From the wilds of Chile to the kitsch Americana of Route 66, there’s nothing quite like a road trip for giving you the freedom to explore. We’ve sought out unmissable experiences and hidden treasures on some of the world’s most incredible drives.

Click through the gallery to discover the world's most incredible road trips and their standout experiences...

With its wild canyons, jagged red pinnacles and vivid green prairie, Badlands National Park is hauntingly beautiful. Highway 240, or the Badlands Loop as it's also known, is a 38-mile (61km) stretch offering up awe-inspiring views of the rainbow rocks, mountain passes and desolate landscape.

It's home to a variety of native wildlife, including a large colony of prairie dogs. At the Badlands Ranch Store you can buy peanuts and feed the furry rodents, but to see them in a wilder and more natural setting, take a five-mile (8km) detour down the bumpy track from Sage Creek Rim Road to Prairie Dog Town. Sit back and watch as the champion diggers scurry about in the grasslands, popping in and out of their maze of holes.

After dark, it’s the Badlands’ starry night skies that seduce you with their beauty. Camp at Cedar Pass and enjoy star-spotting sessions. In July the Badlands Astronomy Festival takes place, with the park's Ben Reifel visitor centre the place to find out what's happening. In past events there have been nightly telescope viewings with astronomers on hand to point out the Milky Way, Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons.

From glorious beaches to lush green hills, the Garden Route traces South Africa’s south-eastern coast. Flanked between the Indian Ocean and verdant mountains, the 125-mile (200km) journey extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape, taking in Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park.

Knysna is the golden child of the Garden Route, but make sure you also pay a visit to peaceful Noetzie Beach, just 10 minutes away. There are six quirky, privately-owned ‘castles’ set in the lush hills behind the beach, some of which are available to rent. Play at being royalty for the day as you watch dolphins frolic in the Indian Ocean beyond.  

With wild forests plunging down to sandy bays, Tsitsikamma National Park is dramatic and enchanting. Tourists flock to the suspension bridge dangling over the mouth of the Storms River, but try paddling up the gorge itself using a lilo. Untouched Adventures uses the inflatables to explore hard-to-reach watery nooks and crannies.

Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration

From glistening ice caves to ebony beaches and sulphurous hot springs, an Icelandic road trip is a feast for all the senses. As its name suggests, the Ring Road circumnavigates the country, stretching for 828 miles (1,332km). It’s wise to hire a 4X4 to make this road trip more comfortable and roads are infinitely more passable between April and September.

The famed cascading waters of Selfoss and Dettifoss are spectacular, but for a phenomenon with an otherworldly feel, head to the so-called lava falls at Hraunfossar in West Iceland. Here the water bubbles out of the Hallmundarhraun lava flow, tumbling down into the Hvita River below.

Tourists flock to the Blue Lagoon in their thousands, but for a more peaceful place to wallow, head to Seljavallalaug in the Highlands of the South Coast. Getting to the geothermal swimming pool, said to be the oldest in Iceland, involves a short detour off the Ring Road and a rocky 20-minute walk, but the valley views from the hot thermal waters are well worth it.

Find more suggestions for an off-beat Iceland trip here

Australia’s Great Ocean Road skirts along Victoria's coast to the border with South Australia, with jaw-dropping views at every stretch. Start in Torquay, Victoria to take the 148-mile (243km) route west that takes in golden arcs of secluded sand, verdant rainforest and plunging cliffs. The coastline's most famous rock formations can be seen in Port Campbell National Park, towards the end of the route, including the Twelve Apostles – although sadly erosion means that only eight of these magnificent rocks remain.

It's not all about the coastline. With its gigantic ferns, towering trees and cascading waterfalls, Great Otway National Park is an enchanting place to explore on the drive. Here you’ll find koalas, wallabies and even glow worms at Melba Gully, a lush temperate rainforest. If you’re up for a steep but rewarding hike, walk the 1.8 miles (3km) to Beauchamp Falls, a lesser-known 65-foot (20m) watery drop that's tucked away in the forest.

When it comes to beaches, Bells Beach is famous for its surf and Apollo Bay is one of the area’s big hitters. Many gorgeous stretches lie between Lorne and Anglesea, including Aireys Inlet, a quiet hamlet with a towering lighthouse and glorious sweep of sand. Explore the rock pools beneath the lighthouse, paddle in the waves and climb up to take a tour of the historic structure. 

Discover the best road trips in every Australian state

The celebrated 298-mile (480km) Basque Circuit winds its way through the rugged landscapes of northern Spain and southwest France, moving from Bilbao to Pamplona and up into the Pyrenees, before plunging back down towards Biarritz and tracing the Bay of Biscay, taking in the many splendours of San Sebastián (pictured) along the way.

Kick things off in the Basque city of Bilbao, famous for its art, architecture and food. While hordes descend on the Guggenheim Bilbao, the more understated Bilbao Fine Arts Museum is well worth a visit too, with masterpieces by Velazquez, El Greco and Murillo. Take an umbrella as you explore, as it rains in Bilbao around 12 days a month.

