South Asia
19 curated road trips
LegendaryKarakoram HighwayOriginally part of the ancient Silk Road, the Karakoram Highway crosses the world's three highest mountain ranges, the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Pamir, from the Hunza Valley in Pakistan to Kashgar in China, peaking at 4,693 m at the Khunjerab Pass. Chiselled from bare rock and ice over 20 years by Chinese and Pakistani labourers, it remains one of the most extraordinary feats of road engineering ever attempted.
LegendaryLeh-Manali HighwayIndia’s legendary Leh-Manali Highway links the high desert of Ladakh with the Kullu Valley across some of the world’s most dramatic mountain scenery. Expect thin air, river crossings, stark passes, and long empty sections between Leh and Manali, with the best driving window in summer.
IconicSpiti Valley CircuitThis high-altitude Himalayan circuit links Shimla, Kaza, Tabo, Dhankar, and the Spiti River valley through stark brown mountains, cliffside monasteries, and lunar landscapes. Expect long days on rough but spectacular roads, with dramatic passes, quiet villages, and some of India’s most memorable alpine scenery.
IconicBhutan Lateral RoadBhutan's only east-west highway traverses the entire Himalayan kingdom, prayer flags over mountain passes, ancient dzongs above rivers, Tiger's Nest clinging to a 900m cliff, and a country that measures Gross National Happiness.
NotableBangladesh River and Tea Country RouteThis cross-country loop links Bangladesh’s great river landscapes with the tea hills of the northeast. Starting in Dhaka, the drive moves to Sonargaon, then on to Sylhet, Jaflong, and the plantation country around Srimangal before returning through the lowland delta, where ferries, floodplains, and green paddy fields define the journey.
IconicEmerald Island, Sri LankaSri Lanka's extraordinary island circuit, Colombo's colonial fort, Kandy's sacred tooth relic and tea highlands, Sigiriya's lion-rock fortress above the jungle, the Cultural Triangle's ancient kingdoms at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, and the pristine east coast beaches of Trincomalee. More history and nature per kilometre than almost anywhere on earth.
IconicFairy Meadows and Naran-KaghanThis northern Pakistan mountain loop links the Karakoram footpath to the emerald valleys of Naran and Kaghan, with alpine lakes, river canyons, and first views of Nanga Parbat from Fairy Meadows. Expect dramatic scenery, narrow roads, and a rewarding mix of jeep track and paved highland driving.
IconicGuwahati to TawangIndia's northeast is a wild frontier of remote tribal states on the Chinese and Burmese borders, the testing drive from Guwahati in Assam to the Tawang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh rises from the Brahmaputra floodplain through Himalayan foothills to the 4,170 m Se La pass, then drops into the Tawang Valley's serene Buddhist culture. A Protected Area Permit is required; road crews dynamite fallen rocks as you drive.
IconicKerala Coast and Western GhatsThis Kerala road trip links the Arabian Sea with the tea-covered Western Ghats, starting in Kochi and winding south through Alleppey, Varkala, and Kollam before climbing to Munnar and descending to Thekkady. Expect backwater views, spice-scented hills, and lush plantations.
IconicKonkan CoastDrive India’s Konkan Coast from Mumbai to Goa, tracing the Arabian Sea past fishing harbors, palm-fringed beaches, and laterite cliffs. The route mixes lively highway stretches with relaxed village roads, plus standout stops for seafood, forts, backwaters, and sunset views over the water.
LegendaryLand of Kings, RajasthanThe great Rajasthan circuit from Delhi, through the Pink City of Jaipur, the blue city of Jodhpur below the Mehrangarh Fort, the golden sandstone citadel of Jaisalmer rising from the Thar Desert, and Udaipur's lake palaces reflected in the Pichola. India's most spectacular royal road trip through the land of maharajas.
NotableMakran Coastal Highway Karachi to GwadarPakistan’s Makran Coastal Highway links Karachi with the Arabian Sea edge of Balochistan in a long, cinematic drive past empty beaches, limestone cliffs, fishing towns, and salt-flats. The road is paved throughout, but it feels remote and exposed, with the sea on one side and stark desert hills on the other.
IconicMumbai to Goa Coastal RoadThis west-coast drive links Mumbai with Goa through the Konkan belt, pairing sea views, coconut groves, fishing villages, and quiet temple towns. The most rewarding version follows NH66 and coastal detours through Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, with long, atmospheric stretches between market towns and beaches.
IconicNepal Mustang and Jomsom RoadA rugged Himalayan drive from Pokhara to Jomsom and up the Kali Gandaki Valley toward Kagbeni and Lo Manthang, this route threads wind-scoured cliffs, deep river gorges, and Tibetan-influenced villages. Expect dramatic mountain scenery, dry high-altitude roads, and some of Nepal’s most remote, unforgettable landscapes.
LegendarySrinagar–Manali HighwayOne of the world's highest motorable roads, from Kashmir's lakes and Mughal gardens over three mountain passes above 4,000m, through the moonscapes of Ladakh, to the green Kullu Valley. Staggering altitude, staggering beauty.
NotableTamil Nadu Temple RouteThis temple circuit links some of Tamil Nadu’s most celebrated Dravidian shrines, from Chennai’s coastal gateway to Madurai’s living pilgrimage heart. Expect steady highway driving, ornate gopurams, bustling temple towns, and time to linger in Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Thanjavur, and Rameswaram before finishing in Madurai.
NotableTrincomalee to Arugam Bay East CoastThis east-coast drive links Trincomalee’s sheltered harbors and long beaches with the surf town of Arugam Bay, following Sri Lanka’s quieter shoreline past lagoons, fishing villages, and wildlife-rich wetlands. It’s an easy, low-stress road trip with frequent ocean views and relaxed stopovers.
IconicCrossing the Khardung LaLadakh has more tricks up its sleeve than the drive in from Srinagar or Manali, a highway seemingly built from rock and ice struggles north across the 5,359 m Khardung La, said to be the world's highest motorable pass (at a similar elevation to Everest Base Camp). On the far side the Nubra Valley is a piece of suspended animation: a sandy basin dotted with Buddhist monasteries, sea buckthorn thickets, and occasional dromedary camels.
IconicKathmandu–Pokhara HighwayThe Prithvi Highway connects Nepal's two great cities through the Trisuli River gorge, Himalayan foothills, and the Pokhara Valley, with Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Manaslu towering impossibly close above the road.