Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > English
The Road Not Taken
Shamim Ansary:
Oberalp Pass – Switzerland
The Oberalp Pass in an incredible road in the high Swiss mountains that’s an important link between Central Switzerland and the Graubunden Oberland. The road is really popular for all drivers from Europe but it’s only open during summer months. In winter this pass is closed for road traffic and the road itself is used as a ski slope, toboggan run and hiking trail!
Shamim Ansary:
North Yungas “Road of Death†– Bolivia
The North Yungas Road is a 43 mile road connecting La Paz and Coroico deep into the Bolivian Andes. The road is name by the locals “El Camino de la Muerte†or the Road of Death and it was named the world’s most dangerous road in 1995. The road, famous for its extreme danger has a single lane width with terrifyingly drop offs, tight hairpins, narrow passages and almost no guardrails at all. The fog and rain can make visibility poor and the road surface muddy which adds even more dancer to any journey on this road. On average, there is a fatal accident every couple of weeks on this road and it is estimated that 200 to 300 travelers are killer per year on this treacherous road. Today however, the Youngas road has less traffic and it used mostly by travelers who want to feel its thrill.
Shamim Ansary:
Trollstigen – Norway
One of the most notable attractions from the Fjord in Norway is the Trollstigen road, a steep winding mountain road located in the Rauma region. The word Trollstigen means the Troll Ladder in English and it represents a series of stunning roads with a breathtaking view and a couple of incredible waterfalls. This road is very narrow and leaves very few possibilities for vehicles to pass each other and with its steep 9% gradient and 11 hairpins it’s really, really challenging. But it’s all worth it if you get to the top where you’ll see this amazing road from above and the Stigfossen waterfall, a 320 m waterfall which falls down the mountain side.
Shamim Ansary:
The Guoliang Tunnel Road was built by 13 local villagers headed in only five years in the Taihang mountains in the Hunan province of China. Many villagers lost their lives in accidents during the construction of this tunnel but in 1977 it was opened to traffic. The tunnel carved from the mountains is 1,200 meters long, 5 meters high and 4 meters wide and its also one of the most dangerous roads in the world. This extremely beautiful scenic route was dubbed as “the road that does not tolerate any mistakes†and its a key destination on the Chinese tourism map.
Shamim Ansary:
Another high mountain pass across the Swiss Alps is the San Bernardino Pass and the road that goes through it and connects the Swiss towns Misox and Hinterrhein is also one of the world’s greatest roads. The pass is located at 2,065 meters and the road has incredibly smooth roads, a lot of hairpins and challenging bends and of course, amazing scenic views. The road also goes through an impressive 6.6 km long tunnel.
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