1. The northern portion of Ruta 40, Argentina
in an Aston Martin Vanquish
LENGTH: ABOUT 620 MILES
THE ROAD: This is a road of many colors: Heading south, the picturesque salt flats, the Salinas Grandes, which extend for over 77 square miles, can be almost blinding. It’s also a road of many heights. In Salta, you’ll ascend the Andes, past shepherds herding goats and llamas, to reach nearly 16,400 feet at the Abra del Acay, Ruta 40’s highest point. Reward your bravery with a glass of the world’s highest-altitude wine, made from torrontés grapes grown by a vintner in nearby Molinos. Catamarca Province is dotted with volcanoes, including Galán, whose enormous crater is partially occupied by a salt lake, Laguna del Diamante. Coming into Rioja, you’ll be flanked by deep-red cliffs and petroglyphs, especially at the Parque Nacional Talampaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The road here is mostly paved, except for la Cuesta de Miranda, a 15-mile stretch that demands strict concentration and a lower gear. Make a pit stop in Ischigualasto Provincial Park, site of the oldest dinosaur skeleton ever found, then head to Mendoza on a road so smooth and straight you could be in Kansas were it not for the vineyards tripping down the Andes in your periphery.
THE CAR: The Vanquish, Aston Martin’s superlative touring car, packs 565 horsepower into a 3,900-pound frame, but two features make it ideal for Ruta 40’s variable terrain. The Adaptive Damping System lets the driver adjust the suspension to road conditions, while the Touchtronic gearbox means you can change gears automatically or manually. Keep automatic on for the gravel portions; on the pavement, switch to the sport setting of manual and let it fly. Contact: 44.192.664.4644,astonmartin.com
TIP: The Vanquish doesn’t have a spare tire, so go easy on the unpaved portions of the route, and give your tires extra pressure (32 PSI is optimal). In higher altitudes, extreme weather comes on fast, so bring warm clothing, plenty of water and extra gas, no matter the season.
WHERE TO STAY
El Manantial del Silencio
Purmamarca, 54.388.490.8080
hotelmanantialdelsilencio.com
Estancia Colomé, Colomé
54.387.421.9132
bodegacolome.com/estancia
El Peñon Hotel, El Peñon
54.387.155.171252
hosteriaelpenon.com
Entre Cielos, Vistalba
54.261.498.3377
entrecielos.com
WHERE TO EAT
La Carta Restaurant, Sala de Payogasta,
Payogasta,
54.386.849.6052
saladepayogasta.com
El Terruno, Cafayate
54.386.842.2460
terruno.todowebsalta.com.ar
Heladería Miranda, Cafayate
Finca Tacuil, Molinos, tacuil.com.ar
1884 Restaurant Francis Mallmann
Godoy Cruz, 54.261.424.3336
1884restaurante.com.ar
YOUR GUIDE
Maita Barrenechea, Mai 10, [email protected], 54.114.314.3390, mai10.com.ar
2. Amalfi Drive, Italy
in a Fiat 500 1957 Edition
LENGTH: ABOUT 50 MILES
THE ROAD: Begin by leaving the Autostrada A3 for the ceramic-tiled storefronts and harbor views of Vietri sul Mare. Buy some majolica flatware at S. Falcone and stroll around the terraced village of Ravello before lunch. Ravello’s gardens bloom throughout the year, and if you come between July and October, you can listen to a classical concert in the same Moorish cloister that inspired the enchanted garden in Wagner’s Parsifal. From Ravello, it’s hairpin turns and tunnels down to Amalfi , once a maritime capital but now a sleepy village. Just before you enter town, look for a huge parking garage carved into the rock face—walk from there. In town, stock up on handmade paper at Amatruda, a family-owned shop, and a bottle of local limoncello. After Amalfi comes the last leg of your journey: a long, steep climb into the pastel maze of Positano for dinner al fresco.
