Extreme Drives: The 10 Scariest Highways for White-Knuckle Road Trips
Buckle up for a tour of highways with hairpin turns, steep cliffs, narrow lanes, extreme weather, and dizzying heights.
North Yungas Road
Bolivia
Risk Factor: This route's nickname really says it all — sometimes, it's simply called "Death Road." And, with no guardrails along the 12-foot-wide roadway protecting drivers from a 2,000-foot plunge off a cliff, it's easy to see why. (To make matters more confusing, drivers drive on the left to better see the cliff's edge.) "Death Road" isn't just a nickname, either: It's estimated that the highway is a site of 200 to 300 deaths per year.
Why you might be tempted to drive it anyway: No one says you have to do it in a car. Cyclists have found it easier to manage the narrow lanes and steep curves, and the road often hosts tours of adventurous bike enthusiasts.
Click through to see the full slideshow at the Condé Nast Traveler.
Photo: LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH / Alamy