road trip from south america to alaska

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The Pan American Highway: The Longest Road In The World

At its fullest extent the Pan-American Highway is a network of roads stretching from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina, a distance of around 48,000 kilometres (30,000 miles).

According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world’s longest “motorable road” . However it is not readily possible to drive all the way since the route is interrupted by the 160 kilometre-wide (100 mile) Darién Gap between Central and South America.

The Highway consists of both official and unofficial elements. The official section, which is referred to in Spanish variously as the Autopista / Carretera / Ruta Panamericana, runs from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on the U.S. Border to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.

However, as shown on the map there are extensive unofficial sections to both the north and south of this.

The route shown on the map runs through 14 countries:

• The United States
• El Salvador

It also has links to a number of other countries. In the process it passes through all the major climate zones and many varied landscapes including arctic tundra, boreal forest, mountains, prairies, arid deserts and tropical jungles.

Moving from north to south, the route starts at Deadhorse, Alaska near the Prudhoe Bay oilfields and for the first 662 kilometres (414 miles) follows the Dalton Highway to Fairbanks.

The Dalton Highway was constructed in 1974 as a supply road to support the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. It is a challenging drive, with no services of any kind on one 384 kilometre (240 mile) stretch, and was the first road to be featured in the BBC’s World’s Most Dangerous Roads .

From Fairbanks there is a 155 kilometre (96 mile) link to Delta Junction at the northern end of the Alaska Highway, the next part of the route.

The Alaska Highway was constructed in 1942 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, as a wartime project using around 10,000 troops . Its purpose was to link Alaska with the 48 contiguous states through Canada to help defend against a possible Japanese attack.

It was originally around 2,700 kilometres long but as of 2012 had been shortened to 2,232 kilometres (1,387 miles) and is now paved over its entire length.

The Alaska Highway terminates at Dawson Creek, B.C. from where the route shown continues to Edmonton, Alberta. After Edmonton the map identifies two possible routes.

The first goes through Minneapolis after which it follows the Interstate 35 through Dallas/Fort-Worth to the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas.

The second route runs through Calgary, Alberta and Billings, Montana and then connects with the Interstate 25 through Denver, Colorado to Las Cruces, New Mexico and from there on the Interstate 10 to San Antonio, Texas, where it joins the first route.

In practice, given the unofficial status of the routes through Canada and the United States, many other alternatives are possible.

The Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo, just across the border from Laredo marks the start of the official section of the Pan-American Highway.

From there it runs to Mexico City along Mexican Federal Highway 45 and on to the border with Guatemala along Mexican Federal Highway 190.

It then proceeds through Central America, passing through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. With the exception of Honduras, its route takes it through the capital cities of each of these countries, namely:

• Guatemala City (Guatemala)
• San Salvador (El Salvador)
• Managua (Nicaragua)
• San José (Costa Rica)
• Panama City (Panama)

One of the most challenging sections of the route lies in Costa Rica, where it rises to 3,335 metres (10,942 feet) at the ominously named Summit of Death (Cerro de la Muerte).

This summit marks the highest elevation on the Pan-American Highway in Central America. Indeed, following the completion of the Christ the Redeemer Tunnel between Chile and Argentina (see below), it may well be the highest elevation along the entire route.

The route through Central America terminates abruptly at Yaviza, at the edge of the Darién Gap and resumes on the other side at Turbo, Colombia in South America.

All but the most intrepid circumvent the Gap by taking one of the ferries that go from Panama to Colombia or Ecuador, from where they can reconnect with the Pan-American Highway.

In Colombia the route runs through Medellin and Cali before crossing the border into Ecuador at Tulcán.

In Ecuador the highway goes through the capital, Quito. At 2,850 metres (9,350 feet) Quito is the world’s second highest capital city , exceeded in elevation only by La Paz, Bolivia. From there the route heads south to Peru, where it follows Peru Highway 1, which runs the length of the country and connects all major cities in the coastal area, including the capital, Lima.

On crossing from Peru into Chile the highway enters the Atacama Desert, the driest non-polar location in the world . The highway then follows Chile Route 5 through Antofagasta to Valparaiso.

As shown on the map, there is an unofficial branch of the highway that continues on down the Chilean coast on Route 5 terminating in Quellón on Chiloé Island.

At Valparaiso the official route heads east following Chile Route 60 across the Andes Mountains to Argentina, where it becomes Argentina National Route 7 and crosses the Pampas to Buenos Aires.

Before 1980, the border used to be at the Upsallata Pass, which at 3,832 metres (12, 572 feet) made it the highest point on the Pan-American Highway. However, 1980 saw the opening of the Christ the Redeemer Tunnel (Túnel Cristo Redentor) at 3,200 metres (10,499 feet), which became the new crossing point.

The final (unofficial) leg of the Pan-American Highway runs for 3,045 kilometres (1,892 miles) from Buenos Aires on Argentina National Route 3 to Ushuaia passing through Bahía Blanca and Comodoro Rivadavia.

Near its southern end the route goes back into Chile and crosses the Straits of Magellan via a short ferry ride before going back into Argentina and on to Ushuaia, which is located on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, the largest island of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

Argentina claims Ushuaia as the world’s most southerly city , a fact that is disputed by Chile which claims Puerto Williams for this distinction. While the Chilean town of Puerto Williams is indeed farther south , Ushuaia has a much larger population (71,000 vs. 3,000) , so take your pick.

The record for the fastest trip by car from Ushuaia to Prudhoe Bay (mostly on the Pan-American Highway) is credited to Tim Cahill and Garry Sowerby in the astonishing time of twenty-three days, twenty-two hours, and forty-three minutes .

Tim wrote about his experience in his book Road Fever . In 2003 Kevin Sanders broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest traversal of the highway by motorcycle , taking 34 days.

No account of the Pan-American Highway would be complete without a discussion of its missing link, the Darién Gap .

This area of undeveloped swampland, forest and mountain straddles the border between Panama and Colombia. Thus far, plans to build a road through the Gap have come to nothing .

There are a number of reasons for this including:

• The sheer difficulty and cost of building a road through such difficult terrain.
• Pressure to protect the rainforest environment
• Concerns by indigenous groups, such as the Embera-Wounaan and Kuna that a road would pose a threat to their traditional cultures.
• And concerns that a road would make it easier for foot and mouth disease to enter North America.

Over the years, the enormous challenge of traversing the Gap has attracted a number of diehard souls.

The first vehicular crossing of the Gap was by the Land Rover La Cucaracha Cariñosa (The Affectionate Cockroach) and a Jeep of the international Trans-Darién Expedition of 1959–60, which took 136 days!

The first crossing by a standard two wheel drive passenger car took place in 1961 with three Chevrolet Corvairs, only two of which made it out of the jungle.

Up to this point, the expeditions had used river boats for some sections. The first fully overland wheeled crossing of the Gap was that of British cyclist Ian Hibell, who rode from Cape Horn to Alaska between 1971 and 1973.

The first motorcycle crossing was by Robert L. Webb in March 1975.

The first all-land auto crossing was in 1985–87 by Loren Upton and Patty Mercier in a Jeep, taking an incredible 741 days to travel 201 kilometres (125 miles).

Ed Culberson was the first to follow the entire Pan-American Highway including the Darién Gap on a motorcycle.

There have also been a number of crossings on foot, including that of George Meegan in 1981, who walked the entire distance from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska over a period of 2,425 days !

The most unusual walker was evangelist Arthur Blessitt who traversed the Gap in 1979 while carrying a 12-foot wooden cross as part of what Guinness World Records recognized as “the longest round the world pilgrimage”.

Principal References:

• Pan-American Highway
• Dalton Highway
• Alaska Highway
• Pan-American Highway (South America)
• Atacama Desert
• National Route 3 (Argentina)
• The southernmost settlements in the world

Tim Cahill, Road Fever (1991) Ed Culberson, Obsessions Die Hard: Motorcycling the Pan-American Highway’s Jungle Gap (1966) George Meegan, The Longest Walk (1988) Russell Braddon, The Hundred Days of Darien (1974) John Blashford-Snell, Something Lost Behind the Ranges (1994) Ian Hibell, Into the Remote Places (1984) Mark A Smith, Driven by a Dream (2004) Wade Davis, The Rucksack Man (1976) Arthur Blessitt, The Cross (2009) Joseph R. Yogerst, Long Road South: The Pan American Highway (1999) Raymond and Audrey Pritchard, Driving the Pan-American Highway to Mexico and Central America (1998) Brad and Sheena Van Orden, Drive Nacho Drive: A Journey from the American Dream to the End of the World (2013) Ben Cunningham, The Longest Road: An Irish Pan-American Cycling Adventure (2009)

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Nicolás Valencia says

May 20, 2016 at 7:57 pm

I would like to clarify a point related to Chile. In our country it’s known as Route 5, but instead of arriving to Valparaiso, it goes to Santiago. In fact, in a short section, Route 5 is crossed by Route 60 (Valparaiso – Buenos Aires), before arriving Santiago, capital of Chile.

Route 5 cross Santiago as a north-south axis (well-known as “La Norte-Sur”), then continues on down to Puerto Montt. Then, you have to sail the Chacao Channel from Puerto Montt to Quellon, the southernmost city on Chiloe Island.

GeoNie says

November 2, 2021 at 10:14 pm

It’s on the internet dude!! Geez

November 2, 2021 at 10:18 pm

Hey NicolásValencia. Chile looks so beautiful in its beach front glory to that big wall separating Argentina. I envy you guys and will land in Santiago soon

Veronica Philips says

July 9, 2017 at 8:47 pm

Image what can happen on a family road trip, when your son asks the innocent question, “What’s the longest road in the world?” This was a great read, and I’m thinking it needs to be a bucket list item..

Tom Swinburn says

August 13, 2018 at 7:53 am

Meegan traversed 12 miles a day for YEARS to make his journey. Almost seven years in fact. So there were no sick days, no breaks of any kind? I guess I’m going to have to buy his book. The 12 miles a day was the average, but some days he could have walked much further, other days, like in the Darien gap a mile a day would have been tough. And the elevation changes! The feat seems almost superhuman.

August 10, 2019 at 10:06 pm

Without modern technology, navigating, writing and Reading about this would not be possible. Someday like the Jetsons someone will just be able to fly their own personal vehicle the whole way !!

Ian Sarad says

September 27, 2019 at 5:00 pm

I just did a little research and discovered that it’s actually 30,000 km (not miles).

Muhammad Naeem Khalid says

October 28, 2019 at 6:01 pm

Pan American Highway is 30000 KM or 30000 Miles please clarify

Bill Emerson says

February 23, 2020 at 9:57 pm

In 1998 I drove from my home in Kansas City to Panama…..It was a great trip! To return I put my car on a ship to Florida, and then drove back home. Even though I do not speak Spanish, I did not find language to be a problem. In fact, I had virtually no problems. I have always wanted to do another trip thru South America to southern Chile. Is there anything more that I should know?

Regards, Bill Emerson

Andrus says

September 11, 2020 at 3:51 pm

For a trip to south america, Route 40 in Argentina is far more interesting than the pan-american highway. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Route_40_(Argentina)

September 12, 2020 at 10:21 pm

In Argentina, the 5000 km of Route 40 are much more scenic that panamerica highway.

wayne winzer says

April 7, 2023 at 4:00 am

follow transmigratoty route. easier now than then. I drive Wichita to Guatemala every year

Jane Carpenter says

June 16, 2020 at 9:10 pm

Muhammad I think you’ll find your answer here in this article. Although you may not – it’s still slightly confusing! 🙂 https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/4638-pan-american-highway.html

joana galarza johnson says

April 4, 2020 at 1:51 pm

What an interesting article, thank you. I would like to offer one more reason why the Darian Gap’s closure has come to nothing. Colombian drug lords. Colombia’s notorious Pablo Escobar and countless other drug cartel leaders, hid (and had drug distillation industries) at the northernmost tip of South America. In the rainforests.

Also, there is a new book, To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins (2019) about traversing the Pan American Highway on bicycle, from Oregon south to Patagonia. Lovely book.

Stefan White says

April 5, 2020 at 7:01 am

My stepfather was the mechanic of an Inter-American Expedition in 1953 that drove a Sunbeam Alpine non-stop from Fairbanks, Alaska to the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego, using rafts to cross the Gap and sleeping with headhunters in Central America. That would be preceding the claim made here.

June 13, 2020 at 2:43 am

I just came up with about 22,000 kilometers on Google Maps, depending on the specific routes chosen. Clearly, 30,000 kilometers, or miles, is incorrect, since the straight line pole-to-pole distance is only 20,000 kilometers, as measured on Google Earth.

stephen morrow says

March 7, 2021 at 12:59 am

Mileage stated here is way off…19,000 miles is more like it.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-American_Highway

V CLEVE WALSTROM says

August 9, 2021 at 8:38 pm

Danny Liska of Niobrara, Nebraska rode a BWM motor cycle the length of the Pan American Highway (he hiked the Darien Gap) in the early 1960’s . His book Two Wheels to Adventure is a classic that out shines all.

Cleve Walstrom

Waithumbi says

October 3, 2021 at 1:34 pm

It’s a Wonderful article to read, like now when the migrants from Haiti are WALKING through the Darien Gap Jungle.

jane doe says

August 23, 2023 at 2:29 pm

wait a minute – migrant Haitians are walking the Gap? Haiti is an Island in the Caribbean – how do they get from there to the Gap? Something is off…

Gerard Deveau says

February 6, 2023 at 6:15 pm

Great article and comments as well! A Bucket List Adventure for sure God willing.

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The Ultimate Guide To Driving The Pan-American Highway

The scenic Pan-American Highway is the longest road in the world stretching around 15,000 miles from Alaska in North America all the way down to Argentina in South America.

When we finally ditched our comfortable lives in LA and set out on a journey of a lifetime to travel across the Pan-American Highway for 15 months, we had no idea what to expect.

We learned so much along the way about things that can help make this trip easy ( and things that can go horribly wrong ).

Our Pan American Highway guide is here to help you plan an epic road trip and answer any questions you may have – from our personal experience!

If you are thinking about driving the famous Pan-American Highway, here are some tips and things that you should know before heading out on the Pan-American road trip:

Pan-American Route & Map

How long does it take, how much does it cost, crossing the darien gap, best vehicle for pan-american, do you need a 4×4, highlights of the trip, pan-american dangers, what to bring, car insurance, currency & credit cards, must-have phone apps, cell service, traveling with pets, other pan american highway tips.

The Pan-American route is a network of roads that start in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and from there travel south through both North America and South America until its ending point in Ushuaia, Argentina. It’s known as the longest road in the world because it connects two continents north to south.

The Pan-American Highway is approximately 15,000 miles long and passes through 14 countries along the way.

In North America, the Pan-American Highway passes through : the US , Canada , Mexico , Guatemala , El Salvador , Honduras , Nicaragua , Costa Rica , and Panama .

In South America, the Pan-American Highway passes through: Colombia , Ecuador , Peru , Chile, and Argentina .

Although the actual Pan-American route mapped out is around 15,000 miles long, nobody does the exact route without venturing into many detours and side roads. On average, most people end up driving around 30,000 miles during their Pan-American road trip.

In fact, during our trip across the Americas, we spent very little time driving the actual Pan-American Highway because most of the time we were crisscrossing into various attractions along the way. Some of those side destinations often include Belize in Central America and Bolivia in South America.

While some people try to start off their Pan-American road trip in Alaska, it’s so remote and far out of the way that most people start their trip in Canada or the US .

When we set out to venture down the Pan-American highway, we started off in California. We had already spent considerable time exploring Canada and US and we wanted to venture into some new countries starting with Mexico.

A trip across the Pan-American highway can really take as long as you have time ( or money ) for it. Most people that we met traveling along the Pan-American highway do it anywhere from 9 months to 2 years. We ended up spending 15 months on the road traveling from California to Southern Argentina.

If you are short on time , it’s best to plan the route ahead of time and focus on seeing the main highlights. On the other hand, if you have all the time in the world, you’ll probably find yourself venturing into lesser-known areas and going more “off the beaten path”.

We tried to take it slow and see everything under the sun during the first 9 months of our trip but traveling in this style started wearing on us after a while . We felt like we spent more time “living” in these countries and trying to stretch every last penny than seeing all of the best highlights and enjoying the destinations like we would have if we were on a vacation.

When we got to South America, we switched up our approach and only traveled to the main highlights. It worked better for us since we spent less time exhausting ourselves driving to random little towns and we spent more time exploring the top locations.

Again, this just depends on your travel style . We just wanted to see all the top highlights and sooner than later return back home to our old lives in the US.

The cost of driving the Pan-American Highway is highly dependent on your comfort level while traveling. While we try to travel pretty cheaply, we always leave a little room and budget to splurge on things that we love ( like cheese and wine ).

On average, we spent around $2200 in travel expenses per month between the both of us. The biggest expense for us is typically food followed closely by gas.

We cook most of the meals in our campervan and seldom splurge on restaurants but we also don’t eat ramen noodles like college kids. Eating healthy and yummy food to us is a priority but that often comes with a steep price.

Since we travel in a van we rarely pay for campsites or hotels , only on special occasions when we feel like taking a break from van life or when our families come to visit.

The biggest one-off expense of the Pan-American highway for us was shipping our van across the Darien Gap which cost us $1100.

The most expensive single activity of this entire trip was visiting Machu Picchu in Peru. The cost to visit the Machu Picchu ruins is around $250 per person covering a train ticket, a bus ticket, and an entry ticket to get into the ruins. The good news is that we found a cheap workaround from a back entrance that can save you a lot of money. To read more on that check out our Machu Picchu Travel Guide here .

Read Next: VAN LIFE – How Much Does It Really Cost?

Although the Pan-American highway is known as the longest road in the world, there is a section between Panama and Colombia that is not drivable . This section is called The Darien Gap .

For environmental and political reasons, visitors are not allowed to travel into this section. The only way to get your car across the Darien Gap is on a ship. This ship typically takes a few days to get your car across from Panama into Colombia ( or vice versa ) and costs anywhere from $1000 to a few thousand depending on your car size.

There are a few ways to ship a car across the Darien Gap: RORO (roll on/roll off), container, and LOLO (lift on/lift off).

We chose to go with a container because it’s the most secure way to ship. We heard a lot of theft happens during the RORO shipping since you have to give your keys to the port staff and the cars are left unattended.

When you choose container shipping, you drive your own car into a container that gets sealed before getting loaded on a ship. You get to keep the keys and the car is completely locked up until you go to pick it up on the arriving side.

If you decide to ship in a container, first you will need to find a shipping partner to share a container with in order to split the cost in half. We used the Pan-American Travelers Association Facebook group and Container Buddies to see if anyone was shipping at the same time as us. We ended up shipping in a 40 ft High Cube container with another car and paid around $1100 each.

Once you find a shipping partner you will need to arrange a shipping agent who will coordinate everything for you . We shipped our van from Panama City to Cartagena and the two main agents for this route are Boris Jaramillo and Tea Kalalback.

We had originally contacted Tea and everything seemed ready to go when last minute she emailed us saying that we did NOT have a spot on the ship and we ended up losing the non-refundable flights that we had booked from Panama to Colombia.

We then contacted Boris with Ever Logistics and he was super helpful and got us a spot on the next outgoing boat a few days later. His contact email is [email protected].

Passengers are not allowed on this ship so you will need to arrange a flight into Colombia and a hotel while your car ships across. Once your car arrives in Cartagena, you will need to go down to the dock in Cartagena and get it out. This requires 2 days of running around Cartagena to pay various fees and get paperwork signed. 

You don’t need an agent on the Colombia side, just a lot of patience while you run around the city getting paperwork done.

You May Also Like: 50 Van Life Tips For Living On The Road

During our trip along the Pan-American Highway, we met people traveling in all types of vehicles – small sedans, SUVs, motorcycles, vans, trucks with pop-up tents, huge motorhomes, bikes, Unimogs, old and new, you name it . There really is no best vehicle and it really just depends on your travel style and personal comfort level .

We had originally planned to do this trip in our Honda Element SUV. We even converted our Honda Element by adding a bed, solar shower, fan, and fridge. But after a trial month of traveling through the US and Canada, we realized that it was just too tight and crammed for us to enjoy a long-term trip.

Instead, we got a Promaster van and spent 3 months converting it into a campervan . It has made our traveling so much more comfortable and we rarely splurge on hostels or Airbnb’s, saving us a ton of money.

Having a midsize van on this trip also helps us stealth camp just about anywhere. It’s especially helpful in cities where the cops are a little stricter about camping on the streets. Most people just think we’re a working van.

Many people choose to go with smaller vehicles that may be more nimble or get better fuel mileage, but you’re likely to end up spending just as much in monthly expenses since you will need to pay for campsites, hostels, hotels, and Airbnb’s more often.

If you’re worried about having car issues and not finding parts, you might want to look for cars that are sold throughout Latin America . These would include any car or SUV sold by Kia or Hyundai, Ford Explorer, Mercedes Sprinter, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota 4Runner, or Jeep Wrangler.

There are many others sold in North America that are also sold in Latin America, like Toyota Land Cruiser, Ram Promaster (Fiat Ducato/Citroen Relay/Peugeot Boxer/Renault Master), Land Rover Discovery, and Mitsubishi Montero, to name a few, but all of these are sold in North America with gasoline engines whereas in Latin America they are only sold with diesel engines. If something goes wrong and you have to find parts for the engine/tranny of these cars, you’re probably going to have to ship the parts in from another country ( speaking from our personal experience ).

If you have a right-hand drive vehicle, note that you may have some difficulty traveling through Central America, especially in Costa Rica. It is illegal to drive RHD vehicles in Costa Rica so many people end up shipping their vans from Guatemala into Colombia, skipping most of Central America for this reason.

A lot of people think that you need a 4×4 van to do this trip. Although there are roads along the Pan-American highway where having a 4×4 is helpful, it is not a necessity .

Our Promaster van is a front-wheel drive. We have driven across some of the most rugged roads in Guatemala and through the sketchiest mountain passes in Peru with no issues.

We did get stuck in a swamp once and had to get pulled out… but that was 100% our own fault .

Instead, what’s really essential in choosing the right vehicle for the Pan-American Highway is getting one that has high clearance, weighs as little as possible, has a good set of all-terrain tires, and isn’t oversized . This combination will get you to 90-95% of the places you want to go.

We’ve seen some really cool 4x4s that can’t go off the paved roads because they’re so overloaded and top-heavy. We’ve also seen many Unimogs that can’t go off the main highways because they don’t fit in any of the side roads or campgrounds, so having a 4×4 doesn’t always help.

Personally, we find it almost impossible to provide one single answer when someone asks us what our favorite country or place has been on this trip. However, there certainly are some places that stand out more than others. Here are some of our top highlights from 15 months of traveling along the Pan-American highway .

We started our trip in Mexico and our plan was to spend 2 months there, at the most. After realizing how much cool stuff there is to see and do, we threw that plan out the window and we ended up spending 5 months traveling through all of Mexico.

We swam in turquoise waterfalls in La Huasteca Potosina , snorkeled in underground cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula , and drove through remote mountain roads to get to some unreal hillside thermal pools , all for only a few bucks each at the most. Thinking of countries that left a lasting impression on us, Mexico is definitely on top of that list.

Central America

After leaving Mexico we ventured into Belize which offers some of the best snorkeling in the world. Although Belize technically is not part of the Pan-American Highway, we just had to visit it.   

Our main mission in Belize was to find the top snorkeling sites. While Caye Caulker is the “go to” fun party island that offers tours to some really amazing snorkeling sites ( and unlimited rum after ), our personal favorite was Silk Caye, a tiny island off the southern coast in Belize. Here we swam with sharks, eagle rays, octopus, and other incredible sea creatures for half the price and half the crowds.

We continued along into Guatemala , one of Joel’s favorite locations. Guatemala is one of the least developed countries in Central America which means rugged jungle adventures, erupting volcanoes, and remote pyramids along with some of the friendliest people we’ve met on this journey. Guatemala is also known for beautiful markets filled with colorful textiles.   We have 5 blankets to prove it.

Another one of our favorites was Costa Rica . Costa Rica is known for its beaches, surfing and some unreal wildlife that looks like a scene from The Jungle Book come alive. While we certainly enjoyed searching for waterfalls in the jungle, our favorite part was seeing all the monkeys, sloths, and macaw birds along the trails.

Overall we loved Central America , but at the same time, the heat and humidity were making sleeping and cooking in our van almost impossible. In our opinion, this is a region that’s best explored in short traditional vacations while going on adventures during the day and recharging at a hotel pool or room at night.  

South America

After crossing into South America, we didn’t really know what to expect of Colombia (it probably didn’t help that we just finished watching Narcos).

Colombia turned out to be one of the most diverse South American destinations with colorful colonial towns, lots of history, culture, amazing coffee, and unique adventures. After spending 2 months traveling through Colombia, here are 15 of our top Colombia destinations that we highly recommend for Overlanding .

One of my personal favorites of our time in South America was Peru ( okay, so maybe I DO have a favorite after all ). Besides visiting the world-famous Machu Picchu ruins , Peru is home to one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, incredible mountain hikes, and a cool oasis city Huacachina hidden between giant sand dunes in the Peruvian desert.

Last ( but not least ) there is the Carretera Austral Highway in Chile , the southern region of the continent. Known for turquoise blue lakes, unique caves, and endless glaciers I couldn’t think of a better way to finish up a trip through the Americas .

We could really go on forever sharing all about our favorite Pan-American destinations, but if you want to read more about our trip highlights, check out our Destinations page here .

This is one of the topics that we get asked about the most and something that our friends and family were really concerned about when we started the trip.

And I’m not gonna lie… we were pretty nervous too .

While I can’t speak for everyone because sometimes unfortunate things happen, during our 15 months of traveling the Pan-American highway we had no major issues and we felt relatively safe.

One of the worst things that happened to us was getting my backpack stolen in Colombia at a Starbucks ( from all places ) while I was working on my laptop and not paying attention.

