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Roads are one of the oldest man-made constructs in the world, and despite our technological advancements, many of them still remain very unsafe and hazardous. Today, we’ve rounded up some of the most dangerous worlds in the world. But don’t let their seemingly normal appearance fool you, some of these roads are certainly high-risk for a wide range of reasons including drunk drivers, human error or even poor weather.
1. Old Yungas Road (Bolivia) Bolivia’s old Yungas Road is appropriately known by locals as Death Road due to the fact that it claims between 200 and 300 lives every year. Built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners of war, the old Yungas Road stretches for nearly 40 miles between the capital city of La Paz and the town of Coroico in the Yungas jungle region. The road is extremely narrow and subject to frequent landslides and fog, not to mention that it drops nearly 12,000 feet in overall elevation. There’s also zero protection from the sheer cliffs that drop straight down for a couple thousand feet.
2. Grand Trunk Road (India) The Grand Trunk Road in India dates all the way back to the 16th century when it was commissioned under the rule of the Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri. The road is one of the main thoroughfares across the Indian subcontinent and spans for over 1,500 miles from Bangladesh in the east to Pakistan in the west. And unlike Bolivia’s old Yungas Road, what makes the Grand Trunk Road so deadly is no risky heights or poor road conditions but rather the traffic congestion consisting of trucks, buses, bicycles, pedestrians as well as animals.
3. Sichuan – Tibet Highway (China) Sichuan – Tibet Highway is located in the high altitudes in China between Chengdu in the east and Lhasa (Tibet) in the west. Like the Grand Trunk Road, this highway goes on for a total of 1,500 miles. And despite its beautiful scenery consisting of stunning mountain peaks, rivers and numerous cultural and historical attractions, the Sichuan - Tibet Highway is very much prone to natural disasters including landslides, falling rocks and avalanches which often leaves the road closed for months at a time. It should also be mentioned that many drivers unfamiliar to the area often find themselves suffering from altitude sickness.
4. San Isidro de General – Cartago (Costa Rica) In Costa Rica lies the old road known as San Isidro de General – Cartago where its highest point is known as the Cerro de la Muerte or Mountain of Death, not particularly because of the road, but due to the fact that people traveling through the pass before the road existed hardly ever survived its freezing temperatures. But the name still applies in modern times due to the road's excessive issues including potholes, thick fog, as well as steep, narrow curves. Now combine that with reckless drivers and altitude sickness and well, you get the picture.
5. Fairy Meadows Road (Pakistan) Despite its dainty-sounding name, the Fairy Meadow Road in Pakistan is not exactly something you want to explore for the sheer fun of it. The gravel road is quite unstable and is pretty much hacked out the side of barren hills which takes you away from the Raikot Bridge to the village of Tato. However, once you make it past the 6-mile-long gut-wrenching journey, you’ll get to enjoy the captivating natural beauty that Fairy Meadows has to offer. It’s no wonder that photographers, backpackers and mountain climbers still flock to this area despite the risks.
1. Old Yungas Road (Bolivia) Bolivia’s old Yungas Road is appropriately known by locals as Death Road due to the fact that it claims between 200 and 300 lives every year. Built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners of war, the old Yungas Road stretches for nearly 40 miles between the capital city of La Paz and the town of Coroico in the Yungas jungle region. The road is extremely narrow and subject to frequent landslides and fog, not to mention that it drops nearly 12,000 feet in overall elevation. There’s also zero protection from the sheer cliffs that drop straight down for a couple thousand feet.
2. Grand Trunk Road (India) The Grand Trunk Road in India dates all the way back to the 16th century when it was commissioned under the rule of the Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri. The road is one of the main thoroughfares across the Indian subcontinent and spans for over 1,500 miles from Bangladesh in the east to Pakistan in the west. And unlike Bolivia’s old Yungas Road, what makes the Grand Trunk Road so deadly is no risky heights or poor road conditions but rather the traffic congestion consisting of trucks, buses, bicycles, pedestrians as well as animals.
3. Sichuan – Tibet Highway (China) Sichuan – Tibet Highway is located in the high altitudes in China between Chengdu in the east and Lhasa (Tibet) in the west. Like the Grand Trunk Road, this highway goes on for a total of 1,500 miles. And despite its beautiful scenery consisting of stunning mountain peaks, rivers and numerous cultural and historical attractions, the Sichuan - Tibet Highway is very much prone to natural disasters including landslides, falling rocks and avalanches which often leaves the road closed for months at a time. It should also be mentioned that many drivers unfamiliar to the area often find themselves suffering from altitude sickness.
4. San Isidro de General – Cartago (Costa Rica) In Costa Rica lies the old road known as San Isidro de General – Cartago where its highest point is known as the Cerro de la Muerte or Mountain of Death, not particularly because of the road, but due to the fact that people traveling through the pass before the road existed hardly ever survived its freezing temperatures. But the name still applies in modern times due to the road's excessive issues including potholes, thick fog, as well as steep, narrow curves. Now combine that with reckless drivers and altitude sickness and well, you get the picture.
5. Fairy Meadows Road (Pakistan) Despite its dainty-sounding name, the Fairy Meadow Road in Pakistan is not exactly something you want to explore for the sheer fun of it. The gravel road is quite unstable and is pretty much hacked out the side of barren hills which takes you away from the Raikot Bridge to the village of Tato. However, once you make it past the 6-mile-long gut-wrenching journey, you’ll get to enjoy the captivating natural beauty that Fairy Meadows has to offer. It’s no wonder that photographers, backpackers and mountain climbers still flock to this area despite the risks.
