This scenic highway is the longest road globally, stretching approximately 15,000 miles from Alaska in North America all the way to Argentina in South America, passing through 14 countries.
Driving the Pan American highway can take you anywhere from 3 months to two years long as you’ve got the time and money. Other factors that determine the length of the trip include driving hours per day, your starting point, the number of detours, and stop-offs.
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads that begin in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and go through both North and South America until its finishing point in Ushuaia, Argentina. It’s the longest road worldwide because it links two continents north to south. This road will take you on a wild adventure from the Arctic to the Antarctic through dense jungles, swamps, arid desert, freezing wastelands, and endless mountain ranges.
Driving three hours daily would take you roughly three months from Alaska to Argentina, while driving for the same time daily while making stops at some tourist destinations would take six months. Stopping at every destination while driving for three hours would take 12 months.
However, taking detours off the highway to visit the cultural regions and interact with the locals while getting the most out of the trip would take between 18 months and two years.
Here’s everything you need to know, including the itinerary and how long it will take you to cover the whole highway.
The 6- Month Pan American Highway Trip For The Beginner
If you’re a beginner or are short on time, it’s advisable to plan the route ahead of time and focus on checking out the main highlights. Six months is the ideal time frame to cover all the main points.
For the six-month itinerary, the tour starts off at the official section from Laredo, Mexico and ends in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The trip is 9,844 miles long and should take 3 months, driving for 5 hours straight daily.
However, we’ll drive 4 days a week for this trip and take breaks for 3 days to explore the main tourist attractions. Here’s how a sample 6-month itinerary for the history lover would look like:
Edmonton to Laredo, Mexico
The trip starts from Edmonton and goes to Interstate 35. After 2,600 miles, Interstate 35 will land you in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, after two weeks. Here’s where you officially start the “Autopista Americana.” It’s important to note that all the nations south of the U.S. Mexico Border speak Spanish.
So, Spanish skills will be invaluable if you run into problems, and they’ll help you get to know the locals. If you’re searching for the type of offbeat cultural experiences not talked about in Lonely Planet, then you’ll need to learn how to communicate.
Nuevo Laredo to Panama
After you pass the US-Mexico border, the Pan American Highway, aka “CA-1”, becomes one route that cuts through all the main Central American cities. This stretch of the highway is 2625 miles, and it will lead you through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
You can take roughly 45 days to check out the main highlights on this stretch.
Famous historic towns and attractions worth checking out on this stretch include Mayan Ruins, Joya de Cerén in El Salvador, Antigua, Granada, Tikal, Casco Viejo. Check out Roatan, Ometepe, Belize, and Punta Roca if you love the beach.
After you pass San Jose, the Costa Rican capital, the road gets to the Cerro Del Muerte (The Summit of Death). It marks the highest elevation on the highway in Central America. Indeed, after completing the Christ the Redeemer Tunnel between Chile and Argentina, it might be the highest elevation along the whole route.
Here, you’ll reach altitudes of 11,000 feet, and this area is full of potholes, flash floods, landslides, steep drop-offs, and blind corners, all of which are typically hidden by thick mountain fog. So, drive cautiously and keep your eyes peeled. However, on a clear day, you will get 360° views of lush jungle to the west of the Caribbean Coast to the east and the Pacific coast.
The Darien Gap
After crossing the Panama Canal, the Pan American Highway stops at the notorious Darien Gap. Also known as the most dangerous, lawless, God-forsaken terrain on the planet. Although indigenous tribes live here, its most infamous residents are Colombian guerilla and drug runners.
So, the only option is shipping your vehicle from Panama to Colombia, and vice versa if you’re going back to the north, and catch a plane or boat to collect it on the other side. The trip here can take five days to a week.
Plans to build a road through this Gap have come to nothing because of:
- The sheer cost and difficulty of constructing a road through such rugged terrain.
- Pressure to protect the rainforest environment.
- The indigenous tribes, such as the Kuna and Embera-Wounaan, consider that a road would threaten their traditional cultures.
- Concerns that a road would make it simpler for foot and mouth disease to get in North America.
Colombia to Ecuador
The highway then picks up again, following Colombia’s sounds, sites, and cultural marvels. You’ll start the epic trip along South America’s West Coast.
In South America, the highway goes through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, roughly 5894 miles.