There are some areas, however, that are known to be more prone to crime along the Pan-American highway and travelers should use more caution while driving through:

• Chiapas, Mexico . We always hear about the crime issues in Mexico due to the drug cartels, but neither we nor any of the hundreds of people we know who went through Mexico ever encountered an issue with cartel violence. Instead, it’s Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico, where people have the most issues. This region has long been anti-government, anti-establishment, very poor, and many of the villages thrive on violently extorting money from anybody who passes through. We were held up by angry mobs demanding money for driving on the roads and asked for a “security payment” by an armed “neighborhood watch”. Our friends had their tires slashed and chased by locals demanding money at the threat of violence, and another overlander was attacked with wooden boards with nails. And the saddest of all, two European bikers were found dead with their belongings missing while passing through this region. The cops and military don’t really go into this area so it’s sort of the Wild West down there.
• Peru Coast . We heard there are a lot of car break-ins, armed robberies, and well-organized scams along the Peruvian coast. It’s also one of the poorest areas that we saw along this trip so people are a bit more desperate. While traveling along the Peruvian coast we watched for any warnings left on the iOverlander app and we never left the van completely unattended. We personally had no issues but unfortunately, our friends were not so lucky and had a break into their van and had all of their electronics stolen.
• Costa Rica . This one was really surprising since Costa Rica is basically the 51 st state of the US these days, but Costa Rica is currently a hot spot for thieves and car break-ins. There are thousands of American tourists around every corner, and locals know that tourists carry nice, often expensive things in their cars as they move around the country. Many of the people we know had their cars broken into in Costa Rica, but they weren’t always necessarily only after nice things – our friend’s well-used swimming shorts were stolen right off his side mirror as he made dinner just a few feet away.
• Northern South America . From Colombia through the northern metros of Argentina and Chile, pickpocketing and petty theft are very common in cities. This is why you’ll see many people walking with their backpacks worn on their chest, and sitting at coffee shops with their bags held under their arms. While traveling in this area, just try not to walk on empty streets at night and never put anything into pockets that can’t be zipped or closed somehow. Since we spent very little time in the cities of South America and opted instead for the mountains and more remote areas, we mostly avoided these issues.

Most people who start the Pan-American road trip will pack their cars to the max with emergency and “just in case” items but in reality, you don’t need that much .

Personally, we don’t have a whole lot of stuff to begin with and we also like to keep our living space uncluttered. We decided to only bring the bare necessities which helped us keep the van light for better gas mileage.

Along with everyday necessities like clothing and kitchen utensils, here are some things that you should bring along on the Pan-American road trip :

• Two water tanks . We keep one water tank for filtered drinking water and one for everything else like doing dishes and brushing our teeth that we fill up at gas stations. You could use filtered water for everything but it would be quite costly.
• One spare tire . We actually didn’t even use our spare tire once during our 15 months of driving down the PanAm road so you don’t need more than one.
• Basic tools . Flat/Phillips screwdrivers , an adjustable wrench , duct tape , a flashlight , and pliers – the bare minimum in case you break down in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise, mechanics are everywhere and other overlanders usually carry a ton of tools in case you need to borrow one.
• Fire extinguisher . If you have a stove in your vehicle, you’ll be cooking in small quarters or outside and things can easily tip over and catch on fire. Our friends’ stove actually caught on fire but they were able to safely toss it out and put the fire out before it did any damage. Better to be prepared and keep a small fire extinguisher at hand reach.
• Tow strap . In case you push the limits of your car like we constantly do and need someone to pull you out. They’re super cheap and don’t take up much room.
• Headlamp . 95% of the time, we’re sleeping in places that don’t have much light. Look for one that is dimmable and preferably one that has a red light setting, which helps keep your night vision and doesn’t travel as far so you can be more incognito.

Read More: 85 Van Life Essentials That You Should Be Packing

There are a few countries along the Pan-American highway that require vehicle insurance for international drivers.

In North America, the countries requiring car insurance are: Canada, the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama .

US and Canada have reciprocal car insurance laws so if you have insurance in either country, you can use it in the other as well.

In South America, the countries requiring car insurance are: Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina .

In the US, Mexico, and Chile we purchased our vehicle insurance online, but most of the time you can purchase car insurance right at the border. Peru was the only country where we had to cross the border and drive into the next town to purchase it.

Related Post: DIY Promaster Campervan Conversion Guide

Most of the small businesses in Central and South America operate on a cash basis so for this trip, it’s very important to have a good debit card that won’t charge you crazy ATM fees . We love the Schwab Debit Card because it is free, charges no overseas withdrawal fees, and refunds any ATM fees that we were charged by other banks at the end of the month.

The Schwab Debit card comes with the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account – you can read more about it on the Schwab website.

At some ATMs we have been charged up to a $10 fee to take out the money in a single transaction. Getting this money back at the end of the month has been pretty sweet.

For this trip, you will also need a VISA credit card. Most businesses in Central & South America only accept VISA or Mastercard , but some countries like Peru only accept VISA (when they accept credit cards at all).

We really couldn’t have done this trip without our favorite phone app iOverlander . For us, this app was a total lifesaver.

The iOverlander app was created by other Pan-American overlanders as a place to note all the best campsites, attractions, gas stations, laundry spots, and other useful places while traveling. Over the years it has grown extremely popular and is based solely on reviews left by other travelers. iOverlander is our go-to source to find cheap (or free) camping spots and anything else we may need along the way.

There are also a couple of map apps that can make life on the road so much easier. Google Maps is great because the roads are pretty up-to-date, it gives you accurate driving time estimates, and you can download the map sections ahead of time to use when you’re offline. We also like using the Maps. me app which is amazing for finding hiking trails and figuring out their distance and elevation but is not so great for driving because it likes to give extremely optimistic time estimates and can sometimes lead you down dirt roads that shouldn’t even be on the map.

We also recently found out about the app WiFi Map . WiFi Map lists tons of open WiFi networks in the surrounding areas and for someone like me who works a lot online, this app is super helpful.

A few years ago I signed up for Google’s Project Fi cell phone service and it has been a total game changer for traveling. Instead of purchasing local cell phone chips in each new country, Google Fi automatically connects your cell phone to the local cell providers so you never lose reception while traveling, all at full LTE when available.

We pay around $80 per month for Google Fi service that includes “unlimited” data up to 15 GB for the two of us. The data is still unlimited after 15 GB but it’s much slower.

We use just about all of 15 GB of available data every month. But we also work online, stream shows and slightly obsess over Instagram so most people tend to use a lot less than that. It actually says on their website that less than 1% of users use all 15 GB of the available data so THAT makes me sort of question my life choices.

If you have a pet, you may be wondering if it’s possible to do this trip with your furry little friend.

During our trip along the Pan-American highway, we brought along our indoor cat Minka. We made some special arrangements for her in the van but overall we found that traveling with a pet through Central and South America is very easy .

It took her a couple of months to get used to being in new environments every day but now she absolutely loves it. As soon as we stop she hops out of the van, runs around a bit, eats some grass, and looks at the farm animals from the distance but mostly just naps. She has traveled through 15 countries in our van and every new place is like a new adventure for her.

Many of the people we’ve met during our Pan-American road trip travel with pets – mostly dogs, some cats, and even a couple of guinea pigs – and everyone manages just fine. There are some restrictions on dogs in many of the national parks of South America so it does limit you a tiny bit, but overall it’s not that difficult.

While most countries don’t really care that we have a cat at the border crossings, some countries are tougher than others. The hardest countries for crossing with pets are Belize, Panama, Colombia, and Chile, where they want some kind of paperwork to be done before entering and/or charge a fee for entering with a pet.

Before crossing any borders check iOverlander for any requirements. All of the information in iOverlander gets constantly updated by other travelers so this has been our best resource for border crossings with pets.

I also joined a Facebook group called Animal Travelers specifically created for people who travel with pets. It’s a great place to ask questions about traveling with pets, especially for flying and specific border crossings.

Read Next: 10 Tips & Tricks To Get Ready For Van Life With A Cat

Here are a few tips that we learned ( sometimes the hard way ) that can really help make life easier on this trip:

• Make copies of car registration, passports, driver’s licenses , and any other important documents before tucking them away somewhere safe. Also, make sure to scan and keep a backup online like on Google Drive.
• Apply for an extra license before leaving . This was a big one for us that we easily overlooked. After my wallet was stolen in Colombia and Joel lost his wallet in Ecuador, we were stuck without driver’s licenses which we needed to drive, pay for groceries, and cross borders. We didn’t have any extras so we ended up making laminated copies out of the scans that we had backed up. Thankfully they’ve worked so far at every border and checkpoint!
• Join the Pan-American Travelers Association Facebook Group . This is a public group with thousands of members who are traveling the Pan-American highway, have done it in the past, or plan to do it. If we have any concerns or questions that we can’t find answers to anywhere else, a lot of times we find them by searching this group or by posting a question in it.

The idea of traveling in a car through 14+ foreign countries can seem pretty intimidating ( at least it did for us ), but during our trip, we met so many amazing travelers and overlanders who helped us out with questions and tips along the way.

We hope this guide can do the same for you but if we didn’t cover something fully or if you still have any questions on traveling the Pan-American highway, don’t hesitate to ask us in the comments below!  

Looking for more van life inspiration? Here are a few other helpful resources and blog posts that you may like:

• 16 Best Sprinter Conversions For Van Life
• 30 Must-Have Campervan Accessories For Van Life
• 10 Amazing Ford Transit Conversions For Inspiration
• How To Make Money While Living In A Van
• The Ultimate Solo Female Van Life Guide

This post is written by Laura Sausina. Hi, I’m the founder of the Fun Life Crisis travel blog and I’ve been traveling full-time for the past 7 years. Here I share my experiences and tips to help 100,000 people a month plan their adventures around the world! Read more about me here .

Some of the links used in this blog may be affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission when you book through these links which helps support this blog! Thank you!

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134 thoughts on “The Ultimate Guide To Driving The Pan-American Highway”

Very helpful, thank you. I’m a 58 year old (spiritually about 28!) Brit going to do the journey. No mention of buying US 3rd party insurance here though, any ideas? Thanks Andy

Personally, we have not used travel insurance and have gotten pretty lucky with never having any issues on our travels so far. But it is something that I am looking info for future travels and I have heard that the World Nomad insurance is a pretty popular choice. Here is a link to their UK website: https://www.worldnomads.co.uk/

Cheers, Laura & Joel

3rd party insurance is compulsory in US and most South American countries, I believe, isn’t it ?

Hey Andy, sorry I misread your comment. I thought you were asking about travel health insurance.

In US it’s easy to get car insurance as long as the car is registered in the US. There are tons of companies offering car insurance online such as Geiko, AAA, Progressive, State Farm, All State, Liberty Mutual etc.

In North America, the countries requiring car insurance are: Canada, US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. In South America, the countries requiring car insurance are: Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina.

In the US, Mexico, and Chile we purchased our vehicle insurance online, but most of the time you can purchase the car insurance right at the border. Peru was the only country where we had to cross the border and drive into the next town to purchase it.

Hope this helps clarify things.

Hello! First of all, thanks a lot for this great info! It’s truly appreciated and useful. I’m a 30-year-old Argentine national but have lived in Florida for 19 years. I’m planning to tackle this road next year. I have the following questions, any info would be greatly appreciated!

1. Do you think is doable in 3-4 months starting from Florida? I have time constraints due to work/studies.

2. How much did it cost to ship the car from Ushuaia back home? (or perhaps from Buenos Aires or Valparaiso?)

3. Approximately how much did you spend in gas? food? paperwork/documentation?

4. How was your experience during border crossings? Was it expensive?

Thanks a lot in advance! I truly appreciate it.

1. I really don’t think you can do it in that short of time. In 3-4 months you could do the US through Panama, or part of South America, but I don’t think shipping the car to South America and back would be worth the hassle for that short of a trip. There are many overlanders selling their cars in South America for cheap after they finish their trip, maybe buying one of those and doing a few months in SA would be a good idea. 2. It all depends on the size, but from Valparaiso or BA/Montevideo to the US/Mexico, you’re looking at $2k-5k and takes a few weeks to coordinate. There are no shipping options south of that. 3. Our costs were about $1200 (Mexico) to $2500 (South America) per month for two people. This is highly dependent on where you stay, what you eat, and your fuel efficiency. We very rarely paid for places to sleep, cooked 95% of our own meals, and drove a van that got 16 mpg on average. 4. Border crossings are all over the place but usually not bad. Nicaragua was the worst by far because they were so slow, unorganized, and inspected everything, but the other ones were quick and we rarely got inspected or questioned. Usually, borders take 1-2 hours but some were as quick as 20 minutes. Having pets is probably the biggest hurdle because sometimes they want extra paperwork. Entering Mexico is the most expensive at around $100, the rest are usually free or a couple of dollars.

Hope that helps!

Nicolas have you considered shipping to Ushuania and driving back? I am from the UK and looking at riding a vespa scooter the whole route from south to north in early 2022.

There is no place to ship a vehicle south of Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hi! Is shipping your van back to the states from Argentina best or is it easy to sell your van at the end of the trip? Thanks!!

It really depends on the vehicle, timing, and a bit of luck. For us, we tried to sell the van at a huge discount down in Argentina but couldn’t find the right buyer since it’s all about timing. I’ve heard of some people that sell their vehicles for next to nothing to avoid the shipping costs, and have known some people that paid a huge premium to get an expedition ready vehicle that was at the right place at the right time. In general, I noticed that vans were in high demand but only on the very low end of pricing, like under $5k.

Thanks for your response! Thought – what if we started in Patagonia/Argentina and tried to find a van down there to drive back north? Might be luck/timing but maybe could find someone selling in advance…? Not sure how popular the van life culture is down there / enough supply and demand. Mil gracias!

It’s pretty rare for people to sell their vehicles in Patagonia since it’s so far south and there’s so little transportation from down there. Most people sell around Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina since that’s where most international flights land and leave from. Buying a local vehicle with Chile or Argentina plates is super expensive because of their crazy import tax laws, so the best bet is to find another overlander who’s done with their trip.

This is what Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman did for Long Way Up. You should be able to ship a scooter or motorcycle (motorbike) in the cargo hold of an airplane.

Awee , I lived in Florida , was going through the whole process of traveling on the pan America highway , We shipped our Toyota truck in our country in Guyana and we went through Guyana interior , throughout to lethem into Brazil, , into Venezuela Columbia Ecuador Peru Chile Argentina and Brazil back into my country Guyana,Took us three months of nonstop driving, except in the night, We slept in a our truck. every night it was just me and my husband, that’for me was a life time adventure I will never forgot , the sceneries was breathtaking, there is so much to see, but we had to come back because we had four kids so so a good vehicle , know language,, and I have all your documents insurance and everything passport everything in order before traveling,,you would love the trip enjoy , it cost us around 12thousand dollars , and the year 1996 , the road driving is unbelievable ?????

Found your site and have enjoyed our reading so far. We are leaving after next year for 12-15 months like you to go to South America. Our big thing is we will have our two dogs (lab & husky) and the gap is our biggest concern right now. Can we go on any boat with our van? Flying with dogs is not an option (unless emergency). It does not have to be comfortable and we would pay extra for this want but seek beta from those who potentially have made the journey. Thoughts? Thanks for sharing

The only way to ship the car is on a cargo ship but they don’t allow passengers since they’re only for cargo. To get across the Darien Gap, you can either fly or take a sail boat that goes through the San Blas islands. We’ve heard numerous people go on those sail boats with animals, you just have to find the right captain that allows pets. What most people with pets do is get an ESA letter and fly with your pets onboard instead of in a kennel in the storage area. That’s what we did and it was really easy, you just need any ESA letter, a vet letter, and a pet document from Panama – the details of how to get that document is on iOverlander.

great article. I plan to make the drive from Costa Rica to the states. I have a vw wagon which I converted into a camper…I am not into outdoor life, however, I would like to do some sightseeing and take my time…I am retired and time is on my side. I was wondering if I can sleep in my wagon and relax….

That sounds like a very relaxing trip! We spent quite a bit of time in Central America and there is just so much to see and do. Hope you have a great time on your trip!

Always dreamed of driving through the Pan American Highway (Mexico to Argentina and then circle back from Brazil to French Guiana (Circle around the entire continent of South America). I now live in Europe, so I’m not sure when I’d be able to do it. Though I’ve already been to Peru, many other countries all over Latin America have intrigued me (Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Brazil). Hopefully, I’ll be able to fulfill the dream soon, but I prefer to see countries by seeing them one at a time.

hi, am looking to start this journey soon…will be travelling south to north (peru to canada/alaska) any links for insurance please?

Insurance is usually bought on-site at or near the borders at every border you’ll be crossing. The only exception is Mexico through Canada where it’s done online. For Mexico, try Baja Bound insurance. I don’t know about US & CA insurance since we’re from the US and never had to deal with that part

What kind of insurance is he talking about? Car insurance? Health insurance? I never considered insurance…

Car insurance is mandatory in many countries, most can be bought at the borders but some you need to buy online. In some countries they won’t give you a car permit at the border without it, and in some they set up police checkpoints where they check your insurance. It sounds more complicated than it is, you figure it out pretty quickly once you hit the road get a few border crossings under your belt.

Your blog is great! My boyfriend and I are saving to drive from Canada to Argentina, your posts are so helpful! Thanks

Hi Marsha Do share your experience; I am in Toronto and planning to do an Arctic to Argentina trip myself. Thanks,,, Max

Thank you so much for the information. We are saving money for this trip and we want to go when we have enough money. But because of the wet season we don’t know when it is the best time to go. How did you plan that part?

We just went whenever our van was ready. Mexico is nice in October-March, central is good in December-July, the northern part of SA is good in May-September, and the southern part of SA is good in November-March. So it depends on how long you want to go but if you want to do it in about 15 months you could start in Mexico in the fall and hit every place in their ideal time. As for the rainy season, we kept hearing about the rain in Central America but we thought it was blown way out of proportion. CA did not have a bad rainy season since it’s always hot and humid anyway. The rainy season you should really watch out for is in the northern part of SA (Colombia-Peru) where you really can’t do anything between October-April. Many roads are impassable and most hikes are closed or impossible to do.

Hi there. We have been traveling back and forth from Mexico to Canada and have made three trips. We have a 29′ RV (I want to downsize) something missing in your posts was getting an import permit for any foreign vehicles traveling into Mexico. With the RV we could get a 6 month or a 10 year permit. If you are caught without a permit they will impound your vehicle. We paid around 450 pesos for a 10 year permit. The Permits are available at most border crossings in a separate building than Customs. We are enjoying the information you have shared here. Thank you and take care.

Thank you for this bit of info but I wonder if you could clarify what a foreign vehicle really means: one registered in another country (US/CAD) I presume? Also, wouldn’t customs inform people of this import permit? From what you say, it sounds as though it’s not nearly as obvious as it should be. True?

What Peter is trying to say is that Mexico’s border is pretty relaxed and for the most part, they just let you in without really stopping you. They do this because so many people cross the border daily that they can’t stop everybody and check for vehicle permits, it’s up to the driver to stop and get the appropriate vehicle permit to drive in the country. Also, you’re allowed to drive a foreign vehicle without a permit as long as you stay within 26 km of the border. If you just cross without stopping to get the permit, then later on you’ll get to a checkpoint where they’ll ask for your vehicle permit and you’ll have to drive back to the border to get the permit. This is very different from any country south of Mexico where they don’t have these agreements in place to let people roam freely, and in those borders they make you get all the appropriate permits before crossing.

I want to travel via sub or truck from Texas to Costa Rica. Any advice is cc’d welcome and appreciated.

Do you have to go both ways, can you sell your vehicle at the south end of the trip and fly back? If people are selling their vehicle at the south end, is it possible to buy it and drive back north? thanks

Hey Cornelius,

Most people go one way and either ship or sell their vehicles at the end of the trip. We drove from the US to Chile and shipped our van back to the US when we reached the end of the Pan-American Highway.

A lot of people do end up selling their vehicles at the south end because shipping them back costs around $3000-$5000. For that you can check out the PanAmerican Travelers Association Facebook group . A lot of people post their cars for sale on there.

Cheers, Laura

I have a house in Panama and I’m planning on driving down this time what does it cost and what kind of paperwork do you need to cross ryukahr does it need to be translated in Spanish

Hey Steven,

Are you referring to the Darien Gap? It costs around $1000 to ship a van across the Darien Gap. You will need the vehicle title to arrange shipping through an agent on the Panama side.

I’ve seen a lot of mention shipping one’s vehicle FROM Darien Gap but what about in reverse? Is it the same process? And is it possible to catch a sailboat with one’s dogs (flying isn’t an option) to get back to Panama? Also, no one’s mentioned how people get around once their vehicle’s been freighted. Is it easy to rent a car for a day or so?

Yes, plenty of people do it in reverse and it’s the same process. I’ve heard of people going on sailboats with their dogs to do the Panama-Colombia crossing which would be cool since they go through the San Blas islands. We originally wanted to do this but it takes a lot of planning to coordinate the crossings just right. We did the ESA thing for our cat, nobody hassled us and pets fly free in the cabin if they’re an ESA. Cartagena is really easy to get around in a taxis, Panama is a little more difficult because things are more spread out so a rental car would help there.

How much do you have to pay at each countries border crossing to get your car across and does the paperwork needs to be translated from English to Spanish notarized

Usually, you don’t have to pay for border crossings. When you do, it’s only a couple of dollars. You can check the iOverlander app where people leave notes for each border crossing.

The paperwork can be in English, it doesn’t have to be translated into Spanish.

This is Harold and Eva 66 and 67. If we ever would travel S.America, we would like to do this with some other party with similar interests. Anyone out there ?? Greetings, Harold

Yes. We are interested Brian & Shelly [email protected]

Great post. Love the fact you stated all the important details. Thanks

Your trip struck me as “the trip of a lifetime.” Hey, I get lost in my backyard, would my car navigation work out there in the towns and main highways. You guys are fantastic inspirations. Rick

Take a look at Itchyboots’ YouTube channel. She uses a nav system everywhere (South America, Africa, the Middle East) on her motorcycle. Very inspirational!

This post is so inspiring and informative!! Thank you so much!! I’m looking forward to taking more road trips after the pandemic and would love to convert a van.

That is very good.

Thanks for your post. My wife and I are considering driving from Florida to Panama City in a 4X4 pickup with my motorcycle in the bed. Looking to be expats moving to Panama. Will we incur any problems with this? Luggage will be minimal.

In some countries you’re only allowed one vehicle per person so make sure you have the vehicles titled to both names, that way if they say anything you can just do the paperwork under the other person’s name.

Advice: If you’re traveling on a right hand drive vehicle, note that in 2018 Guatemala passed a law that made right hand drive vehicles illegal (as in Costa Rica). Should you get caught driving on the right you could get fined and your car can even be consigned by law enforcment so don’t take that chance.

I’m putting together my 1949 F1 ,with a 2003 Lincoln avaitor drivetrain, what kind of documentation is needed for the vehicle to ship to Colombia, I’m in the US right now.

You just need the car title and registration along with a driver’s license and passport. They’ll ask for Colombian car insurance but you can easily get it in Cartagena if that’s where you’re shipping to.

Hi Laura and Joel I enjoyed reading about your trans-American Highway adventure. It is so informative and current. Thank you very much. I am planning to do this big driving trip. As I am not handy with car repairs, could I ask if the car does break down esp. in SA, are there mechanics available to help with repairs? Once again, thanks Peter

There are plenty of mechanics everywhere but the big problems with breakdowns are finding parts and getting towed anywhere. Unless you drive one of the few vehicles that are sold unchanged throughout the world, you’ll likely have to ship in parts if something goes wrong. Also, our overlanding rigs are usually too big to get towed since they’re used to dealing with much smaller cars in Latin America. Lastly, if you’re in a small town or in the middle of nowhere, there’s pretty much 0% chance you’ll find either of those two things without getting to a major city first. Best thing I can say is if you’re not very familiar with your vehicle and know how to fix things, buy the newest car you can afford for the trip since that’ll give you the best chance of making it without a breakdown

I saw a reference to RHD vehicles in both the article as well as the comments. Am I missing something?

Many people drive Delicas and other cool imported 4x4s that are perfect for a trip like this and are mostly found as RHD. Many people who do the trip also come from RHD countries.

Did you carry much cash or use it in transactions. How is the gas quality?

We hid some cash in our van’s walls in case we needed it but never did. Other than that, we carried very little cash on hand and used our Schwab account to take out money from ATMs anywhere for free. We never had issues with gas quality but we have a gasoline engine, those with modern diesel engines could have issues since they don’t sell ULSD between Mexico and Chile.

2 Questions… Did your van get searched at border crossings and can you carry a weapon for protection?

Our van got searched a few times (maybe 5) but usually not very thoroughly. We did not have weapons other than knives and wouldn’t risk bringing a firearm along as it’s illegal to cross borders with them and they’re illegal in many countries.

Great story and comments! Very intrigued by the prospect of doing this trip as we’re approaching retirement and would like to do it before we’re too old. I noticed that you made no comment as to currency types used. Was the US Dollar good everywhere? Or were you making currency changes in each country you passed through. Thanks in advance for the info and safe travels in the future!

We used our credit card almost everywhere since CCs actually give you pretty good conversion rates. We just made sure to use CCs that don’t have foreign transaction fees. When we needed cash, we took out local currency from the ATMs using our Schwab account which gives us free ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world and refunds us any fees the ATM charges. We never used USD except for El Salvador, Panama, and Ecuador where the dollar is used as their national currency.

I love this! It’s a perfect starting point to plan a trip

I’m hoping to start a big South American road trip in about a year if covid has finally settled down

Any advice on buying a car when you get to SA rather than shipping one? I’m trying to decide between buying a car in the Southern US and shipping it across the Darién gap when I get there or just backpacking Mexico/Central America and then buying a car in Colombia to drive South with.

I speak Spanish reasonably well and have a few close Colombian friends in Bogota and Medellin which should help with the paper work I think.

