There’s no best way to see the world—by air, by sea, or by rail, it’s always an eye-opening experience. But nothing compares to the open road, where the journey becomes as important as the destination.
The [Scenic] Route goes far beyond the all-American summer road trip, transporting travelers across borders and over oceans. From coasting through Australia’s Outback and looping around Laos on a motorbike to scoping out Rwandan wildlife from the driver’s seat of an open-air Jeep, these international joyrides will have you yearning to crank up our custom playlist and hit the highway—no matter which side you’re used to driving on.
Director of Audience Development:
Kisai Ponce
Associate Director of Social Platforms:
Abby Maddigan
Supervising Social Producer: Helena Fistel
SEO Coordinator: Caroline Boden
Social Media Specialist: Jisu Choi
Art Director:
Manali Doshi
Senior Designer:
Maitane Romagosa
Photo Editor:
Joleen Zubek
Production: Alaina Cintron,
Pete Dombrosky, Madelyn Gee, Michelle Harris
Managing Editor: Tony Merevick
Project Manager: Morgan Fowler
Special Thanks: Amanda Kludt, Ellie Krupnick
Project Leads: Danielle Hallock, Meredith Heil, Kori Perten, Vanita Salisbury, Jessica Sulima
Editors: Danielle Hallock, Meredith Heil, Kori Perten
Writers: Katherine Alex Beaven, Lauren Breedlove, Cathy Brown, Andy Cochrane, Kaeli Conforti, Suzie Dundas, Marah Eakin, Tim Ebner, Karthika Gupta, Brad Japhe, Colleen Kelly, Lewis Kelly, Ciara McQuillan, Kori Perten, Vanita Salisbury, Jessica Sulima, Terry Ward, Olivia Young
Tangier, Morocco Marrakech, Morocco
Dazzle the senses on a Moroccan journey from surf to turf full of delicious eats, stunning architecture, and
windswept dunes.
Dispatches from the Road
Maybe a little dek here?
Credits
Track down every oasis
Hit the road by clicking on each route below.
Set the tone with the Sonic Route
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Safari
Make like Evel Knievel
Follow the rising sun
Elevate your mileage
Don’t forget your helmet
Mind the sheep
Shift into high gear
Tamarindo, Costa Rica Liberia, Costa Rica
Shift into four-wheel drive to witness Costa Rica’s densest jungles, most captivating wildlife, and steamiest volcanic rivers.
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Erin go bragh
Explore wide open spaces
Flow like lava
Off to the Wild West
Travel back in time
Lima, Peru Cusco, Peru
Elevate your Machu Picchu pilgrimage with penguin sightings, surf breaks, wine tastings, and plenty of unbeatable photo-ops.
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Soak up the sights
Reykjavik, Iceland Stora Vatnshorn, Iceland
Cruise past hidden hot springs, dramatic waterfalls, and curious Viking turf houses in Iceland’s lesser-known Westfjords region.
Read More
Caution: Sharp curves ahead
Bucharest, Romania Brasov, Romania
Venture beyond Bucharest to Romania’s Transylvanian region, where charming villages, winding roads, castles, and rich mythology await.
Read More
Tangier, Morocco
Marrakech, Morocco
Dazzle the senses on a Moroccan journey from surf to turf full of delicious eats, stunning architecture, and windswept dunes.
Read More
Kigali, Rwanda
Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda
Gas up a pop-top SUV and venture deep into Rwandan national parks teeming with wildlife, from lions, to zebras, to gorillas.
Read More
Kampala, Uganda
Cape Town, South Africa
Get off the beaten track with 5,000 rugged miles of lush hillsides, grassy savannas, and remote deserts from Uganda to South Africa.
Read More
Sapporo, Japan
Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Japan
Commune with majestic mountains, steamy hot springs, and hearty bowls of ramen as you circle the rugged Japanese island of Hokkaido.
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Manali, India Leh, India
Test your inner daredevil along the steep cliffs and soaring mountain roadways slicing through India’s Ladakh region, a.k.a. the “Land of Passes.”
Read More
Thakhek, Laos Kong Lor Cave, Laos
Saddle up for Laos’s misty forests, terraced rice paddies, deep caves, and remote villages on this four-day motorcycle trip of a lifetime.
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Vágar, Faroe Islands
Suðuroy, Faroe Islands
Navigate around bleeting sheep, seaside waterfalls, and underwater roadways across five unforgettable days exploring the Faroe Islands.
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Bushmills, Northern Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
From Northern Ireland to the heart of the Republic, this enchanting drive is all medieval castles, cliffside causeways, and artisanal eats.
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Darwin, Australia
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
Tackle Australia’s Northern Territory for an unforgettable road trip filled with wombats, kangaroos, and sweeping national parks.
Read More
Bariloche, Argentina
El Calafate, Argentina
Hit Argentina’s legendary Route 40 for 3,227 miles of volcanic lava fields, ancient forests, and shimmering salt flats.
Read More
Horseshoe Lake, Canada
Waterton Park, Canada
Get lost in the sweeping vistas, pristine mountain lakes, steep hikes, and quirky Western towns that make up the vast Canadian Rockies.