In Colombia, the road runs through Medellin and Cali before crossing the border at Tulcán into Ecuador. Famous historical sites to visit in Colombia include Museum Pablo Escobar, Museo de Antioquia, and Plaza Botero.
Ecuador to Peru
In Ecuador, The Pan-American Highway goes through the capital, Quito. Quito is the world’s second-highest capital city, at 9,350 feet, after La Paz, Bolivia. Among many other marvels, you’ll get to experience Ecuador’s untouched rainforest.
From there, the road heads south to Peru. You’ll take Peru Highway 1, which runs the nation’s length and connects all main cities in the coastal area, including Lima, Peru’s capital. One must-visit attraction here is Peru’s ancient Incan ruins.
Peru to Argentina
On crossing Peru into Chile, the highway joins the Atacama Desert, the driest non-polar location worldwide. Also, you can’t miss the beautiful Chilean mountains. The road then goes through Chile Route 5 through Antofagasta to Valparaiso.
If you check the map, you’ll notice an unofficial branch of the highway that keeps going down the Chilean coast on Route 5, ending in Quellón on Chiloé Island. The official route at Valparaiso heads east through Chile Route 60 across the Andes Mountains to Argentina. It becomes Argentina National Route 7 and passes the Pampas to Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
The final leg of the Pan-American Highway runs on Argentina National Route 3 for 1,892 miles from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, which is on Tierra del Fuego. You’ll see Argentina’s lakes, glaciers, fjords, and steppes, and an unlimited number of adventures in between. And that’s that. You’ve finished your trip in six months.
The 12 Month Itinerary For The Nature Lover
The unofficial route from Deadhorse, Alaska to Ushuaia is 10,927 miles, which would take 6 months, if you’re driving for 3 hours every day. However, more time means more stops at places you like and more detours from the main highway. Here’s the detailed 12 month itinerary for the nature lover:
Dalton Highway – Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
You can start this off from Alaska. The globe’s longest road trip starts on what’s viewed as among the world’s most dangerous highways. It was the first highway featured in the BBC’s World’s Most Dangerous Roads.
This road was constructed in 1974 to act as a supply road to support the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. It is a challenging drive with no services of any kind. Here, you’ll encounter terrible visibility, icy asphalt, and the persistent threat of avalanches on the 380km Dalton Highway. Temperatures here can drop to -52C. This stretch can take a day driving for 7 hours.
Prudhoe Bay To Laredo
Prudhoe Bay in Alaska is where you start the journey as you head north-south. This stretch is 4624 miles and can take one month if you drive three hours daily while making stops.
From here, the highway goes on into Canada, with a few different routes heading further south into the U.S. Things can get confusing here because the American federal government has declared all interstate roads to comprise the Pan-American Highway.
You can check your map to choose the best north-south freeways connecting with the mainland official Pan-African Highway in Mexico, going through beautiful landscapes, cute little towns, and famous cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, etc. San Diego on your way.
The original Pan-American Highway starts in Laredo, Mexico, just across the San Antonia border in Texas, and keeps going to Mexico City.
A separate route follows Mexico’s western coastline before connecting with the original road in Mexico City. The North American part of this highway runs from the top of Alaska to the capitals and jungles of Central America.
The nature lover will enjoy the incredible mountain scenery, including waterfalls flowing into pristine swimming holes, thermal soaking hot springs, beautiful sunsets over the pacific, and a countless selection of majestic national parks.
Notable activities and attractions include:
- La Tovara Jungle River Tour of Machatan, and Gran Cenote in Mexico.
- There are many parks to check out in Costa Rica, including Sabana Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Manuel Antonio National Park, and Arenal Volcano.
- You can also visit Ojo de Agua in Nicaragua, Pacaya in Guatemala, and in Belize, there’s the Belize Barrier Reef, and Chiquibul Forest Reserve.
Mexico- Panama
From Mexico, the highway passes through every Central American capital, except Tegucigalpa (capital of Honduras), even though the road passes 60 miles south of the capital. You’ll then hit The Darien Gap, which is between Panama and Colombia.
As described above, you can cover the stretch by plane or ship, with your car traveling separately in a shipping container, which should take roughly a week.