Buying a car in South America is a great way to do it because most people finish their trip down there and don’t want to deal with the expense or hassle of shipping their vehicle back home. The problem is you have to be pretty flexible as far as timing and what kind of vehicle you buy, but if you’re flexible, you can get some great deals. For instance, we were willing to sell our van for $10k less when it was down there but we didn’t find the right buyer at the right time. There are a few facebook groups dedicated to buying/selling overland vehicles in South America, check those out as they’re the best resources. The best place to find American titled vehicles is around Santiago and Buenos Aires as most people end their trips there and there are people that will title your car in Washington without being there.

I had heard that you can’t have any liens on your vehicle before entering mexico. ie fully own it with no payments.

Is that true?

I’m not sure about Mexico, plenty of people take new cars down there and I doubt they all own their vehicles outright. I know a lot of people take their cars to Mexico with just a registration so I don’t think Mexico cares about ownership. Once you keep going south, many of the other countries ask for the title but let’s just say they don’t know what a US car title looks like or have any way of verifying whether it’s real

Hello, I am Brazilian and I am currently in the USA, I want to drive from Las Vegas to Brazil, my question is regarding the documents to cross the borders, I have a car, insurance and driver license here from the USA all in my name, but my passport is from Brazil. do you believe this is a problem?

No, won’t be a problem anywhere except for maybe in Brazil. A lot of people drive cars titled in countries other than where they’re from.

Do you have to have a drivers license in all of the countries you travel through?

For clarification, I am an US citizen. I have a Utah drivers license. Will I need to get a new license in Mexico, Peru, etc. to drive in those countries?

No, any license will work

If you’re driving then yes you’ll need a license in case you get pulled over and to get the car permit at the borders

Do you have any interest in selling your van to us for the trip?

Hey Matthew,

Yes, we are looking to sell it soon. You can email us at [email protected] to chat more.

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your grand adventure, and all the most valuable information on traveling “do’s and don’ts”.

Thank you, Mike! We’re glad that our post was helpful : )

Hi , thanks for taking all the time to share your fantastic experiences. I’m from Australia. I would start the journey in the US. can I buy a car in the US as a tourist – or do I need a residential address in my name? I encountered this in Holland : There-was-no-way I could register a car in my name unless I was properly registered in a town’s citizens register, for which I needed proof of registered house ownership or … proof of registered house rental for which the waiting lists are so long one just as well books a burial lot.

You need some kind of address to write on the registration papers and get the registration and title sent to, but don’t necessarily have to prove residency. It also depends on the state, I know many foreigners go to the state of Washington since their rules are much more relaxed whereas in Oregon they wanted me to have an Oregon driver’s license to register a car. There are people who offer a service on the panamerican travel association group on facebook where for a small fee they’ll take care of everything and you don’t even have to be there. Otherwise, you can rent a virtual mailbox in a state to use as your home address and register the vehicle there then cancel the service once you get the registration and title delivered.

I’m really interested in knowing how you handled the problem in Chiapas and the right-hand drive issue at the Costa Rica border. Thanks

Chiapas has a deep history of anti-government activities and issues, and as a result it can be kind of lawless at times. Looking back at it now, the best outcome would be to approach that area with caution, stay and park only in secure areas, and be prepared to pay the locals when they violently demand money for no reason. Travel in groups when possible and don’t let your guard down. As for Costa Rica, we don’t have right-hand drive but the common things people do to get through if you do have right-hand drive is to either 1) stop in Nicaragua and head back to ship south from Guatemala or Mexico, or 2) cross the border at night, hide the wheel with stuff, and create a dummy steering wheel on the left side, or 3) pay someone a lot of money to tow your vehicle through the entire country. In my opinion, option 1 is best because once you’ve seen the jungles of southern Mexico through Nicaragua, there’s not much else to see in Costa Rica and Panama and you’ll save yourself from the torture of the never ending heat of Central America.

Holà, looking at driving home to Canada from Costa Rica, the winds seems favourable. This plan is in its early stages so I might add that I am not rushed at all, and that I’m very much looking into networking, forums, and tips that could help over the next months. I am planning the purchase of the vehicle in Costa Rica but so far my biggest barrier in preliminary research is the Insurance situation from Mexico-North…Tips, forum links, experienced persons would be hugely appreciated. Another import question I have is: tent & bnbs, or camper? Is camping more liberating than a well planned route with safe campsites/bnbs?

(i’ve emailed you as well btw)just in case

The best forum for information and questions is the Facebook group “Panamerican Travelers Association”. Most people who are traveling the panam are part of that group so it’s a great place to get updates on traveling conditions or to just connect with others who are also on the trip. The sleeping situation is probably one of the most varied in everyone’s approach. It’s hard to reliably find places to tent camp so that would be hard to do. It’s also hard to consistently find good hotels/hostels/whatever. The more set up your are to sleep in your own vehicle comfortably with some amenities, the easier the journey without having a need to constantly plan ahead or spend half the day looking for a hotel or campsite every time you move.

Hi there, Enjoyed everything you guys posted. One thing nobody bothered to ask was since your trip was going over 12 months how did you get your renewal tags for the following year since you were out of the country? Did you have a friend with access to your mailbox which then mailed them to your current location?

Thank you for your response!

We have permanent plates from Oregon but if we didn’t then I probably would have registered the vehicle as non-operational during the entire trip. That way you don’t have to keep paying for US insurance and the DMV won’t ask for smog checks. As far as the actual paperwork and mail, we had that delivered to our parents while we were gone. And as far as tags go, nobody outside the US knows what kind of tags your plates are supposed to have so nobody will ever notice or care that your tags are expired.

Hi Joel, Thanks for responding. Is there a difference between Oregon and California (This is where my car is registered) when it comes to plate assignment? So none of the countries you guys drove in bothered you guys at all if the car was current or not on its registration? And what I mean by that when you guys crossed the border, if you were pulled over or not by the police, or especially, when you shipped you van from Panama to Colombia? Because that’s kind of risky. I know for a fact in Chile and Argentina they will expect your car to be up to date on its registration year because that comes up when you need to obtain an car insurance policy in either of those counties. If you guys made it all the way down there without a hiccup you guys were incredibly lucky. But then again you guys had backup because your tags were mailed to your parents house so in the event that something were to happen they can easily fed-ex it to you guys.

Once you venture below the US you realize that for the most part, laws are at most a guideline that very few follow. Nobody ever bothered to look closely at any documents, even Chile and Argentina. In Chile their main concern at the border is pets and food, and Argentina didn’t really care about anything including so called mandatory insurance which most overlanders buy from some guy through Whatsapp and is probably fake. The brand Ram and the vehicle Promaster don’t exist south of the US and not a single country cared, they just marked us down as a Dodge Ram pickup truck which is close enough. It’s intimidating at first when planning ahead but once you hit the road and cross a few borders it all becomes much easier.

Hi there, Three of us are thinking of taking our Sprinter Vans along the Pan-American Hwy with our motorcycles on the back to get to those out of the way places our vans won’t go. Do you know if it is impossible to ‘import’ the 2nd vehicle (motorcycle) into some countries as they only allow one vehicle per person?

Like you said, some countries only allow one vehicle per person so it would probably be doable if there were two people per van and each person had their name on at least one of the titles. The other thing would be that you’ll have to do all the paperwork twice, get double the insurances, and in some countries pay fees for each (although it’s never much). What I would probably do is take something that doesn’t fit their bill of what a “vehicle” is and it wouldn’t trigger a need for an import permit. I’m thinking moped, electric bike, pocket bike, maybe even a Honda Ruckus with the plates removed… anything that doesn’t fit their idea of what a motorcycle should look like.

Hi there. Thanks for the info. I am wondering if there are people who want to make the trip south but don’t really want to turn around and do the trip north. Is there any group…. where I might be able to find a vehicle that wants to come back north?

I’ve never heard of anyone that has done the trip both ways. Most people start at the north, head south to the end, then travel back up to Buenos Aires or Santiago and ship their car back home from there. Europeans do it in reverse order quite often, shipping to Buenos Aires, heading south, then north to Canada before shipping back to Europe. Many people decide to sell their vehicles after doing the trip one way and is a great way to get into a vehicle that’s been prepared for overlanding but are typically in immediate need of maintenance.

Don’t you need a permit to take your car into each country? For example, I know when driving to Mexico you pay a fee and then it’s refunded (partially refunded) once you return. Any insight on this? I don’t plan on returning to the US though; I’m moving to Ecaudor.

Yes, you get a permit in each country as you enter, usually called a TIP. Mexico is the only one that actually charges you, the rest are free except for some spare change to make photocopies of documents. When you leave each country, the TIP is cancelled.

How did you get the van back from Argentina!!

We shipped our van from Buenos Aires to Houston via RORO ship (roll-on, roll-off)

can make this trip with a motorhome? (Buss). because of the roads

Absolutely, lots of people do the trip in Class A RVs, converted school busses, and Unimogs. The bigger the vehicle the more restricted you are in cities and remote locations but your comfort level increases drastically. We found that a van was probably the sweet spot between between comfort and access, with anything too much bigger or smaller requiring a lot more planning ahead for sleeping arrangements or road access.

me and my girlfriend were looking to drive the South America portion of the trip with our two cats. What did you guys do with your cat if you wanted to go off for the day exploring? Did you do any hiking in Patagonia?

we’re trying to be as realistic as possible.

The cat was perfectly fine throughout the trip, in fact she actually liked it more than being at a home. At home she just hides all the time, during the trip we was always trying to explore outside the van every time we stopped and wasn’t scared at all. We always made sure we left the exhaust fan on and a window cracked if we left her. We did a lot of hiking in Patagonia and would leave her in the van with extra food and water, she was always fine. Central America was actually the toughest region for her (and us) because it’s so hot and wet so there’s little you can do to cool the car down. All of South America, outside of the northern coast, had pretty cool weather so it was easy to leave her in the car.

Hey Joel, Laura Thank you for this blog! It is very well written and touches all the necessary aspects of Pan American travel. I am thinking of making this trip from Canada to Argentina solo in a 2-DR Jeep Wrangler. Good idea? Bad Idea? How long will it take (3-6 months?) and how much will it cost in total (USD 20,000?) I was wondering if I can may be get in touch with you at a regular basis for some guidance? Max

You can do it in any vehicle including the 2-door Jeep Wrangler but it’ll be a little harder with that car because you can’t sleep in it. It’s a decent choice, it’ll just take a little more planning because every day you’ll have to plan on where you’ll pitch a tent or rent a room to sleep in. If you can afford a roof top tent and have a way of putting it on, that would be a pretty ideal setup. The fastest we heard of people doing it and still having time to see things was about 8-9 months, anything less and you’re really having to skip too many things and spending most of your days driving. If you get a roof top tent, you should be able to do it quickly and cheaply since you can go faster without spending too much time trying to find the right sleeping place and you’ll rarely have to pay for campgrounds so it would very quickly pay for itself. Email us anytime for more

Hi, one of my fantasies has been doing this trip from US all the way until Chile. Every once in a while I do a search on how to do so and today I found your article and got me exited about trying to make it happen. One question, and of course safety is one of my biggest fears for doing the trip, but how you handled Chiapas people trying to bribe you?

Safety’s a big concern for everybody on the trip but once you get going you learn how to stay alert and avoid bad situations, for the most part. Out of all the people we met, we rarely heard of anybody getting into big trouble other than the occasional small theft. As for Chiapas, it’s pretty well known that certain areas are unstable and should be avoided so most people take a different route to avoid that bad area. When we couldn’t avoid it, it sucked paying an angry mob demanding money but there’s little we could do so we just bargained for the three vans we were traveling with and paid.

Hi, I’m curious how you paid the angry mobs when they demanded money. You mentioned you had cash hidden in the van’s walls, but that you never needed to use it. How then did you pay the angry mobs and how much did they demand vs. how much you actually had to pay? Thanks!

They usually had roadblocks set up and you couldn’t get through unless you paid. Every roadblock was different, some wanted $5, others $20. Sometimes we passed through multiple ones on the same day. I don’t know if the situation is still the same there.

Thanks for the info. We are planning Colombia to Argentina in Jan. Just a small point – in some of these countries you legally have to carry a kit in the car, for example in Colombia you must carry a fire extinguisher that is in date, and various tools.

Did you obtain visiting visa for each country you entered prior to your trip or the visas were obtained on arrival at the borders? (Not sure, to enter some of the latin American countries you don’t visas if you have USA passport).

If you are American, you don’t need a visa to enter most countries in Central and South America. The only country that might require a visa is Brazil (or at least they used to, not sure about it now) which is why we skipped it.

I am starting our trip very soon and I live in Colombia. I am a teacher and also plan on continuing teaching on the road through online classes. How reliable is the internet signal with the Google Fi service in countries like Peru and Bolivia?

Having Google Fi service was definitely the easiest option vs buying a SIM card in every new country like many of our friends did. Internet in bigger cities is pretty decent and you can also find a lot of coffee shops and cafes that offer internet. In smaller towns, it’s a bit more challenging so it just depends where you’re planning on traveling to.

Can you bring weapons for just incase purposes?

We personally did not. Every country has different rules and your van gets searched a lot, especially at the borders, so we didn’t risk it by bringing any weapons.

Did the national parks offer cabins as well as campsites?

It depends on each country and National Park. We visited several on our trip and some offered rustic accommodations, others campsites. Which park are you interested in?

Hi guys! I’ve been reading this article over an over. I’m hoping to do it soon. So, here is my thing. I’m living in the US, and anytime soon i want to go back home in Argentina. I have a dog, and a car so I thought driving back would be a great experience. I’m just interested in going back, so if we don’t do anything just driving and sleeping (on what would cost money), and some food and water, how much would you think it gonna cost? Do you pay a fee in every border you cross or some? I have an Argentinian passport so latin america should be easy to navigate. I have a regular suv car, so not like a ban or big car, will it cost about 1000$ to ship it to colombia? (From panama) -approximately- What expenses did you face only from easy food, gas and some campsites to sleep? Thank you!

How much you spend really depends on you. Our average was $2200 per month for two people but it’s hard to say what you would spend. Some quick math: Assuming you drive straight there without too many side trips, it’s about 20,000 miles. Most SUV’s get around 15 miles per gallon, so that would be 1,333 gallons of fuel, and at $5USD per gallon, that’s $6,700USD on fuel total. You could do that trip as fast as 3 months if you didn’t stop much, so $10 a day on food/water/basic necessities would be $900USD. Add in $2000 to ship your car plus flights, plus an extra $1000 for random expenses or emergencies. Add it all together and with minimal stops, driving fairly straight, not accounting for any entertainment or restaurant meals, and assuming you sleep in your car at free spots every night (easy to do 95% of the time), you’re looking at $10,600.

Do you have route coordinates you could share or a resource to pop into mapping software like GAIAGPS?

100% awesome usual information. Gracias! I’m planning to travel in my electric vehicle. I’ve done a lot of research and have discovered that there are more chargers than people might think. But I’ll also carry a range of adapter so I can plug into anything from a regular outlet (SLOW charging) to dryer, welder, and other outlets. Let me know if you know of any resources about EV traveling on the Pan American.

Thanks for your post and the pictures look incredible. Just added this to my bucket list. I do have some questions: 1. Did you have any issues with fuel? I have had issues using mexican gas back in the ’90’s. 2. Could a car be rented at each country to avoid all wear and tear on personal vehicles? 3. Can this be extended by driving back up on the east side of south america?

1. No issues with fuel since we used a gasoline engine, modern diesel engines that use DEF need some modifications to work with the dirty diesel 2. Probably not, the borders aren’t always by big cities so not sure how you’d get into a rental after crossing and how you would turn it in before crossing unless you took a taxi from the nearest city 3. Most people stick to the west side on the way down. You have to go back north because there aren’t any ports to ship from down south, so some people go on the east side on the way up. We did this to save time but the east was very boring, just long stretches on grasslands with very little to see. The northeastern countries are a bit tough to travel though, both physically and politically, so most people stop in Buenos Aires on the East.

How was the gas situation? Were there areas were it was difficult to find fuel?

We brought a 5-gallon gas can and didn’t use it once along our entire trip. It’s good to have as an emergency but the reality is that there’s gas everywhere. I’ve heard sometimes certain places like Patagonia’s route 40 will run out of fuel but we never experienced this. It could also be that we did the trip in a vehicle that can go 350+ miles on a single tank so maybe if you were going to do it in an older vehicle that doesn’t have a good range, then maybe you’d actually put the 5-gallon jerry can to use.

Wow, alot of great information. I’m retiring and hitting the road to live the nomad life.

I have considered travel outside if the states and the Pan American by highway trip interests me. Googling the trip your site came up. I am so glad to find it. Your article lets me I’m know that its not only possible but doable.

Hi, that’s really an amazing article and your effort and time to write it and post it is much appreciated. My wife and I are planning to do half of the trip. Would love to know your thoughts bout it. Planing to ship a 4×4 or a van from Florida to Columbia Cartagena and drive all the way down to Ushuaia Argentina and then Buenos Aries and ship it back (passing by Peru Chile etc.). or we can ship it to Uruguay, then go Buenos Aries, Ushuaia, and then all the way to Columbia and then ship it back to Florida. which one would you recommend? Second, how much would you think it takes to do the trip starting from Columbia or Argentina, the Southern part only and what would be the best time to do it? Countries we are planning to visit ( Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and maybe Uruguay to Sao Paolo) Thanks again and happy new year .

Hi Sam, the order you do it in is more dependent on when you do the trip. Ideally, you’d like to time it so you end up in Patagonia in their summer (December-February) and northern South America during the dry season (May-September). North Americans tend to go Colombia>Patagonia>BA since they come from the north, whereas many Europeans go BA>Patagonia>Colombia since they ship to BA. We know people that did all of South America in 3 months and others that took a year or more, it just depends on how many stops you make and how much you want to drive each day. I would plan for at least 6 months if you have the time and no faster than 3 months if you stick to only the highlights.

Thank You Joel & Laura Is it possible to make the trip without being fluent in spanish?

Hi Michael,

While Joel does speak fluent Spanish and it did help us a lot during the trip, there are plenty of people traveling the Pan-American Highway that don’t speak Spanish. I do recommend learning a few basics so you can purchase food at markets, buy entrance tickets and arrange campsites along the way. There are a lot of great free apps like Duolingo that make learning Spanish fun and easy! Cheers, Laura

Hi there I’m looking for a partner to make this adventure trip, by Chrisler Pacifica or eventually by motorcycle, Super Tenere 1250. [email protected]

This post is so helpful! Thank you! Not sure if you are still monitoring comments – but I just wondered what month you left in? We are trying to plan when to leave for a 12-14 Month trip and will be starting in Vancouver driving straight to Mexico (so leaving out alaska part and quickly through US)

Its hard trying to work a time so that we get to avoid rainy season in Central, but still get the Salt Flats drive in Bolivia – and Patagonia in Summer!

Hey Melissa! We started our trip in Mexico in December where we spent 6 months. Then we crossed into Central America for 4 months and then spent 5 months in South America. If I remember correctly, we finished the trip in March around 15 months later.

HI! First of all thanks for publishing this article. I’m an american living in Argentina looking to make the trip between Ushuaia and Alaska through December 2024 and Febuary 2025. My friends and I will be 21 during this timeframe and are concerned with the cost of insurance due to our age. Do you have any suggestions regarding this issue? Furthermore, we will drive one way and fly back the other, where would you recommend we start? Lastly, is there any page where we could contact other Overlanders looking to sell an American vehicle in Argentina or sell an argentine vehicle in the US or Canada? Kind regards, Dante

Hi Dante, if you’re talking about car insurance, it depends on each country but overall it was really cheap. We didn’t get medical insurance but that’s a bit of a gamble and completely up to you. Most people start in Canada or US but it’s cheaper to start in South America because a lot of people make it down there and sell their overlanding vehicles cheap which are already prepared for the drive. There is a facebook group called Overlanding Buy & Sell – Americas which will be your best bet for buying something, while the group Panamerican Travelers Association is a great place to get info and connect with others doing the drive. Good luck!

Thank you for this article! I’m in a corporate job i’m sick of & would like to quit and do some traveling before my next chapter in life.

1. I’m wondering how much money did you guys have saved up before leaving on this adventure? I have about $25k USD saved right now but not sure how long I can realistically make it. I live in Colorado & think I would go up to Canada first and adventure around there to get used to life on the road and avoid some culture shock as it would just be me.

2. Did you come across very many people doing this solo?

3. Ideally it would be great to document my trip on the various social media platforms and gain a following. I followed your IG and saw you have a pretty large following. Did you guys have that before your trip?

I may have more questions but that’s all i can think of for now. Just concerned doing it solo & how much i need to be able to do this.

1. We had saved up a good amount before traveling the PanAmerican Highway. We averaged $2200 in monthly costs for two people over the course of 15 months. This came out to around $33K for the entire trip. Canada is very expensive for traveling, but Mexico and south of US is much cheaper. 2. We came across solo travelers, couples, people with kids, retired people…it’s really a mix. There are people traveling the PanAmerican solo although they do it in much shorter trips. 3. We had a social media following before the trip but my blog is where I spend my focus on. If you want to grow an IG following for income reasons, making money on the road with brands through IG is nearly impossible as there is nowhere to send products to. Many people start YouTube channels documenting their trips and growing a following on there to make money from video ads.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi, I am wondering if I would need a title for my vehicle to do all the border crossings. I am financing my van so I don’t have it. Is it possible to do a trip like yours without a title?

Hey Dustin! We replied to your email as well. In case anyone has a similar question, legally you’re supposed to have the title to your name or a title that’s not in your name with something called a “poder” which is a notarized letter from the owner saying that they grant you permission to travel with the vehicle outside the country. I don’t think a bank will want to give you this so it’s tough to do the trip with a financed car if you’re doing it the “right” way. I would advise you to get a cheaper vehicle that you can travel with than a nicer vehicle you can’t legally travel with.

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The Ultimate Road Trip – Driving the Pan American Highway

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I’m big on road trips and traveling, so after a few extensive, long-term road trips across the United States, the next most logical idea was driving the Pan American Highway, or at least a pretty good chunk of it, as it stretches the length of North and South America, passing through some of the most incredible scenery on earth.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you know I’ve been doing some pretty big adventures every year:

First, it was road-tripping across the American West and living out of the back of my pickup truck which I converted into my home on wheels.

Then it was backpacking across Colombia before settling down as an expat in Medellin, where I met my girlfriend Andrea.

The Pan American Highway

I talked Andrea into coming back with me to Seattle and embarking on a great American road trip , before then convincing here that we should *drive* back to Medellin, Colombia where she calls home.

Now, the Pan-American Highway stretches from the northernmost reaches of Alaska to the very southern tip of South America.

We would “only” be driving from Seattle, and wouldn’t be doing the drive from Prudhoe Bay (in Alaska), partially because of time and money, but also because she didn’t get approved for a visa to Canada (boo, Canada, you suck!) . We did make it a point to fly up to Fairbanks, Alaska before setting out, at the least though.

The Pan American Highway is a series of roads that connect Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina, stretching at least 19,000 miles (or about 30,000km), with the exception of a 100-mile gap between Panama and Colombia known as the Darien Gap. Despite the gap, the Guinness Book of World Records considers the Pan-American Highway the longest motorable road in the world.

Pan-American Highway Map

We  drove from Seattle through all of Central America (eight countries)  over the course of 9 months, spending three months exploring the USA, three months in Mexico, and three months in the remainder of Central America.

To answer the question everyone always asks… No, it wasn’t as dangerous as you imagine. Be sure to read my article about the safest countries in Central America or my more detailed take about driving in Mexico and Central America .

> Don’t miss my article on the myths of Central America travel too.

From there we had to stick my ol’ 1991 Toyota truck into a shipping container in Panama so we could return to South America.

We settled down for about a year in Medellin so we could work, regroup, save money, and all that, and I stored my truck on the border for the remainder of the time.

After we were able to regroup our finances, we set out on April 30, 2017, to complete our road trip of the Americas as we drive all the way from Colombia to Patagonia — to the so-called end of the world!

Driving straight through along the Pan American Highway  would be approximately 6,000 miles (equivalent to driving from coast to coast in the USA and then back again), though we most definitely zig-zagged our way down and took our time .

It has turned into the most incredible adventure of a lifetime, and South America was even more impressive than Central America and Mexico.

Finally, on February 18, 2018 (295 days after leaving Medellin!), we pulled into Ushuaia, Argentina, the end of the road and the most southern city in the world.

In total, we road-tripped through:

• The United States
• El Salvador

Read Next: How to Plan a Road Trip

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Comments 21

Loved your website, blog, and tips for us traveller wannabes!

I have a quick question for you.

On your travels, do you carry a smart phone? And do you prefer one carrier over another? (Like, do you like verizon but do not like ATT….)

Thank you for your advice and tips on how to be a better traveller!

Thanks for the message. I definitely carry a smartphone… It is tough to imagine traveling without one these days, haha. It helps with maps, notes, taking photos, and a million other things. I use a VOIP service primarily, relying on WiFi and local sim cards on a country by country basis — here is what I do . If you want a US based plan that travels well, I would look into Google Fi, or T-Mobile.

Hey Ryan! What’s up bud, I’m actually from Seattle and planning this very trip… tho I have been considering flying into Colombia and starting there as I have already done the entire west coast and Mexico and Central America… what are the chances of and advice on the possibility of finding and purchasing an overland vehicle in Columbia? Thought you may have advice as you lived there for a time 🙂 let me know what you think. Otherwise I may just quickly get to Colombia over land from Seattle if that’s the best option then take my time more once I’m in South America. Also what was the shipping cost across the Darien gap? Thanks!

I’m a US born citizen and half Venezuelan half Egyptian and speak fluent Spanish more or less. If your currently in Colombia could be cool to Catch up on my way down as well! I plan on leaving mid September coming or October 1st.

Hey Akram, your best option to purchase a vehicle is usually by buying a foreign plated vehicle directly from other travelers (who are finishing their trip). It is pretty common to hear about vehicles for sale in either Colombia or Chile/Argentina. You can usually get decent prices on already outfitted vehicles. The overland groups on Facebook have sales posts a lot. Or if you’re shipping across the Darien, it costs around $800-1,000… Or at least it did.

