Who doesn’t love a good road trip? It’s the freedom to go at your own pace, cruise past incredible landscapes, stop in small towns you’d never visit otherwise, and get a little off-the-beaten-track. They’re the perfect way to see a lot of a country in a short (or not so short) amount of time. While there are millions of kilometres of road to choose from, here are some of the most famously beautiful road trips around the world.
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My favourite beautiful road trips
In no particular order, here’s my round up of all the most beautiful road trips I’ve ever done.
Ring Road, Iceland
The Ring Road covers the perimeter of the entire country where you’ll find all the most incredible waterfalls, geothermal activity, volcanoes, black sand beaches, glaciers, and hot springs. You could drive this road 100 times and always find something new to see or do. But with a bit of careful planning you can easily hit all the highlights your first time around (pun not originally intended, but I like it).
Definitely make sure you add the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to your itinerary – it’s a bit of a detour but 300% worth it!
What to know before you go
Distance: 1,300 kms
Time needed: 10+ days
Top stops & activities along the way: Skogafoss, Kvernafoss, Godafoss, Jokulsarlon glacier (go ice climbing!), Forest Lagoon, Vok Boths, Sky Lagoon, Ingólfsskáli viking restaurant, the Eastfjords… I could go on forever.
Recommended: Get an SUV or at least a car with 4WD. Many of the side roads which you’ll need to drive to get to the best stuff are unpaved. Paying a wee bit more for a “pocket wifi” device is also a huge asset, and these are usually available to add to your car rental.
South Island Loop & Milford Sound, Aotearoa
I don’t think this is the official name for the road trip, and maybe there isn’t one. And I genuinely think it’s one, if not THE, most beautiful road trips in the world! Some people recommend just driving the west coast, but I simply can’t leave out all the epic stuff on the east. So I’ve gotta recommend the whole loop — and even that doesn’t cover all the amazing stuff there is to do down there! If you only have time for one side, you really can’t go wrong and your decision should just depend on what you want to prioritize.
Make sure you include Milford Sound no matter where your road trip takes you. I almost added the drive from Te Anau to Milford as its own category in this list because it’s sooooo stunning, but it only takes two hours so I don’t think that really qualifies as a road trip.
What to know before you go
Distance: 2,200 kms
Time needed: 1-2 months
Top stops & activities along the way: Milford Sound, Wanaka, Pancake Rocks, Lake Tekapo, Franz Josef Glacier, Kaikoura (kayak with dolphins!), Aoraki/Mt. Cook.
Recommended: Add the Abel Tasman National Park, near Nelson, to your itinerary. And make sure you book the Milford Sound cruise with the underwater observatory, it’s fascinating!
Read more: Where to Find Unreal Kayaking in New Zealand
Garden Route, South Africa
The Garden Route is the stretch between Mossel Bay and Storms River, but many people (including me) start in Cape Town. Besides being a major city/must-visit spot in South Africa, leaving from Cape Town also means you get to add Hermanus to your route. And it’s famous for its whale watching! They come so close to the shore that you don’t even need to go out on a tour boat to see them – though you can do that too. To add a few kilometres in the other direction, you can also hit the Addo Elephant Park.
What to know before you go
Distance: 200—800 kms
Time needed: 5-14 days
Top stops & activities along the way: Knysna Heads, Plettenberg Bay (swim with seals!), Monkeyland, St. Blaize Trail, pet Parrie the Stingray, L’Agulhas — the southern tip of Africa.
Recommended: Consider whether you need access to wifi and/or electricity when booking your accom, as South Africa regularly experiences load shedding. Some hotels and Airbnbs have “inverters” or generators that keep the power going even when the grid is down.
Read more: Driving the Garden Route (Day 1 of 7)
Rocky Road, Canada
Yeah I totally made this name up. But come onnnnnn, it was sitting right there. Start in Edmonton and make your way to Vancouver through the Rocky Mountains to see some of Canada’s most stunning and iconic scenery. It’s the most beautiful country in the world! And yes, I’m probably biased, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.
What to know before you go
Distance: 1,700 kms
Time needed: 2 weeks
Top stops & activities along the way: Morraine Lake, Mt Robson, Drumheller, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Peyto Lake, Takakkaw Falls, and Whistler.
Recommended: The roads can be a little treacherous in the winter, but the mountains look incredible, and you can get in some amazing skiing and snowboarding. Add Vancouver Island to your itinerary if you have time.
More beautiful road trips for your bucket list
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” These are all road trips I’ve heard are incredible, but haven’t done… yet.
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Ok so I kind of did this one, but I didn’t drive myself, I took a series of overnight buses, which is also a great way to travel if you’re not confident driving in Vietnam. Many people do this as a motorcycle journey, but I feel like that’s pretty hardcore if you consider weather conditions and your overall comfort for a month. Driving in the cities can be extremely hectic, so this is not for the faint of heart, but once you’re in the more rural areas everything is a breeze. This route is the best way to experience the whole country.
What to know before you know
Distance: 1,700 kms
Time needed: 3-4 weeks
Top stops & activities along the way: Hanoi Train Street, Ha Long Bay, Hang Son Doong (the biggest cave in the world!), Hoi An, My Son temples, Da Lat (to try weasel coffee), Ba Na Hills Bridge, and Cat Ba Island.
Recommended: If you have time to extend, I absolutely loved hiking in mountainous Sa Pa, about six hours north of Hanoi. Can Tho, south of Ho Chi Minh, is also beautiful and has an extensive floating market. And finally, you can’t drive there, but Phu Quoc Island is worth including in the itinerary if you can!
Read more: The Most Bucket List
The Great Ocean Road, Australia
This is one of the shorter beautiful road trips, and perfect for camper vans. You’re almost sure to see some wild kangaroos and wallabies running around, so be careful and slow down to avoid collisions.
What to know before you know
Distance: 250 kms
Time needed: 2-4 days
Top stops & activities along the way: The 12 Apostles, Otway National Park, Port Fairy, Sky Pods (if you want to splurge on a night of accom).
Important: Last I checked, Australia has a law against renting cars to people under the age of 21. And you’ll suffer a daily “young driver fee” and more expensive liability insurance until you’re 25. So you’ll either have to wait to tick this one off your bucket list, or find an of-age friend who’s willing to do all the driving. OR, you can find one or multi-day trips from Melbourne or Adelaide.
Panorama Route, South Africa
Between Johannesburg and the Kruger National Park (where you’ll almost definitely go on a safari) lies the Panorama Route. This will be at the top of my list the next time I visit South Africa, because I’ve heard it rivals the Garden Route! There’s a lot squeezed into this shorter journey.
What to know before you know
Distance: 160 kms
Time needed: 2-3 days
Top stops & activities along the way: Bourke’s Luck potholes, God’s Window, and Lisbon Falls.
Recommended: Pair your trip with a trip to the Kruger National Park – this is an absolute must and should be your top priority in South Africa.
*Keep in mind all the distances for these beautiful road trips are if you drive direct; they don’t take into account all the side quests you’ll make along the way. For example, the Iceland Ring Road is technically 1,330 kms, but we put about 2,500 kms on the rental car.