There are countless ways to explore the full splendour of a city, country or even a continent. But to explore the real depths of a place, there's nothing as exhilarating and eye-opening as revving up, buckling in, and hitting the open road for an awe-inspiring adventure across the world’s most scenic spots. 

To see which road trip ticks all the destination checkboxes, the team at CarMats.co.uk has analysed a seed list of the world’s most iconic highway destinations to reveal the best road trips in the world. 

The index analyses the destinations’ average temperature in summer, rainfall per year, sunlight hours, light pollution and the number of national parks to explore en route. The list also reveals the road’s length in km and the days it takes to explore. 

So, why wait? Grab your keys, rev your engine, and let's hit the road…

Top 70 Greatest Road Trips in the World

From the rugged valleys of the American Southwest to the winding roads of South Africa’s mountainous routes, CarMats.co.uk’s index ranks the best road trips in the world, taking into account factors like cost, weather and national parks to explore. 

*An average figure was given for road trips that feature multiple destinations

Australia’s Savannah Way is the BEST road trip in the world, beating Route 66

Ranking first and highest with a score of 68.3 is Australia’s stunning Savannah Way which spans 3,700km across two-states across north Australia. 

With high temperatures, minimal rainfall, an abundance of national parks and the dramatic landscapes of the outback, this route has all the ingredients you need to create the perfect road trip recipe.

This unforgettable trip along The Savannah Way starts in Cairns, Queensland, and spans through the north of Australia, ending in Broome, Western Australia. 

At a reasonable cost of £39 a day (on average) to rent a car, you can expect to drive through an array of diverse landscapes - from dense rainforests to expansive savannahs and craggy gorges. 

Sightsee some of Australia's most recognised yet unique wildlife, including crocodiles, wallabies and even wild horses. With a rich and cultural timeline, the Savannah Way can lead you to explore Australia’s indigenous history with numerous communities and ancient rock art sites dotted throughout the route. With long stretches of open road drivers can soak up the natural beauty of this part of the world for hours on end. 

The diverse route also crosses through a near 15 awe-inspiring national parks like Litchfield National Park (pictured above). These views will provide you and your passengers with envy-worthy Instagram photos for your feed, while the waterfalls, grand scenery and sunbathing spots will help you get back to nature and relax. 

Top 10 dreamiest road trips: The best routes for stargazing, with Salar de Uyuni in the top spot

If a romantic road trip seeing the stars is what you’re after on your dream drive, then these top 10 dark (or darker) sky destinations are the ideal places for you. 

With a light pollution score of 1 and known for its starry skies, Salar de Uyuni is the road trip that has the finest celestial airspace. Bolivia’s salt flats destination frequently tops the world’s best location lists and its starry sky is an added perk.

These rural areas make up the best spots for stargazing due to their lack of light pollution. Light pollution occurs when stray light from urban areas scatters into the night sky. In areas where the population is dense and there isn’t stray light seeping from businesses, residential areas and street lights, the sky is at its clearest and so, stars are more visible in the sky. 

Need-for-speed-lovers needn’t attend though, as the Salar is best crossed in a sturdy 4x4. The surface is temperamental and even though it’s characteristically solid ground, the location is prone to flash flooding, and vehicles are susceptible to getting stuck. For that reason, it’s recommended to bring a tour guide with you.  

With an elevation of 4,000m and 10,000 square kilometres of space, the salt flat is a vast piece of land that’s impressive in its own light. It’s been made more of an iconic spot for tourists after it was featured in Star Wars: The Last Jedi too. 

The former giant lake now stands as the world’s largest salt plateau and offers a mind-blowing driving experience for those who want to have an out-of-the-world experience. 

Although known worldwide for its magical skies and Northern Lights views, Iceland’s iconic road trip the Iceland Ring Road features lower down on the top 10 list, in the ninth spot.

Gap year special: Top 10 long-distance dream road trips 

If you’ve got time to explore and are looking for a road trip of a lifetime, then the Pan-American route is the longest and one of the most epic road trips of them all. 

