Trollstigen and the Atlantic Road Norway
The Trollstigen (which translates as “troll’s ladder”) consists of 11 hairpin turns on a steep mountainside; the road’s name comes from looking like a giant ladder from certain angles. Do it together with the Atlantic Road, which connects a series of small islands. Taber Holidays (taberhols.co.uk) has put together a ten-night fly-drive featuring both drives, as well as sections weaving between fjords and waterfalls; you cover about 570 miles. The price is from £2,250pp, including return flights to Bergen, car hire, B&B (with some meals) and a journey on a Hurtigruten ship back from Kristiansund to Bergen. Alternatively, Best Served Scandinavia (best-served.co.uk) has six-day breaks, with four days’ driving, covering the Atlantic Road from £790pp, including flights, car hire and B&B.
Top of the World Highway Alaska and Yukon This is one of the most remote roads on the planet, snaking for 79 miles from Tetlin Junction in Alaska to Dawson City in Yukon in Canada. The road is unpaved in parts of the Canadian section, which goes by the name of Yukon Highway 9, and the scenery is wide open, mountainous and dramatic. Complete North America (completenorthamerica.com) has a 15-day Alaska & Yukon Highlights tour that includes a hire car and an itinerary that takes in the Top of the World Highway and the Klondike Highway, which plunges southwards from Dawson to the coast of Alaska in the south. It costs from £2,899pp with flights to Anchorage and hotels. There’s a chance to see grizzly bears, moose and killer whales along the 2,230-mile journey.
Pan-American Highway Peru The full Pan-American Highway is a network of roads covering more than 19,000 miles and linking 17 countries from Alaska in America’s northwest to Argentina in the south; the only break in the road is the 60-mile Darien Gap — thick rainforest between Panama and Colombia. A picturesque part of the highway runs 278 miles southwards from Lima to Nazca. Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) has a new adventure driving break that includes rental of a four-wheel-drive vehicle and follows the highway before heading across the Andes to the remote Pampas Galeras National Reserve (4,000m above sea level), twisting through mountains onwards to Cusco, and looping back through the Amazon basin to Lima; the journey is 1,235 miles. The 16-day trip is from £2,980pp, including hotels, most meals and guides in a support vehicle; international flights are about £600pp extra.
Extraterrestrial Highway southern Nevada Fly-drives along the Californian coast taking in Big Sur will always be popular, but for something a little different try Nevada State Route 375, also known as the Extraterrestrial Highway. This road covers 98 miles and was given its nickname thanks to the alleged sighting of dozens of UFOs and aliens. It climbs to 1,700m at one point and runs close to Area 51. America As You Like It (americaasyoulikeit.com) has a ten-day Alien Spotting fly-drive that begins in Las Vegas and costs from £1,150pp, including UK flights, car hire and accommodation. There’s a stop at the tiny town of Rachel on the Extraterrestrial Highway, considered by some to be the UFO capital of the world.
Carretera Austral Chile The Carretera Austral (Southern Highway) runs for 750 miles through some of the most beautiful landscapes in South America, skirting the Pacific coast for long sections. It crosses Hornopiren and Queulat National Park, where you drive past hanging glaciers, fjords, snow-capped volcanoes and vast lakes. Few tourists make it to the isolated landscape, but RealWorld (realworldholidays.co.uk) has new tailor-made 12-day trips that include hotels, car hire and flights from £2,845pp.
Advertisement
State Highway 1, New Zealand Many of the highways in New Zealand do not run along the coast, but the 210 miles from Picton to Kaikoura on the east coast of South Island include long sections with great sea views. You’re rewarded after the drive with whale and dolphin watching at Kaikoura. Round the World Experts (roundtheworldexperts.co.uk) can tailor-make drives around the North and South Islands. One of its best is its 20-day Best of Both Islands Journey, which costs from £2,749pp and includes 16 days in four and five-star hotels, 15 days’ car hire, a whale-watching trip and international flights; book before May 31 and quote reference number 2806734.
North Coast 500, Scotland North Coast 500 is a 500-mile circular route around the top of Scotland that was named last year to encourage visitors to remote parts on the road from Inverness to John O’Groats and onwards to Durness, Unapool, Torridon and Applecross (northcoast500.com). Expect to see lochs, fairytale castles and wild beaches. The North Coast 500 website has tips on what to see and do, and where to stay. Make sure you include a night at the upmarket and stylish Torridon hotel; a B&B double room is from £245 (prideofbritainhotels.com). If you stay in John O’Groats, try the excellent, modern, well-appointed Natural Retreats hotel; doubles are from £108 (naturalretreats.com).
Wild Atlantic Way, Donegal, Ireland
The Wild Atlantic Way stretches for 1,500 miles along the west coast of Ireland (ireland.com/Wild_Way). It’s possible to do the whole route but it’s more manageable in sections. One of the most popular covers 346 miles in a loop around Donegal. It begins in Muff and crosses the River Foyle on to the gorgeous Inishowen Peninsula. Stay in the town of Buncrana before driving to the Inch Wild Fowl Reserve, Glenveagh National Park, the beautiful beach at Ballymastocker Bay, the Slieve League Cliffs and Donegal Town. Return Stansted-Londonderry flights are from £39 with Ryanair, and Avis (avis.co.uk) has five days’ car hire from £65.
Through the Namib Desert, Namibia
Not long after driving out of Windhoek, Route C28 leads into the eerily empty Namib Desert — mile upon mile of sandy scrubland beneath a wide-open sky. This desert covers the entire Namibian coastline, from Angola in the north to South Africa in the south. To travel safely along the roads, it’s best to go by four-wheel-drive vehicle and take out a full windscreen and tyre waiver on your insurance. These come as standard on an amazing Gane and Marshall break that covers 23 nights and includes accommodation and international flights; the distance travelled is about 2,200 miles, with stops in Swakopmund, Kalahari and Sossusvlei Desert Camp. The price is from £3,295pp (ganeandmarshall.com).