Hit the bitumen on these epic road trip adventures, where spectacular scenery and charming pit stops are all part of the experience.

There’s a particular freedom that comes with hitting the open road. With no need to rush from one destination to the next, the journey becomes part of the holiday. All that’s left to do is pack the car and let the road lead the way.

1. Dune driving in the Oman desert

From authentic cultural exchange to laugh-out-loud dune bashing and cooling off in a palm-fringed oasis, the classic northern Oman loop delivers sheer magic. This multi-day self-drive route – hire a 4WD for the desert – from Muscat and back covers a 1100-kilometre highlight reel of towering mountain peaks, wave-like desert dunes and sparkling coastlines. Take on the dunes in Sharqiyah Sands, procure a souvenir at the bustling Nizwa Souq, enjoy a dip in the sapphire waters of Wadi Bani Khalid and bed down in the traditional Nomadic Desert Camp, which is run by a Bedouin family.

2. Tick off Canada’s Icefields Parkway

Do your eyes a favour by motoring through the Icefields Parkway, Canada’s famous road route linking luminous Lake Louise with breathtaking Jasper. Here, Mother Nature pulls out the theatrics as you traverse the heart of the Canadian Rockies and its sky-high peaks, deeply carved canyons and electric turquoise waters (Peyto Lake needs to be seen to be believed). Spot elk, deer, bighorn sheep and mountain goats along this 232-kilometre alpine route in Alberta – you may even see a bear lurking around the tree lines. Short but sweet, you can complete this road trip in one day, though you may well be tempted to draw it out.

3. Cruise California’s legendary Pacific Coast

When it comes to remarkable road trips, California’s Pacific Coast Highway has a few special tricks up its sleeve: dramatically shifting landscapes among them. Hire a convertible to breathe in the brine-kissed breeze as you cruise along cliff-hugging coastal curves, stopping to spot frolicking sea lions and explore hidden coves. Feel dwarfed while wandering among giant redwoods in Felton, find fairytale cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea and cross Big Sur’s soaring Bixby Creek Bridge. It’s true everything feels bigger in the USA, and this 1055-kilometre tour is monumental.

4. Inhale deeply along France’s Lavender Route

Colour your world purple on Provence’s famously fragrant Lavender Route across south-eastern France, where rows of pretty flower fields and farms stretch as far as the eye can see. Breathe in these aromatic violet blooms as you slowly wind your way through the 1200 kilometres or so of interconnected scenic loops during lavender season (mid-June to early-August), popping into lovely little towns along the way. Offering a dreamy escape from fast-paced life, this road trip is both beautiful and relaxing, just like the flowers it’s named after.

5. Skirt Iceland’s Ring Road

Driving Iceland’s Ring Road is like living out all your wild Narnian fantasies, only on a remarkably well-maintained road. This 1322-kilometre circular journey starting in Reykjavík switches from vast lava fields and glacier lagoons to jagged mountain peaks and black-sand beaches. Stop roadside to marvel at electric blue Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, soak in natural hot springs, walk directly behind towering Seljalandsfoss waterfall and witness glinting icebergs drift slowly into Diamond Beach, their calved ice blocks indeed looking like diamonds as they wash up on the jet-black shore.

6. Road trip NZ’s North Island

A road trip around New Zealand’s North Island delivers a mix of scenic beauty, ecological wonder and big city energy. Start in the capital Wellington, tapping into history on the funicular railway and local culture along bohemian Cuba Street. Pinch your nose at Rotorua’s otherworldly geothermal park and crane your neck as you wander through its towering redwood forest. Further north, soak in Lake Taupō’s hot springs then take a refreshing ocean dip at laid-back Mount Maunganui. Roll to a stop in Auckland, where rainforests, beaches and wineries are within a short drive or ferry ride of the glittering harbourside city.

7. Zigzag through the Carpathian Mountains

There’s good reason Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear dubbed Romania’s Transfăgărășan Highway “the best road in the world". With dizzying hairpin turns snaking across the Făgăraș Mountains in the Southern Carpathians, this 150-kilometre beauty connecting Wallachia and Transylvania will take your breath away – and test your nerve. Expect adrenaline-inducing vertical drops, inky dark tunnels and hundreds of alpine bridges. Top stops include the sky-high Bâlea Lake and 13th-century Poenari Citadel, a historical residence of Vlad the Impaler. While this drive is not for the faint-hearted, or those prone to car sickness, its cinematic scenery rewards in spades.

8. Pursue poetry on the Wild Atlantic Way

Hugging Ireland’s rugged west coast by road is an experience that seeps into your soul thanks to its raw, untamed beauty. At around 2500 kilometres, the Wild Atlantic Way is the world’s longest defined coastal touring route, offering the chance to connect deeply with the country: its striking scenery, colourful characters and Gaelic culture. Stop to teeter on the edge of Europe at the Slieve League Cliffs; explore the region’s celebrated literary roots in Yeats Country, County Sligo; and pull up a pew at a Galway pub for spontaneous singalongs and spirited storytelling. Because this is Ireland – pure poetry.

9. Drive the haunting Skeleton Coast

Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is disarmingly arresting, serving up shipwrecks, seal colonies and a stark beauty you’ll never forget. Road warriors are rewarded with sights such as towering sand dunes dropping directly into the Atlantic Ocean, the rusted wrecks of Zeila and Winston, and surreal salt pans that trick the eyes. Despite the tough conditions, life insists on living here; spot desert-dwelling elephants, brown hyenas and lions wandering the dry landscapes. Also don’t miss the sight of up to 200,000 seals lolling about at Cape Cross, where whale bones once lay strewn across the shoreline.

10. Tackle South Africa’s Garden Route

The Garden Route has earned its status as South Africa’s most famous road trip with its ancient indigenous forests, world-class beaches and wildlife-rich wilderness. Add to that top-notch cuisine, and this family-friendly ribbon of road stretching 300 kilometres from Mossel Bay to Storms River is one for the dream board. Savour oysters and zesty white wines at glass-clear Knysna Lagoon, pause at picturesque Plettenberg Bay to watch whales and then lace-up for a hike in protected Tsitsikamma National Park. In Cape Town, treat yourself to fine dining at renowned seafood restaurant Amura – because you deserve it.

This article is part of International Traveller’s 100 Holidays You Deserve round-up. Visit the special 100 Holidays You Deserve hub to find inspiring adventures for every travel type.