I started the Pan Am Highway a year ago and made it about halfway before running into communication problems — I don’t speak Spanish. Wondering if we could work together somehow since I’m planning to finish the trip to Argentina this fall (2022) as well. I really need help with Spanish — got all other bases covered. If interested give ma a shout at [email protected] .

Hi Ryan, great to read about your adventures. This is Valeria and I’m writing you from Italy. I’m organising a 7 months on the road trip, with my husband and our dog, along the PAN AM HWY. We are now looking for a Van and I’m studying hard on the best route to take, the van shipping rules and all those stuff. I’m finding some useful advices but nothing concerning the best time to start the travel from Alaska. I know the best momento to visit this state in particular would be on summer but I was thinking about starting on may 2022 to avoid part of the crowd (hoping the COVID pandemic will be ended). However, this would bring us in Central and South America on the worste period at all. Hence, the best would be on August 2022… but it’s really a long time to wait.

Your advice would be really helpful and I hope you will find some time to answer. I heard that some people suggest to have an older vehicle and others a more recents one. Do you think this is important to consider?

Thanks again for your time,

Hi Ryan, I have come across your page today and enjoyed reading it. I am planning to do the Pan American Highway after the pandemic. I would like to know if a foreigner can buy a car in the US ( you recommended Washington State)? As a foreigner would not have a local residential address and what about car insurance? I have been driving for 70 years and I enjoy the maximum discount for being a rating one driver for many years, would the US insurance recognise my rating? I am now 80, would this be a barrier to get insurance? Thank you Peter

Hey Peter, I can’t speak authoritatively on this since I’ve never had to go through it, but from what I’ve heard and understand, you as a non-resident can still insure a vehicle in the US. You will only need insurance for a short period of time — however long you plan on spending in the United States — and then will have no problem finding insurance where necessary at border crossings for each country. The US is the only place that may be problematic, but I don’t think it is a big deal either. I doubt that the US would recognize your driver rating from another country, unless your insurance is somehow affiliated with a US company. You may want to ask your current insurance company about that aspect. Good luck, let us know.

Congratulations for your trip! I am in mind to buy a car in US to take the road to Patagônia and sell the car there. Did you have any problem with your Toyota? I thought a 4runner or RAV4 for gas or VW diesel like Passat or Jetta Variant. I intend to make camping along the journey. What could you tell me about? Thks!

Never had any breakdowns with my Toyota, just normal mechanical maintenance stuff. There are free trade zones in the Southern end of Chile where you can easily sell any rig if you just want to offload it. I’d recommend a Toyota, they are very easy to find replacement parts and knowledgable mechanics — with the exception of in Argentina.

any suggestions on the best websites to download maps of the entire Pan American Highway or sections thereof? We are in the beginning stages of planning a trip starting in Texas south and then to the north to Prudhoe Bay at another time.

Hey Linda, if you’re talking about for your Garmin or standalone GPS unit, here’s the website I used to download different countries. I’d just supplement that with Maps.me on your smartphone.

How much gas have you used so far?

Tens of thousands of miles at about 16/17 MPG… So, a lot!

Hello Ryan, I’m so excited to got this article by searching for driving through the pan American highway on Google

I’m Henry, a Chinese guy who driving around the world straightly by crossing Russia the whole Europe, and then shipping my offload vehicle to New York, and finally back to Beijing where the Dream start. In now supporting an old woman group driving through the pan American highway. The adventure started on June, but we got a problem now, their SUV was crashed in an accident and being shipped back to China. I believe the truck you was using for your journey is owned and registered in the US, isn’t it? I’m thinking and suggesting them to buy a used car in US to continue their journey to Ushuaia. Now they are heading to Alaska by a rented car Can rental is not a good solution cuz it’s not easy for Chinese to rent a car country by country in Southern America I guess

Henry, so awesome to hear about your adventures, and sorry to hear about your friend that crashed their car. Doing a car rental to continue all the way to Ushuaia is probably not a possibility simply in terms of the title paperwork and taking a rental across so many international borders. I imagine the obstacles would be very significant, if not impossible. Better bet is to buy a used vehicle, as you suggest. I’ve seen quite a few other international travelers from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc, who buy a US plated vehicle for the trip and then resell it to another traveler in South America. Washington State is a popular choice for foreigners buying a vehicle for the Pan-American Highway (I’m from Washington, and got excited a few times to see another Washington plate while traveling in Latin America, but they were almost always not from the USA).

thx for your prompt reply. btw, what kind of docs you were asked when you crossing the borders of those Latin America countries? I mean docs of your truck. the title? i just wondering what docs we have to prepare before entering those countries Also, is there any auto insurance can cover the whole countries out of the North America or you buy the insurance country by country? or you didnt have one ?

You will need the title and a valid drivers license really. You might want to keep the registration up to date, but basically nobody in Latin America asks for that. You will need to buy insurance on a country-by-country basis as you cross the border. About the only place where you can get insurance online is for Mexico and Chile. Every border is different, but as a rule, Central America is more complicated than South America. There *may* be a special insurance you can get which would give you comprehensive global coverage, but you still might have problems with local police telling you that you need local insurance and thus should get both if you decide on a comprehensive global coverage — depending on the value of your vehicle, that might not be worth it. I just had basically liability coverage.

Ryan, Enjoyed reading your blog and I’m envious/jelous actually. I would love to do much of the same. My interest has been more in South America; not sure why. I know you haven’t had time problem to our your South American adventure down to writing like you did for your Central American adventure, but can you help a brother out. What would be your best pick down south and why.

I have been leaning towards Ecaudor, but not based on any task factual information, and I don’t have the resources to visit them all (Country’s that is), but have been told to stay out of Venezuela sure to safety concerns for US citizens. What’s your feeling on any of this, if you don’t mind a Floridian asking!?!.

Thanks, ZAA

Yeah, haven’t had the time to write about everything yet… But what are your looking for exactly in South America? Just a vacation, a place to retire?

Venezuela is definitely a no-go right now.

Ecuador is great, makes an affordable and easy transition since they use the dollar there.

Colombia is amazing, friendly, affordable.

Bolivia is also super affordable and cool, likewise with Peru. I’d say Peru has the best food of all of South America, and probably the most incredible mountain landscapes.

Chile is the most well developed but also the most expensive.

Argentina is incredible, specifically Buenos Aires, which is the most European of any city in Latin America.

All depends on what you are looking for… Beaches, mountains, cheap prices, friendly people, great food, more rustic, or well-developed. They’ve all got their strengths and weaknesses.

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Road Trip Ideas Through South America

Across South America, many of the most fascinating, beautiful, and out-of-this-world locations are also the most remote, and in order to explore them fully, you need to drive. The roads may not always be on a par with the smooth lanes to be found in the United States, but there are some real adventures to be had on the road in South America .

A road trip through South America is a serious undertaking, so be sure you are adequately prepared before you set off. These roads are mostly paved highways, but several of them include sections in rural areas or rugged landscapes that may be just dirt roads, so you may need a vehicle that is capable of driving in all terrains. Because these long road trips also drive through many sparsely populated areas, it's wise to fill up with gas whenever you have the opportunity, lest you get stuck in the middle of nowhere with an empty tank.

The Southern Pan American Highway

Intai Suchachaisri / Getty Images

Driving the entire Pan American Highway is truly the ultimate road trip, stretching from Alaska to some of the southern-most points of South America in over 19,000 miles (30,000 kilometers). The highway is actually split into two sections: the northern part covering North and Central America and the southern part completely in South America, since a 66-mile (106-kilometer) stretch between Panama and Colombia known as the Darién Gap is unnavigable by car.

The northern terminus of the South American section begins in the Colombian town of Turbo, which then snakes down the western coast of the continent until reaching Valparaíso, Chile . From here, the rest of the journey depends on the driver. The official route cuts east to Buenos Aires, Argentina , and ends there. But if you have the time, money, and desire to traverse the entire continent, you could continue down from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. Other travelers skip Argentina completely and continue traveling south in Chile from Valparaíso. To do the trip justice, you would need several weeks to complete it, if not a few months.

It's a long, difficult, expensive, and sometimes dangerous drive. If you were to start in Turbo, Colombia, and finish in Buenos Aires, the trip would be nearly 5,000 miles (over 8,000 kilometers). Add roughly an additional 2,000 miles to that total if you continue down to the southern tip.

But the ultimate South America road trip isn't meant to be easy; it's meant to be rewarding. You'll go through five different countries—Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina—and experience each place in a way you'd never be able to if you were just flying to big cities. Factor in enough time to spend a few days at each stop; not only will you get a more intimate encounter with the local cultures, but you'll also need time to recharge after so much driving. Outside of major cities, you'll also see some of the region's best beaches , the lunar landscapes of the Atacama Desert , and the breathtaking beauty of Patagonia .

Carretera Austral, Chile

Harri Jarvelainen Photography / Getty Images

Located in the Patagonian area of Chile, this rural route is impressive simply for providing access to such an inhospitable area and takes drivers through some of the world's most spectacular scenery. The Carretera Austral, or "Southern Route," is synonymous with the CH-7 highway. It was originally built to connect the sparsely populated towns in southern Chile with the rest of the country and amazingly only about 100,000 residents live along the 770-mile route.

The northern terminus of the route starts in the Lake District town of Puerto Montt, 11 hours south of the capital Santiago by car and not far from the popular travel island of Chiloé . From there, it continues south through the picturesque landscapes of Patagonia including fjords, glaciers, and forests for 770 miles (1,240 kilometers) until reaching Villa O'Higgins.

The natural landmarks you'll encounter on these isolated roads are too many to list, but just a few of the highlights include ferrying the vehicle through the fjords of Patagonia, the hanging glacier in Queulat Park, and the marbled caves of Lake General Carrera.

When the highway opened in 1988 it was almost entirely unpaved. The government has been adding asphalt to the road since then, but it's a colossal project and—as of June 2020—large parts of the southern half are still unpaved. It's under construction and slowly moving along, but you'll need a vehicle with four-wheel drive to complete the last section. Most rental companies in southern Chile know that clients drive this route and have the appropriate vehicles available.

Ruta 40, Argentina

Infinita Highway / Getty Images

Argentina's most iconic road trip is along Route 40, known locally as just La Cuarenta . The longest highway in Argentina—and one of the longest in the world—it stretches for over 3,200 miles (nearly 5,200 kilometers) from the northern border with Bolivia almost all the way down to the southern tip of the country. To put that into perspective, driving across the U.S. from Los Angeles to New York is 400 miles shorter than Argentina's Route 40.

Route 40 has ancient roots, as the modern-day highway follows many of the bygone Inca Trails which connected the vast Inca Empire to its capital in Cusco, Peru. Driving along Route 40 isn't just naturally beautiful with its mountainous landscapes, scenic lakes, vineyards, volcanoes, and more, but also historically and culturally significant. The highway passes right through multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites , national monuments, ancient ruins, Los Glaciares National Park , and much more.

Because the terminus points of La Quiaca in the north and Rio Gallegos in the south are so remote themselves and would require a significant road trip just to reach them, many travelers start in the biggest city that's on the route, Mendoza. It's a short flight of a couple of hours from either Buenos Aires or Santiago, Chile. Alternatively, you could drive to Mendoza from Buenos Aires (13 hours) or Santiago (6 hours).

While a four-wheel-drive vehicle is not absolutely necessary, on some of the rougher portions of the road it can make the journey more comfortable, especially if you hit inclement weather. The majority of the road is paved, although some stretches in the south have yet to be done.

Jericoacoara To Salvador, Brazil

Aziz Ary Neto / Getty Images

The northeast coast of Brazil is one of the most beautiful portions of the country and boasts some of the most impressive beaches in all of South America. If you're just trying to travel from Jericoacoara to Salvador as quickly as possible, you could take inland highways and cut off about seven hours of travel time. However, this route is all about the coastal views, driving around the eastern hump that juts off of Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean.

This road trip isn't following a specific highway or route like others, and you'll be changing over onto a variety of different motorways. Just make sure you're staying near the water, passing through the cities of Fortaleza, Natal, and Recife until you curve back down toward the charming city of Salvador . It may look like a short distance on the map relative to the rest of Brazil, but the journey is nearly 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers).

This route is ideal for anyone who wants to explore some of the most pristine beaches in a country with a seemingly endless coastline. Pretty much the entire journey will be one spectacular beach after another, so you really can't go wrong. But if you want to narrow down your options, keep an eye out for the beaches Praia do Forte , Praia dos Carneiros, and Praia da Pipa. Whether you're here to relax, surf, experience the local culture, or a combination of the three, this will be a trip to remember.

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The world’s longest road – traveling the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego

The ultimate road trip-adventure, the trip of trips, the most diverse route of the world – we want to travel this dream road, the Pan-American Highway!

The Pan-American Highway is so much more than just the world’s longest road, connecting the northernmost point of North America and the southernmost point of South America, it offers “more” of everything:

• not only the sea and the ocean, but also the Arctic and the Caribbean sea
• not only mountains and mountain ranges, but also Rainbow Mountains and active volcanoes
• not only rainforest and jungle, but also valleys, lakes and lagoons
• not only bears and penguins, but also lamas and alpacas as well as toucans and parrots
• not only city centers and colonial cities, but also remote villages and pyramids
• not only local food and exotic fruits, but also diverse cultures, people and languages
• …we could go on like this forever! No other road sums up the world’s diversity better than this

The Pan-American Highway is actually not only one road, but a network of roads; approximately 45.000 km (28.000 miles), the longest part includes approximately 25.000 km (16.000 miles). At first, this sounds unbelievable, because the equator is about 40.000 km (24.900 miles) long. So to say, if you travel all of the Pan-American Highway, you circle the world!

The idea of a road connecting North- and South America goes back to the 1920s. Historically and officially, the Pan-American Highway starts at the border town Laredo in Texas (USA) or rather Nuevo Laredo in Mexico and ends in Buenos Aires in Argentina. Unofficially, as we know the Pan-American Highway, it leads from Alaska through North America, the Caribbean and South America all the way to Tierra del Fuego. Only the “Darién Gap” in the Colombian jungle is still unexploited, to pass this approx. 100 km (60 miles) gap you have to take a boat.

On this trip through 2 continents, visiting 14-19 countries depending on the route, you experience pretty much all climate and vegetation zones, weather and seasons. The best travel time is spring – if you are in the northern hemisphere, you start in North America, travelling south. When it is fall in the northern hemisphere, it is spring in the southern hemisphere and this is when you should start if you want to travel from south to north. The further you get to the North or South, the colder it gets so it is best to be there in the spring/summer, because even then the maximum temperature is only about 5°c (40°F).

But there sure are challenges, too (some might call them dangers): Wild animals, poorly developed roads, unpredictable weather conditions, countries that are untapped by tourism, drug dealing, crime and last but not least your car could break down in the middle of nowhere. And it surely is a minor, or major, challenge to travel with your significant other, all day every day – you really have to like each other a lot J

We do not want to be intimidated by prejudices or clichés, neither here in Germany nor anywhere else. We believe in the good in people, the power of a positive mindset and that positive thoughts will help us to reach our goals and make our wishes come true.

We want to stop to only dream about this adventure, we want to feel the sun on our faces and the wind in our hair – we want to be brave. This roadtrip will be the adventure of a lifetime!

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Pan-American Highway

• 1 Understand
• 4.3 By bike
• 6.1 Alaska, United States
• 6.3 United States (Lower 48)
• 7.1 Guatemala
• 7.2 El Salvador
• 7.3 Honduras
• 7.4 Nicaragua
• 7.5 Costa Rica
• 8.1 Colombia
• 8.2 Ecuador
• 8.3.1 Variant via Bolivia
• 8.5 Argentina
• 9 Stay safe

The Pan-American Highway is a series of routes that passes through Mexico , Guatemala , El Salvador , Honduras , Nicaragua , Costa Rica and Panama in North America, and Colombia , Ecuador , Peru , Chile and Argentina in South America. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest motorable road in the world. While the Pan-American Highway doesn't have a route through the U.S. and Canada , some people start in Alaska and drive/bike to Ushuaia , Argentina , the southernmost tip of South America . It is necessary to bypass the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia by ferry, however.

The Pan-American Highway is about 19,000 miles (30,000 km) long depending on the route you take. There are many options in the United States, Canada, and Mexico because of the large area and number of roads. Central America has only a few roads going north to south, with most of them - especially the Pan-American highway running along the Western (Pacific) shore.

The Pan-American Highway passes through many diverse climates and ecological types, from dense jungles, to arid deserts, some of which are passable only during the dry season, and in many regions driving is occasionally hazardous.

Most of the route passes through Spanish-speaking countries and thus you should definitely make an effort to learn some Spanish. Not only will it be invaluable in case of any problems (and there will be problems on a long trip), but you will be much more able to get to know the locals and experience the culture of places you pass through and stay at.

There are several modes of travel that are used on the Pan-American Highway.

It is possible to use buses down all the way to Argentina from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska , except for the Darien Gap and along the Alaska Highway between Fort Nelson , British Columbia and Tok , Alaska . Buses are less frequent with limited availability in remote areas especially those in the far northern parts of Canada and Alaska; and in the far south such as the Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. They are more possible and frequent, connecting the more populated areas between Canada and Argentina. See By bus under Get around in a country or state/province article and under Get in in a city or town article for a list of available bus companies. It will require multiple transfers to travel the entire western hemisphere between north and south by bus. Except in the United States and Canada there are no trains to travel north and south along the entire western hemisphere.

If you drive by personal vehicle, it is important to know that your vehicle must be shipped from Central to South America (or vice versa) in order to travel around the Darien Gap. While your vehicle is shipped, you can transport yourself by plane or boat. Driving the Pan-American Highway is certainly possible, and many travelers complete the overland journey from North America to South America (or vice versa) each year.

While most of the territory the highway passes through cannot be considered "bike-friendly" by any stretch of the imagination, every year countless people do successfully travel all or part of the route by bike. Knowing how to fix minor defects is essential if you want to attempt the whole route on your own as help is often not forthcoming on rural stretches of the highway. A firm grasp of local languages (particularly Spanish) is another thing to consider.

Because the route of the Pan-American Highway essentially consists of a number of other famous driving routes (such as the Alaska Highway and the Inter-American Highway) in succession, more detailed planning should be done by researching each of those sections. Furthermore there are numerous alternative routes possible. Here we can only give a summary with links to more details about various subsection of the route where it's named or defined as the "Pan-American Highway" or "Inter-American Highway" from north to south.

North America

The original Inter-American (Pan-American) Highway begins in Yaviza, Panama and goes up north through Central America and Mexico and ends at the US border in Laredo, Texas. From the north it begins from Purdhoe Bay on the Arctic Coast and follows the Dalton Highway, south to Fairbanks, AK and southeast to Dawson Creek, BC on the Alaska Highway. Between the end of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek and Mexico City (where the Interamerican Highway splits into multiple branches) there are multiple routes one can take to reach northern Mexico, through the United States and Canada, from one end to the other. The Pan-American Highway is loosely defined with multiple interstate highways as the "Pan-American Highway" in the United States and undefined in Canada. The below are the most direct and popular routes between Dawson Creek and Mexico City:

Alaska, United States

In Canada, no particular roads have been designated as the Pan-American Highway. The National Highway System, which includes but is not limited to the Trans-Canada Highway, is the country's only designated inter-provincial highway system. However, several Canadian highways are a natural extension of several key American highways that reach the Canada–US border:

• Through British Columbia

Traveling along the Alaska Highway you can go south on BC 37 to Trans-Canada Hwy 16 from Watson Lake and go east towards Prince George on Trans-Canada Hwy 16 or continue on the Alaska Highway (BC-Hwy 97) through Dawson Creek to Prince George. The Pan-American Highway would continue east into Alberta along BC-Hwy 2 from Dawson Creek . But, some travelers may continue south on BC-Hwy 97 towards Vancouver or Osoyoos Lake, through Prince George and Cache Creek , as a more direct route into the "Lower 48" from the Alaska Highway:

• Through Alberta

The routes through Alberta have been designated as part of the CANAMEX Corridor established under the North American Free Trade Agreement as a series of improvements to the transportation infrastructure, including highways to link Canada to Mexico through the United States as follows:

• Through Manitoba
• Through Ontario
• Variant via Saskatchewan

United States (Lower 48)

In 1966, the US Federal Highway Administration designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the "Pan-American Highway System", but this has not been expressed in any of the interstate signage. Of the many freeways that make up this very comprehensive system, several are notable because of their mainly north-south orientation and their links to the main Mexican route and its spurs, as well as to key routes in Canada that link to the Alaska Highway:

There are additional spur routes from Mexico to the Canadian border, through the United States:

The following are east-west highways that connect the north-south spur routes to each other. Interstate 90/94 connect along the north while Interstate 80 serves as the middle tier and Interstate 10 along the southern tier. Interstate highways going north & south are odd numbered while the east & west highways are even numbered:

The Pan-American Highway is also the "Inter-American" which is well defined and often also well signed in Mexico as it is through Central and South America. It runs from the US border in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas to the Guatemalan border in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Chiapas; through Mexico City which consists of:

Additional branches of the Pan-American Highway from Mexico City, through Northern Mexico , to the US border as follows:

Central America

The Pan-American Highway is well defined through Central America and runs continuously from the Mexican border at La Mesilla, Guatemala to Yaviza, Panama in the Darien Gap as a singular route. In most countries it is numbered as "CA-1" or "Hwy 1" which passes through the major cities in the heavily populated areas of the Central American isthmus. Like the roads in North America (see above) there are numerous other highways not defined as the "Pan-American Highway" (Carretera Panamericana) one can travel on to get across the Central American isthmus from the Mexican border to the Darien Gap.

• Huehuetenango is the largest city and capital of the department of the same name. It serves as a major city and trading center for the Western Highlands and as the first stop if entering from Mexico.
• Cuatro Caminos is a busy intersection with RN-1 which leads into Quetzaltenango (Xela) in one direction and up the hill to Santa Cruz de Quiche in the other. This intersection is 16 km NE of Quetzaltenango.
• Los Encuentros is where the road to Chichicastenango (RN-15) intersects the Pan-American Highway. The turn-off towards Solola and Panajachel (RN-1) is another 3.3 km west of Los Encuentros.
• Chimaltenango is a town 50 km west of Guatemala City. It is also where the main highway (Hwy 14) to Antigua Guatemala begins for traffic from the Western Highlands .
• Jct CA-10 to Antigua is 20 km west of Guatemala City, east of town of San Bartalome Milpas Altas.
• Guatemala City is in the department (territorial division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All the main highways start at Kilómetro 0, inside Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic Center).
• San José de Barberena

El Salvador

• Candelaria de la Frontera/San Cristobal
• Santa Ana is the second largest city of El Salvador and a very important one in terms of agriculture and coffee production (coffee plantations - called fincas - cover much of the land outside town and up the hills) in Western El Salvador .
• Santa Tecla
• San Salvador is the capital city of El Salvador, approximately in the center of the country in a valley near the base of the San Salvador volcano. The city has a long history, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of the Pipil tribes.
• Cojutepeque
• San Vicente
• San Miguel is the third largest city in El Salvador and center of agriculture and production of Eastern El Salvador . It is less cosmopolitan than the capital San Salvador in the West but the surrounding areas of San Miguel are very beautiful with many beaches around the city.

RN-1 passes through the south/southeastern part of Honduras from its border with El Salvador in El Amatillo, through Choluteca, and into Nicaragua at El Espino. The highway goes through:

• El Amatillo
• Jicaro Galan a town 40 km east of El Amatillo border crossing and 12 km north of San Lorenzo at the junction with RN-5 . From here travelers can go north towards Tegucigalpa on RN-5 .
• San Lorenzo
• San Marcos de Colon
• Managua — the capital and principal city of Nicaragua
• Peñas Blancas
• Paso Canoas
• David serves as a major city, transport hub and trading center for the Pacific West Region such as Boquete , Boca Chica , Volcano , hot springs and many other places. It is the first major city from the Costa Rican border at Paso Canoas.
• Santiago de Veraguas
• Goes over the entrance into the Panama Canal from the Pacific on the Puente Centenario
• Balboa is separated from Panama City by the Cerro Ancon (Ancon Hill), one of Panama City's skyline landmarks.
• Panama City is the capital of Panama. Sitting on the Pacific end of the Panama canal it has long been a point of transit for travelers and freight and these days Tocumen Airport has become the busiest in Central America and one of Latin America's most important transfer hubs. This is where travelers make arrangements to ship their vehicle(s) to Guayaquil , Ecuador from Panama City via the Pacific or to Cartagena , Colombia from Colon via the Caribbean. After shipping the car (or traveling without a car) one can fly or sail to South America to continue the Pan-American journey. Therefore, Panama City would be the end of the road for many coming from North America or where the road picks up again for going north from South America.
• Yaviza in the Darien Gap is where the road itself from North America ends or begins in.
• Puerto Obaldía is not on the Pan-American Highway but it is a remote place where travelers go through to get across the Brazo Leon Rio Atrato Bay to Turbo , Colombia via Capurgana , Colombia. Travelers would still have to fly from Panama City to Puerto Obaldia as the village/town is not accessible by road.

South America

The Pan-American Highway officially begins in Turbo , Colombia (nearest to the Darien Gap) and winds its way down towards Santiago Chile through Colombia , Ecuador , Peru and Northern Chile . From approximately 80 km (50 Miles) north of Santiago the highway continues east towards Buenos Aires where it officially ends. Unofficially the route continues south along AR-RN 3 to Ushuaia , Tierra del Fuego in the southern tip of South America. Alternatively the traveler can continue south on the unofficial route from Santiago to Puerto Montt where it splits again to Quellon on Chiloé Island or to Villa O'Higgins along the Carretera Austral . Going north the Pan-American Highway splits in Medellin . One branch goes towards Turbo (nearest to Darien Gap) while the other continues north towards Cartagena as the principal port where the majority of travelers sail to and/or ship vehicles to Panama for the continuation of the Pan-American Highway through Central and North America.