With its wide stretch of golden sand and top-notch restaurants, Biarritz on the French coast makes a chic stop. But for something more unusual, take a detour to Espelette, a village 14 miles (22km) inland. The main export here is dried red peppers, much celebrated by top chefs. Towards the end of the summer these vibrant Espelette peppers adorn the village's traditional Basque houses and shops as they are hung to dry.

This nine-hour drive sweeps along the North Shore of St Lawrence river, to Québec City (pictured). From here, the road hugs the south shore of the river before arriving at the Gaspé Peninsula, with its fabulously-named Chic Choc mountains.

Travelling in winter? You can seek refuge in the spectacular Hotel de Glace, a luxurious hotel made entirely of ice, just north of Québec City. It takes 60 people 45 days to build and only lasts from January until March. The next day, refuel at Trois-Pistoles, where you can pick up freshly made breads, pastries and cheese at locally-renowned Fromagerie des Basques.

Once on the peninsula, look out for blue and humpback whales among other cetaceans in the Gulf of St Lawrence and visit the crimson Pointe A La Renommee, one of Québec’s 43 lighthouses. Venture to the Mont Lyall open pit mine where, armed with a pick hammer and bucket, you collect geodes by the dozen. The resident stone-cutter will then slice open your most promising rocks, revealing their hidden sparkles.

Explore more of Canada's iconic routes

It may be just five miles (8.3km) long, but with its panoramic sea views and roller coaster twists and turns, Norway’s Atlantic Ocean Road will get your adrenaline soaring as high as the eagles flying above. It’s made up of eight bridges, linking 17 islets in the Western Fjords to the mainland at Eide.

Stop at Bjartmars Favorittkro Tavern, with its grass-clad roof. Here you can tuck into locally caught cod stew and watch the storms roll in. Driving here in winter can seem hairy, as the ocean waves wash over the road. For a different perspective, drive the road in both directions and, if you stop at one of the lookouts by night, you might catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Check out these images of the Northern Lights

Obvious attractions include wildlife watching and fishing from the specially constructed walkways, but take things up a notch by diving in the clear Atlantic waters. Strømsholmen offers guided dives locally and organises fishing expeditions with likely catches being codfish, pollock, mackerel and halibut.

Route 66 is the quintessential American road trip. Connecting Chicago to LA, across some 2,451 miles (3,945km) and eight states, it takes travellers into a bygone era of kitsch Americana. Think neon signs, retro gas stations and motels, ideally all experienced from behind the wheel of a Mustang.

For a classic slice of Route 66 history, stop for a photo at the Ambler’s Texaco gas station in Dwight, Illinois. Once the longest-running gas station on the highway, it was donated to the village of Dwight and lovingly restored. There’s no gas though, so fill up elsewhere!

The most beautiful weekend road trip in every US state

Wild West fans should head to Holbrook, Arizona. Take a walk up Holbrook’s Bucket of Blood street, so named because two rival groups of cowboys had a bloody shoot-out here in 1886. Stay in one of the giant wigwams at the quirky Wigwam Motel, somewhere you can expect oodles of character, if not luxury. 

More unusual places to stay in the USA

Dubbed Scotland’s answer to Route 66, the North Coast 500 traces the coast of the North Highlands, taking in vast lochs, enchanting castles, white sand beaches and dramatic cliffs. The 500-mile (805km) route starts and ends at Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.

They may be on the well-trodden tourist trail, but Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness deserve a visit. Favourite haunts for Inverness locals include the Ness Islands, connected by a series of pretty suspension bridges in the middle of the river. Afterwards, head to Leakey’s vast second-hand bookshop, then the Milk Bar for handmade Highland ice cream.

The masses head to John O’Groats, under the misconception that it’s the northernmost tip of Great Britain. In fact the accolade goes to lesser-known Dunnet Head, accessed by a single track road. With its brilliant white lighthouse perched high above the Atlantic, views over the Orkneys and the chance to spot puffins, it’s worth the trip.

It’s not for the faint-hearted and a 4X4 is essential, but the Carretera Austral is Chile’s greatest road trip. This epic highway snakes its way 745 miles (1,200km) down through Chile, between the high Andes and the Pacific Coast, taking in snow-capped volcanoes, icy glaciers, lush forests and glassy lakes.

With no roads and limited electricity, Caleta Tortel – at the Carretera’s southern tip – is truly remote. Set on a milky jade bay at the mouth of the Baker River, this wooden fishing village is navigated by miles of boardwalks. Delve even further into the wilderness with a three-hour boat trip to the bright blue Ventisquero Steffens Glacier.

Yes it’s a crowd pleaser, but don’t miss the raw power of Petrohué Falls, with the staggering Osorno Volcano as its backdrop. Hire a boat to take you to El Rincón, then walk three hours through rainforest and over hanging bridges to Termas de Callao hot springs. Ease aching muscles in the hot baths, before turning back. 

Now discover 50 essential experiences to enjoy in South America...