Are you looking for extreme action on the road? Our guide is exactly for people like you who are looking for the next big challenge, something that rivals everything you have faced until now.
If you have spent a fair amount of time touring different roads, it is natural to attempt something extreme, and the world has seven tracks that will put your skills, mental strength and inner control to test!
We have endured such conditions at Big Bike Tours, and therefore, we can share with you a real list of road trips that will bring you exactly what you expect.
North Yungas Road (Bolivia)
The famous Camino de la Muerte (Death Road) extends for 60 kilometers and prisoners built it during the decade of the 30s. The road beings in La Paz, which is the Bolivian capital city, and takes you to the town of Corioco.
We have included it in this list, and even dare to rank it as #1, because this road has been declared multiple times as the most dangerous in the world. It has already taken the lives of hundreds of people.
The road is even more challenging because it is barely 3-meter wide and no guard rails. Also, the traffic travels both ways and it includes motorcycles, cars, and trucks.
To make things even more dangerous, you will have to face heavy rains, fog, a challenging tropical climate and the immediate fear of falling off the cliff, which can be as high as 600 meters tall.
Manali-Leh Highway (India)
Are you a fan of long road trips? Then you will love the Manali-Leh Highway, which extends for 479 kilometers, and therefore, it will take you up to three days to cover the distance. Some bikers could complete it in a single day, but the distance is not your unique challenge.
The average elevation surpasses 4,000 meters and can be as high as 5,328 meters, and therefore, you will have to battle against altitude sickness, and the faster you go the more chances you will have to experience it.
Altitude is just one of the challenges because you have to factor in the ever-changing weather of the Himalayas. Furthermore, you will have to deal with problematic and even dangerous traffic.
Hindustan Tibet Road (India)
The Hindustan Tibet Road is part of the ancestral Silk Road, and it extends for a distance of 500 kilometers. The road starts in Punjab and it will take you to the Tibet. Therefore, it is a great choice for riders that love long-distance trips.
The road is one of the most extreme in the world due to its rough terrain, harsh weather conditions, and frequent and challenging bends. Also, you will have to deal with vertical cliffs that will put your skills and courage to test.
From all the sections of the road, the most challenging is the Tranda ‘dhank’, and have no doubt that it will test you as a motorcycle rider due to its intimidating changing cliffs, rough terrain, and unexpected events.
Guoliang Tunnel (China)
The Guoliang Tunnel is located in the Taihang Mountains, and it is 1200 meters long, 5 meters high and has a width of 4 meters. Not very long, but it will prove to be a challenge. The responsibility of building this tunnel was the local villages, who built it in five years.
It is not for beginners at all because a miscalculation might be fatal due to the harsh weather conditions and extremely challenging conditions of the road.
If you are looking for a challenge that will keep you on constant thrill, then you need to visit the Guoliang Tunnel.
Sichuan Highway (China)
The Sichuan Highway extends for 2,412 kilometers and it is the north line between China and Tibet. It has an elevation that varies from 4,000 to 5,000 meters, but it can get as high as 6,168 kilometers when you cross the Chola Mountains, which is the highest vehicular tunnel on Earth.
It has earned its place in our ranking because it is very challenging and it even claims hundreds of lives every year due to its difficult road conditions and harsh weather.
You will have to cross several rivers such as the Lantsang and Nu–Jiang, which are difficult to surpass. Furthermore, you will be at constant risk of rock avalanches and landslides that can be fatal. Also, the altitude will reduce your oxygen and the high temperature – as high as 40 degrees – will make your adventure even more difficult.
Kolyma Highway (Russia)
The Kolyma Highway extends for 2,031 kilometers and it is a hell of a challenge due to the cold weather – as low as -64.4° Celsius degrees – and inherent difficult road conditions. Not in vain it receives the nickname of “The Road of Bones”, due to the many lives it claims every year.
However, it is not only challenging during winter, because things turn even worse in summer. When the ice and snow melts, the roads become into a giant mess of mud, making some sections of the road impossible to surpass, even by experienced local riders and drivers.
To make things even more challenging and dangerous, you will have to be wary of mud pirates, who are groups of robbers ready to assault travelers stuck in the mud.
Canning Stock Route (Australia)
The Canning Stock Route extends for 1,820 kilometers and it starts in Wiluna and reaches to Hall’s Creek (Kimberley Region). The road crosses four deserts:
- Gibson
- Little Sandy
- Great Sandy
- Tanami
Furthermore, several tribes protect the road: the Birriliburu, Ngurrara, Martu, and Tjurabalan.
You will have to spend up to 18 days crossing this road due to its big distance and challenging conditions that will put to test even the most mentally-strong and experienced riders.
Final Words
Now that you have the list of the seven most extreme road trips in the world, you are ready to plan your next adventure!