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Desert
Motorcycle
Kigali, Rwanda
Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda
Gas up a pop-top SUV and venture deep into Rwandan national parks teeming with wildlife, from lions, to zebras, to gorillas.
Read More
Desert
Motorcycle
Safari
Kampala, Uganda Cape Town, South Africa
Get off the beaten track on the back of a motorcycle, riding 5,000 rugged miles through lush hillsides, grassy savannas, and remote deserts from Uganda to South Africa.
Read More
Desert
Motorcycle
Safari
Thakhek, Laos
Kong Lor Cave, Laos
Saddle up for Laos’s misty forests, terraced rice paddies, deep caves, and remote villages on this four-day motorcycle trip of a lifetime.
Manali, India Leh, India
Test your inner daredevil along the steep cliffs and soaring mountain roadways slicing through India’s Ladakh region, a.k.a. the “Land of Passes.”
Read More
Sapporo, Japan
Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Japan
Commune with majestic mountains, steamy hot springs, and hearty bowls of ramen as you circle the rugged Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Read More
Sky-High
Jungle
Serene
Sky-High
Jungle
Serene
Sky-High
Jungle
Serene
Bushmills, Northern Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
From Northern Ireland to the heart of the Republic, this enchanting drive is all medieval castles, cliffside causeways, and artisanal eats.
Read More
Read More
Vágar, Faroe Islands
Suðuroy, Faroe Islands
Navigate around bleeting sheep, seaside waterfalls, and underwater roadways across five unforgettable days exploring the Faroe Islands.
Mountain
Emerald
Island
Horseshoe Lake, Canada
Waterton Park, Canada
Get lost in the sweeping vistas, pristine mountain lakes, steep hikes, and quirky Western towns that make up the vast Canadian Rockies.
Read More
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Liberia, Costa Rica
Shift into four-wheel drive to witness Costa Rica’s densest jungles, most captivating wildlife, and steamiest volcanic rivers.
Darwin, Australia
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
Tackle Australia’s Northern Territory for an unforgettable road trip filled with wombats, kangaroos, and sweeping national parks.
Read More
Off-Road
Glacial
Outback
Off-Road
Glacial
Outback
Off-Road
Glacial
Outback
Bucharest, Romania
Brasov, Romania
Venture beyond Bucharest to Romania’s Transylvanian region, where charming villages, winding roads, castles, and rich mythology await.
Read More
Reykjavik, Iceland
Stora Vatnshorn, Iceland
Cruise past hidden hot springs, dramatic waterfalls, and curious Viking turf houses in Iceland’s lesser-known Westfjords region.
Read More
Lima, Peru
Cusco, Peru
Elevate your Machu Picchu pilgrimage with penguin sightings, surf breaks, wine tastings, and plenty of unbeatable photo-ops.
Steamy
Twisty
Ancient
Steamy
Twisty
Ancient
Steamy
Twisty
Ancient
Getty Images: Ibrahim Suha Derbent/Photodisc, Marc Guitard/Moment
Set the tone with the Sonic Route
Mountain
Emerald
Island
Bariloche, Argentina
El Calafate, Argentina
Hit Argentina’s legendary Route 40 for 3,227 miles of volcanic lava fields, ancient forests, and shimmering salt flats.
Mountain
Emerald
Island
Read More
Read More
Read More
Read More
The animal kingdom calls
Getty Images: Matteo Colombo/DigitalVision, visualspace/E+
Photos by: Andy Cochrane
Getty Images: anahtiris/iStock, Photograph by Paul Atkinson/Moment
Getty Images: Suttipong Sutiratanachai/Moment, f9photos/iStock
Getty Images:Westend61/Westend61,Cavan Images/Cavan
Photos by Lauren Breedlove
Getty Images: Javier Ghersi/Moment, Manuel Sulzer/Image Source
Getty Images: maydays/Moment, Francesco Vaninetti Photo/Moment
Getty Images: Andrew Jones/Moment, John White Photos/Moment
Photos by Carla Orozco Odio for Thrillist
Getty Images: Onfokus/iStock, Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment
Getty Images: Maiquel Jantsch/Moment, Aaron Oberlander/Moment
Photos by Lauren Breedlove
Getty Images: savcoco/iStock, Photo by Andreea Campeanu for Thrillist
Getty Images: Onfokus/Creatas Video
Getty Images: baddoggy/Creatas Video
Getty Images: Andreev Visuals/Andreev Visuals/Creatas Video+ / Getty Images Plus
Unsplash: David Suarez
Getty Images: Ibrahim Suha Derbent/Photodisc
Getty Images: visualspace/E+
Getty Images: Ibrahim Suha Derbent/Photodisc
Getty Images: anahtiris/iStock
Getty Images: Suttipong Sutiratanachai/Moment
Getty Images: anahtiris/iStock
Getty Images: anahtiris/iStock
Getty Images: Javier Ghersi/Moment
Getty Images: anahtiris/iStock
Getty Images: John White Photos/Moment
Getty Images: John White Photos/Moment
Getty Images: Onfokus/iStock
Getty Images: Maiquel Jantsch/Moment
Getty Images: Maiquel Jantsch/Moment
