Driving the most spectacular roads of Venezuela

Nestled where the mighty Orinoco courses and the Angel Falls cascades from the heavens, Venezuela crafts a tale of roads that are as much a voyage as they are vistas. Embark on the Carretera Trasandina, a serpentine sojourn that meanders from the warmth of the tropics to the bracing altitudes of the Andean páramos. Here, especially on the paved ascent to Collado del Condor, every twist and turn unravels a tableau that seems conjured from dreams.

Venture along the Morón-Coro roadway, where the shimmering hues of the Caribbean beckon tantalizingly, and historic colonial settlements echo tales of epochs gone by. Delve deeper into the enigma that is the Gran Sabana via Route 10, journeying through sprawling grasslands that play host to the majestic tepuis, those ancient, flat-topped titans that pierce the skies.

In Venezuela, driving isn't merely about reaching a destination—it's about traversing tales, landscapes, and legacies. So, fasten your seatbelt and set forth on a journey through roads that resonate with the rhythms of a land that oscillates between the mysteries of its jungles and the majesties of its mountains.

Collado del Condor is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.050m (13,287ft) above the sea level located in the Merida region, of Venezuela. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

La Cumbre Choroni is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.611m (5,285ft) above the sea level, located in north-central Venezuela, near the Caribbean coast, in the state of Aragua.

Located in eastern Venezuela, the Cuyuni River bridge is said to be designed by the famous Gustave Eiffel. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Los Nevados is a beautiful mountain village, at an elevation of 2.711m (8,894ft) above the sea level, located within the Sierra Nevada National Park, in Mérida, Venezuela.

The challenging Pan-American Highway is one of the biggest adventures in the world. It’s a network of roads covering almost 30,000 kilometres (19,000 mi) from North America to South America. It’s said to be the longest road on Earth.

Located in Mérida State, Venezuela, Apartaderos is the highest town of the country, at an elevation of 3.505m (11,499ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest towns accessible by car on Earth.

Carretera Trasandina is a true adventure in the heart of the Venezuelan Andes. It’s one of the most delightful drives in South America.

Cerro Ávila is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.156m (7,073ft) above the sea level, located in the Capital District of Venezuela. The average gradient is 14.61%.

Páramo La Negra is a high mountain paramo, at an elevation of 3.065m (10,055ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Táchira and Mérida states, in Venezuela.

Páramo el Zumbador is a picturesque hamlet at an elevation of 2.571m (8,435ft) above the sea level, located in the Venezuelan state of Táchira.

Alto de Mifafi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.414m (14,481ft) above the sea level, located in Sierra de La Culata range, in Mérida State, Venezuela. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Páramo Miranda is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.162m (13,654ft) above the sea level, located in the Merida región, in the Andes of Venezuela. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Pico Las Pailas is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 4.579m (15,022ft) above the sea level, located in Sierra de La Culata range, in Mérida State, Venezuela. It’s said to be the highest road in the country.

Mirador El Domo de La Culata is a natural viewpoint at an elevation of 4.291m (1,4078ft) above the sea level, located in Mérida State, Venezuela. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

The 10th Parallel marine and aerial routes, known historically for facilitating trade between South America and West Africa, have taken on a new and sinister role in modern times. These routes, spanning a distance of approximately 2,500 kilometers between Venezuela and the western coast of Africa, have earned the ominous moniker "Highway 10" among law enforcement due to their use by Latin American drug cartels for shipping vast quantities of cocaine to the ever-expanding European market.

Situated on the northern coast of South America, Venezuela takes the shape of an inverted triangle. It shares its borders with the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. This former Spanish colony is slightly smaller than twice the size of California.