A woman has gone viral sharing the perilous route she took across one of the world’s most dangerous and deadly roads.
On a recent trip to Pakistan, Katie Scollan was determined to find the elusive Fairy Meadows National Park – but the journey getting there would involve travelling across an incredibly narrow cliffside road, once named the second deadliest on the planet.
The 22-year-old travel enthusiast decided to brave it, documenting the journey in a TikTok video which has garnered one million views.
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In the clip, she is visibly terrified as she looks out the window at the huge drop beneath her – a drive which took two hours.
“The experience was incredibly scary – I was holding on for dear life,” Katie, a content creator from London, UK, told Need To Know.
The road to Fairy Meadows, known locally as Joot, is believed to be one of the most dangerous on the planet.
In 2013, it was ranked the second deadliest road in the world by the World Health Organisation – though it is not clear how many if any, fatalities have occurred – and described as a “treacherous high altitude, unstable and narrow mountain road”.
It follows North Yungas road in Bolivia, which is widely considered to be the most dangerous in the world.
Despite this, the route is still in use and, attracts travellers to this day – and for good reason, given the stunning views that await at the end of it.
Katie describes it as “one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid my eyes on”.
In the TikTok, she says: “When I tell you the road to get here was truly horrifying, I mean it.
“This two-hour-long drive is on roads roughly formed from rocks and dirt, and the worst part is the narrow winding road has no railings.
“There is absolutely nothing that will prevent a vehicle from careening off the road and falling down off the side of the cliff, and into the gorge below.
“A single mistake in the treacherous road to Fairy Meadows will result in a painful, fiery death.”
In the clip, she shows her driver appearing to use the phone while driving the perilous path.
Luckily, Katie says she felt in relatively safe hands.
She said: “The drivers are so experienced and have been driving the road for 20+ years so I had nothing to worry about – I’m just scared of heights.”
The TikTok garnered 70,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
One person said: “Dangerous roads lead to the most beautiful places.”
“The driver using his phone whilst driving on that path,” said another shocked user.
Someone else added: “Don’t think I could do it. I’d rather walk.”
“Omg I couldn’t,” agreed another viewer.
Another person commented: “I hv visited this place. Place is just like heaven but the track is real hell.”
Despite the fear factor, Katie says it is well worth a visit for any fellow travel buffs.
She added: “The destination was definitely worth the journey I absolutely loved Fairy Meadows it was like paradise on earth.
“I think it’s important to travel to places like this to showcase to people that places like Pakistan that the media portrays as unsafe and a dangerous country isn’t true, and that the country is filled with such beautiful places which often get overlooked.”
