The world’s top 10 road trips

It doesn’t matter whether you’re sitting amid the high whine of an old Mini Cooper or feeling the swirl of acceleration from the bucket seat of a Bentley Bentayga V12, the open road is one of life’s great levelers.

Fresh air, great scenery and a wide open road are the Holy Trinity of freedom – and it’s there for anyone with a set of wheels. But with about 64 million kilometers of roads girdling the globe, where’s the best place to open up the throttle and chew up the miles?

From a morning’s jaunt to clear out the cylinders to epic road trips of sun, sea and sand, here’s a fast countdown of the best 10 road tours worldwide:

10. Route 62, South Africa

Distance: 748 kilometers.

Approximate route time: Nine-and-a-half hours (nonstop).

Over 65 wineries along the way will have you wishing you were a passenger rather than the driver.

Shift driving works best along this long tourist route stretching between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, with stops at dozens of non-boozy attractions splintering off the main path, such as cliffs, fauna, rivers, valleys and plains.

Chapman’s Peak Drive is a recommended diversion at the start of your journey, a spectacular nine-kilometer marine drive winding its way around the mountainside between Hout Bay and Noordhoek.

Highlights: The hot mineral springs and private Roman baths at the Warmwaterberg Spa are a godsend for shoulder muscles after hours of driving.

Alternatively a two-day hike on the famed Donkey Trail over the Swartberg Mountains will get the blood pumping again before the next stretch of road.

The Klaasvoogds Game Reserve further along Route 62 is speckled with black wildebeest, leopard tortoise and Burchell’s zebra.

Stop for a bite at: Ronnie’s Sex Shop. Initially the sign was “Ronnie’s Shop” but when “Sex” was graffitied as a prank Ronnie decided to leave it up and run with the theme. It’s now a bizarre sex-themed popular pub hangout for bikers, local farmers and regulars along the road.

Warmwaterberg Spa; R62, Barrydale 6750, Warmwaterberg, South Africa; +27 28 572 1609

Klaasvoogds Game Reserve; Kleinfontein, Klaasvoogds West, Robertson; +27 23 626 6115

Ronnie’s Sex Shop; Route 62 Barrydale, Klein Karoo, South Africa; +27 285 721 153

9. NC500, Scotland

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

With towns and villages few and far between, the coastline of northern Scotland is one of the most unspoiled areas of Europe. Roads here are empty of traffic and typically offer gorgeous views, although they are often single-lane and require the use of passing places from time to time.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Well worth a visit on the route out from Inverness, Rogie Falls are a series of dramatic cascades on the River Blackwater in Torrachilty Forest. Visit from July through late September for a chance to see Atlantic salmon leaping up the adjacent salmon ladder.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Undoubtedly one of the best seafood restaurants in the British Isles, the Kishorn Seafood Bar in Strathcarron is a simple, award-winning eatery located between Lochcarron and Shieldaig at the foot of the Applecross hills, with beautiful views of the Isle of Skye. The emphasis here is on local produce.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Beautifully sited on the northern shore of Loch Ewe, the Isle of Ewe Smokehouse boasts fantastic views toward the Torridon Hills to the south and the Outer Hebrides to the west. This small artisan company specializes in hot and cold smoked salmon from Loch Duart.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Wildlife fans will enjoy the fauna on the NC500, with attractions ranging from Highland cattle, red kites and sea eagles to puffins, red squirrels and otters. Binoculars and a telephoto lens are indispensible.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

With the imposing Quinag mountain range as a backdrop, the atmospheric ruined fortress of Ardvreck Castle sits on a promontory on the edge of Loch Assynt. Built in the 16th century, it was the traditional seat of the MacLeods of Assynt. The promontory is sometimes cut off by high water, leaving Ardvreck on its very own island.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

What would a road trip be without decent sustenance? From freshly caught scallops and mouthwatering pies to the finest kippers and succulent venison, there are more than enough culinary highlights on the NC500. High-end eateries line the route, such as The Albannach, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lochinver, Helmsdale's Thyme and Plaice and Ullapool's The Arch Inn. The Lochinver Larder (pictured right) serves some of the best sweet and savory pies Scotland has to offer. Dunnet Bay Distillers produce a handcrafted Rock Rose Gin (pictured left).

