Humans have never stopped being nomads. We have always saved vast forests, narrow valleys and high mountains to, by duty or by vocation, improve our living conditions. Many of these paths and paths became highways over time that, despite their danger, are still used throughout the five continents.
This road near Queenstown (New Zealand) consists of 22 kilometers and was built by miners at the end of the 19th century. Still unpaved, this road crosses the famous Skippers Canyon, which has served as the setting for the Lord of the Rings film saga.
Its (bad) reputation is such that the country’s car rental companies do not cover the damage caused to it. In most of its sections they are single lane and vehicles must cross the 100 meters of the Skippers bridge one by one, in the image.
Located in the Taroko Gorge National Park, this road crosses a mighty gorge between Taiwan’s best-known mountains. Very narrow and dotted with bridges, the truth is that it is common for cars and buses to meet pedestrians who visit this tourist spot. The impressive views offered by the road contrast with the risk involved in crossing it during the typhoon season. Heavy rains can cause landslides that make it impassable.
This zigzagging road that connects South Africa with Lesotho crosses the Drakensberg mountains for more than 20 kilometers, the highest mountain range in Africa, at more than 3,000 meters of altitude. The Sani Pass Road features steep ascents, hairpin turns, and intersecting waterfalls, requiring a 4×4 vehicle to traverse.
The majestic Snake Pass road dates from the early 19th century and is located halfway between Sheffield and Manchester (England). Although it looks impressive, this communication route is closed to traffic for an average of two months a year, mainly due to the heavy snowfall that plagues this area of ​​central Great Britain.
The Yungas Norte highway, which connects the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, with the Pilón Lajas biosphere reserve, is also known by the nickname “the route of death”. It covers more than 80 kilometers, has more than 200 curves and lacks guardrails that save vehicles from falling down a ravine in the middle of the tropical jungle.