You can’t cross the region by bike or foot due to the difficult terrain, and you risk running into dangerous smuggler gangs. You can charter a boat to the colonial city of Cartagena, where you get to enjoy the best of the lush Caribbean Coastline in Colombia.
Colombia to Argentina
The highway picks up again in Turbo, Colombia, before going south. You’ll follow the western side of the South through Ecuador (including Quito, the capital) and Peru (including Lima, the capital) and on into Chile.
Notable attractions in South America include:
- The Fortress of Kuelap and the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru,
- Swinging at the end of the world in Ecuador,
- The Whale Graveyard and Atacama Desert in Chile.
- In Argentina, you can check out the Lujan Zoo, el Perito Moreno Glacier, and Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego.
Further south, stop at Lake Titicaca before taking the unmissable salt flats straddling Chile and Bolivia. A branch in Chile makes its way to Quellón while the main highway heads to Argentina and Buenos Aires. Try the continent’s best steak and red wine in Buenos Aires if you’ve got time.
Another route then branches to Uruguay and north into Brazil, going through São Paolo on your way to Rio. Those determined to head to the southernmost point of the highway can head in the opposite direction to Patagonia’s incredible natural beauty and the road’s ultimate destination, Ushuaia, which is on the island of Tierra del Fuego.
The 15-Month Pan-American Itinerary for The Beach Lover
Even though the original Pan-American Highway mapped out is approximately 15,000 miles long, for this trip, we won’t follow the exact route. We’ll instead venture into many side roads and detours, spending even months at one destination to get the most out of the experience. This trip will take
Alaska to Mexico
Take the route running through Calgary, Alberta, and Billings, Montana, and then link with Interstate 25 through Denver, Colorado, to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Then, from there on, take Interstate 10 to San Antonio, Texas, where it connects with the initial route. For this route, you’ll spend less time driving the actual highway and instead crisscrossing into several destinations and attractions along the way.
You can spend several months in Mexico because there’s so much to see and do. You can swim in turquoise waterfalls in La Huasteca Potosina, snorkel in the underground cenotes of Yucatan Peninsula, and drive through beautiful remote mountain roads to reach some unbelievable hillside thermal pools, all for only a couple of dollars each at most. Mexico is one country that will leave a lasting impression on you.
Belize to Colombia
After leaving Mexico, you can venture into Belize. It has some of the best snorkeling worldwide. Although it’s technically not part of the highway, you can check it out. You can visit Caye Caulker, a popular fun party island, providing tours to some really excellent snorkeling sites (and bottomless rum after).
Alternatively, you can visit Silk Caye, a small island off the southern coast in Belize. Here, you get to swim with eagle rays, sharks, octopuses, and other amazing sea creatures for half the cost and half the people. You may then keep going along into Guatemala. It’s one of the least developed nations in Central America with rugged jungle adventures, remote pyramids, erupting volcanoes, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet on this highway.
You can also visit Guatemala’s stunning markets full of colorful textiles. Next is Costa Rica, which is famous for its beaches, surfing, and unreal wildlife that feels like a scene from The Jungle Book come to life. You’ll enjoy searching for waterfalls in the forest, macaw birds, and sloths along the trails.
Central America is fun and exciting, but the heat and humidity can make things unbearable. So, it’s advisable to explore this area in short, traditional holidays while going on fun adventures in the daytime or recharging at a pool or room at night.
The Central America route can take you 6 months, with a 6-hour drive every two days.
Colombia to Argentina
After you cross into South America, you can stop over in Colombia. This diverse destination has beautiful colonial towns, is full of history, amazing coffee, culture, and unique adventures. You can spend several months enjoying the destination, including cities like Medellin, Cali, and Bogota.
For Peru, you can check out the famous Machu Picchu ruins. Also, the country is home to one of the tallest waterfalls globally, amazing mountain hikes, and a cool oasis city (Huacachina) concealed between massive sand dunes in the Peruvian desert. And finally, the southernmost region of South America (Patagonia), also known for its unique caves, turquoise blue lakes, and endless glaciers that will blow your mind away.
Conclusion
How long it takes you to finish this journey is all dependent on the time, money, and experience you’re looking for. The goal is to make the most out of your time and enjoy every moment of it.
Have you taken a drive on the Pan-American Highway, or is it something you’re interested in doing? What was your experience? We’d love to hear your stories and pointers in the comment section below.
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