Botswana
ModerateDeception Valley — Central Kalahari Game Reserve via Matswere Gate, Sunday Pan and Piper Pan
Mirage valley, lion country, and deep Kalahari sand.
Trail Type: Overland Route
Iceland
ModerateSprengisandur Route F26 — Goðafoss to Hrauneyjar Across the Icelandic Highland Desert
Outlaw road across Iceland's black highland heart.
Australia
DifficultSimpson Desert Crossing — Birdsville to Mount Dare via Poeppel Corner and the French Line
1,100 dunes, one tri-state corner, zero fuel stops.
Oregon
ModerateOregon BDR Central Segment — Riley to Burns via the High Desert Volcanic Plateau and Wagontire Mountain
Oregon's emptiest county, no apologies.
Kunene Region
ExtremeSkeleton Coast Wilderness — Serra Cafema to Marienfluss Valley via Hartmann Valley and Kunene River Sand Road
Kaokoland's hardest loop. No half measures.
Bolivia
DifficultRooftop of Bolivia — Salar de Coipasa to Sajama via the Bolivian Altiplano Volcanic Circuit
Bolivia's forgotten salt flat and a perfect volcano.
Ethiopia
DifficultOmo Valley Wilderness Track — Jinka to Turmi via the Omo River Corridor and Mago National Park Fringe (South Ethiopia Classic)
Tribal Ethiopia on corrugated laterite.
Norway
ModerateTrollstigen to Geiranger — Sunnmøre Mountain Road via Ørnevegen and Eagle Road Descent (Norway Classic High Route)
Eleven hairpins up a waterfall. Then eleven down.
Gorno-Badakhshan
ExpertPamir Highway — Murghab to Langar via the Wakhan Corridor Junction and Alichur Plateau (M41 High Segment)
4,200 meters and an Afghan border river at your elbow.
Italy
ModerateStelvio Pass High Alpine Road — Bormio to Prato allo Stelvio via 48 Hairpins and the Italian Alpine Roof
48 hairpins. The roof of the Italian Alps.