• Tacna is 37 km north of the Chilean border.
• The road (Carretera Interoceanica Sur PE-36A) to La Paz, Bolivia begins at its intersection with Carretera Panamericana Sur (PE-1S) south of Moquegua . Follow signs to Moquegua and then to Desaguadero (border town with Bolivia).
• Arequipa is a city in the Southern Coastal region of Peru just below the edge of the Altiplano, at 2,380 m (7,810 ft) above sea level and surrounded by three impressive volcanoes. It's Peru's second most important city (after Lima), and the second most popular among tourists (after Cusco).
• Nazca or Nasca is a town in Peru's Southern Coast region. It is most famous for the Nazca Lines, a collection of long lines, geometrical figures, and giant drawings in the desert sand that have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The road (Carretera Interoceanica PE-30A) going towards Abancay and Cusco begins in Vista Alegre, the next town south of Nazca.
• Pisco The road (Av Liberatador PE-28A) going towards Ayacucho and Cusco begins in San Clemente, the next town NE of Pisco.

Variant via Bolivia

Try to avoid areas where cartels operate, particularly in the Mexican states south of Texas. Follow the advice for the areas you are planning to travel through.

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Alaska to Argentina: Driving the Pan American Highway

If you’ve ever wanted to drive from Alaska to Argentina you are not alone!

The Pan American Highway is a loose collection of highways that makes it possible to do just that. It connects over a dozen countries in a nearly 20,000 miles stretch between North and South America.

Currently there are thousands of overlanders at various stages of completing the drive in part or in whole.

Some drive from Alaska to Argentina. Others drive from Argentina to Alaska.

We started our journey in Florida… so we chose to attempt to drive from Alaska to Argentina.

This is our guide to helping you to plan quite possibly the biggest adventure of your life: completing the drive from Alaska to Argentina.

STEP 1: Motivations

If you haven’t done so already, ask yourself why you want to drive from Alaska To Argentina?

We still haven’t figured out why most people choose to make the drive along the Pan American Highway.

We’ve conducted surveys from those on the road. They’re inconclusive at best.

We’ve made friends on the journey and asked them. Nobody seemed to know either.

The only thing we seem to find consistent among people driving the Pan American Highway is that they all have a desire to try to do something that few people have done.

Some move fast. Some move slow. And some don’t even move anymore because they find someplace beautiful and call it home.

Whatever your reason for attempting to drive from Alaska to Argentina, it’s important that you keep it close to mind and heart. Maybe even jot it on a sticky note and put it on the dash next to the odometer.

God knows the more you drive the more you are going to be distracted from this reason. And if it ever changes, great.

But we believe that such a commitment – 15,000+ miles and potentially years of your life – deserves its own little monument.

Our Motivation

In 2016 we had the vision to drive the Pan American Highway from Alaska to Argentina.

It is really something we can’t quite explain. We just felt a calling in our hearts to go.

And we trusted that we would figure out more about our calling once we got on the road.

At the time we were fostering 8 children in a group home. We also owned a 40-year old fixer-upper sailboat.

And we knew very little, if anything, about what the journey would entail.

But we were inspired by the idea that one day we might hit the road to complete the drive.

We felt it was part of our destiny.

STEP 2: Preparations

Just as people’s motivations vary, so too do their methods of transportation as they drive the Pan American Highway.

Some people drive monster homemade overland vehicles.

Others drive more modest truck campers.

Still more drive vans or smaller vehicles converted for life on the road.

Yet a handful will make the journey on a motorcycle.

The crazy ones bicycle from Alaska to Argentina (we’ve run across a few of those!).

Heck, one guy even walked the whole way (from Argentina to Alaska).

There are as many ways to drive the Pan American Highway from Alaska to Argentina as there are people willing to do it.

Once you know the method of transportation you can get into all of the other details… which are numerous.

How much will it cost to travel in ___? Where will you camp each night? What do you mean I have to ship my vehicle between Panama and Colombia?

Many of these details will sort themselves out on the road. And as long as you keep in mind why you’re making the journey in itself we believe you’ll have the perseverance and endurance to survive trials that might otherwise break you.

Our Preparations

After nearly six months of studying and shopping our options we decided to attempt the drive in a truck camper.

The next six months we shopped for both a truck and a camper. They had to be compatible, durable and… cheap. Honestly, our entire vehicle budget (including purchase, repairs, modifications and upgrades) was $20,000.

We won’t tell you how close we came to maxing that budget in the days before we set out on our journey…

(we had many, many more repairs to make in the first year of our journey so sometimes we try not to think about how much we ACTUALLY spent on our truck camper!).

But we’d love to introduce you to our truck camper if you have a few extra minutes.

Once we had our camper (“Tree Trimmer”) and our truck (“Rocket”) we set to modifying it to make the journey from Florida to Alaska and from Alaska to Argentina.

We’ll share some of those modifications soon.

Essentially we paired a long flat bed with a short-bed camper and created a super-storage vehicle capable of making a trip to the moon and back. Well, not quite.

But we call our truck Rocket because it had 445,000 miles on it when we bought it. That’s enough miles to the moon and on its way back!

With the modifications came the routing, the studying of the itineraries and the saving.

We got pretty good at saving.

But we knew we’d never have enough.

Then we waited for the time to go…

STEP 3: Go!

After nearly two years of preparation and planning, we began the journey to reach Alaska from our home in Florida.

We sold everything that we own. We put what was leftover into our truck and camper. Then we hit the road.

When we began the adventure in spring of 2018 we didn’t have enough money to complete the entire journey.

But that too is part of the excitement of our story.

Every day we have to overcome challenges.

We are inspired to connect with people at every step of the journey and have learned to be dependent upon the kindness of strangers.

We help people everywhere we can, however we can. Our comfort zone is now stretched beyond anything that we could have imagined.

And the value of the relationships with people we have met, served and shared life with is invaluable.

Oh, and Lindsay has Crohn’s Disease and is attempting to be the first woman with the disease to overland in a truck camper from Alaska to Argentina.

Because the disease limits mobility, most people with Crohn’s Disease don’t travel too far from their comfort zone.

There’s really no information out there on how it is even possible to do this.

So we’re forging a way through the unknown to help inspire and inform others on how to overcome obstacles in their lives to pursue their travel dreams.

Whether you want to drive from Alaska to Argentina or not.

The world is not waiting for you to come alive. Come alive now and go!

STEP 4: Adjustments

Things aren’t going to go the way you imagined them – no matter how you imagined them.

And while it could seem easy to advise you to give up your imaginations so you won’t be disappointed, the truth is that your hope for the way things will be when you get there are just as important as actually getting there.

We have always been inspired by adventure and those who have gone before us in exploring the world.

So our first part of the adventure was to get to Alaska from Florida.

You can make it in like 5 days if you drive fast and hard. We took closer to 3 months and 10,000 extra miles. But what a journey that was!

On July 6, 2018 we arrived in Deadhorse, Alaska at the top of the world.

This journey in itself covered twenty states, three Canadian provinces and over 10,000 miles.

It proved to be both exciting and educational.

The Arctic Ocean proved to be cold.

And life proved that there would be more twists and turns in our attempt to drive from Alaska to Argentina than we could ever plan.

That’s good though. Sometimes plans need to be made just so they can be broken.

Life works out better that way…

Where Are We on Our Drive from Alaska to Argentina?

So much has happened over the past few years. Of living full-time on the road. We’re doing a better job of documenting our journey on YouTube. So if you haven’t already done so, please check out our channel and see where the road has led us.

Since reaching Alaska we did turn south. But we ended up spending a winter back in Florida. We spent another summer in Wyoming with a breakdown. And we spent an amazing fall and winter in Baja, Mexico.

But then COVID-19 interrupted pretty much everyone’s plans.

So Argentina is on hold, for now. But as we’re constantly reminded, the South American continent and the country itself is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon…

Just remember, plans are always subject to change. And life is truly more about the journey than the destination.

Cliche. I know.

But once you hit the road you’ll realize some things are cliche for a reason.

Let us help you begin your drive from Alaska to Argentina… or anywhere in between!

`PAW-SOME ADVENTURE PET CANINE GEAR

• Baja California ,
• Pan American Highway ,
• roadblocks ,
• San Carlos ,
• speed bumps ,

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Driving mexico’s pan-american highway, uneasy feelings dissipate as the border gets farther away..

Setting out to drive 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina via Mexico’s Pan-American Highway wasn’t nearly as hard as I’d expected. All I had to do was jump into the driver’s seat and hit the road .

I’d dreamed and planned for so long that leaving was actually anticlimactic. For the first few months, it felt like any other road trip. The biggest difference was that the trip felt longer, and Alaska was more epic than anywhere I’d previously ventured.

As the weeks turned into months, I settled into my routines and optimized setting up camp, cooking and resupplying. Because of the abundance of gas stations, supermarkets and outdoor activities, moving from one stunning national park to another in western Canada and the United States was about as easy as overlanding gets … anywhere on the planet.

Approaching Mexico , I slowly became aware everything was about to change. For six months, I’d had the following conversation more times than I cared to count:

Me: “I’m driving to South America.” After a long pause, the reply was invariably—Other person: “Wait! You’re going to Mexico ?” “Yep.” “It’s extremely dangerous. You can’t go!” “Many people who’ve been there recently loved it.” “You can’t go. You’ll get kidnapped and beheaded by the drug cartels on day one.” “When was the last time you were in Mexico?” “Well … I’ve never been to Mexico. But it’s extremely dangerous. Everyone knows that. You’ll die.” “I’ll take my chances.”

Given the sheer volume of people certain I’d die, it was difficult to tune them out and focus on the big picture. If I were going to drive the entire Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, Mexico was just the first of many hurdles I’d need to overcome. I aimed to do so as safely as possible.

I drive south on I-5 until the end—literally at the huge fence on the Mexican border. Staring at the sign and seeing the level of security on display, it quickly becomes clear that a very big change was coming in my life. The armed officer directing traffic waves at me frantically, and I realize I’m in the wrong lane. With some difficulty, I move sideways through four lanes of moving traffic into the “declaration” lane, where I should’ve been from the start. This officer only speaks Spanish, while, at this point, I‘ve only managed to master fewer than five words. He gestures and then smiles, making it clear he wants to look inside my Jeep. After a cursory poke through my gear stashed in the back, he quickly loses interest.

Twice, he repeats, “¿Uno?” before I clue in and realize he’s asking if I’ll be driving on Highway 1 through Baja California. “Sí,” I reply. “Y Mazatlán.”

If I were going to drive the entire Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, Mexico was just the first of many hurdles I’d need to overcome. I aimed to do so as safely as possible.

Going to Mazatlán on the mainland means I needed to get myself a tourist visa and a temporary import permit for the Jeep. Using the three words of Spanish I’ve been practicing for a week, I ask where to find immigration and customs.

I park next to the flowing traffic and find the adjacent immigration building, where the officer explains in broken English that I need to walk two blocks to an office that can take care of the required paperwork for the Jeep. I set off on foot before quickly realizing he means for me to walk through the turnstiles into downtown Tijuana.

I’ve previously been to Tijuana on day trips, so I have a reasonable feel for the place. And walking across the border while the Jeep sits in the busy border area isn’t something I like the sound of, especially while I’m carrying all my important paperwork.

The Travels Progress

In a snap decision, I decided to scrap the whole paperwork-at-the-border plan, delaying it until I reach the southern tip of Baja California. I’m immediately happier back in the Jeep; I always feel at home behind the wheel.

I can’t take my eyes off the busy road for long. However, when I do, memories come flooding back. I see decrepit buildings all around; garbage and filth coat every surface possible; and desolate people stare, blank-eyed, as if in a trance. With no air conditioning in the Jeep, I have my window down, and soon, the smells also come in full force—first, a rotting, dead animal. It is followed by wave after wave of rotting fish and, finally, the most powerful sewage stench I’ve ever experienced. All this combines with low-hanging smoke from mountains of burning trash and thick, black smoke belching from trucks, making the air actually feel thick. Not only does it smell awful, but I can also taste it too. Within just five minutes, I’ve quite literally driven into a different world from sunny San Diego. I try my best to digest my new surroundings.

I’ve consistently been warned that the major problem areas in Mexico are along the border. There are warnings of rape, kidnap and murder. For that reason, it was always my plan to drive as far south as possible on the first day, hoping to put solid distance between myself and any trouble.

Moving through toll booths, I pay $2 (U.S.) multiple times on the way to Ensenada, which turns out to be a major city. Even after only a couple of hours in Mexico, it’s strange to see a row of box stores—complete with a Walmart Supercenter, McDonald’s, Burger King, Scotia Bank and Home Depot. I could just as easily be in a strange part of the United States or Canada. However, the shopping district comes to an abrupt end a few blocks later, and my vision is again filled with trash, smoke and crumbling buildings.

I’ve also been warned repeatedly about the crazy drivers and roads throughout Latin America. I was told that roads aren’t a place for cars to move swiftly and safely—as you might think—but are more commonly used for every other purpose imaginable. As a result, I have to always be careful to drive accordingly.

Road Hazards

In only the first few hours, I encounter the following road hazards. At the time, I was completely unaware these would become daily occurrences for the next 18 months of my life:

• Potholes the size of the Jeep tires
• Severe speed bumps … without any warning signs (called topes in Mexico)
• Construction and highway surfaces so bad they require first gear in the Jeep
• Beasts of burden (including donkeys painted to look like zebras!) pulling carts on the road
• Kids playing on the road—complete with volleyball nets and soccer goal posts placed across, and on, the road
• Food that is being dried on huge tarps directly on the road
• Broken-down vehicles in the middle of the driving lane, often with men working around the vehicles
• Huge boulders that are left behind after being used to stop broken-down vehicles from rolling
• Police and military roadblocks

The police and military in Mexico evidently don’t mess around. About every 15 miles, I pass through a heavily fortified roadblock manned by stern men in full combat gear. All of them are wearing riot helmets, bulletproof vests and hold assault rifles at the ready. Conversation with the officers is difficult. They seem more amused by me than anything else. I’m quickly waved through at each roadblock—with little interest on their part. It’s obvious I’m a tourist, so they don’t bother to search the Jeep. Apparently, nobody really cares about whatever is moving south .

Within just five minutes, I’ve quite literally driven into a different world from sunny San Diego. I try my best to digest my new surroundings.

A few hours later, I stop at a small bank in a nondescript town. The ATM has an English option, and withdrawing money from my Canadian bank account presents no issue (this was something I’d been wondering about). In terrible Spanish, I order lunch from a small roadside shack; it happily turns out to be a delicious omelet with chorizo for just a couple of dollars.

Now feeling more confident and at ease with my surroundings, I stop to buy gas at a Pemex station, the government-owned gas stations all across Mexico. I come to learn they’re often brand-new, clean and friendly. When I say, “Más, más” (“more, more”), the smiling attendant teaches me how to say “full” in Spanish: lleno . He’s clearly happy to meet me; and although we can’t actually converse, many smiles and handshakes get the message across.

Mexico’s Pan-American Highway: Settling In

South of Ensenada, Baja California becomes much less populated. I pass through many smaller towns that look like farming communities. Translating road signs becomes a fun game, and I break out my pocket Spanish dictionary every time I pass an unfamiliar sign. Most say things such as, “dangerous curves,” or “Reduce your velocity.” I realize this is a great way to learn Spanish and that I should do this at every opportunity.

South of Ensenada, Baja California becomes much less populated. I pass through many smaller towns that look like farming communities.

Over a couple of days, I begin to get comfortable with my surroundings. I start to venture out and explore more each day. In San Quintín, I tackle more routine tasks that’ll be necessary for a life on the road through Central America. Exchanging dollars for pesos is relatively easy at the bank, although I don’t understand much when the teller speaks much faster than I can hope to understand. I simply nod and smile, and everything seems to work out. I stop at a taco stand and, using my Spanish dictionary, I manage to order egg and chicken burritos—a literal mountain of food for only $3.

Simply to explore, I take the long, roundabout way, and the road gets crazier and crazier—until I’m in low-range 4×4 and pushing the Jeep on slippery gravel hill climbs.

I explore the streets on foot and wander into a few small markets and shops. All the big-brand names are represented, as is every kind of food I normally eat, along with a ton I’ve no idea about. Prices seem cheaper than the United States … but not amazingly so. A street vendor’s 75 cent soft-serve ice cream is extremely tempting, However, I remember a stern warning about how it’s poorly refrigerated and can quickly make you sick. I reluctantly pass on this temptation.

Pushing Your Boundaries on Mexico’s Pan-American Highway

Everything goes smoothly, although I can’t shake an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. This is the farthest I’ve pushed out of my comfort zone. It’s going to take some getting used to. I become more determined than ever to learn Spanish, certain that it’ll help me converse with locals and thus feel more at ease with my unfamiliar surroundings.

Each year, tens of thousands of people drive their own vehicles into Mexico to explore, and many thousands of those continue south through Central America and over into South America. Virtually all of them do so without experiencing a major safety incident.

I repeatedly explore dirt tracks to the beach and quickly learn about dirt roads in Baja. Potholes, huge ruts and corrugations are common, meaning I have to creep along and can barely use second gear. I’m told I must check out the nearby surf hangout of San Carlos. Simply to explore, I take the long, roundabout way, and the road gets crazier and crazier—until I’m in low-range 4×4 and pushing the Jeep on slippery gravel hill climbs.

I round a corner and find myself at San Carlos, a world-famous point break. It’s popular with windsurfers, kite surfers, as well as the “regular” kind. I meet the owner, Kevin, and am given the grand tour. I’m surprised by the scale of the great setup. It offers solar power, showers and tons of boards for hire and sale. A crew of professional mountain bike riders is kicking around, filming, so I tag along and hang out for the day. We are laughing and enjoying paradise together. A couple of the guys have been coming down to Mexico for 20 years. Over dinner that night, I pick their brains about everything I can think of. This puts my mind at ease about the road ahead. A highlight—sunset over the Pacific Ocean—seems to take forever. It transitions through every shade of red, orange and yellow.

Mexico’s Pan-American Highway: Not What It Seems

Each year, tens of thousands of people drive their own vehicles into Mexico via Mexico’s Pan-American Highway. They travel to explore. Many thousands of those continue south through Central America and over into South America. Virtually all of them do so without experiencing a major safety incident. However, getting real-world information about the situation in various countries can be difficult. Unfortunately, the mainstream media provides little help. Mexico’s driving dangers are hyped. Travelers are left with a very one-sided view of the situation.

The most accurate and up-to-date information is found by speaking with other overland travelers who’ve recently visited any destination, like Mexico’s Pan-American Highway, you’re interested in. People who’ve just spent time there will give you straight facts about the reality on the ground in a given country or region. You’ll get the truth because they’re just regular folks; they have no interest in hyping or exaggerating the story either way.

(Editor’s Note: For more tales of faraway travels, follow adventurer Dan Grec @theroadchoseme on YouTube and Instagram.)

(Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in Tread May/June 2021 .)

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The Pan-American Highway: from Alaska to Argentina

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From Alaska to Argentina: The Pan-American Highway’s Epic Journey

“We did it. We – the Vogel family from Boise, Idaho – did it. We did the impossible, and I couldn’t be happier that we did,” wrote Nancy Sathre-Vogel, in her family blog, when she and her family reached Ushuaia, in Argentina.

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United nations.

The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads, extending from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. According to the Guinness World Records, the 48,000km highway, which runs through the North and South American continents, is the world’s longest ‘motorable road’.

The highway comprises official and unofficial sections. The official section runs from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico to Buenos Aires, Argentina, while the unofficial sections can be found to both the north and south of the official route.

The route — including the official and unofficial sections — spreads across 14 countries: the USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

However, if you are thinking in cycling or driving all the way down until Ushuaia without stopping — except to rest, sleep or eat — take that out of your mind.

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The route is interrupted by a 160km-wide break, named the Darién Gap, between Central and South America.

The Pan-American Highway is for many the ultimate road trip and here — as part of the WCN’s Roads Week — we provide you with everything you need to know, so you can start, if you fancy the challenge, your ‘little’ adventure.

The hypothesis of a route from one point of the Americas to the other — in order to have closer links to its neighbouring countries — was originally proposed by the USA as a railroad at the First Pan-American Conference in 1889. However, nothing was decided at that time.

Alaska to Argentina: The idea resurfaced at the Fifth International Conference of American States in 1923 in Chile, when the Pan-American Highway was envisaged as a single route. Nevertheless, it was not until the sixth conference in Cuba in 1928 that plans were approved.

The First Pan-American Highway Conference was summoned in October 5, 1925, in Buenos Aires with plans presented for a highway starting in Mexico and running south to the Argentine capital.

In 1950, the first portion of the highway was completed in Mexico — the first country to put the proposal into practice, as each country has jurisdiction to designate, maintain or build the section between its borders.

In recent years, the Pan-American Highway Congress — the coordinating body — has begun meeting once every four years.

The highway’s construction greatly benefited from the USA’s financial support, which was crucial to its development — even though the country would not have any official segment of it.

The route very often follows long-established roads or routes, as it is neither one single highway nor a centrally administered road.

From Alaska to Mexico

Prudhoe Bay in Alaska is the starting point of the Pan-American Highway if you are heading north-south. The first 662km follows Dalton Highway to Fairbanks.

The Dalton Highway was built in 1974 as a supply road to support the trans-Alaska pipeline system and was the first road to be included in the BBC’s list of the ‘world’s most dangerous roads’ — at just a few miles from the Arctic Ocean.

From Fairbanks, it follows a 155km link to Delta Junction at the northern end of the Alaska Highway.

The Alaska Highway was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers — as a wartime project — with the motivation of linking Alaska with the USA, through Canada, to help defend against a potential Japanese attack.

The Alaska Highway, shortened since 2012 to 2,232km, ends at Dawson Creek, Canada, from where the route goes on to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Two possible routes are then found. The first, through Minneapolis and following the Interstate 35 through Dallas/Fort Worth, goes into the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas.

The second goes through Calvary, Alberta and Billings, Montana, where it connects with the Interstate 25.  Then it passes through Denver, Colorado to Las Cruces, New Mexico and from there on the Interstate 10 to San Antonio, Texas, joining the first route.

Many other routes are possible until Nuevo Laredo in Mexico, since there are no official sections of the highway through Canada and USA.

From Mexico to Colombia

The first official section of the Pan-America Highway starts at the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo.

From Nuevo Laredo, it goes through the Mexico City along Mexican federal Highway 45 and Mexican Federal Highway 190 on to the border with Guatemala.

The highway continues through Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

In Costa Rica it has an encounter with the ‘Summit of Death’ — and by the name we can deduce that it will be a challenging section to go through. Here, the highway reaches its highest elevation, at 3,335m.

And if that wasn’t enough, the highway suddenly ends at Yaviza, Panama, where it faces the Darién Gap.

The Darién Gap

The Darién Gap is a large swathe of undeveloped swampland and forest in Panama’s Darién Province in Central America and the north of Colombia’s Choco department in South America.

The gap is 160km long and 50km wide, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Over the years, many explorers have been attracted and seduced by the Gap — to do research and explore the area.

In 1510, the Spanish established their first settlement in the Americas there. However, 14 years later it was destroyed by local indigenous tribes.

The Gap continues to be as wild today as it was during the days of the conquest.

Rick Morales, a Panamanian and owner of Jungle Treks, one of the few adventure tour companies in the region, told BBC: “If history had followed its usual course, the Darién should be today one of the most populated regions in the Americas, but it isn’t.

“That’s remarkable if you consider that we live in the 21st Century, in a country that embraces technology and is notorious for connecting oceans, cultures, and world commerce.”

Attempts and efforts to solve this missing link have been made for decades. Environmental concerns, however, have been significant to stop any effort in that direction.

In 1971, planning to construct a road link through the area started with the help of USA funding, only to be suspended three years later after concerns raised by environmentalists.

Another attempt to build a road began in 1992, but in 1994 a United Nations agency argued that the road would cause extensive environmental damage.

Other ideas included the implementation of a short ferry link from Colombia to a new ferry port in Panama, along with an extension of the existing Panama Highway, and the construction of a combination of bridges and tunnels. None of these were put into place.

In addition, many people, groups, indigenous populations and governments have opposed to the completion of the Darién portion.

It was argued that a link would jeopardise rainforest protection, the containment of the spread of tropical diseases, the protection of the livelihood of indigenous peoples, the prevention of drug trafficking and associated violence, and the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease from entering North America.

For the time being the gap can only be crossed through an occasionally running ferry or by plane — by bike or on foot is not advisable because of the wild terrain and the risk of being kidnapped or robbed by local gangs.

From Colombia to Argentina

The Pan-American Highway picks up again in Turbo, Colombia and continues south following the western side of South America.

In Ecuador the highway crosses the country’s capital, Quito — the world’s second highest capital city at an altitude of 2,850m. The route then heads south to Peru, and follows Peru Highway 1.

On its way from Peru into Chile, drivers or cyclists encounter the third significant challenge, the Atacama Desert — the highest non-polar region in the world.

After, the highway follows Chile Route 5 through Antofagasta to Valparaiso.

Now if you are in the mood to deviate from the official route and do some sightseeing, there is an unofficial section of the highway that continues down the Chilean coast on Route 5 and terminates in Quellon on Chiloé Island.

The official route, at Valparaiso, heads east following Chile Route 60 across the Andes Mountains and into Argentina. There it becomes Argentina National 7 and crosses the Pampas to Buenos Aires.

The final unofficial portion of the Pan-American Highway stretches for another 3,045km from Buenos Aires on Argentina National Route 3 to Ushuaia, Argentina.

The process of creating the highway was a slow one, due to war, money and lack of governmental cooperation, but today it is possible to travel the length of the Americas — more or less.

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Driving to Alaska: Everything You Need to Know Before

By: Author Adam

Posted on Last updated: 29 April, 2024

We put this Alaska road trip guide from what we learned by driving to Alaska the entire way, both north and south. Below is what worked well for us (and what didn’t) – to make your drive to Alaska even better than ours.

Are you looking for the ultimate road trip? The journey to Alaska from the lower 48 States is most travelers’ top road trips. It is one of our favorite road trips to date!