THE CAR: This is the classic Fiat reborn. Its retro curves, robin’s egg exterior and outsized wheel caps are modeled on the Nuova, a car that helped democratize car travel in 1950s Italy. But its zippy handling—six speeds in automatic, five in manual—heated seats and leather-wrapped interior are entirely modern. (The car will hit U.S. dealerships in June.) Contact: 888.242.6342, fiatusa.com
TIP: The Amalfi Coast Drive is famously narrow and can be crowded with tour buses in the spring and summer. Watch your speed around curves, lest you collide with an approaching bus. If you are confronted with one, back up until it has room to pass. Allow motorcyclists to pass you on the inside; most know what they’re doing.
WHERE TO STAY
Le Sirenuse
Positano, 39.89.87.5066
sirenuse.it
Villa Treville, Positano
39.89.812.2411
villatreville.it
Casa Angelina, Praiano
39.89.813.1333
casangelina.com
WHERE TO EAT
Da Gemma, Amalfi
39.89.87.1345
trattoriadagemma.com
Don Alfonso, Sant’Agata suidue Golfi, 39.81.878.0026
donalfonso.com
Maria Grazia, Nerano
39.81.808.1011
ristorantemariagrazia.com
YOUR GUIDE
Joyce Falcone, The Italian Concierge, [email protected], 888.674.3311, italianconcierge.com
3. Dempster Highway, Canada
in a Mercedes-Benz GL550
LENGTH: 457 MILES
THE ROAD: You’re at the North Fork Pass, the highest point on the Dempster Highway, looking out at the Fortymile caribou herd that carpets the tundra below. As you drive into the Yukon, the open taiga shifts to boreal forest. Below the jagged teeth of the Ogilvie Mountains, Dall sheep pick their way between frail minarets of rock called tors. When you see the white spine of the Richardson Mountains, you’re nearing the Arctic Circle. In the winter here, you could go snow blind without eye protection, but in the fall, the mountain tundra glows red with fireweed. Spend a night at the lone outpost of Eagle Plains: In summer, the sun hardly sets, and in winter, you’ll bear witness to the white-green explosions of the aurora borealis. Come morning, head to Inuvik, stopping for coffee in Fort McPherson, a Gwich’in community of around 800. From Inuvik—depending on the season—you can explore the Arctic up to the vast Mackenzie Delta by plane or, from December through April, by car, via the ice road to Aklavik.
THE CAR: You won’t be taking much advantage of the G-Class’ superb acceleration on the Dempster. What you will use: its traction (courtesy of three differential locks), slope-climbing ability and powerful Bi-Xenon headlamps for dusk and dawn driving. The nearly two-foot maximum fording depth may come in handy, and the 93.8 cubic feet of cargo space definitely will. Contact: 800.367.6372, mbusa.com
TIP: Do not drive the Dempster in the dark; there are no guardrails and no services to help you out of a jam. Make sure to have eight-ply tires, a spare and extra gas. Driving the ice road, be wary of approaching trucks; passing in proximity can crack the ice. (You’ll need to pull over.)
WHERE TO STAY
Bombay Peggy’s Inn & Pub
Dawson City, 867.993.6969
bombaypeggys.com
Eagle Plains Hotel, Whitehorse
867.993.2453, [email protected]
Nova Inn, Inuvik
867.777.6682,
novahotels.ca/Nova_Inn_Inuvik
WHERE TO EAT
Amica’s Ristorante
Dawson City, 867.993.6800
Eagle Plains Hotel, Whitehorse
867.993.2453
[email protected]
Tonimoes, Inuvik
867.777.4900
YOUR GUIDE
Joost van der Putten, Nature Tours of Yukon, [email protected], 867.667.4868,naturetoursyukon.com
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4. The Silk Road, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
in a Range Rover
LENGTH: Bukhara/Samarkand/Tashkent/Andijan/Kochkor/Karakol: About 1,040 miles
THE ROAD: You’re on the Golden Silk Road heading east from the lively medieval city of Bukhara to the fabled Samarkand, one of the world’s oldest cities. The road here is in good condition, and you get to Samarkand with plenty of time to explore the Registan, a 15th-century square lined with three glazed-tile madrasahs and the domed mausoleum of Shaybanids, members of a Persian dynasty. From Samarkand, you’ll pass through Tashkent and cross the Kyrgyzstan border at Andijan. Kyrgyzstan’s roads are in noticeably worse condition than Uzbekistan’s, but they reward you with stunning mountain and valley terrain, some of it dotted with the o_ – white yurts and bleating sheep of Kyrgyzstan’s nomadic herders. By the time you reach the round, mountain-fringed mirror of Song Kul Lake, you’ll be ready for a dip. In the summer, you might catch one of the traditional horse games; otherwise, continue on to your final destination of Karakol, whose animal bazaar is well worth visiting.
