Riskiest Places to Drive in India

Forget about the potholes and manholes that make it look like you are dodging the craters of Mars on a relatively safe road in India for a second.

There are far riskier places to drive in the country that make walking on a tightrope seem like a piece of cake. The seas, rivers in the East and West, the mountains in the North and East and the uneven landscape can be tested even for the most experienced of drivers.

Without the intention of scaring you out of your wits, here are some of the scariest roads and highways in India that if ever driven on, the driver deserves a medal just for passing through them.

Three-Level Zig Zag Road

One of the most scenic drives in India.

Giving you the best view of the Himalayan Crown, these spiral roads are situated 11,200ft above sea level in Sikkim and make for a fascinating sight. Since the road is winding, it can make you dizzy even if you are seated on the back seat. This road is definitely not for the faint-hearted and you need special permission to pass through it.

Kinnaur Road

The road is found in the southwestern part of Himachal Pradesh. The scariest part of this route is the carved and blind turns which make collision between the moving vehicles a regular incident.

Carved out of rocks and situated in the southwestern part of Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur Road is difficult to cross and extremely narrow to drive through. With dark, narrow holes, sharp blind turns, cliff hanging drives and no space for vehicles in the opposite direction to pass through, we wouldn’t be surprised if you say a prayer or two as you look down at the Baspa River waiting to engulf you. If you ever drive through this road, make sure you are very careful.

Zoji La Pass

Traversed by the Srinagar-Leh Highway, Zoji La Pass is one of the most dangerous mountain passes in India.

If you blink your eyes even for a second, it seems like you will fall straight down from an altitude of 3,538 meters! How’s that for your daredevil spirit to keep up with? One of the most dreaded roads in the country, Zoji La Pass (it would be courageous of you to call it a road), which you come across on route to Leh from Srinagar, is covered in snow sludge during the season and is frightfully narrow. Don’t be fooled by the stunning surroundings, it is the country’s second highest pass that poses a lot of danger to travellers. So, go ahead at your own risk.

Leh-Manali Highway

Perhaps the riskiest ever highway in the country — Leh-Manali route spans over a length of 479km and connects Jammu and Kashmir state of India to Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Although many movies have painted this highway to be a fantastic landscape and there’s no denying that it is, the Leh-Manali Highway is daunting and dangerous to drive on. It is tricky to drive along the 479km-long route that is covered with snow and is enveloped by lofty mountains. Not only do you have to move at a slow pace, but the snow also causes grave damage to vehicles.

National Highway 22

Death looms over you in the form of cliffs and tunnels all around.

Most drivers assume national highways will be safe and easy rides. However, this is not the case with National Highway 22. It runs from Bihar to Jharkhand and needs you to cut through a mountain. It is one of India’s most dreaded highways as you surely feel you are going to meet your death as you pass through each cliff and tunnel, waiting with bated breath.

Khardung La

Khardung La near the top. It lies on the Caravan Route which was once the popular Silk treading route between India and China.

The Khardung La is located in the Ladakh region and witnesses thousands of travellers every year. Even though the Indian Army-staffed Border Roads Organization has tried everything possible to make Khardung La the world’s highest motorable road, it has to be included in the list of the riskiest places to drive. At an altitude of 18,3380ft, it is sure to come with adversities of its own. So an average driver is susceptible to cold weather situations, low oxygen levels and thin air conditions.

Neral-Matheran Road

The serpentine road.

With an amazing backdrop and lush green environs that take your breath away, Neral-Matheran Road is mesmerizing and makes for one serpentine route. The entire road from Neral to Matheran is smooth and seamless, but you might want to think twice before speeding up as the road tapers and is narrow throughout the journey. If you don’t want the stress of driving this road, you can always hire a taxi to get you to Matheran.

So there you have it, some of the riskiest places to drive in India. We aren’t saying that you shouldn’t drive through them because the adrenaline junkies at heart will try them out regardless of what is written about them, we are just saying that a little caution will not harm, and you will even survive to tell the hair-raising tale.