Before hitting the road, make sure to pick up the most up-to-date Alaska Milepost book here .

First of all, the drive to Alaska is much easier than most travelers expect. When most people envision the drive to Alaska and driving in Alaska, they start to turn into doomsday preppers.

Often people think driving the Alaska Highway will be all winter driving with crazy icy road conditions the entire journey. WRONG! 

Most travelers think they’ll need three spare tires and gas cans strapped to every flat surface of their vehicle. Driving in Alaska isn’t nearly what you think, and the entire Alaska Highway is better than you think.

You do need to prepare when you drive north to Alaska, but not like this. We’ll explain – while giving you all of the Alaska by car tips, the best routes to Alaska, the best scenic stops along the Alaska Highway, and itinerary advice for the Alaska drive for this epic adventure!

We get several comments & emails every week asking what to pack when driving to Alaska. Here is our list of must-have items on Amazon.

You should really start with a copy of the Milepost Alaska travel planner. It will help you get detailed information to plan your trip, and it’s even better to have it in the car when driving—because there is not going to be cell service, let alone internet, for most of the drive to Alaska and along the Alaska Highway.

Click Here To Buy The Milepost 2024 Edition 

2024 Milepost – Best Alaska Map for an Alaska Road Trip

Can you drive to alaska in 2024.

Yes, you can drive from the US to Alaska in 2024. There are NO COVID-19 requirements for entry into Canada. You can now cross the Canadian border from the States like before COVID-19 ever happened.

Best Guidebook for Driving to Alaska

The best or only real guidebook is the Milepost book . If you are making the journey, you should probably have one of these. We recommend picking one of these up well in advance of your trip to help plan.

The #1 thing to buy for a trip to Alaska, it helps plan & you’ll need it in the car when driving!

It takes some time to get used to the layout, but once you do, it will have more info than you’ll ever need on all the Alaskan roads & Alaska Highway and the route to Alaska through Canada. You can order the Milepost book online here .

Cell Phone service and Best Carriers for a road trip to Alaska?

Cell coverage on the ride up to Alaska was better than expected for the most part but still a lot worse than the roads. Once you are north of Calgary, expect very little service along the Alaska Highway except in the small towns. While traveling through small towns, you will almost always have cell service, and most will also have data too.

Best Satellite Communicator To Have

If you’re driving by yourself or have a loved one driving to Alaska alone and you want some extra piece of mind, you should consider packing a satellite communicator . A satellite communicator can send messages, emails, and emergency SOS messages. For less than $200, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have it.

• Buy Now 2024 Best Satellite Communicator

In Canada – Many U.S. carriers extend their plans into Canada at no extra cost. We found T-Mobile shared towers with many Canadian carriers and worked better than our Verizon line for both calls and data. It’s best to contact your carrier to see how your plan will work in Canada before switching it on across the border.

In Alaska – Cell and data coverage are overall better than in Canada, but it is the U.S., so many carriers will switch to roaming, which is limited on most plans. There is better coverage between towns in Alaska than in northern Canada, but mostly for calls, the internet is still limited to the towns and cities. AT&T and Verizon, according to locals, are the best for coverage in Alaska.  We had a Verizon line, and it worked all right, but it was still pretty limited.

Our T-Mobile line picked up GCI a majority of the time. We were told by T-Mobile we only got 200MB of roaming data included in our plan, but it never shut us down. We called to inquire how much data we had used in Alaska, and they said 0 MB. So, we were able to use our T-Mobile with no problems the entire time. GCI has prepaid options from $20+, depending on how much data you need. GCI is Alaska’s largest wireless network and fastest 4G network.

Related Article: Things To Do In Homer Alaska

Best Vehicle to Drive to Alaska?

ANY vehicle is capable of making the drive to Alaska in the summer months. You don’t need a 4×4 or anything crazy. We’ve seen motorcycles, full-size RVs, trucks with a 5th-wheel camper, and even our basic grocery-getting minivan was fine on the Alaska Highway.

If those giant RVs pulling cars can make it on the roads, so can your car. Our 11-year-old DIY campervan made the drive to Alaska without issue. Click here to watch our YouTube video and see what our van looks like.

It’s a good idea to make sure your vehicle is in good mechanical order because from anywhere in the lower 48 of the U.S., a drive to Alaska is at least 48 hours of drive time.

Driving to Alaska FAQ

Q.) Is driving to Alaska worth it?

A.) Yes, driving to Alaska is absolutely worth it! I am positive anyone who has made the drive will agree. There’s nothing quite like it, and you get to see so much along the way.

Q.) Is it safe to drive the Alaska Highway?

A.) Yes, driving to Alaska is generally safe, and so is the Alaska Highway. There are normal road hazards, but with normal, careful driving and some planning, you should have a safe trip. If you do run into trouble, people along the highway tend to help each other out.

Q.) Can you drive to Alaska without going through Canada?

A.) No, you can not drive all the way to Alaska without going through Canada. However, with the use of the Alaska Marine Highway system , you can take your vehicle to Alaska without going through Canada – just a short 97 hours on the ferry.

Q:) Can you drive to Alaska during the winter months?

A:) Yes, the Alaska Highway is open year-round. See more below about driving to Alaska during the winter.

Q.) Can I drive through Canada to Alaska without a passport?

A.) No, you need your passport. It’s required to cross the Canadian border into Canada and back into the United States when you read Alaska.

Q.) Can you drive to Juneau, Alaska?

A.) No, you can not drive to Juneau without the use of ferries. There are no routes to Alaska that enter Juneau by car without taking the ferry. If you want to bring your car, you will have to take the car ferry to Alaska.

Q:) What month is best to see the Northern Lights in Alaska?

A:) Between August and April is your best chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Alaska. If you are driving the Alaska Highway driving back to the States, plan to spend a few days in Fairbanks. Fairbanks is one of the best places in Alaska to see the Northern Lights.

How are the Roads to Alaska on the Alcan Highway in 2024?

In the middle of the Summer of 2022, there was a section of the Alaska Highway / Alcan highway that was washed out just south of the British Columbia and Yukon Border—apparently caused by a beaver dam that gave way (yes, really) and flooding. There has since been a 3 km detour created to reopen the flow of traffic. It is unclear at this time when this portion of the Alaskan Highway will be fully repaired.

In most years, the condition of the roads will depend on how tough the winter is and how much it heaves the roads. Overall, on our last trip, the roads were far better than we expected while planning an Alaska road trip.

For the vast majority of the drive to Alaska, the road is a two-lane asphalt paved highway with a gravel shoulder large enough for a standard vehicle. There are passing lanes periodically, but the traffic is very thin, and passing is generally not an issue.

When is the Best Time to Drive to Alaska?

The best time to drive the Alaska Highway is from May to September. During the summer months, the road conditions on the Alaska Highway will be at their best.

During the summer, there are more hours of daylight, the best driving conditions, and more services are open along the Alaska Highway. Several places close during the winter months, as very few travelers make the journey during the winter.

Driving The Alaska Highway in Winter

The road is less traveled due to shorter hours of daylight and winter driving conditions. Be prepared for icy road conditions and snow-covered roads. Don’t rush. Give yourself plenty of time when driving to Alaska during the winter.

If you are up for this adventure, make sure you are prepared and have a backup plan! Always have extra gas with you. Gas stations along the Alaska Highway in the winter have very limited hours. Expect extreme cold temperatures. Make sure you have the appropriate cold-weather clothing and gear in your car.

The road conditions and driving will be worse in the Yukon and the interior parts of Alaska in the winter. The chances of seeing wildlife along the Alaskan Highway are much less.

*Note that winter tires are required when driving in British Columbia from October 1 to March 31.

Can you Drive from Seattle to Alaska?

Yes, you can drive from Seattle to Alaska. There are two route options. Both of the routes below have you driving from Seattle to Prince George, British Columbia, along the Trans-Canada Highway. Once you are in Prince George, you will have two routes to choose from.

Most travelers cross the Canadian border at the Sumas-Huntingdon border crossing, which is just north of Seattle and is open 24 hours a day.

You can either take Highway 97, which will connect with the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, or we suggest driving the Cassiar Highway.

The Cassiar Highway is technically shorter in distance than the Highway 97 route, but it is the longer route from Seattle. It is 100 miles shorter, but the Cassiar Highway is more remote and the more scenic route, in our opinion. It is less traveled, only a two-lane road, has a lower speed limit, and offers a better chance of seeing wildlife. The Cassiar Highway joins the Alaska Highway by Watson Lake in the Yukon Territory.

If you decide driving Highway 97 from Seattle is your preferred route, you will drive the entire Alaska Highway starting at Mile 0, which starts in Dawson Creek. Highway 97 is the fastest route in regard to time and has more restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc., along the route, but it is 100 miles longer.

Both Highway 97 and Cassiar Highway are scenic drives through British Columbia with high chances of seeing some wildlife along the way. You could drive to Alaska from Seattle via Highway 97 and then drive Alaska to Seattle on the Cassiar Highway. That way, you can experience each route.

Quick Alaska Highway Facts

The Alaska Highway is 1,382 miles/2,224 km long and starts in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and ends in Delta Junction, Alaska.

The highway is open year-round. The road, for the most part, is paved the entire length of the highway. You will run into patches of construction along the route.

It once was 1,422 miles long, but after some rerouting and construction, the highway in Alaska is now 40 miles shorter. You may notice this if you pay attention to the mile markers. Alaska has yet to change its mile markers to the new length. You may notice this when you cross the Alaska-Yukon border.

The Alaska Highway is also known as the Alcan Highway. It got the name Alcan by shortening Alaska and Canada.

The Alaska Highway ends in Delta Junction, Alaska. Many travelers think it ends in Fairbanks, but that is incorrect. The Delta Junction to the Richardson Highway, which goes to Fairbanks.

How Much Time Do I Need in Alaska?

Alaska is a massive state, and how much you will see will depend on how much time you have. We would suggest you spend about two weeks in Alaska at minimum (more is better) to see most of the drivable highlights of the state. A longer trip is better than a short trip.

If you don’t have a month to drive to Alaska, you should probably fly to Alaska and make an Alaska road trip instead. Most Alaska road trips start from Fairbanks or Anchorage, as they have the best flight options. Whether you are flying to Alaska from California, New York, or Wisconsin, like us, there are daily flights to Alaska. We would suggest flying into Anchorage and renting a car to start your journey.

While there are many amazing things to see on the way to Alaska, you don’t want to have to get all the way there to turn around. There are several amazing National Parks in Alaska and Canada, tons of wildlife, including moose & bears, often right along the Alaska Highway, and you can’t forget the gorgeous Canadian Rockies.

Renting a Car in Alaska

If you want to explore Alaska by land but don’t have time to drive the whole way, you can rent a car in Alaska or rent an RV.

Car rental prices in Alaska are NOT CHEAP. I am talking $150+ a day.

There is such a short season, and rental cars in Anchorage and Fairbanks airports are in high demand. Once you know your travel dates and are planning your adventure, book your rental car now. We book online here .

Most rental cars come with unlimited miles (but double-check your terms). If you have time, see if you can explore Canada and Alaska. That way, you could make a mini adventure to the Yukon as well.

Wildlife along the Alaska Highway

We saw sooo many moose and bears just off the road. There become a point where we stopped pulling over to take photos or just watch the wildlife.

The best time to see moose in Alaska is September and October during their breeding season.

The best time to see bears in Alaska is from July through September. We saw more bears along the highway in the Yukon. You most likely will not see a bear in Alaska if you are on an Alaska road trips.

We shouldn’t have to say this, but keep your distance. Do not get out of your car and approach wildlife!

How Much Time Do I Need to Drive to Alaska?

Keep in mind while planning you are going to need at least a week to drive up and another week to drive home from Alaska. It can be done quicker, but then you are going to miss some of the greatest sights in North America and the Rockies.

Two weeks of drive time will allow you to make some stops and actually enjoy the journey –  again, if you don’t, you might as well fly to Alaska. See our Alaskan road trip guide and itinerary for everything to see while in Alaska.

Actual drive times will depend on where your trip starts. The time is really dictated by what you want to see along the way. Do you want to drive right through the Yukon, or do you want to see some sights? We suggest one week to drive safely to Alaska without too many stops.

The Best Route to Drive to Alaska and Road Trip Itinerary

If your goal is to get to Alaska the fastest way possible, you’re better off flying to Anchorage and renting a car in Alaska. As they say, it’s not the destination; it’s the journey.

There are lots of AMAZING things to see on the way to Alaska, and you should make time to see them along the way. You might want to take one route there and another back, possibly going back through Seattle one way. We wish we had had time to drive the Cassiar Highway and make the drive from Alaska to Seattle.

From the eastern half of the United States, most map programs will have you travel through North Dakota into Canada to Edmonton and then finally join the Alcan Highway in Dawson Creek. Take this route if you like loooooooong stretches of flat, boring land. However, if you add just 9 hours of driving to your route, you can see some of the most fascinating landscapes in North America.

Here are our perfect routes to Alaska. No matter which part of the country you are coming from, it would be a road trip sin not to stop in the Canadian Rockies. Make time in your itinerary on either the way to Alaska or on the journey home. No matter which route you take, you’ll be going through the Yukon Territory and British Columbia and jumping on the Alaska Highway near Dawson Creek.

Since everyone is coming from somewhere different, this addresses the Canadian and Northern US portions of the route only. You should allow a minimum of four weeks for this route, and 5-6 weeks would be more comfortable. For the Alaska portion of the suggested itinerary, see our Alaska Road Trip itinerary and guide.

Related Article: One of Alaska’s Best Kept Secrets – Hatcher Pass

Essential Stops on the Drive to Alaska:

Glacier National Park – Montana, USA

If you are in a hurry, you can cover most of the driving highlights of this park in a single day. However, if you have time, we suggest about three days to properly see Glacier National Park . It is one of our favorite National Parks in the United States.

The high mountains can cause weather issues (even in early summer). Extra time would allow a better chance to see this stunning park under blue skies.

If you’re short on time, at least drive the Going to the Sun Road that crosses the park. If you have more time, take in a sunset at our favorite spot, Two Medicines Park Road, or hike the Avalanche Trail.

Banff National Park – Alberta, Canada

One of the most picturesque places on the continent, Banff, should really be part of your trip. A trip to British Colombia requires a few days in Banff National Park. Even those in a hurry should plan three days to take in the sights between Banff, Jasper, and the Icefields Parkway.

Places not to miss while in Banff are Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake.

If you have more time, three days in Banff will cover the major highlights. If you’re really short on time, you can jump on a Banff helicopter tour and see the park from a whole other level. Banff is a well-known ski area, but year-round, there’s so much to see and do in Banff.

Related Article: Things to do in Banff

Icefields Parkway – Alberta, Canada

Another must visit in British Columbia is driving the Icefields Parkway. It is one of the most scenic drives you’ll ever take. While only 144 miles (232km), you could drive it in just over 2 hours.

There are literally hundreds of stops along the way. This drive deserves at least a day of your road trip to Alaska. Two days would allow you to walk on the Columbia Icefield and really see this amazing place properly.

Jasper National Park – Alberta, Canada

At the top of the Icefields Parkway is another impressive Canadian Park. Jasper National Park is full of more impressive mountains and glacial feed lakes and rivers. Some of the national park highlights not to miss are the Valley of 5 Lakes hike and the massive Pyramid Mountain. Plan at least a day inside Jasper, and three days would allow you to cover most of the highlights.

From Jasper, make your way up HWY 40 in Alberta to connect with the Alcan Highway in Dawson Creek, where the Alaskan Highway starts.  From the Alcan Highway, there are fewer possible deviations since this is the main route.

Good Stops:  Muncho Lake Provincial Park,  Stone Mountain Provincial Park, Destruction Bay, Tetlin Junction, Skagway. From Jake’s Corner in the Yukon, you can make your way down to Skagway & Haines, Alaska.

For the Alaska portion of the suggested itinerary, see our Alaska Road Trip itinerary and guide.

What to pack to drive to Alaska

While it’s good to be prepared for the very long drive to Alaska, but after doing it – there’s a more reasonable approach. Here, we will go over some of the things we packed that worked well and some that didn’t.

Do I Need a Full-Size Spare Tire when Driving to Alaska?

Having a full-size spare would help you to make you more independent and better prepared for any issues. However, the roads to Alaska are, in general, in pretty good shape.

If a flat tire occurs, a small donut tire would likely get you to the next town that could repair it. This would slow down your trip, but you’re not going to be eaten by bears if you don’t have a full-size spare.

To answer the question better, we spent a few hundred dollars and two days adding a spare tire to a vehicle that was not made to carry one. In hindsight, it was not worth it. However, if you can easily add a full-size spare tire to your vehicle, do it. Call a junkyard and get a rim and a used tire, and you’ll be ready if something does happen.

Do I need extra jerry cans of gas to drive to Alaska?

The simple answer is no. There is no stretch of road anywhere on the route to Alaska that is longer than 200 miles without a gas station. However, you’ll see all kinds of vehicles with multiple gas cans strapped to the back (we did too).

Overall, we found it unnecessary to carry extra gas. However, it was a peace of mind while in what felt like the middle of nowhere. The main exception is if you plan on driving longer, more remote stretches of the road to Alaska at night or early in the morning.

Many of the gas stations along the route to Alaska (especially in Canada) are old-school, without card readers, meaning the stations have to be open to get gas. Our minivan campervan gets around 400 miles to the tank, and we just never let it get too far under 1/2 a tank and never had an issue.

If you plan on going to more remote areas off of the main highways in Alaska and northern Canada, you still will want an extra gas can. We really liked the nice sturdy metal gas can we brought for this trip, which actually fit inside of our full-sized spare that was on a carry-in our hitch receiver.

Random things you should know before driving the Alcan or Alaska Highway:

• In British Columbia, if you are caught going more than 40 kph over the speed limit, they will impound your car for seven days . Watch your speed when driving! We found this out when we got stopped going around 30 kph over. The trooper let us off with a warning because he was on his way to a missing person. Lucky for us, not so much them. However, he made it seem like his hands would be tied if caught over 40 kph.
• Canada restricts certain types of weapons from being brought into the country, including pepper spray. This makes carrying bear spray into Canada a little bit of a gray area. According to most sources, it is now legal if it’s bigger than 9oz, and the label states USDA repellent registration. Also on the restricted list are handguns and military-like assault weapons. If declared, you can bring in rifles and shotguns for hunting. You must register at the border and pay a fee. See a more comprehensive list and regulations on the RCMP official website .

How Much Does it Cost to Drive to Alaska?

Calculating the cost of a road trip to Alaska will depend on your route, gas mileage/price, driving habits, road conditions, lodging, and food along the way. Everyone’s trip will be different, but here are a few tips on how to budget your Alaska drive trip.

• Use a map tool to calculate how many miles your trip will be. Take that number and add in some miles for sightseeing and then double it for driving home.
• If you know your vehicle’s gas mileage, you can easily figure out the gas cost.
• Plan out your route, where you would like to stop along the way, and the type of accommodations you want. Will you be camping or staying in hotels along the way to Alaska? This will be one of your biggest budget factors.
• Make sure to factor in a budget for food. It could be as little as $10 per day per person if you’re cooking your own meals or much higher if eating primarily in restaurants. There are not a ton of restaurants in the Yukon or along the Alaska Highway except in the larger cities.
• Lastly, make sure to leave some money for seeing the sights – entrance fees, park passes, etc.

Are you planning to drive to Alaska? Or have you already done the drive? Share your questions and tips in the comments!

Don’t forget to pin me for later.

Sherrie seward

Saturday 1st of July 2023

Thank you for so much informative information.

Sunday 13th of March 2022

Thanks for posting this! My wife and I are getting ready to drive to AK from Central Wisconsin this summer in our Sienna mini van. Planning for about 10 weeks, lots of things to see and do.

Monday 28th of June 2021

The Alaska Hwy is all paved now. So, the drive is much easier than it used to be. The Canadian border officials can be a real pain. But, you just have to put up with it. DO NOT have a temper flare up! If you do they'll just deny you entry and turn you around. DO NOT try to sneek a hand gun into Canada. If they search your vehicle and they find it you're in big trouble. They really don't like any kind of gun.

Make sure you've got good tires. If you need to buy tires they will charge an arm and a leg. Same for batteries. There are plenty of places to stay, buy gas/diesel and food. No need to carry gas cans.

Summer time is a good time to drive. Winter can be bad because of the cold. There are places where it can get down to -50F or -60F. It can get colder than that.

If your vehicle takes premium gas when you get into Alaska the highest octane you can buy is 90. And it's lousy. You'll get less power and worst mileage. Buy octane booster before you leave home or in the states.

Also, make sure you've to all the paperwork for your vehicle. Insurance, and registration. They might ask you for it at the border. You'll also need a passport to get into Canada.

The border is still closed as of today, Monday June 28th 2021. No telling when they'll reopen it.

The people here (Alaska) are very friendly. Alaska is more than 2.5 times bigger than Texas.

Diane Huffman

Tuesday 13th of April 2021

Awesome and informative post! I worked in Denali YEARS ago ('99,00, and '01) and did that drive back and forth each summer from Utah and Colorado. It's interesting to hear that there are still gas stations that don't have pay-at-the-pump. I remember sleeping at the gas station waiting for it to open because I needed more gas to continue. It is an incredible drive, I'd love to do it again some time when COVID restrictions end.

John LeMaster

Thursday 8th of October 2020

My wife and I drove from Washington to Alaska and back with our travel trailer about 10 years ago. We really enjoyed our trip and would like to do it again. However, we are concerned that it may not be the same because of over crowding and heavy traffic during the summer months. If that's the case we may want to remember it the way it was. That's true of so many places we used to enjoy visiting, but now avoid because they are totally jammed with cars and people making everything a real hassle. What have conditions been like the past couple of summers?

Thursday 11th of February 2021

I don't think 'heavy traffic' applies with a drive to Alaska yet. On our last drive, I think there were days when we saw less than a dozen cars all day.

Road Trip South America | Plan South America

Setting off on your Luxury Road Trip

There’s something quite different about how a road trip shapes your experience of a country. The way they make you feel, the variety of the experiences and the authenticity in your interactions. No mini-buses, itemised itineraries and being herded like cattle through major attractions, a mere witness to this new world around you.

See a country by car, however, and you become a part of the scenery. You’ll meet people who live and work in small towns, who barely speak your language. There’s freedom to your movement through the landscape, each day chasing the horizon, not knowing what adventures await over the next rise.

Why not rent a car in South America and discover the hospitality of Argentina, the adventurous spirit of Chile or the exuberance of Brazil on your next road trip?

Pan-American Highway

Probably the most well-known route to travel through South America, the Pan-American Highway is also the longest road in the world. Traversing two continents over an epic journey of 30 000 miles; the road begins in Alaska, covers the North American continent and only breaks for 160 km of rainforest between Panama City and Turbo, Colombia.

Known as the Darien Gap, this makes it impossible to cross directly between central and South America. But follow the tarred line as it hugs the western coastline and runs its way south to the continent’s tip, splitting in two and then ending in Quellón, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina, and you’ll experience one of the greatest adventures of your lifetime.

Route 40, Argentina

Carving a path southwards over some 3 000 miles from Argentina’s northern La Quiaca, following the edge of the Andes mountain range, Ruta 40 winds through a variety of breath-taking scenery before ending in Cabo Virgenes in Santa Cruz province. Landscapes melt from arid desert into neat rows of vineyards, vast steppe and finally into broad expanses of Patagonian wilderness. While this road trip is not an easy one, and you should be prepared for all eventualities, it’s a magnificent way to experience the beauty that this country offers in its people and its landscapes. Be sure to stop in the winelands for a pairing of Argentina’s most famous offerings – Malbec and beef steak.

Carretera Austral, Chile

Officially named Route 7, Chile’s Carretera Austral begins from an offshoot of the great Pan-American Highway. This stretch of road offers a nostalgic view over 745 miles of coastline from the country’s north to south; hugging the coastline in the green pocket that runs between the country’s two natural borders – the Andes mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. Snaking through far-flung southern villages once cut off from the rest of the country, the gravel road takes you from rainforests to glaciers, past volcanoes, fjords and rivers.

Transamazônica, Brazil

The longest road through the Amazonian region, the Trans-Amazonian Highway opened this area to the rest of Brazil. Although it follows the mighty river for some time, unfortunately, the road doesn’t pass any virgin rainforest anymore. Rather it takes those who drive its over 2 400-mile length through rolling countryside, quaint colonial towns and past local vaqueiro as they drive their herds of cattle, some up to 1 000 heads strong, from different fazendas to the slaughterhouse. For a day spent in nature enjoying world-class art, visit billionaire Bernardo Paz’s Inhotim contemporary arts park; wander the expansive grounds and draw inspiration from the amazing creations homed here.

Related Stories

The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Patagonia

A Family Holiday in Colombia

An Interview With Pierre-André Krüger from Nomad Lodges

The Art Lover’s Guide to Brazil

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5 Best Alaska Road Trip Routes (Ultimate Planning Guide!)

So, you’re thinking of venturing out on an Alaska road trip? The state isn’t nicknamed ‘The Last Frontier’ for nothing. The stark mountains, frigid winter climate, and vast miles of land uninhabited by humans give way to its off the map nature.

If you’re looking to cruise alongside stunning scenery and embark on some incredible new adventures, all while enjoying the comforts of civilization along the way, an Alaska road trip is certainly the way to go.

It’s hard to know where to start when planning your own expedition like this, so we’ve done some of the legwork for you. Read on for all of the best routes and must-sees along the way when you embark on your journey through the Last Frontier.

Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Alaska (Travel Guide)

How many miles is it to Anchorage, Alaska from:

Table of Contents

• Seattle, Washington to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 44 hours and 2,261 miles
• Los Angeles, California to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 61 hours and 3,395 miles
• Chicago, Illinois to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 61 hours and 3,568 miles
• Atlanta, Georgia to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 71 hours and 4,210 miles
• Houston, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 70 hours and 4,124 miles
• Vancouver, Canada to Anchorage, Alaska Via Yukon 1 E ~ 42 hours and 2,191 miles

5 Best Alaska Road Trip Routes

Alaska Highway

What would an Alaskan road trip be without a journey up to their 1,387-mile namesake highway? Starting in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, you can turn down this uncrowded route and take in the picturesque snow-capped peaks and remote landscape, all the way up to Delta Junction in southeastern Fairbanks, Alaska.

