Dare to drive the dangerous Kemaliye Stone Road above the Euphrates river

# Kemaliye Taş Yolu: Turkey's Wild Stone Road Adventure

Want to test your driving skills? The Kemaliye Taş Yolu in Turkey's Eastern Anatolia is calling your name—if you've got the nerves for it.

Carved into the Munzur Mountains along the border between İliç and Kemaliye districts, this 8.7km unpaved beauty winds through a gorge carved by the Euphrates River. We're talking about the second-largest canyon in the world, with jaw-dropping drops of up to 600 meters—no guardrails, no safety net. Just you, the road, and the void. It's become legendary among base jumpers and adrenaline junkies for good reason.

What makes this road truly special? It's almost entirely handmade. Locals spent over 130 years—from 1870 until 2002—literally chiseling this path through solid rock with their own hands. Construction often stopped for decades at a time, and you can see why when you actually drive it. The authorities thought it was too expensive to build. So the villagers did it themselves. Today, you'll navigate 38 unlit tunnels and countless sharp bends while perched on a ridge just 2 meters wide, staring down at the river hundreds of meters below. At the entrance bridge, there's a sobering memorial listing those who didn't survive the construction.

This isn't for everyone. The road demands serious driving skills—it's impassable in winter and tricky when wet. Vehicle size limits apply (170cm width, 220cm height max), and even experienced drivers find it intense. But if you're ready for a truly unforgettable adventure, few roads on Earth compare to the raw thrill of conquering the Kemaliye Taş Yolu.