Looking at the map of the American continent, it seems possible to drive across it, starting in Brazil and heading to the USA. There is even a highway that runs through America from north to south—the Pan-American Highway.
However, this route has a gap. Crossing the land between Colombia and Panama is extremely difficult. This section, known as the Darien Gap, is the link between Central and South America.
It is characterized by dense forest, swampy areas, and heat. The Darien Gap is isolated and inhabited by indigenous tribes; local geographical difficulties also attract criminal groups and complicate the work of authorities.
Many people try to cross this area on foot hoping to find a better life in the north. Many die on the way and get lost.
Few explorers have managed to cross the Darien Gap by vehicle. The first were a group of three Brazilians driving two Ford Model T vehicles. They left Rio de Janeiro in 1928 and arrived in the USA in 1938, where they were met by Henry Ford.
In 1959, a Land Rover and a Willys Jeep CJ-5 crossed this stretch. However, the first vehicle to cross the entire Pan-American Highway overland, from Buenos Aires to Alaska, was a BMW R80G/S motorcycle in the 1980s.
In 1961, a team sponsored by General Motors attempted this feat in a convoy of three Chevrolet Corvairs. One of them was left in the forests of the Darien Gap and serves as a landmark to this day.
Currently, a jeep is no longer required to cross the entire Pan-American Highway, as most of the roads comprising this route are paved.
The standard way for travelers to bypass the Darien Gap is to use ships to transport cars from Colombia to Panama. Travelers have to fly to meet their vehicles again.
The port used for this is located in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Cars are sent to Colón, Panama. This is much easier than risking one's life in the Darien Gap.
