If you've been entertaining fantasies of an epic road trip, driving from America to South America, be prepared when you get to Panama. You can't drive to Colombia from there.
We're as serious as a heart attack: It's impossible.
It's true that the Pan American Highway runs from Alaska all the way down to the tip of Argentina. On paper. But if you look at the map carefully, you will find one impenetrable, 90-kilometer gap in the road, right where South America and Central America meet.
Crossing the Darien Gap jungle has been called the world's most dangerous journey.
Can you drive from Panama to Colombia?
Short answer: No. Building a road through the Darien Gap has been discussed for over 100 years, but there are reasons why there is no road between Panama and Colombia.
For one thing, the mountains and swampland in the region make road-building expensive. Rumor has it that Colombia wants to invest over $600 million into expanding the Highway up to the Panama Colombia border. However, it would basically dead end because Panama is against it.
The reason you can't drive to Colombia from the US or Mexico is that they feel that a road would aid drug traffickers and illegal immigrants. They also say it will impact indigenous communities and degrade the environment.
Further, rebels and smugglers along the border would make the road building effort even more perilous.
So with swamps and no road, you're faced with crossing the Darien Gap by 4×4 or finding a different option.
Can you hike through the Darien Gap on foot?
Yes, you can, but we need to tell you why it's not a good idea.
Darién Gap has not been called the most dangerous place in the Western Hemisphere for nothing. Let's start with these reasons:
- Treacherous jungle
- Virtually impassable mountains
- Impenetrable swamps
- Overgrown, often unmarked trails
- Almost totally uninhabited, so if you get lost or injured you're on your own
- Unfriendly wildlife - we're talking about snakes as big as your arm, man-eating cats that are bigger than the snakes, crocodiles and caimans in the rivers, biting ants and spiders that can drop down your shirt without warning ... you get the idea.
- Countless mosquitoes, sometimes carrying diseases like malaria and dengue fever
- Highly questionable water quality
- Limited food availability (eat local plants or carry your own)
- Nearly 100% humidity
- Crazed drug traffickers
- Desperate paramilitary Colombian guerrillas
- Paranoid government police
- Risk of kidnapping, rape, torture or murder
A few optimistic people brave the risks and attempt it every year. I don't know how many succeed ... but we think that there are enough documented cases of people disappearing permanently to discourage any notions of our trying it ourselves.
Life is precious. Besides, we have an aversion to bugs and prefer to sleep in real beds.
Visiting Darien National Park
Any time someone tells us we shouldn't go somewhere, we are intrigued because things can be exaggerated for drama's sake. There are obviously people living there, which makes you wonder if the province is really as dangerous as they say. So when we had a chance to take a four-day trip to Parque Nacional Darien, a nature reserve, we seized the opportunity with both hands. We could see a bit of "the Darién," safely.
The highlight of our tour experience was a 7-kilometer hike through virgin rainforest, escorted by a knowledgeable and talkative local guide. But that one burning question wouldn't leave me in peace. Finally, wanting to get the scoop from someone with firsthand knowledge, I asked him if people can hike through the Gap all the way to Colombia.
After a surprised look he said, "I don't recommend it but yes, it is possible." After pressing him further, he offered this advice:
- Hire a local guide who knows the area
- Travel during the dry season
- Don't do it alone
- Be prepared to pay a lot for the experience (he quoted $5,000).
- It will be uncomfortable and take about three days of hefty traveling.
How to get from Panama to Colombia on foot
As you might imagine, helping people get into Colombia this way is frowned on by authorities, so such guides don't advertise their services. Still, we did meet a Darien local who "might know a few people who do that."
He described the journey to us.
Omigosh. Can you say ordeal?
Before we go any further, let's be clear. All information shared on As We Saw It for informational purposes only. We will not be held responsible for any actions taken as a result of reading our articles. You're an adult. You are responsible for your own decisions and actions. 'Kay? Now, let's move on.
Crossing the Darien Gap starts with a drive to Yaviza, the town at the Panama end of the Pan-American Highway.