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Whether travelers are looking for private tranquility, pounding surf or pristine beauty, the beaches of the NC500 have it all. On the road from Gairloch to Ullapool, Mellon Udrigle is an arc of pure white sand bordered by turquoise water -- more reminiscent of the Mediterranean than northern Scotland. One of the most beautiful beaches in Sutherland, Oldshoremore (known locally as Am Meallan), developed from eroded sandstone and seashells, is another favorite. A short drive beyond Kylesku, its remote sands are often completely deserted.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Perhaps one of the most remote chocolate shops in Europe, Cocoa Mountain in Durness has won rave reviews for its hot chocolate and awesome varieties of dark and white chocolate. An essential pit stop for NC500 travelers with a sweet tooth.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Carved out of the limestone cliffs near Durness, the Smoo Cave is dramatic enough to warrant an hour or two's exploration. Depending on the tide, it can be viewed by boat, or by a path running down from the clifftop car park. It boasts one of the largest entrances to any sea cave in Britain (50 foot or 15 meters), and is floodlit inside. A noisy colony of fulmars can be found perching on the cliffs outside.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Disneyesque Dunrobin Castle, located on the outskirts of Golspie, is the most northerly of Scotland's great houses. It's also one of Britain's oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland. The castle, which is more akin to a French chateau with its towering conical spires, has seen the architectural influences of Sir Charles Barry, who designed London's Houses of Parliament and Scotland's own Sir Robert Lorimer. The site also boasts a falconry center and picturesque gardens.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

On the road from Wick to Golspie, the well-concealed Whaligoe Steps were built into the precipitous cliff face in Ulbster sometime in the 1700s. The 350-odd flagstone stairway was once used by fisherwomen to transport to market baskets of fish from the vessels landing at the highly inaccessible harbor below.

Courtesy Daniel Allen Photography

Whatever the time of year, the NC500 offers travelers a wild and wondrous slice of remote and often highly traditional Scottish Highland life.

Distance: 830 kilometers (500 miles)

Approximate route time: Three to seven days.

While you can complete Britain’s latest coast road in a long weekend, you’ll want to linger along some of the most scenic roads in the Northern Hemisphere.

Only opened in 2015, the North Coast 500 (NC500 for short) is part of an initiative set up by Prince Charles to showcase the craggy grandeur of Scotland’s coast, both east and west, and already it’s won plaudits as one of the world’s best road trips.

Highlights: Castles, lochs, glens and mop-topped Highland cattle are the stars of this loop road which has been billed as Scotland’s answer to Route 66.

Stop for a bite at: The Kishorn Seafood Bar where the seafood is as good as the Highland views. Its seafood platter regularly rates a mention and is rated as one of 10 best places to eat by the sea in the UK.

Kishorn Seafood Bar; Kishorn, Strathcarron, IV54 8XA; +44 (0)1520 733 240

MORE: Has Scotland created the greatest road trip ever?

8. Ticlio Pass, Peru

Distance: 132 kilometers.

Approximate route time: Three hours (nonstop).

One for the adrenaline junkies, this hairy drive along the highest paved road in South America (almost 4,877 meters above sea level) sweeps through the Andes and has prayer-inducing bends, suicidal wild llamas darting out of the scenery and mountains prone to landslides.

Potentially you’ll be dodging giant boulders falling from above, but the view at the end of the paved road is worth nearly dying for.

Highlights: The Ticlio railroad is definitely worth a gawp. At 4,758 meters above sea level, this is one of the highest railway lines in the world and was built to service the local mining community as well as send rich minerals including zinc and lead down the mountain.

Stop for a bite at: The roadside cafés. Choose wisely between a Russian roulette of ceviche and fried guinea pig.

7. Jebel Hafeet, United Arab Emirates

Distance: 11.7 kilometers.

Approximate route time: Up to 30 minutes (nonstop).

Built so that rich residents can get their kicks in their million-dollar toy cars, this road doesn’t take you anywhere – except to a private palace and an exclusive hotel.

