Fifteen mountain passes on six continents, from Trollstigen in Norway (about 850 m) to Khardung La in Ladakh (over 5,300 m). The European passes are paved and open roughly June to October. Several of the others need a 4x4, permits or time to acclimatise. The table gives the basics, and the notes below say what each one involves.
| Pass | Country | Height | Surface | Usually open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stelvio | Italy | 2,757 m | paved | late May or June to October |
| Col du Galibier | France | 2,642 m | paved | June to October |
| Grossglockner (Hochtor) | Austria | 2,504 m | paved, toll | early May to early November |
| Furka | Switzerland | 2,429 m | paved | June to October |
| Transfăgărășan | Romania | 2,042 m | paved | July to October |
| Trollstigen | Norway | about 850 m | paved | late May to October |
| Khardung La | India | about 5,360 m (signed 5,602 m) | mixed | roughly May to October |
| Khunjerab (Karakoram Highway) | Pakistan/China | 4,693 m | paved | roughly May to November |
| Rohtang | India | 3,978 m | mixed | roughly May to November |
| Sani Pass | South Africa/Lesotho | about 2,875 m | largely unpaved, 4x4 | all year, weather permitting |
| Tizi n'Tichka | Morocco | 2,260 m | paved | all year, snow possible in winter |
| Los Caracoles (Los Libertadores) | Chile/Argentina | about 3,200 m | paved | all year, winter snow closures |
| Abra del Acay | Argentina | about 4,900 m | unpaved | dry season |
| Going-to-the-Sun Road (Logan Pass) | USA | 2,026 m | paved | roughly July to mid-October |
| Milford Road (Homer Tunnel) | New Zealand | about 945 m | paved | all year, chains in winter |
The Alps
1. Stelvio, Italy (2,757 m)
The second-highest paved pass in the Alps, behind France's Col de l'Iseran (2,764 m). The north-east side from Prato allo Stelvio has the 48 numbered hairpins. The south-west side from Bormio is longer and more open, and the Umbrail Pass comes up from Switzerland to join near the top. Go before 9am in summer to avoid the queues of bikes and cars on the hairpins. Our Stelvio and Dolomites loop combines it with the passes to the east.
2. Col du Galibier, France (2,642 m)
A regular Tour de France climb between the Maurienne valley and the Col du Lautaret. Most drivers link three passes: up the Col du Télégraphe from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, over the Galibier, and down to the Lautaret (2,058 m), facing the glaciers of La Meije. Expect cyclists on every bend in July.
3. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria (2,504 m)
A 48 km toll road with 36 hairpins, topping out at the Hochtor tunnel. Side roads go up to the Edelweissspitze (2,571 m) and to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe, looking at the Grossglockner (3,798 m) and the Pasterze glacier. More on our Grossglockner page.
4. Furka, Switzerland (2,429 m)
The Goldfinger pass, linking Valais and Uri above the Rhône Glacier. It's usually driven as a day loop with the Grimsel and Susten passes. See our Furka three-pass loop.
Northern and eastern Europe
5. Trollstigen, Norway (about 850 m)
Low by Alpine standards, but the 11 hairpins climb a near-vertical valley wall with the Stigfossen waterfall beside the road and viewing platforms at the top. It's often combined with Geiranger and the Atlantic Road. There's a vehicle length limit, so check it if you're in a motorhome.
6. Transfăgărășan, Romania (2,042 m)
Built in the early 1970s as a military road across the Făgăraș Mountains, with the glacial Bâlea Lake at the top. The high section is normally open only from July to October. September has lighter traffic than July and August. Details on our Transfăgărășan page.
Asia
7. Khardung La, India
On the road from Leh to the Nubra Valley in Ladakh. The sign at the top says 5,602 m, but GPS measurements put it nearer 5,360 m. It's still one of the highest roads you can drive.
- Acclimatise: spend at least two days in Leh (about 3,500 m) first. Altitude sickness is a real risk.
