I love a good road trip. Snacks, tunes, and the long road ahead. But I have never thought about driving from North America to South America which is a good thing… Because you can't do it!

While North America and South America are regarded as individual continents, they are technically one continuous landmass interconnected by the Isthmus of Panama. And the Pan-American Highway — the world’s longest road — stretches from Alaska to the tip of Argentina. However, the Pan-American Highway isn’t truly a continuous road, and it’s impossible to drive uninterrupted between the two continents. That’s because of a curious natural wilderness on the border of Colombia and Panama known as the Darién Gap.

The Isthmus of Panama ends at the western border of Colombia. Here, you’ll find a 60-mile-wide swath of dense jungle, swamps, and mountains called the Darién Gap. Isolated from the modern world, it’s a place of Indigenous tribes, rare plants, and menacing wildlife species. The Emberá and Kuna tribespeople have called it home for centuries. Food is, at times, scarce, and many live off local crops such as bananas, cassava, and maize. But one thing you won’t find here? Roads. Instead, inhabitants and those who pass through get around via footpaths and (often crocodile-inhabited) rivers.

A lack of roads would be an obvious stumbling block for most, but for some, it’s the challenge of a lifetime. Adventurists have been trying to drive across the Darién Gap for years, although not in the conventional way. To complete the voyage, many had to rely on ferries and rafts for at least part of the journey. 

Actually, this sounds like an amazing adventure… If you want to tag along, read the rest of the story so you can see what we are getting into!