting post!
Posted by Nic Stage | December 29, 2009, 5:02 pmHi I am from India and we also have some roads showns here but I would love to go on this Roads and Live the life as I am very much passionate of driving and one day i will drive one of this road
Posted by Bharat | February 1, 2010, 11:54 amAmazing and dangerous roads! creates shiver in my body.
Posted by black ice | February 17, 2010, 2:20 pmReally great list and pictures. Hope I get to see many of these.
Posted by Mike | February 28, 2010, 2:54 amThis pictures is so beatiful to see but more dangerous road to travel…….
Posted by charanraj | March 11, 2010, 12:34 pmI’ll bet I-80 I-94 in NW Indiana kills more than any of these.
Posted by Hoppy | March 17, 2010, 5:27 pmAll look awesome. Want to motorcycle them…before I die….or as I die:)))
Posted by IOWASTROKER | March 17, 2010, 9:26 pmA year ago I got to travel on the Halsema Highway. It had sections that were so steep that we ended up wearing the brakes down to nothing on the van we were in. Down shiffting to slow us down the whole way back to the house.
Posted by swami | April 17, 2010, 5:55 pmhighest motor able road in the world in leh highway in india
Posted by sandy | May 17, 2010, 12:13 amThe most dangrous road of the world is.. Manali – Leh Highway and Shrinagar – Leh Highway… Really unbeatable.. Unmatchable….
Posted by Akash | May 26, 2010, 4:26 amAmazing roads can anyone post more links here if u know then
Posted by Nikhil | June 8, 2010, 9:29 amthe are owesome and by seeing i want to go there
Posted by ANU | June 20, 2010, 9:06 amI love long, winding, adventurous roads! These photos are great. In 1968, a friend and I drove on the Pan American highway from the U.S. down to Lima, Peru. It was an adventure. In Colombia and Equador, in particular, some portions of the highway were like a cowpath … muddy, rocky and almost undriveable. If I were young, I’d do it again.
Posted by Wayne | June 29, 2010, 11:15 pmWhat kind of moderation is needed?
Posted by Wayne | June 29, 2010, 11:17 pmReally really incredable.
Posted by Anil rao | July 26, 2010, 10:06 am