THE CAR: Thanks to an automatic terrain-response system and hill descent control, the Range Rover can chew through every challenge on the Silk Road’s menu, from snow and ice to mud, steep climbs and a plethora of potholes. Top-of-the-line electronic shock absorbers and leather seats make for a comfortable ride, while the elevated driver’s seat improves visibility. Contact: 800.637.6837, landrover.com
TIP: Foreigners are permitted to cross the Uzbekistan– Kyrgyzstan border at Andijan and to travel around both countries in their own vehicles. Visitors will need an international driving license, registration papers, passport and tourism visa. Information can be found at travel.state.gov.
WHERE TO STAY
Minzifa, Bukhara, 998.65.221.0628
Hotel Grand Samarkand Superior
Samarkand , 998.66.233.7766
grand-samarkand.com
Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace
Tashkent, 998.71.120.5800
lottecityhoteltashkent.com
CBT, Kochkor area, 996.31.254.0069
cbtkyrgyzstan.kg
WHERE TO EAT
Silk Road Tea and Spice House
Bukhara, 998.65.224.2268
Minzifa, Bukhara, 998.65.221.0628
Besh Chinor, Samarkand
998.91.519.6626
Central Asia Plov Center
Tashkent
Cafe Sharshara,
Tashkent
998.71.144.5835
YOUR GUIDE
Zulya Rajabova Moss, Silk Road Treasure Tours, [email protected], 908.719.7676,silkroadtreasuretours.com
Address: 1600 Lenox Avenue
The Classic: The Capital Grille
Cost: $13 to $16 for entrees
Contact: 305.538.5220 | runchickenrun.com
5. Unaweep-Tabegauche Scenic Byway, Colorado
in a Bentley GT Speed coupe
LENGTH: 133 MILES
THE ROAD: Colorado has the most scenic byways of any state—25—but the Unaweep- Tabegauche, within spitting distance of Utah, doesn’t attract the crowds of the San Juan or the Top of the Rockies. Its isolation means you get some of the country’s most pristine, dramatic terrain mostly to yourself. Well, not entirely pristine; mining began along the road in the 1870s, and traces of its earliest days are scattered throughout the route: stone coke ovens, collapsing shacks and the Hanging Flume, an open water chute marked by 7 miles of wooden teeth-like boards protruding out of the red cli_ s. When you reach the alpine vale of Norwood, you’re in Butch Cassidy territory. Continue on to Telluride, or turn around and drive it all over again.
THE CAR: The GT Speed’s ESP (Electronic Stability Program) system lets you know when to lope and when to bound, and with a top speed of 206 mph, “bound” might be an understatement. But it’s the thoughtful design of this car that makes it the perfect carriage for mountain roads: With the neck vents blowing heat and the seat warmers on, you can keep the top down even on the coldest days of winter. Contact: 800.777.6923, bentleymotors.com
TIP: The Unaweep-Tabegauche is well maintained, but much of it is remote. Notify others before you drive this route, as parts of it do not have cell phone service. There are long intervals between gas and service stations, so make sure to gas up and bring extra food and water.
WHERE TO STAY
Gateway Canyons Resort
Gateway, 970.931.2458
gatewaycanyons.com
WHERE TO EAT
Two Candles, Norwood
970.327.0100
Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction
970.243.4543
bin707.com
YOUR GUIDE
Tammy Anderson, Director of Resort Lodging & Guest Experience, Gateway Canyons Resort, [email protected], 970.931.2647, gatewaycanyons.com