Carved into the desert, the road is worth the journey up and back for the smooth surfaces and 60 race-track-worthy corners that snake around the Hafeet mountain.

“This is a cracking stretch of road for driving enthusiasts,” explains Phill Tromans from Evo magazine. “There’s a fast section and slow sections, it’s just perfect for technical driving.”

Highlights: Magic-eye fans eat your heart out; during summer the 45 C heat creates the illusion that the golden barren dunes in the distance are moving. If that’s not entertainment enough, there’s also a golf course at top of the hill.

Stop for a bite at: Le Belvedere at the Mercure Grand hotel on the Hafeet mountain will whip up a few Moroccan, Italian and French bites.

Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet Al Ain; Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates; +971 3783 8888

MORE: Beyond Dubai – 6 exotic escapes

6. The Atlantic Road, Norway

Distance: 8 kilometers.

Approximate route time: Less than 30 minutes (nonstop).

Belly-flips and bridges make up this high-octane drive along the Norwegian coastline.

The overpass dips during this journey can be experienced between Kristiansund and Molde, and regular vicious storms in the area intensify the ride.

If “technical” driving does nothing for you, get ready to see unusual birds flying overhead, while seals and whales swim off the coastline. Plus, at dusk there’s a wickedly orange sunset.

Highlights: The dark 80-meter long Bremsnes Cave, found at the Bremsneshatten Mountain, is well worth a visit.

Scuba diving off the shore during the winter months is a must-do. Marine life in this area is abundant and visibility reaches up to 60 meters. Book a trip with Strømsholmen Sea Sports Center.

Stop for a bite at: Derinngarden in Halåsen is a cute farm shop selling delicious syrups, jams, handmade cheese and yogurt. Alternatively the Bjartmars Favorittkro tavern serves decent local bacalao (dried cod).

Derinngarden; Halåsen, N-6490, Eide, Norway; +47 (0) 7 149 1100

Bjartmars Favorittkro; Atlanterhavsveien 6530, Averøy, Norway; +47 (0) 7 151 6060

MORE: 18 extraordinary dishes (some) Norwegians eat

5. The Alcan Highway, Canada to Alaska

Distance: 2,167 kilometers.

Approximate route time: One day and seven hours (nonstop).

If Bear Grylls did road trips he’d be all over this mammoth long-haul route in the moody North American wilderness. Snow chains, a down jacket and a cooler full of sandwiches will serve you well in these harsh weather conditions.

In between the snowstorms, find classic mountains, sparkling lakes, dog-sleds, wolves and the odd grizzly bear.

Highlights: Hiking detours are a must. Finish up at Muncho Lake and Liard River and Liard River Hot Springs (the second-largest hot spring in Canada) and take a dip in piping hot waters.

The Watson Lake Sign Post Forest is worth a bash. Alternatively, the owners at the family-run Burnt Paw and Cabins Outback motel in Tok are fanatical about dog mushing and provide free dog-sled demos daily.

Stop for a bite at: Klondike Kate’s Restaurant in Dawson City serves vegetarian meals and healthy smoothies, the sickly sweet tin-roof chocolate pie is top banana.

At Delta Junction, Rika’s Roadhouse serves awesome homemade chicken noodle soup and hearty doorstep sandwiches.

The Liard River Hot Springs are located in Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, at kilometer 765 of the Alaska Highway 97, +1 250 427 5452

Burnt Paw & Cabins Outback; Mile 1314.3 Alaska Highway, Box 7, Tok, Alaska, United States; +1 907 883 4121

Klondike Kate’s; 3rd Avenue & King Street, Box 417, Dawson City, Yukon, Canada; +1 867 993 6527; open from April to September

Rika’s Roadhouse; Mile 275, Richardson Highway, Delta Junction, Alaska, United States, +1 907 895 4201

4. Transfagarasan Road, Romania

Distance: 116 kilometers.

Approximate route time: 100 minutes.

Spooky dark tunnels (the longest is more than 800 meters and pitch black), plus endless twists and turns make for a thrilling ride through Dracula territory.