- Permits: foreign visitors have needed a Protected Area Permit for Nubra, arranged in Leh. The rules change, so check before you go.
- Road: mostly paved, with rough stretches near the top.
8. Karakoram Highway and the Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan/China (4,693 m)
The Karakoram Highway runs about 1,300 km from near Islamabad to Kashgar, through the Hunza Valley, past Attabad Lake (formed by a landslide in 2010) and the Passu Cones. The Khunjerab Pass on the border is often called the highest paved international border crossing in the world. The border usually opens only from late spring to late autumn. Check the FCDO travel advice for northern Pakistan before planning, and expect heavy paperwork if you want to cross into China with a vehicle.
9. Rohtang Pass, India (3,978 m)
The old route from Manali into Lahaul. Since the Atal Tunnel opened in 2020 most traffic goes underneath, but you can still drive the pass. Daily vehicle numbers are capped and you need a permit (bookable online), so sort it before the day.
Africa
10. Sani Pass, South Africa/Lesotho (about 2,875 m)
A zigzag up the Drakensberg escarpment from KwaZulu-Natal into Lesotho. The usual bases are Underberg and Himeville, a long way from Cape Town or Johannesburg. South African border officials at the bottom have required a 4x4 for the climb. The surface has been changing with upgrade works, so check current conditions. Bring your passport: there are border posts at the bottom and the top, and Sani Mountain Lodge at the summit claims to be the highest pub in Africa. See our South Africa driving guide.
11. Tizi n'Tichka, Morocco (2,260 m)
The N9 from Marrakech to Ouarzazate crosses the High Atlas, going from green valleys to red desert in a few hours. It carries a lot of lorries and coaches, so allow more time than the distance suggests. Snow can close it briefly in winter.
The Americas
12. Los Caracoles (Paso Los Libertadores), Chile/Argentina (about 3,200 m)
The main road from Santiago to Mendoza climbs the Chilean side in 29 hairpins before the border tunnel. Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas, is visible from the Argentine side. The border closes in winter snowstorms (roughly June to September), and hire cars need permission to cross, so arrange that with the hire company first.
13. Abra del Acay, Argentina (about 4,900 m)
The highest point on Ruta 40, an unpaved crossing in Salta province through empty high desert. Summer rains (roughly December to March) can wash it out. Take a high-clearance vehicle, fuel and water, and don't rely on mobile signal.
14. Going-to-the-Sun Road, USA (2,026 m)
The road across Glacier National Park in Montana crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. The full road usually opens in late June or July and closes in October. In recent summers the park has used a timed vehicle reservation system, and vehicles longer than 21 ft are banned from the central section, so check both before you go.
Oceania
15. Milford Road, New Zealand (Homer Tunnel, about 945 m)
Low altitude, but the road from Te Anau climbs through beech forest to the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel, cut through bare granite, then drops to Milford Sound. There's no fuel after Te Anau, and in winter you have to carry chains because of avalanche risk. See our Milford Road page.
Driving any high pass
- Check the status close to the day. Opening dates move with the snow every year.
- Use a low gear downhill. Engine braking saves you from brake fade on long descents.
- Uphill traffic usually has priority on narrow mountain roads. In Switzerland, PostBuses always do.
- Fill up first. Fuel stations are rare above the valleys.
- Above about 3,500 m, take altitude seriously. Climb gradually and turn back if anyone has a bad headache or is confused.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest road you can drive?
Khardung La was long billed as the highest motorable road, but its signed 5,602 m is overstated. Roads built more recently in Ladakh, such as the one over Umling La at around 5,800 m, now claim the title. In Europe, the Col de l'Iseran (2,764 m) is the highest paved through pass in the Alps.
Do I need a special car for mountain passes?
Not for the paved European passes, where any well-maintained car will do. Sani Pass and Abra del Acay need a high-clearance 4x4. Ladakh is easier in a high-clearance vehicle. Check your hire agreement, as many exclude unpaved roads.