Traveling the Pan-American Highway, the world’s longest drivable road, can be daunting. It is surely an accomplishment to brag about. However, it is a difficult and lengthy journey that is both interesting and potentially dangerous.
A trip that requires research and preparation in order to make the most of it.
Fortunately, many people have already done the research for you and are eager to share their experiences.
Many documentaries have been made to chronicle the daring attempts of people who set out to cross the Pan-American Highway. From independent films from the 1940s to electric vehicle cruises during the last decade, there is a multitude of films to inform – or even dare – you to embark on your own adventure.
Out of many documentaries and Hollywood films produced, we found the best for you!
Whether you want to step on a great adventure in the Americas and enrich your travel experience, or you’re just curious about the world’s longest motorable road, this list has you covered.
Here are the top 7 list of Pan American Highway Documentaries.
1. Panamericana – Life at the Longest Road on Earth
Panamericana is a popular 2010 Swiss documentary about a voyage from Laredo, USA, to Buenos Aires. It depicts South America’s natural beauty as well as the contrast between poverty and wealth.
And, of course, the social and economic significance of the world’s longest drivable road.
Panamericana is more than just a highway trip. It is a story about people and places.
The documentary avoids tourist traps in favor of an authentic look at scenic attractions. It manages to give us a genuine view of life in Central and South America, even through graphic images.
2. Long Way Up
For those interested in motorcycle journeys, Ewan McGregor, the Star Wars protagonist, combines his passion for riding with the recognition of his Hollywood career in a challenging trip through two continents.
McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman take us on a challenging route through South America, from Ushuaia, Argentina, to California, USA, in Long Way Up.
Aside from being a fun adventure with the beloved movie star, this series takes us through the difficulties of not only riding a two-wheel vehicle for 13,000 miles but also having to constantly search for chargers in a harsh EV charging landscape.
Read more about the team’s adventures here.
3. Our Neighbors Down the Road
Our Neighbors Down the Road, a rare documentary from 1942, is set on the South American leg of the road. The film follows a motor truck mission that begins in La Guaira, Venezuela, and ends in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil are among the countries visited by the expedition.
Our Neighbors Down the Road is possibly the oldest film documentary on the Pan American Highway. Not only does it have historical importance for each country, but it also portrays images of cultural significance, ranging from Ecuadorian markets to Chilean nitrate beds.
This point of view may not be helpful for a trip today, but it will certainly enhance your travel experience by allowing you to see the differences between today’s South America and South America more than 80 years ago.
You can watch the rare documentary here for free.
4. The Pan-American Highway: From Peru to Tierra del Fuego
Set in a smaller section of the road, From Peru to Tierra del Fuego is a wonderful documentary. It is not so much of a road trip as a tour to places of importance throughout South America.
From the European Southern Observatory to the habitat of the adorable Gentoo Penguins, through areas of civil wars and drug wars, a German TV team is set to discover stories and history in an absolutely perfect route.
Spanning through a rarely visited part of the world with amazing narration, the documentary manages to lead us a thousand kilometers through high mountain passes. It is a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about the countries where the road leads to in its southern leg.
You can catch the video on YouTube here.
5. Racing Green
Racing Green is a film about an electric car’s epic journey spanning two continents, from the upper to lower end of Pan Americana. In 2011, a daring group of engineering students set out to put their electric car to the test.
The BBC film depicts the electric car traveling 19,000 miles across two continents, 14 countries, extreme weather, and difficult terrain, managing through trial and error with computer programs developed specifically to provide services for the trip.
Racing Green is an inspirational story about what the human mind can accomplish while working to create a better future for the planet.
It’s also a fantastic way for us to visually visit the magnificent places America has to offer, from Alaska to Ushuaia.
You may also like: Is the Pan-American road paved?
6. The Pan-American Highway by Mel & Ethel Ross
Melvin and Ethel Ross’ 1961 film is another classic. In the 1950s, the two artists, activists, and filmmakers decided to traverse America in a camper truck, making adventure films.
This film depicts their journey from Alberta, Canada through Mexico to Ushuaia in 1960 and 1961.
The Ross film contains excellent audiovisual material as well as social commentary on the majority of the locations visited.
From Mexico’s oldest university to Tierra del Fuego, the film is a great example of where modernity has and has not reached.
You can catch it for free on YouTube here.
7. Darien Conquest
Darien Conquest is not a documentary about a road trip. It is a documentary about the infamous Darien Gap, which is the only place in America where the American highway stops and cannot be traversed.
A 1971 expedition from Alaska to Ushuaia encountered significant difficulties crossing the Darien Gap.
The expedition chose to demonstrate the difficulty of passing through the Darien Gap.
A group of armed officials, servicemen, and scientists collaborated to demonstrate how and if vehicles could pass through the Darien Gap while conserving and respecting the environment and indigenous tribes.
The Darien Conquest is a 50-year-old documentary that is still relevant today, as the Gap remains impassable.
It may help you learn more about this vast area of jungles and swamps that you will be unable to traverse by vehicle.
Watch it here on YouTube.
Road Worth Taking through North and South America
If there is one thing that all of these documentaries have done, it is to pique people’s interest in traveling across America.
That, and, of course, deepening our understanding of all the cultures and people who inhabit the regions traversed.
Many travelers have attempted the epic journey from Alaska to Patagonia since the early twentieth century. Perhaps it is also time for you.
These videos will help you prepare for your trip better while also enriching your experience with cultural and historical information.
