Namibia
ExtremeVan Zyl’s Pass — Opuwo to Marienfluss Valley via the Kaokoland Wilderness Divide
One-way down. No room for mistakes.
Surface: Rock
KwaZulu-Natal
ExpertLesotho Sani Pass to Mokhotlong — Roof of Africa Eastern High Road via Sehonghong River Valley
Past the pub, into the real Lesotho.
Erongo Region
DifficultSkeleton Coast Ugab River Mouth to Brandberg White Lady — Damaraland Volcanic Desert High Crossing via the Ugab Terraces and Uis
Skeleton Coast to Africa's tallest Namibian peak.
Erongo Region
DifficultNamib Desert Welwitschia to Brandberg — Damaraland Volcanic Desert High Crossing via the Ugab River Terraces
Ancient plants, black lava, red granite giant.
California
DifficultMojave Road — Piute Valley to Searchlight via Mojave Desert Southern Flank
Southern Mojave wash country. No crowds. No margin.
Northern Cape
ExpertRichtersveld Transfrontier Wilderness Track — Sendelingsdrift to Port Nolloth via the Orange River Canyon Desert
South Africa's mountain desert — earn every kilometer.
USA
DifficultWhite Rim Road — Canyonlands National Park Full Circuit via Hardscrabble Hill and Murphy Hogback
100 miles of canyon shelf road. No margin for drift.
Arizona
DifficultArizona BDR Central-South Connector — Payson to Globe via the Mazatzal Wilderness Edge and Pinal Mountains
Mazatzal to Pinals — Arizona backcountry at its quietest.
Hardap Region
ModerateNaukluft–Tsaris Pass Desert High Crossing — Solitaire to Büllsport via the Hardap Plateau Spine
Tsaris Pass: Namibia's forgotten high crossing.
Baja California
DifficultTranspeninsular Baja Divide — San Quintín to Bahía de los Ángeles via Sierra San Pedro Mártir Backdoor
Baja's hidden spine, no pavement, no crowds.