14 Precarious Roadways

Most of the time, roads are pretty straightforward, asphalt and painted lines leading from one place to another. Sometimes they’re straightforward for a really long time. But every once in a while you encounter a road that offers a hair-raising experience, with narrow lanes and hairpin turns that wind around mountains or seaside cliffs. Some are the only way in or out of a region, while others are massive feats of engineering. 

Connecting Mokhotlong in Lesotho and Himeville in South Africa is the Sani Pass, a former trade route surrounded by the Drakensberg. The winding stretch of road is only navigable by a 4X4 vehicle and can take up to six hours to travel the six-mile stretch. For travelers attempting to get from the French mainland to the little island of Noirmoutier, you only get two chances to cross the Passage du Gois. The narrow road is only accessible during low tide, after which, the road is gobbled up by the waters below.

From a road that winds over the treacherous Norweigan Sea to Bolivia’s “Death Road,” here are 14 roadways that offer an adrenaline-filled journey.