The winding road from Cartisoara goes south to Curtea de Arges then zigzags from Transylvania into Muntenia, and later ascends to 2,034 meters, to the highest peak in Romania (Moldoveanu Peak).

Highlights: A surefire way to creep out your road trip buddies is to climb the 1,400 steps to the Poenari Castle, the former residence of Vlad III, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

The Balea Waterfall and Vidraru Lake and Dam lie further along the track are spectacular sites.

Stop for a bite at: Guest lodge Pensiunea Balea is just seven kilometers from Cartisoara and serves home-cooked Romanian dishes in a secluded foresty setting.

Pensiunea Balea; Transfagarasan 711, Cartisoar; Call ahead to book: +40 7 4438 8487

MORE: What’s it like to party at Dracula’s Castle?

3. Great Ocean Road, Australia

Distance: 253 kilometers.

Approximate route time: Four hours.

For fewer thrills, but extra frills, this drive has more attractions than it has cars.

Here mountains meet oceans, rainforests meet dramatic cliffs, and lighthouses meet national parks (home to stacks of anteaters, kangaroos, penguins, koalas and multi-colored parrots). At the end of the route you’ll want to U-turn and ride it again.

“You can’t speed along, because of the speed cameras,” explains Imthishan Giado, editor of motoringme.com, “but it still offers an incredible coastline, little towns, world-class surf and The Twelve Apostles.”

Highlights: Bells Beach – made famous by the epic surf flick “Point Break.” Though the movie wasn’t actually filmed here, it still draws surfers from far and wide (word of warning before you don your wetsuit: great white sharks attack in this spot).

Swimmers are best off going for a dip at Apollo Bay, one of the safest spots in the area; the cute coastal village here also runs horse and bike riding.

At Great Otway National Park, detour to Otway Lighthouse for an incredible view of Australia’s Shipwreck Coast.

The climax of this journey is, of course, the breathtaking Twelve Apostles, a collection of limestone stacks towering 65 meters above the water.

Stop for a bite at: The Pickled Pig at Warrnambool serves fennel and cinnamon slathered pork cutlets and scallops doused in basil and cashew pesto.

Pickled Pig; 78 Liebig St., Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia; +61 3 5561 3188

2. Amalfi Coast Road, Italy

Distance: 56 kilometers.

Approximate route time: 75 minutes.

We’d forgive you for smashing up your vintage convertible MG when distracted by the pastel villages, historic churches and pristine lapping coastline here.

This is one of the prettiest routes we’ve ever encountered, and the coastal roads are crammed with enough hairpin bends to get your pacemaker screaming.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, the scenery makes this road trip,” says David Light, motoring editor at Khaleej Times. “The best way to experience it is in the summer, in a drop-top sports car.”

Highlights: The stretch from Praiano to Positano for the corniche, plus Grotta dello Smeraldo, a cave with jade waters that look like they glow.

Stop for a bite at: The two-Michelin-starred Rossellinis restaurant in Ravello is a fancy spot for traditional European food, and a killer view of fishing boats beneath.

Rossellinis, inside Hotel Palazzo Sasso; Via San Giovanni del Toro 28, Ravello, Italy; +39 8981 8181

1. Milford Road, New Zealand

Distance: 120 kilometers.

Approximate route time: 90 minutes.

This is the sort of the landscape that gets hobbits hot under the collar, and we don’t blame them.

A drive through the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island, from Te Anau towards Milford Sound into Fiordland National Park, this is possibly the most scenic route on the planet.

Think mighty cliffs, snow-capped summits, waterfalls and fern trees that stick their middle fingers (or branches) up to gravity.

Highlights: It’s hard not to stop and stare at the ridiculous beauty of Eglington Valley and the Mirror Lakes (which mirror their surroundings with crystal clarity).

The Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain is also staggering – an optical illusion causes the approaching mountain to get smaller rather than larger.

Stop for a bite at: The cozy Blue Duck Café & Bar, at Sound Lodge in Milford Sound Village, serves hearty grub and local beer and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Blue Duck Café & Bar; State Highway 94 Milford Sound, New Zealand; +64 (0) 3249 8071