Starting in Alaska, the Pan-American route is a network of roads that spans through both North America and South America until its final destination in Argentina. It’s known as the longest road in the world at approximately 25,000 km, it connects two continents and passes through 14 countries.

From waterfalls to jungles, cities and beaches, roadtrippers can expect to see some magnificent landscapes across the cross-continent drive. You’ll pass through the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and finally, Argentina.

Explorers looking to drive this epic road trip will have to block out a big chunk of their diary though, as it can take approximately 6 to 18 months to drive across, depending on the speed at which you’re driving and how long you take to explore your surroundings. 

If the actual drive itself is the part of the road trip you’re most interested in, then riding the Autobahn in Germany is a must. With no speed limit on the Autobahn, some cars with powerful engines can reach speeds of up to 190 mph. For this reason, the roads were featured on Top Gear. Speed isn’t the only perk though, as you can also experience the most scenic routes and autobahns linking Germany's awe-inspiring scenery of the Alps, the urban culture of Berlin and historic castles en route.

Taking the scenic route: Top 10 short-distance dream road trips

Recognised as one of the most unique and beautiful drives in the world, the Atlantic Road in Norway is also the shortest drive on the dreamiest road trips list. 

At only 8km long, the stretch of road takes you to the start of the ocean's edge and connects Averøy with the mainland via a series of bridges and small islands. The coastal scenery, salty air and breathtaking views are not the only things to enjoy on this short but sweet trip, as there is a sea sports centre that organises fishing trips, snorkelling with seals or rib safaris. There are also places to park up so you can take a stroll along the hillocks.

Fuel your wanderlust on a budget: The top 10 purse-friendly road trip destinations

Whether you're a student on a tight budget or someone simply looking to stretch your money further while abroad, then these gap-year-friendly destinations will help you save some money while still enjoying new experiences. 

Looking at the average costs to rent a car, the top 10 cost-friendly road trips will allow you to enjoy all the benefits of travel without breaking the bank.

If you want an exhilarating road trip experience but you don’t want it to cost the earth, then a drive along the Danube will leave you breathless, but not penniless. 

With the average cost of £14 per day to rent a car throughout these destinations, The Danube road trip is the cheapest place to travel through on the list. 

As a general rule, due to a combination of historical, political, and economic factors, Eastern Europe tends to have a lower markup price for goods and services than the rest of Western Europe - meaning you will get more for your buck in this part of the world. 

This 350km trip through Central and Eastern Europe crosses through five major European countries and explores the length of The Danube River. Roadtrippers looking to drive this magnificent route are recommended to do so in the summer months of May to August, as you’ll experience warmer temperatures, less rainfall and longer sunlight hours.  

Whether you're seeking breathtaking natural landscapes, unique cultural experiences, or just a chance to hit the open road, there are countless destinations around the globe that offer unforgettable road trip experiences. 

Any road trip from this meticulous 70-strong list is bound to offer you a memorable adventure. So why not start planning your next adventure today? Whether you choose to travel solo, with friends or family, or on an organised tour, a road trip promises to be a journey that you will never forget.

Methodology

This analysis was conducted using national weather, climate and tourism sites, manual research and other Google resources to determine the dreamiest road trips. 

A seed list of 70 road trips was analysed alongside their distance in KM and travel time. A full list of sources used in the data can be found below. We used the following six factors, giving a score for each factor, before combining this to give an overall ‘dream’ factor:

• Light Pollution (Dark Sky Scale) - Using the Light Pollution Map (https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/) we looked at each destination’s Bortle Dark Sky score, with the lowest score being the most desirable. For destinations that span multiple destinations, we created an average score. 
• Average Sunlight Hours - We used Google to determine the average sunlight hours in each destination.  For destinations that span multiple destinations, we created an average time. 
• Costs to Rent Car - We used Kayak (https://www.kayak.co.uk/cars) to calculate the average costs for car rental at each destination. For destinations that span multiple destinations, we used the starting point location. 
• Average Yearly Rainfall (in Days) & Average Temperature (in Summer) - We used each country’s national weather site to calculate the average rainfall in days per year. For destinations that span multiple countries, we calculated an average score. 

This research was accurate as of May 5th 2023.