Seven Most Dangerous Roads in India

Day-to-day commuting is usually on busy city streets and sometimes one also gets to drive on clean highways but usually, we miss seeing the beauty of nature. As we all know India has many beautiful locations that are a delight to behold and can be compared to beautiful sights that we usually see in the movies. Some of these locations are really hard to reach and to enjoy them one has to have the courage to drive through some of these most-risky terrains. So, as it is the holiday time we would like to take you to seven such scenic locations that are not so easy to reach and a ride to these locations may give you goosebumps but they are worth the effort.

7. Zoji La Pass

Zojila located on the National Highway 1D showcases the beautiful valley of Kashmir and is on the route from Srinagar to Leh. Being the part of the western section of the Himalayan range, this pass is 9 km away from Sonamarg and acts as an important link between Ladakh and Kashmir. It is the second highest pass after Fotu La on the Srinagar-Leh highway and is elevated at an approximate height of 11,575 ft. During winters, the roads are closed but the road organisations are working to make it possible for the traffic to commute for the most part of the year.

6. Chang La 

Believed to be the second highest road to ride on, Chang La is elevated at a height of 17,590 ft. and is in mesmerizing ranges of Ladakh. The place can be reached from Leh via Kharu while driving along with the black top road (shown in pic). Chang La is a treat for riders who are fond of nature and for those, who value natural beauty. The route is very steep and it’s a real challenge to ride or drive on this graveled road. If you have plans to experience this terrain, don’t forget to carry along a first aid kit and some warm clothes.

5. Manali-Leh Highway

One of the most favorite roads for riders is the 490 km long Manali-Leh Highway. The route provides scenic beauty with challenging drive involving a high risk of skidding because of snow and few dangerous road bumps. Also, it not only makes you experience snow, mountain and steep, but also some of the tiny waterfalls which may give a rise to the possibility of damaging the vehicle. Some spots of on the route have flowing water on the road that falls directly into the valley and going through such a track is an experience of a lifetime. 

4. Ambala-Khab Highway

Also known as Hindustan Tibet road, the National Highway 22 starts from Ambala in Haryana through Chandigarh and reaches Khab near Tibet border. The highway is 459 km long and covers three beautiful states of India, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Soon after it enters Himachal it becomes one of the most dangerous roads in the country as the route goes through huge rocky mountain and making a way out of the usual shape of these big rocks is usually a challenge making it difficult for the heavy vehicles to drive through them as sometimes it may lead to a collision. As it is frequently used for heavy transportations, riders need to stay careful as they may be taken by surprise if any truck or a bus take sharp cuts turn on the way.

3. Three level Zig-Zag road

One of the difficult roads of the world is the Zig-Zag road that comes en route Sikkim from Tibet and many people call it the ‘dizziest road’ as driving on it can give you nausea. The road has more than 100 sharp turns but it provides the most beautiful view of the sunset and the sunrise. The road for sure is not suggested for weak hearts, as it has dangerous turns and elevations that can give somebody the feeling of a real roller-coaster ride. The spiral Zig-Zag road is located near Zuluk, a small historic village of Sikkim. The road reaches the Thambi view point which is located at an altitude of 11,200 ft above the sea level.

2. Khardung La Pass

Located in Ladakh, Khardung La pass is elevated at 17,582 ft. which makes it one of the highest roads in the world. Khardung La top was built in 1976 and was opened for public transport in 1988. Since then, the route is famous for biking expeditions and the locals of area claim that this place is the highest motorable pass in the world. Khardung La is situated 39 km away from Leh. Driving on the road is a challenge as the road has dirt, pieces of rock from mountains beside water due to the occasional melting of the snow. Also, this road is famous for fatal accidents of buses, trucks and cars due to slippery patches en-route.

1.  Kishtwar Kailash

On the top of the list of most dangerous roads in India is Kishtwar Kailash which is located in Jammu. It is a real challenge to drive on the road as that throughout the ride you will feel that you are driving on the edge because these roads are really narrow with high mountains on one side and deep valley on the other (middle of the road feels like the corner as it’s not wide enough) On top of it, it is a gravelled road without any guardrail. Due to the height, the road has a heavy pressure of the wind which makes it really difficult to control the vehicle and just a small error of judgment can lead to a fall into 100 meters of Valley. This risky way goes over the Rohtang Pass from Manali to Chenab Valley.