What to See

During your road trip, you’ll find plenty to see and do on the Alaska Highway. Passing through Muncho Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia, you can stop for a bit of canoeing and spend the night in the cozy Northern Rockies Lodge . Just past the park, we recommend stopping to soak in the Liard River hot springs.

Not long after crossing into Yukon Territory, you’ll be able to check out the Continental Divide . Parting the Pacific and Atlantic watersheds. This ridge journeys from Alaska to the tip of South America .

It’s a short but fun stop along the way for anyone who is into geography and spectacular terrain. Also, in the Yukon, there is Kluane National Park and Reserve , a hot spot for adventurers looking to try rafting, mountaineering, and more outdoor activities.

Check-in for a night at the charming Kathleen Lake Lodge before continuing your journey into Alaska. Be sure to stop by Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge to experience the critters of an Alaska road trip – bald eagles, grizzly bears, and trumpeter swans are just a few of the animal species protected by this region.

You might feel inclined to plan your Alaska road trip over the summer to avoid poor weather conditions and take full advantage of the activities along the way, as some businesses may close during the winter months.  MILEPOST , a must-have guide for traveling in the northwest of the continent, makes a good case for tackling the Alaska Highway during the off-season.

Provided you are a responsible driver, you stay on top of your fuel reserves, are settled into your pre-booked accommodation by nightfall, and adhere to road signage. Attractions like the hot springs at Liard River are going to be all the more enjoyable when experienced in Alaska’s famous colder climate.

Parks Highway & Denali Highway

For 362 miles between Anchorage and Fairbanks, you can take in the wild landscape of Alaska’s interior on Parks Highway. From mountains to tundra, it’s the perfect Alaska road trip for adventurous spirits.

Not only is Alaska the Last Frontier, but it’s also the site of what’s known as the Last Great Race on Earth: the Iditarod. After departing Anchorage, you could spend some time at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Museum , where you can dive into the history of this bold and daring race.

Perhaps the most anticipated stop of a Parks Highway Alaska road trip is, Denali National Park and Preserve . Home to the continent’s highest peak, Denali.

This park boasts plenty of summer and winter activities, such as hiking, fishing, mountaineering, and stargazing. Spend the night at one of the quaint cabins in the Denali Backcountry Lodge.

Here, you can also choose to detour from your Parks Highway road trip and embark on an alternate route to take in the full expanse of this cherished park, its glaciers and tundra landscape.

Extending for 134 miles from Paxson to Cantwell and made up of mostly gravel, Denali Highway is no last-minute decision, so make sure if you go this route you’re aptly prepared to forge ahead on a new trip.

While Parks Highway is open all four seasons, Denali Highway is closed in the winter. Traveling during the summer months is probably your best bet for enjoying the full spectrum of Alaska’s interior on this trip.

Seward Highway

Modest in length compared to it’s big Alaska road trip counterparts, Seward Highway is perfect for a small jaunt from Anchorage. Looping 127 miles down to Seward, the sites you’ll encounter are some of the state’s most breathtaking.

Don’t be fooled by the low mileage on this trip – there is so much to see packed into a short distance! MILEPOST is a great resource for examining all of the options available to you.

Your first order of business will be to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic view of Turnagain Arm as you cruise between mountains and shoreline.

If you’re willing to turn this mini Alaska road trip into a full-fledged adventure, take some time to stay at Alyeska Resort just southeast of Anchorage, where you can hit the slopes and ski to your heart’s content.

Further down the road, you can check out the trail at Johnson’s Pass before stopping for another night at the Inn at Tern Lake , where you’ll be able to arrange fishing trips or whale watching tours.

Be sure to take your camera out for glossy Kenai Lake before you complete your journey in the pleasant town of Seward .

Any season of Seward Highway won’t disappoint. If you are an avid ski or snowboarder be sure to venture to this region in the winter!

Dalton Highway

Time to go off-road (sort of). Most of Dalton Highway is gravel, so you’ll have to take your sweet time on this massive 415-mile route starting at Elliott Highway and ending in Deadhorse, up by the Arctic Ocean.

This is not a route to be taken lightly, and if you’re renting a car, be sure to double-check for restrictions on traveling on unpaved roadways.

This trek starts at the junction with Elliott Highway, another scenic Alaska road trip looping from Fox to Manley Hot Springs. Spend a couple of nights at Coldfoot Camp , aptly named for the frigid arctic conditions you’ll face while cruising Dalton Highway.

Here, you’ll be able to tour Koyukuk River in the summer, and possibly view the Northern Lights in the winter.

Close by, you’ll pass the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, which really captures the meaning of the word “remote.” Void of set paths, this stop is perfect for some pictures before continuing on your way unless you happen to be an expert in wilderness survival.

Once you reach Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay, you can stay at the Aurora Hotel , which sits over Colleen Lake and book an Arctic Ocean tour . Who else can say they’ve done that?

You really can’t go wrong here. This far north, you’ll be able to witness the midnight sun during the summer, and you’ll have a shot at the Aurora Borealis during the winter.

Need to book a car for your road trip adventure? We use Discover Car Hire for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Bob Blodgett Nome-Teller Memorial Highway

Due to the remoteness of the Last Frontier, most of the more popular Alaska road trips happen in the eastern region of the state, around the major cities and attractions.

If you’re feeling adventurous, think about tackling the 73-mile stretch of pavement running between Nome, on the southwest end of the state, up to Teller, situated on Grantley Harbor and the closest you’ll get to Russia on any of these Alaska road trips.

The sights of Alaska do not disappoint, and this mini road trip is no exception. At the start of your journey, take a detour up Anvil Mountain for a view worthy of a photo-op, and while you’re there, check out some Cold War communications remnants, dubbed by some as “Nomehenge.”

Further on, you can take in more off the beaten path sites, like an abandoned reindeer corral. But don’t be discouraged by these ruins, as you’re likely to spot actual reindeer too! Stop by Penny River Bridge to view some more unique local wildlife, like coho salmon and arctic tern. The road to Teller is full of surprises!

A several hour round-trip excursion, by the time you arrive back in Nome, check-in at the quaint Dredge No. 7 Inn , located just off the highway. Grab a bite at Husky Restaurant , and sit back, relax, and reflect on the day’s adventures.

Like most Alaska road trips, this one is stunning 365 days a year and like most Alaska road trips, some attractions, such as the road to Anvil Mountain, aren’t maintained in the winter months.

Keep this in mind no matter what time of year you decide to venture out. With proper preparation, you’re sure to love cruising through the Last Frontier.

Alaska Road Trip Drive Timetables

North of anchorage: talkeetna, denali, fairbanks.

• Anchorage to Talkeetna: 115 Miles 2.5 Hours
• Anchorage to Fairbanks: 360 Miles 7-8 Hours
• Anchorage to Denali: 265 Miles 4-5 Hours
• Fairbanks to Denali: 120 Miles 2-3 Hours
• Denali to Talkeetna: 150 Miles 2-3 Hours
• Anchorage to Palmer: 43 Miles 1 Hour

South of Anchorage: Portage, Seward, Cooper Landing, Homer

• Anchorage to Seward: 128 Miles 2.5-3 Hours
• Anchorage to Kenai: 158 Miles 3 Hours
• Anchorage to Homer: 221 Miles 5-6 Hours
• Anchorage to Cooper Landing: 100 Miles 2.5 Hours
• Anchorage to Girdwood: 40 Miles 1 Hour
• Seward To Homer: 170 Miles 4-5 Hours
• Denali to Seward: 375 Miles 7-8 Hours

East of Anchorage: Glenallen, Copper Center, Chitina, McCarthy, Valdez

• Anchorage to Glennallen: 180 Miles 4.5 Hours
• Anchorage to Whittier: 90 Miles 1.5 Hours
• Anchorage to Haines Junction: 608 Miles 12.5 Hours
• Anchorage to Whitehorse: 704 Miles 14.5 Hours
• Glennallen to Valdez: 120 Miles 2 Hours
• Fairbanks to Valdez: 365 Miles 8 Hours
• Fairbanks to Haines Junction: 495 Miles 9-11 Hours
• Fairbanks to Whitehorse: 588 Miles 12 Hours
• Glennallen to Chitina: 64 Miles 1.5 Hours
• Chitina to McCarthy: 60 Miles 3.5 Hours

If you are road tripping in Alaska or renting a car you must have:   The Mile Post

Alaska Railroad vs Car Rental

Cons of Driving

• You really don’t get to enjoy the scenery since you are paying attention to the road.
• Driving does not give you access to untouched valleys the railroad travels through, the Placer River Valley and along the Susitna drainage.
• Driving does require some planning since there are a few services available in certain areas.
• It requires stopping for restrooms breaks and to stretch after sitting for long periods of time.

Pros of Driving

• It gives you the flexibility to travel at your own pace.
• Having your own space allows you to bring more.
• It’s quicker than taking the railroad.
• The vehicle provides shelter, so you don’t have to rely on finding accommodation.

Cons of the Railroad

• Taking the railroad in Alaska takes more time than driving.
• The Railroad is more expensive, particularly for large groups.
• There’s a set travel schedule.
• Trains may run late on rare occasions, due to wildlife on tracks or a scheduling problem.
• They require secondary transportation once you arrive at your destination. (Courtesy shuttle, taxi, or walking)

Pros of the Railroad

• Let someone else do the driving, while you just sit and enjoy the views and maybe a glimpse of some wildlife.
• You can get up and stretch your legs without having to stop.
• Don’t need to plan a bathroom or lunch break, everything is already on board.

More on Alaska:

• 21 Alluring Things to do in Alaska
• 15 Cannot Miss Things to do in Anchorage
• Ultimate Guide of Things to Do in Juneau, Alaska
• 13 Epic Things to do in Fairbanks, Alaska (Besides Northern Lights)
• Ultimate Guide to Visiting Chena Hot Springs
• Alaska National Parks-The Fabulous 8
•   Is Spring the Best Time to Cruise Alaska?
• Denali State Park Heli-Hiking Adventure in Remote Alaska
• Ultimate Alaska Packing List
• Visit the Mendenhall Ice Caves Before They Melt – Juneau, Alaska

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Travel planning resources, about lina stock.

Lina is an award-winning photographer and writer that has been exploring the world since 2001. She has traveled to 100 countries on all 7 continents. Member: SATW, NATJA, ATTA, ITWA

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We just got back from our first trip to Alaska. I really enjoyed seeing your pics!!

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Road Trip To Alaska: Everything You Need To Know About Driving The Alaska Highway

By: Author Robyn Robledo

Posted on Last updated: April 16, 2024

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive the Alaska Highway?

Is it your dream to pile yourself, your partner, or your family in the car and head out on a road trip to Alaska? Are you curious about what grand adventures await for you in The Last Frontier?

In 2019, my 5 kids and I started in San Diego and drove all the way up to Denali National Park in our 30′ Class C motorhome. We’ve fulltime traveled for the past 9 years and this trip was one of our top 5 favorites.

If you love seeing wildlife, exploring vast areas of undeveloped land, and are ready to chase the feeling of adventure, then a road trip to Alaska is for you. In this blog I’m sharing all the tips I have from our road trip to Alaska.

If you decide to take a road trip to Alaska, you will want to buy this book . It was a great companion on our travels through Canada to Alaska!

Table of Contents

The Alaskan Highway Overview

Many people are confused when I tell them we drove the Alcan Highway but it’s the same highway as the Alaska Highway, just a different name. Psst, it stands for Alaska-Canada Highway….Al-Can 🙂

Where the Alaska Highway Starts

Dawson Creek, BC is 700 miles north of the US/Canadian border. Don’t confuse this with Dawson City which is near Alaska and north of Whitehorse.

Where the Alaska Highway Ends

The Alaskan Highway ends at Delta Junction, AK, which is right before Fairbanks. But many people who aren’t visiting Fairbanks choose to take the Tok cutoff which takes you down to Anchorage.

Length of the Alaska Highway

1,390 miles one way from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction.

Road Conditions on the Alaska Highway

The Alaskan Highway is a completely paved road and is open all year, although you do need to carry chains from October through April.

Almost all of the Alaskan Highway through Canada was great. There are some short sections though that are under construction and may be dirt roads or bumpy for a bit.

There are also a lot of logging and semi trucks driving the highway in some sections and between the construction areas and since it’s a two-lane highway, the big rigs would often spray up dirt and rocks making your vehicle/RV get very muddy and sometimes sending little rocks flying into the windshield.

Not to worry though, finding RV washes along the way is easy and inexpensive and due to the common windshield cracking issue, there are a variety of places to get minor repairs done quickly.

Tip : The first part of the Alaskan Highway, after you cross the border into Alaska, is a bit rougher and if you take the Tok Cutoff to go towards Anchorage, the road gets VERY rough and bumpy so you’ll want to take it slower.

Cities Along the Alaska Highway

The Alaskan Highway passes through a few major cities but mostly through really small towns.

From south to north, it passes through:

• Dawson Creek (Major town)
• Fort St John (Major town)
• Fort Nelson
• Waston Lake
• Haines Junction

Fort St John and Whitehorse are the two biggest cities, both having Walmarts, in case you need to restock along the way, as well as many options for food and lodging.

Fort Nelson was much smaller with a few grocery, restaurant, and lodging options. While Watson Lake and Tok are very small (we’re talking one block long) but big enough to fuel up, grab a bite, and find a place to stay if needed.

Depending on how you get to Dawson Creek , the start of the highway, you will probably pass through the very large cities of Prince George’s or Calgary, which will be great places to stock up in.

You should always fill up on fuel in these major towns: Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, and Tok.

Distance between Gas Stations

One of people’s biggest fears when driving the Alaska Highway is running out of gas. The truth is, it would require a hell of a lot of recklessness to actually run out of gas. You fill up at each town, then you drive, and you never skip filling up in a major junction.

All of the big towns have gas stations and there are a few gas stations in between but they will cost a lot more.

Gyms along the Alaskan Highway

There are a lot of recreation centers along the way, but not all of them are the best in terms of workout facilities. The larger the city, the better the fitness area tended to be.

Stopping at rec centers along the way was a great way to get my kids to burn energy swimming, gave us a chance to work and stretch, broke up the monotony of the drive, and was very affordable, usually costing less than CAD 20 for the entire family.

Is the Alaska Highway Dangerous?

If you asked me this when we finished driving it, I’d say no. There were many other RVers on the road and you never felt like you’d be waiting too long for someone to stop and help you.

But of course the roads are rough on this highway, and terrible winds and/or surprise weather patterns are very common, this is a bit of a stress but i don’t think it represents the Alaska Highway as dangerous

One thing I do tell friends when they ask me if I felt safe driving the Alaskan Highway is that some of the smaller towns felt very poor and run down and as always, you should let your instincts guide you. When we pulled into Watson Lake we were exhausted and ready to stop for the day, but I didn’t like the vibe there so we drove on to an area where I felt safer.

Another time I didn’t like the vibe was when we were parked across the street from Liard Hot Springs. I didn’t realize there was plenty of RV parking near the Springs and there was a huge dirt parking area where other RV’s were camped for the day to ride ATVs in the surrounding trails. While we were eating lunch, a couple in the RV next to us started getting into a very loud altercation and it took less than a minute for us to grab our belongings and get the heck out of there. It might’ve turned into nothing but better safe than sorry.

How Long It Takes To Drive The Alaskan Highway

It depends on your style of travel and what you are driving. For us, when we are on long road trips in our motorhome, we tend to average only 80kph (50mph). For the most part, the roads are good enough that a car can average 105 kph (65 mph).

While there are places you can stop along the way, the Alaskan Highway section only took us a total of 5 driving days, but this doesn’t include the detour we took driving the Golden Circle and to Valdez, plus, 3 of those were only half days of driving. Without those detours, I could’ve easily done it in 3 days–Dawson Creek to Muncho Lake, Muncho to Whitehorse, and Whitehorse to Delta Junction. I know some people could probably even do it in 2 days.

When we drove back, even though it was via the Cassiar and Yellowhead Highways, it only took us three days of driving–Anchorage to Whitehorse, Whitehorse to Dease Lake, and Dease Lake to Prince George.

When I was planning our trip I thought I didn’t want to drive more than 250 miles per day, which would be about 5 hours a day, and therefore figured it would take me 6 days of driving. I mapped out where we could stop and researched things to do each day to make it a perfectly balanced trip but…it took me about 5 minutes of driving the Alaskan Highway to realize that was a dumb idea.

Even though there are places you can stop along the way, there’s nothing worth stopping for plus, the hikes and bike rides I planned on doing weren’t going to be fun because it was raining on and off most days.

In the end, I saw the forecast for Whitehorse, sunny and seventy, and hightailed it there. (See my detailed itinerary at the end of this blog.)

Where to Sleep Along the Alaskan Highway

There are plenty of motels, campgrounds, and free camping opportunities all along the Alaskan Highway. If you like to drive during the day and stop in a campground or motel at night, you’re covered. We like to boondock as much as possible because not only does it save money, but it allows us to do more adventures during the day and get our driving done later in the evening, which worked well for us on this trip.

Except in the Yukon, where there are signs that explicitly say “No Overnight Camping”, there were plenty of dirt pullouts and rest areas to sleep at. The only two places we got a campground along the Alaskan Highway were Strawberry Flats Campground on Muncho Lake and High Country RV Park in Whitehorse both of which I highly recommend.

Strawberry Flats Campground: This is one of the most scenic campgrounds on the entire Alaska Highway. There are pit toilets and well water but not much else for amenities. Here, you’re coming for the beautiful lakeside sites.

High Country RV: I loved this campground and that is saying something because I rarely stay in campgrounds. I liked that it was reasonably priced, the showers were hot and free, there was a little store in the reception area that sold beer, and there was a dishwashing station.

Recommended Stops Along the Alaska Highway

You could easily drive the Alaska Highway straight through and just go have a blast in Alaska, but chances are you’ll need to stop occasionally to sleep or stretch your legs so here are the top 5 places I’d plan on doing that:

1 | Chill at Muncho Lake

The mountains surrounding Muncho Lake are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, although so are most of the mountains in Alaska. Camping at Strawberry Flats campground, which is at mile marker 437 when driving from Dawson Creek, was certainly a highlight for us mountain lovers.

2 | Swim at Liard Hot Springs

Liard Hot Springs is as gorgeous and relaxing as all the hype makes it out to be and it’s extra fantastic when you think about how few other things there are to do along the highway nearby. I would highly recommend trying to go early or late and camp at the campground adjacent to the hot springs.

3 | Eat Cinnamon Rolls at Tetsa River Lodge

While you don’t necessarily need to stay the night here, you absolutely must stop to try one of the cinnamon rolls, which the owner bakes fresh daily. They were out of this world delicious! And if you like knives, the store has a rad collection of knives for sale.

4 | Camp or Hike at Summit Lake

This was high on my list of places I wanted to camp and hike but it had too much snow in May so we had to skip it. The campground here is really pretty and a great place to stop for a night if it’s later in the season (or you have warmer blankets than we had).

5 | Explore Whitehorse

Whitehorse in itself is a great destination. While some of the towns on the Alaskan Highway are good to stretch your legs for a few hours, Whitehorse is a place you should plan on staying in for a few days . Detouring from here to the Golden Circle was a nice change of scenery for us.

Related Blog : Golden Circle: Guide to Whitehorse, Skagway, and Haines

Recommended Detours off of the Alaska Highway

While there isn’t a lot to see and do on the Alaskan Highway, if you detour less than a hundred miles off it in many directions you can find epic adventures. Here are a few detours you should consider when planning your Alaska road trip itinerary.

1 | Glacier National Park

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on May 16, 2019 at 10:33am PDT

Glacier National Park is one of our all-time favorite national parks for a good reason. There is a little bit of everything here. You can

• Stay at the lodge on Lake Mac Donald and enjoy gorgeous sunrises, sunsets, and boating.
• Ride the free shuttle to Logan Pass and enjoy the dramatic views of the mountains and wildlife.
• Do one of the many short hikes to glacier-fed lakes or past meadows filled with wildflowers?
• Photograph wildlife and wildflowers
• Take a backpacking trip and sleep beneath glaciers.
• Embark on an epic day hike to the most incredible glacier views.

If you choose to add Glacier National Park to your itinerary, be sure to read our blogs: Tips for Camping in Glacier National Park and 5 Best Hikes in Glacier National Park .

2 | Banff, Jasper + Icefields Parkway

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on May 21, 2019 at 6:21pm PDT

Driving through the Canadian Rockies is almost as incredible as Alaska itself and again, highly recommended if you can fit it into your itinerary. Banff, Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway, and Jasper are incredible but can be crowded and overwhelming. Take some time to plan out this section of the trip if you do go.

At the bare minimum, you should allow 3 days for this area. If you are looking to explore more of the Canadian Rockies, click here to read our Canada National Parks Road Trip Itinerary.

You can easily explore Lake Louise in one day and if you do, click here to get details on the best hike at Lake Louise . Next, take at least one full day to drive Icefields Parkway. There are many great overlooks and hikes to do along the road or click here to sign up for the Colombia Icefields Tour and do the Glacier Skywalk . Last, spend one day in Jasper National Park.

3 | Sea To Sky Highway

This is one of the best adventure destinations in the world. There is seriously a lifetime’s worth of hiking, climbing, off-roading, and mountain biking in these mountains. Plus, you have the rad town of Squamish and the hip town of Whistler , both of which you could spend days exploring and eating your way through.

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4 | The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle refers to the area of Whitehorse, Carcross, and Haines Junction in the Yukon, and Skagway and Haines in Alaska. You can combine all 5 towns into a great road trip and see the world’s smallest desert, go over the White Pass, which could easily be one of the world’s best mountain passes, and immerse yourself in gold rush history. There is so much hiking, mountain and road biking, fishing, and adventures at sea that this could fill weeks of your travel.

5 | Dempster Highway + Dawson City

While Dawson City just felt a bit too touristy for me, I was bummed that we weren’t prepared to drive the Dempster Highway. We hadn’t allotted enough days in our schedule and honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to drive our Class C on this just in case it did break down but I know I missed out on one epic adventure.

The Dempster Highway starts near Dawson City and in 736 km it takes you to Inuvik, which is only 100 km from the Arctic Ocean. Seriously off-grid! And at least 12 to 16 hours of driving each way. But if you’re brave and prepared, it could be an adventure of a lifetime.

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Getting To The Alaskan Highway

The Alaskan Highway doesn’t start at the US/Canadian border. There are four main routes that you can take to get to the start of the Alaskan Highway:

West Access Route: The West Access Route takes you from Seattle through Vancouver BC, Cache Creek, Williams Lake, and Prince George BC.  I highly recommend you take the detour on The Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Cache Creek.  

East Access Route: This is the most direct route from Great Falls, Montana, through Calgary, AB and Edmonton, AB.  

Central Access Route: This route starts in Ellensburg, WA, and will take you through Kamloops. Probably the least scenic way in my opinion.

Canadian Rockies Route: We chose to get to the Alaskan Highway via the Canadian Rockies Route which starts in Couer d’Alene. If you are driving here through Idaho, click here for some inspiration on where to go on an Idaho Road Trip .

Alternate Routes: Driving the Cassiar Highway

We chose to drive the Alaskan Highway on the way up and the Cassiar to the Yellowhead to the West Access and Sea to Sky Highway on the way back and I can’t say enough how perfect this itinerary was.

You can combine the Yellowhead and Cassiar Highways instead of the Alaskan Highway to get through Canada on your way to Alaska.  The Yellowhead Highway runs east-west starts in Edmonton and ends at Prince Rupert.  Right before you get to Prince Rupert you can turn onto Highway 37, which is the Cassiar Highway.  The Cassiar runs north-south and connects the Yellowhead Highway with the Alaskan Highway near Watson Lake. 

The Cassiar Highway is a much narrower road, especially the section closest to Watson Lake. This part had no centerline and no shoulder and I would’ve hated to break down along this section because I think we only passed a handful of other cars between Watson Lake and Dease Lake.

Sightings like this are a regular occurrence on both the Alcan and the Cassiar Highway however on the Cassiar, you can just stop in the middle of the road

The Dease Lake to Yellowhead Highway junction route got busier; the Cassiar junction gas station had cheaper fuel overall.

Most of this highway is freshly paved though, so even though it’s a little windy and requires driving it at a slower pace (we averaged more like 45mph/70kph along the Cassiar), it was nice not worrying about potholes like we did on the Tok cutoff (seriously, that highway is horrible).

I wish it had a few more pull-offs because it is way more scenic than the Alaskan Highway. While driving the Alaskan Highway you are mostly in a constant sea of trees, the Cassiar Highway goes over and beside more rolling hills and a few mountain passes. The only problem, you can’t really stop and take it in.

The beauty and free camping opportunities at the top of some of these passes tempted me to stop and sit still for a few days to enjoy but I wasn’t prepared for it.

There aren’t many stores along this route nor gas stations, so it would be a good idea to stock up before you drive this in case you want to stall for a few days along the way.

Should I Drive The Alaskan Highway?

While it was easy to find blogs on How To Drive The Alaskan Highway and Stops Along The Alaskan Highway , I could never find anything on Should I Drive The Alaskan Highway when I was researching our trip.

I asked many people, most of whom happened to be retired, who all raved about how great it was. In retrospect, this wasn’t the best source of information, not because they were lying, it’s just, that they were probably more time-rich than me, and more importantly, they didn’t have 5 antsy kids riding with them .  

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on May 29, 2019 at 3:47pm PDT

While the Alaskan Highway provides so many opportunities to learn about history, it’s not the driving force in my life right now. For this summer, I just want some epic scenery, solitude, and a nice challenging hike.