Expect to be stopped by the police repeatedly. At each stop you will need to provide your name and a copy of your passport.
Once in Yaviza, spend a half day hiking to a river.
Then spend the next day navigating rivers in a rustic boat.
The next day involves more hiking to the border, where your guide will bid you goodbye and quietly return the way he came.
Now you're on your own.
Oh, by the way, now that you've entered the country, you still have to get your passport stamped.
Sound like fun? We don't think so, either.
To get from Panama to Colombia, here are your other options
Fly
Planes are obviously the fastest and easiest way to get to Colombia, but not nearly as adventurous as hiking the Darien. There are non-stop flights between Panama City (PTY) and Cartagena (CTG). Find prices on Skyscanner.
Cargo ship
Cargo ships sail from Colon and/or Portobello to various Colombian port towns. Yes, you can travel by cargo ship.
Ferry
Have you heard that there's a ferry between Panama and Colombia? That was true for a short time. Ferry Xpress ran a car ferry between Colon and Cartagena, but service has been suspended.
Quick speed boat
This is not for the queasy; the water can be very rough. You fly to the border town of Puerto Obaldia, then take a 3-hour boat ride to Turbo, Colombia. Buses run from Turbo to both Medellin and Cartagena. The trip usually takes between 8 and 10 hours.
Sail from Portobello to Cartagena
This is a fun multi-day journey as it includes a visit to the beautiful San Blas islands. Costs compare to a plane flight. Many companies offer services, such as San Blas Frontera, San Blas Adventures and Panama Travel Unlimited. Of course, you can also ask at your hotel/hostel or search the web.
But don't automatically choose the cheapest ride. Verify the details or you might not get what you expect.
Do a hybrid journey
According to Runaway Guide, you begin your journey across the Darien Gap with a domestic flight from Panama City (PAC) to the city of Puerto Obaldia (PUE). After obtaining your exit stamp, you will then take a 30-minute motor boat to Capurgana. From here you take another boat across to Turbo, where you can then take a bus down to Medellin. Be prepared for rough seas.
How do I get my car across the Darien Gap?
The only way to get a vehicle past that stretch of non-road is by cargo boat. We have heard has it that it is an expensive, confusing, and exhausting experience but have no first-hand knowledge. You can watch a video about it here.
How to visit the Darien safely
Panama's Darien province is a unique destination and worthy of any curious explorer. This is probably the best place to experience true Panamanian culture, but it's best to have someoreone who knows the area show you around. You won't see much - or get very far into the region - if you try to do it yourself.
We booked the Coastal Darien Explorer tour with Ancon Expeditions. We found the tour to be professionally run and well planned. As well, our lodgings were comfortable and they are happy to accommodate special diets. (Except for ours. The cook had a hard time understanding that people who don't eat pork also won't eat ham or bacon. But we didn't go hungry.)
We had a comfortable van ride for part of the way, then took a boat the rest of the way to our lodge in the Darien.[/caption]
Be prepared for a primitive experience once you arrive, because internet is nonexistent, cell signal is highly unlikely and electricity is only available overnight. Not having electricity wasn't as much of a problem as we had expected though. We had lights and power to charge our devices and best of all, air conditioning in our bungalow.
The photos in this article were taken during our trip to the Darien, while we were hiking on (relatively) cleared paths on our lodge's property. We had it easy compared to those who trek over the border, but it was still a hot, sweaty and sticky hike. And in case you are wondering, especially after that experience, we have absolutely no desire to spend three days hiking through the steamy rainforest, fighting mosquitos and dodging the FARC paramilitary all the way to Colombia.
Nope, not for us. Give us a quick plane ride any day.
Plan your Darien trip
- For more sightseeing, take a look at our Darien photo album.
- To get an idea of the geography, Google has a map of the Darien.
We took the Coastal Darien Explorer tour with Ancon Expeditions.
We strongly recommend that you take some down time, both before and after this adventure. Take some time to look around Panama City and enjoy Cartagena. It will give you a better feel for the two cultures. Besides, those two cities will be a nice before-and-after, urban contrast to the Gap.