Madaba-Al-Karak Road

Madaba-Al-Karak Road

Arabian Peninsula, asia

Length

83.4 km

Elevation

1,078 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, buckle up, adventure awaits on the Madaba-Al-Karak Road in Jordan! This stretch of Route 35, also known as the King's Highway (because, yeah, King Hussein built it!), is seriously one of the most beautiful drives you’ll find in the whole country.

Picture this: smooth asphalt winding for about 83 kilometers (that's roughly 52 miles) between the charming villages of Madaba and Al-Karak (Kerak). But heads up, this isn't your average Sunday drive. The mountainous sections come with a bit of a thrill – keep an eye out for potential rock slides!

The road gets pretty steep in places, climbing to a whopping 1,078 meters (3,536 feet) above sea level, offering some incredible views. And hold on tight for 11 hairpin turns that’ll have you grinning (and maybe gripping the steering wheel a little tighter). Trust me, the views are worth it!

Share this road

Road Details

Country
Arabian Peninsula
Continent
asia
Length
83.4 km
Max Elevation
1,078 m
Difficulty
hard

Related Roads in asia

Why is called the Hell Road?hard

Why is called the Hell Road?

🇮🇳 India

Kaksang La, nicknamed "Hell Road" by the locals, sits way up high in the Leh district of Ladakh, India, at a lung-busting 17,834 feet! Fully paved as of 2022, this is possibly the highest pass a foreign driver can conquer in India with just a regular Protected Area Pass. Located near the Line of Actual Control with China, this remote road is usually snowed in during winter. The weather can be brutal up here, so prepare for icy winds! This isolated 42-mile (67.2 km) stretch twists and turns between Chushul and Mahe in the Changthang region, sometimes facing small landslides and loose rocks. While not as famous as other passes, the drive is visually stunning. Picture this: mind-blowing views of lakes, mountains, and valleys as you journey through the Himalayas.

Driving on water surface through the Shiziguan floating bridgemoderate

Driving on water surface through the Shiziguan floating bridge

🇨🇳 China

Okay, picture this: You're in Xuan'en County, deep in the gorgeous southwestern Hubei province of China, ready for an adventure. Get ready to experience the Shiziguan floating bridge, seriously one of the coolest bridges EVER! Hidden inside the Shiziguan scenic area, this wooden wonder, aka the Shiziguan water highway, puts you practically *on* the river. Seriously, you'll feel like you're gliding across the water as you walk or drive. They call it the "Long Bridge Of Dreams," and it's easy to see why. This 1,640-foot-long (500 meters) beauty winds its way over the dazzling turquoise Qingjiang River, which is a whopping 60 meters deep! It's only 4.5 meters wide, so keep an eye out for other travelers! There's a speed limit too, so keep it slow and steady to keep those big waves down. This unforgettable experience opened up to the public on May 1st, 2016. Get ready to have your mind blown!

Ganga Peak: A Dangerous Road You May Want to Explorehard

Ganga Peak: A Dangerous Road You May Want to Explore

🇵🇰 Pakistan

Okay, adventure time! Let's talk about Ganga Choti, a seriously stunning mountain peak chilling at 2,785m (9,137ft) in Pakistan's Bagh District. You'll find this gem in Azad Kashmir, nestled in the Jehlum valley. Ganga Choti – the local name for Ganga Peak – boasts an observatory at the top, complete with a cute little tower. Heads up, it can get pretty packed during holidays as it's a major tourist hotspot. The road? Well, it's a bit of a mixed bag, with both paved and unpaved sections. Word on the street is they might have paved the final stretch, but who knows for sure! It used to be a proper 4x4 challenge with a rough mule track finish. Starting from Sudhan Galli, the road climbs for 5.7 km (3.54 miles), gaining a hefty 527 meters in elevation. That's an average gradient of over 9%, so get ready for a climb! Perched high in the Pir Panjal Range, expect heavy snow in winter, and be warned – the rain can be relentless. One last important thing: Pakistan has some safety concerns. The security situation can be unpredictable, and there are risks of terrorism and unrest. The borders with India can be especially tense. So, keep your wits about you!

Jerko Laextreme

Jerko La

🇨🇳 China

Okay, adventurers, buckle up for the Jerko La Pass (also known as the Tibet-Xinjiang Highway or the "Sky Road"!), clocking in at a whopping 4,832 meters (15,853 feet) high in Tibet, China. This isn't your Sunday drive, folks. Picture this: you're surrounded by crazy-beautiful mountain vistas, yaks chilling, and maybe even a nomadic family or two. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, reality check: you're also gasping for air in terrain so harsh it's almost alien. This "Sky Road" keeps you consistently above 5,000m – altitude sickness is a serious threat, so acclimatize beforehand! The road itself? Let's just say it's "character-building." Think steep climbs, stretches of nothingness for hundreds of kilometers (pack those snacks!), and temperatures that can plummet way below freezing at night. We're talking -25 degrees Celsius or lower! Although paved since 2013, the road will test your mettle. Despite feeling like you're on another planet, this route (G219) does pass by some seriously cool historical and religious spots. Just do your homework *before* you go. Weather in Tibet is no joke. Winter brings brutal cold and wind that'll cut you in half, often closing roads due to snow. Even summer can throw surprise snowstorms your way. Monsoon season (July-August) brings heavy rains that can make driving a nightmare. There are truck stops roughly a day's drive apart, but bring extra food, water, and a sleeping bag (a tent wouldn’t hurt either) just in case. This adventure isn't for the faint of heart!