HOT ROADS IV
They lead over steep mountain passes, into deep gorges or through absolute solitude. Anyone traveling on the most dangerous roads in the world is taking a risk, however beautiful the view may be. No map shows the obstacles and what the routes actually look like. Road conditions can change from day to day, from hour to hour. In rain, mud, sandstorms, falling rocks, or hurricanes, it is a tour into the unknown. Often these roads are not passable all year round, the danger is too great in winter or during the rainy season. Climate change and the growing number of extreme weather events make traveling on these routes more difficult. But where danger lurks, beauty is not far away. Whether glacier fjords in Chile's far south or treacherous sandbanks on Colombia's La Guaijira peninsula, these wild roads lead to some of the most beautiful regions in the world.
01. From Colombia's Caribbean Coast to the Desert
The Caribbean Highway runs through the far north-east of Colombia, passing lively cities, the world's highest coastal mountains, rainforests and salt mines on the way to the Guajira desert. The road has its pitfalls — it is periodically washed away by the sea and eroded by wind and sand. The area is home to four indigenous peoples. For them, the road is a constant source of frustration.
02. Guinea’s Adventurous Trade Routes
In the heart of Guinea, people travel on roads that wind through mountainous regions and endless bushland. During the rainy season, which lasts from May to September, the roads and tracks become particularly challenging. Nevertheless, the locals still need to travel from place to place and market to market during these months.
03. Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway
In northern Pakistan: The Karakorum Highway is one of the highest roads in the world. It winds its way through a fascinating mountain landscape at an altitude of almost 4,700 meters. The route passes rock formations and enormous glaciers. Every kilometer is a challenge for people - regardless of how they are traveling, whether by vehicle or on foot.
04. Madeira’s Wild Mountain Roads
The Portuguese island of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean, is renowned for its rugged mountain landscapes and winding roads. Steep climbs and hairpin bends lead to spectacular vistas and get drivers' pulses racing. Even today, travelling into the island's interior is still an adventure.
05. Turkey's Notorious D915
From the coast of the Black Sea in Turkey, the D915 highway winds its way through steep valleys and high alpine passes into the Anatolian highlands. The regions connected by this road are very different from each other, which is why the challenging route through the Pontic Mountains remains popular and important for people in northern Turkey.
06. Through Patagonia on Chile’s Carretera Austral
The Carretera Austral is a wild road that runs through southern Chile, a region of gauchos and volcanoes. Stretching over 1,200 kilometres, it winds through fjord landscapes, rainforests and mountain ranges. It is a journey into the unknown, almost to the end of the world. Those who embark on this journey are rewarded by nature with stunning scenery.