Driving the Alaskan Highway is LONG and in all honesty, BORING. However …

We saw 17 bears within five hours (on May 17th to top it off), but after sharing this with locals I learned that this is not the norm.   I’m starting to think the smell of our toilet attracted them *facepalm .*

Why I Chose To Drive To Alaska and Not Fly To Anchorage

Next time I will just fly up but I am so glad I drove it once for five big reasons:

1 | Self Sustained

Once I was in Alaska, I loved that I had my RV with me and all the things I needed for this adventure. We’ve flown to Europe and New Zealand with just a backpack on our backs and road-tripped through them but it was hard traveling so lightly. With this trip, I had my entire RV packed to the brim with necessities and non-necessities that made me feel prepared and I liked that sense of independence and security .

2 | Overall it Costs Less

From a financial standpoint, it saved me a good chunk of money by paying the gas to drive there and back instead of flying 7 people up and renting an RV.  

3 | Canada is So RAD

We were able to explore so many other incredible destinations in Canada on the way up and down, like Banff, Jasper, Whistler, and Squamish, that I would’ve been disappointed to miss if we had just flown straight to Alaska.

4 | The Wildlife

My kids will remember seeing 17 bears on May 17th for the rest of their lives. We didn’t see a single bear in Alaska. We saw plenty of eagles, sheep, caribou, moose, and foxes, but no bears. Although we did see about 40 bears in Canada just on the side of the road.

Now, if you have money to throw on some excursions in Alaska, I’m sure you can pay to see some incredible wildlife. But we travel on a budget and seeing this many bears for free was worth the cost of gas and long boring sections of open road.

5 | Peace, Solitude, Appreciation

I’d be driving for hours on end lost in my thoughts, half listening to my 8-year-old ramble on again about her birthday that’s 4 months away and half singing along to the same songs I’ve heard a thousand times on Jiraiya’s playlist while passing a sign that says 1000 km to Whitehorse and think to myself NO FRIGGIN’ WAY when all of a sudden a huge black dot interrupts the sea of trees that I’m immersed in (which btw is what allows me the luxury to half-heartedly listen to my beloved children while pondering the meaning of life instead of focusing on the road). I hit the brakes. It’s another bear.

I wish I was a better writer and could capture for you the excitement that builds in the RV as we get closer to that black speck on the horizon and we realize that it’s our seventeenth bear sighting in 3 hours and feel slightly glum that as rad as it is, it’s almost cheating because, from the comforts of my vehicle, there is no risk of harm.

The drive is long, but just like another pregnancy or childbirth, you endure it and look back so fondly at it.

By the time you get to Whitehorse (and then to the border and eventually to Anchorage or Fairbanks or Denali) and you spend a few days sitting still, allowing the vibration of the road to finally stop pulsating through your body, you actually start reminiscing about the solitude that the ALCAN provides and the peace you felt in those few days escape from the consumer driven rat race of the world.

Why I’d Fly To Alaska Next Time

The main reason I’d fly to Alaska next time is purely because the absolute best part of Alaska for us was the Kenai Peninsula . There are just so many great outdoor activities, camping opportunities, and other adventures in that small area that I could be happy for weeks, if not months, there.

There’s a reason the destination is Alaska.

While Northern BC was pretty, Alaska is so diverse and jaw-droppingly beautiful. The raw nature is incomparable to anywhere else in the world.

Do You Need The Milepost?

The Milepost is a book with mile-by-mile highway logs for 30 major routes and 60 side trips to and from Alaska. It has tons of information on campgrounds, hotels, excursions, and most importantly, over 100 maps. However, the book itself can be super overwhelming, making you feel more confused than you’d be without it.

If you love planning, and maps, want every detail of information on detours and alternative routes, or if you love history, I highly recommend buying it. I am an overplanner and enjoyed having it but you don’t NEED it.

If you aren’t the planning type and intend on just driving the Alaska Highway with no detours, you don’t need the book. Driving the Alaskan Highway is super easy, straight forward, and you’re never that far from a city or someone who can help out.

Our Road Trip To Alaska Itinerary

Day 1: dawson creek to muncho lake.

We pretty much drove the stretch from Dawson Creek to Muncho Lake in one day. We arrived in Dawson Creek only a few minutes before the visitor center closed, which I was thankful for so that the kids could get their “Driving the Alaskan Highway” certificate and so we could grab brochures to help us plan what detours we wanted to take.

After taking a picture in front of the famous Dawson Creek Mile 0 statue, we drove an hour up to Fort St John so that the kids could swim and we could work out at the recreation center there. When it closed at 9 pm, we drove just a bit further to a rest area to sleep for the night.

If you weren’t stopping at the rec center, this would be only about an hour and a half of driving and could easily be tagged on to what we drove the next day.

The next day I didn’t have the intention of driving so far, but there wasn’t anything that amazing to stop for except for the 17 bears we saw along the highway.

Other than stopping to admire the bears for a few minutes each time and refueling, we also stopped by Tetsa Campground for their famous cinnamon rolls. THEY WERE SO GOOD!!!

I had my sights set on camping that night at Summit Lake campground but we were too early in the season. The sites were snow-free but the lake was still frozen over and the hike we wanted to do there was still covered in snow. I was too worried that even if we tried to sleep there we’d freeze overnight so we drove on towards Muncho Lake.

If you are later in the season I highly recommend spending two nights at Summit. As we were driving along Muncho Lake we stumbled upon another gem of a campground. Strawberry Flats is one of the most gorgeous campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at. It sits right on the turquoise lake that was still partially covered in ice and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It was heavenly!

Day 2: Muncho Lake to Teslin

We took our time getting going from Muncho Lake since the scenery at Strawberry Flats was so incredible. In retrospect, I would’ve stayed an extra night at Strawberry Flats and done a nearby hike that day.

Then we broke up the drive by relaxing at Liard Hot Springs for a few hours. It was a Sunday so it was a bit crowded and if you can coordinate getting here midweek or at least not mid-day, you will enjoy the experience much more.

We ended up spending this night at another rest area, but if I had known how nice the Teslin RV park was I probably would’ve pushed on to there.

Day 3: Teslin to Whitehorse

Teslin to Whitehorse was only three hours of driving for us. I wanted to make sure I got a campsite as close to town as possible since I was planning on spending a few days here.

Whitehorse was amazing and I highly recommend at least 2 days here. Whitehorse is part of the Golden Circle which encompasses Whitehorse, Carcross, Skagway, Haines, and Haines Junction. You definitely want to read our blog Golden Circle of Yukon + Alaska: Guide to Whitehorse, Skagway + Haines to get detailed information about Whitehorse and to help you decide if adding the Golden Circle to your itinerary is worth it.

Day 4: Haines Junction to the Alaskan border

This was also only a half day of driving because we had spent most of the day hiking King’s Throne near Haines Junction. This is a great hike and camping near here or even just spending a day on Kathleen Lake would be a great addition to your itinerary.

Tip for border crossing: I almost always time the crossings to be later in the evening just in case the wait is long. For crossing here by Beaver Creek it probably doesn’t matter but I know the border crossing by Skagway can get long with all the tourists off the cruise ships.

Day 5: Alaska + recommended detours

If you want off-the-beaten-path adventure, wildlife and gorgeous Alaskan scenery, I highly recommend checking out Valdez.

When we reached Tok we left the Alaska Highway, 100 miles before its official end. I really had no interest in Fairbanks for this trip and even though I was curious about Dawson City, I felt like I had had enough touristy things when we did the Golden Circle. I was ready for jagged mountains, glaciers, and epic hikes so we headed down to Valdez.

Valdez is a bit out of the way but you get to drive over the pass and one of my favorite parts of our Alaska road trip was all the passes we went over.

The mountains were still fully covered in snow so we couldn’t hike at the pass, but in the town of Valdez, we did a short hike to this incredible viewpoint and discovered a free camping area at the base of a glacier.

Another night we camped right on the water and saw many sea otters playing right in from of the campground.

From Valdez, we drove straight towards Anchorage and if you don’t choose to detour to Valdez or Wrangell-St Elias NP, then you can easily do the drive from the Alaskan border to Anchorage or Fairbanks in one day. One the way out of Alaska, we did Anchorage to Whitehorse in one day, but it was a long day of driving.

Between Valdez (or Tok) and Anchorage, there’s the Matanuska Glacier that you might want to hike. We only stopped to take a picture of it from the rest area because we had plans to visit Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords and Portage Glacier near Whittier.

If we had more time or weren’t doing the Kenai Peninsula, then I would have spent a little time in this area of Glacier View since there are a lot of other epic adventures you can do here like white water rafting, ATV riding, and zip lining, along with some great camping spot.

However, I would tell everyone to prioritize time on the Kenai Peninsula. Check out our blog 15 Things to Do on the Kenai Peninsula: Alaska’s Best Destination for help planning that part of your itinerary.

Just an hour past Glacier View you will arrive in Palmer. While the town itself isn’t something to write home about (though it was nice to be back in a lively civilization again), the area just north of it, Hatcher Pass , is something you shouldn’t skip. We included our two favorite hikes and an epic campground in Hatcher Pass in our blog 25 Epic Things To Do Near Anchorage.

How Much Our Road Trip To Alaska Trip Cost Us

All the prices below are in USD except for fuel.

Total Campgrounds Cost $900

This was our total cost for all the campgrounds we stayed at over our entire 4 months of travel. We only stayed in campgrounds for a total of 30 nights some were as little as $9 per night and others were as expensive as $70 a night. Honestly, most of this was in Whistler and Squamish .

Total Airbnb Cost $650

Throughout the 4-month road trip, we got an Airbnb for one night four times. Once in Kalispell, Palmer, Anchorage, and Squamish. It’s nice on long road trips to have a day in a big kitchen to cook huge meals, catch up on laundry, take long hot showers, and get WiFi to write blogs. But it ends up being a little exhausting and very expensive when you compare this number to the cost of camping.

Total Fuel Cost $3,800 + $300 Ferry

This was our total fuel expense from San Diego, California to Denali (including all our detours) and back. We also took the ferry from Skagway, Alaska to Haines, Alaska, which is only a one-hour boat ride but ended up costing almost $300 for 6 of us and our RV.

Fuel prices in Canada (CAD per liter) :

• Lake Louise $1.32
• Grand Prairie Costco $1.19 (everywhere else in Grand Prairie was $1.32)
• Fort Nelson $1.42
• Muncho Lake $1.89
• Watson Lake $1.37
• Teslin $1.41
• Whitehorse $1.37
• Haines Junction $1.42
• Junction to Highway 37 $1.48
• Iskut $1.50
• Meziadin Junction $1.55
• Junction of Cassiar and Yellowhead $1.26
• Prince George $1.32
• Pemberton $1.30
• Whistler $1.36
• Squamish $1.45

For US travelers: If you want to compare the price of gas from CAD to USD take the price per liter and multiply by 3.78 then multiply that by the current exchange rate of CAD 1 to the USD (at the time that was USD 0.76). Or simply…. multiply the Canadian liter price by 4 and take three-fourths of that. So in Grand Prairie, we paid about $1.20 per liter times 4 is $4.8, and 3/4 or that = $3.60 per gallon, which wasn’t much different than what we paid in the States. Okay, enough math!

Fuel Prices in Alaska (USD per gallon) :

• Glenallen $3.62-$3.78
• Costco in Anchorage $3.09-$3.34
• Wasilla $3.27
• Homer $3.28

Travel Tip: The cheapest gas in Canada was at the Costco in Grand Prairie but they don’t take Visa (only Master Card I believe) so we had to go inside to buy a Costco cash card with Canadian dollars.

If you made it this far, CONGRATS because you are going to have an epic trip up the Alaska highway with all the info you just read. I truly hope I helped you plan an amazing Alaska Highway road trip! This is a trip of a lifetime and most everyone who does it once wants to go back and do it again.

If I left any of your questions unanswered, don’t hesitate to comment on the blog and let me know!

Congrats! Now That You Made It Through The Alaska Highway, It’s Time To Plan Your Time In Alaska

• Watch all our Alaska YouTube videos here
• Plan your Denali Trip here
• Plan your Anchorage Trip here
• Plan your Kenai Peninsula Trip here
• Plan your Skagway & Haines Trip here

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15 Stops for the Ultimate Northern Road Trip on the Alaska Highway

2017 year marks a significant milestone for one of North America’s most prominent highway systems: The Alaska Highway, a historic corridor beginning at Mile 0 in British Columbia and snaking through the Yukon Territory to Delta Junction in Alaska, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Completed on Oct. 25, 1942 — with the official ribbon cutting commencing on November 20 that year — the Alaska Highway is also known as the Alaska-Canadian or Alcan Highway.

1. Dawson Creek, British Columbia

Begin at Dawson Creek, also known as Mile 0, the official origin point of the legendary Alaska Highway. Get a photo at the destination’s famed Mile Post – locals say it’s a good luck tradition. While you’re there, brush up on your history at the Alaska Highway House and stop by the Dawson Creek Visitor Center, located in the old train station.

2. Kiskatinaw River Bridge, British Columbia

From Dawson Creek, drive until you hit mile marker 21. Here, you’ll find the Kiskatinaw River Bridge . The very first of its kind to be built in Canada, this curved timber bridge began construction in 1942 and served as a pioneer military road leading to Big Delta, Alaska. As the only one still functioning today, the 534-foot bridge is a perfect stop to stretch your legs and soak in views of the rolling forest and raging river below.

3. Fort Nelson Heritage Museum, British Columbia

Continue your journey to the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum , which started with an antique car collection, echoed by the museum’s transportation theme. Originally curated by local legend Marl Brown, the museum features antique hand tools, mineral samples, and monuments dedicated to the men and women who helped bring the Alaska Highway to life.

4. Muncho Lake and Northern Rockies Lodge, British Columbia

Approximately three hours from Fort Nelson is Muncho Lake, the perfect respite for take a scenic hike to stretch your legs. Stop at Double G Service to snack on homemade baked goods and listen to colorful tales recounted by gregarious employees, and for a little European flair, head to the Northern Rockies Lodge . If you’re feeling daring, hire a local bush pilot for a floatplane adventure through the Rocky Mountains.

5. Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, British Columbia

Next, stop at the Liard River Hot Springs , a must-visit site along the Alaska Highway. Summer is the most popular season to visit, but the springs are open to bathers year-round. Keep a look out for the area’s 14 species of orchids and wildlife like moose, bison, and bears. Don’t forget to bring snacks, bug spray, and cash to cover the park entrance fee.

6. Sign Post Forest at Watson Lake, Yukon Territory

Chris VR/Travel + Leisure

As you enter Yukon Territory, don’t miss the chance to represent your roots by taking part in the time-honored tradition known as Sign Post Forest. The ritual originates to the earliest days of the highway’s construction after a homesick American soldier posted his hometown sign of Danville, Illinois. Today, the forest boasts an estimated 72,000 signs, all from travelers journeying along the highway. Don’t worry if you arrive with no sign post of your own, as you can make one at the Yukon Visitor Information Center to officially leave your mark.

7. Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

Make an educational pit stop at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre for a glimpse into the region’s prehistoric past. Here, explore a fascinating exhibit dedicated to Beringia, the massive land bridge that once stretched from Yukon to Siberia. Learn about the first North American peoples who migrated from Asia more than 15,000 years ago and the wildlife that used to roam the land, including the woolly mammoth, mastodon, and American scimitar cat.

8. Continental Divide, Yukon Territory

As you continue to follow the winding highway through Yukon, you will eventually reach the Continental Divide of the Americas . Starting at Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, the Divide crosses into Yukon before zigzagging south through the United States, Central America, and ultimately ending in Patagonia. The ridgeline separates the two largest river drainage systems in North America and is clearly marked with dedicated signage. So be sure to pull over, stretch your legs, and snap a souvenir photo before continuing your journey.

9. Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon Territory

Lovers of the great outdoors will appreciate the striking beauty of Kluane National Park and Reserve . Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the park is home to 17 of the 20 highest peaks in all of Canada. Sweeping vistas reveal towering mountain ranges, glaciers, and icefields in the distance. Thrill seekers will be ecstatic with the assortment of activities offered onsite, which includes hiking, mountain climbing, boating, cross country skiing, backcountry camping and more.

10. Ice Field Mountains of St. Elias Mountains, Yukon Territory

The St. Elias Mountains comprise the highest coastal mountain range in the world, with Mount Logan claiming the top spot at 19,850 feet (second only to Denali in Alaska). Those interested in climbing Canada’s highest peak can do so, but not without first obtaining a mountaineering license at least 90 days prior. We recommend stepping around the red tape by booking a flightseeing tour for the best views of the ice fields from above.

11. Alaska/Canadian Border at Port Alcan’s Historic Milepost 1221, Alaska

Technically, this stop is mandatory, but it deserves a place on the list nonetheless. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection station will be found at Milepost 1221 and officially marks your entry onto American soil. Here, take a photo to mark your entrance into Alaska.

12. Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Bird enthusiasts will delight in the dynamic landscape of the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, an area in the upper Tanana River valley. Made up of expansive forests, wetlands, tundra, lakes, and glacial rivers, the refuge is bordered by the snow-capped mountains of the Alaska Range. It’s a major route for birds migrating to and from Canada, including geese, ducks, swans, cranes, and various songbirds. The refuge is dotted with mammals such as sheep, moose, and caribou herds.

13. Mainstreet Visitor’s Center in Tok, Alaska

Nicknamed the “Sled Dog Capital of Alaska,” the town of Tok is home to Alaska’s unofficial welcoming committee. At less than 100 miles from the Canadian border, it’s long been considered a haven for travelers since it was established in 1942 (thanks to the construction of the highway). The visitor center is easy to spot, considering it’s a 7,000-square-foot log cabin.

14. Mukluk Land, Alaska

After gathering intel from the Mainstreet Visitor’s Center, take a short drive to Mukluk Land – a whimsical, one-of-a-kind theme park that can’t be missed. Originally a junkyard, the tourist attraction provides hours of entertainment with games like skee-ball, whack-a-mole, and an 18-hole mini golf course. They also specialize in peculiar collections, like rusted snowmobiles and a log cabin filled with hundreds of dolls. While you’re there, take a picture next to the world’s largest mukluk , a soft boot typically made of reindeer or seal skin, traditionally worn by Alaskan natives.

15. Delta Junction, Alaska

Last but not least, stop at Delta Junction, the official end of the Alaska Highway. From this point, the Richardson Highway takes over, bringing fleets of passengers to Fairbanks. There’s plenty to do here, but don’t miss Delta Meat & Sausage Co. , where you can find free samples of their signature buffalo and reindeer sausage. And as reward for completing this epic road trip, stop by the Smiling Moose gift shop to pick up a celebratory souvenir.

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Road Trip USA: 12 Most Famous Routes To Travel In America

• Famous routes in the USA offer adventure, quirky roadside stops, and iconic diners for road trip enthusiasts craving exploration.
• Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, and the Florida Keys Scenic Highway are some of the most iconic road trips in the US, with breathtaking sights and delicious food stops.
• The Loneliest Road, the Alaska Highway, the Grand Circle, and the Oregon Trail provide unique and scenic routes through untouched wilderness, historic landmarks, and stunning landscapes.

From East to West and North to South, the United States is lucky to have numerous scenic highways and iconic roadways that are beckoning to be explored and perfect for road trips. Whether searching for breathtaking desert mountain ranges or vast misty forests, adventure, quirky roadside stops, and iconic American diners await travelers on these routes. Here are some most famous routes in the USA to travel for those with wanderlust, a yearning for exploration, and the desire to visit some of the best destinations in the US by road.

UPDATE: 2023/11/15 08:44 EST BY SUNIL PURUSHE

Two More Incredible Road Trips To An Already Outstanding List

America is truly a land of never-ending possibilities as far as epic road trips are concerned, and this list is richer by two more. From the East Coast to the Wild West, the United States of America is one of the best countries on Earth for a road trip. Drive safe!

Related: 10 Best Road Trips You Can Take Through The Scenic State Of Texas

Route 66: A Driving Adventure Along The Most Famous Road In The World

Over 2,400 miles across eight states, from Chicago, Illinois, to the Pacific Coast in Santa Monica, California.

Route 66 is one of the most famous road trips in the United States and a classic choice for travelers hoping to soak in Americana culture. Spanning from Chicago to California, Route 66 covers eight states and takes drivers through many historic landmarks and quirky roadside attractions, including the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas; and the Santa Monica Pier in California.

• Popular sights: Ozark Mountains in Missouri, the Painted Desert in Arizona, and the Pacific Coast in California
• Popular food stops: Lou Mitchell's in Chicago, Illinois; the Ariston Café in Litchfield, Illinois; and the Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas

Before traveling on the most famous road trip in the US, plan to add the best stops along Route 66 to visit on a road trip to the itinerary.

The Pacific Coast Highway: A Rocky Coastline, Striking Cliffs, And Unspoiled Beaches Make PCH One Of The Most Scenic Highways

650 miles on an epic west coast road trip from the north to the south of california..

The Pacific Coast Highway, also known as California State Route 1, is probably the most famous route in America to drive and stretches more than 600 miles across the California coast. The Pacific Coast Highway offers lots to see on the way and is a must-drive route for anyone seeking gorgeous ocean views, sunny weather, and carefree California vibes.

From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, this route takes roadtrippers through some of California's most stunning and breathtaking sights.

• Popular sights: Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Point Lobos State Reserve, Big Sur State Park, and Pfeiffer Beach
• Popular food stops: Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur, Hog Island Oyster Company in Tomales Bay, and The French Laundry in Yountville

The Florida Keys Scenic Highway: 110 miles Across The Islands Of The Florida Keys

Scenic images of dolphins swimming, manatees floating in the waters, and endangered birds gliding through the brilliant blue sky..

The iconic drive along the Florida Keys Highway is perhaps one of the most beautiful road trips in the US in terms of tropical scenery and sea views. The route takes travelers from Miami to Key West with incredible ocean sights all along the way. This road also takes roadtrippers through friendly small towns filled with quirky beach bars and laid-back Florida charm.

Outdoor lovers can spend the day swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving in Florida's pristine waters or exploring some of the beautiful parks in the area, which include the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo and the Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key. The Florida Keys are known for their fresh seafood, and travelers with a sweet tooth must try the area's famous specialty: Key Lime Pie.

• Popular sights: Key West Lighthouse, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, and the Indian Key Historic State Park
• Popular food stops: Hogfish Bar and Grill in Stock Island, the Conch Republic Seafood Company in Key West, and the Fish House in Islamorada

Related: The History Of Route 66, And Why You Should Be Visiting Its Museums

The Blue Ridge Parkway: "America's Favorite Drive," Through The Appalachian Mountains

469 miles of breathtaking scenery through shenandoah national park and the great smoky mountains national park..

Spanning 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most famous road trips in the US, as it takes drivers through the majestic Appalachian Mountains. Blue Ridge Parkway is filled with beautiful stops , and outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy camping, hiking, and fishing in the beautiful state parks found along the route, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The region is filled with plenty of wildlife, and nature lovers might stumble upon black bears, deer, and birds of prey native to the area.

• Popular sights: Shenandoah National Park, Pisgah National Forest, Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mabry Mill in Virginia, the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in North Carolina
• Popular food stops: The BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville, Virginia; the Tupelo Honey Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina; and the Woodlands Barbecue in Blowing Rock

The Loneliest Road: Most Desolate, Yet Most Interesting

A road trip that touches colonial-era landscapes while passing through the wild west up to high-tech silicon valley..

The Loneliest Road is a perfect road trip route for lovers of the American Southwest and has become one of the most famous roads in America. This route belongs to the portion of U.S. Route 50 that runs through Nevada. The Loneliest Road got its name in 1986 when a travel magazine proclaimed there was absolutely nothing interesting along this route, conjuring up images of desolate landscapes and barren wastelands.

This route, however, is filled with captivating desert landscapes, historic ghost towns from Nevada's famed Gold Rush, and quirky roadside attractions.

• Popular sights: The Ruby Mountains, the Great Basin National Park, the Eureka Opera House, and the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
• Popular food stops: Middlegate Station in Fallon, Grandma's in Austin, and Racks Bar and Grill in Ely

The Alaska Highway: A Work In Progress For 75 Years

A magnificent road trip through the epic northern scenery, two-thirds of which lies in canada..

Running from British Columbia to Alaska, the Alaska Highway offers travelers a unique opportunity to explore some of North America's most untouched parts of wilderness. Nature lovers can marvel at epic mountain ranges, sparkling lakes, and vast forests filled with beautiful wildlife and flora.

Visitors can hike or camp in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve. The Alaska Highway also offers travelers one of the best places in the entire world to see the surreal beauty of the Northern Lights during the winter months.

• Popular sights: Mile 0 Cairn in Dawson Creek, the Signpost Forest in Watson Lake, and the Big Delta State Historical Park in Delta Junction
• Popular food stops: The Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer and Fast Eddy's in Tok

The best time of year to drive the Alaska Highway is from late spring to early fall when the weather is warmer, and there are plenty of daylight hours. Travelers who are determined to travel the route in winter can still make the drive as long as they take extra precautions to keep warm and safe.

The Grand Circle: Some Of The Most Stunning Scenery Imaginable

An epic journey through five states and nine national parks..

The Grand Circle loop takes drivers through some of the most iconic national parks in the American Southwest. Visitors will be able to see the stunning views of Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. A popular place to start this loop is in Las Vegas, where visitors can rest and refresh after a long road trip spent hiking, camping, and exploring some of the most beautiful views in the US along the way.

• Popular sights: Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Four Corners, Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Valley of Fire
• Popular food stops: The Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, Utah; Red Iguana in Salt Lake City, Utah; and El Tovar Dining Room at Grand Canyon National Park

Related: Blue Ridge Parkway Vs. Skyline Drive: Which Is More Scenic?

Maine's Route 1: Over 500 Miles Of Pavement That Snakes Its Way Through New England

A perpetually evolving panorama of coastline, historic landmarks, and charming towns..

Route 1 takes travelers along Maine's rugged coastline, rustic seaside towns, and some of the best lobster shacks in the country. From Kittery to Fort Kent, this route features some of the most charming views of this New England state, including the Acadia National Park, Maine Maritime Museum, whale-watching tours, and some of the most famous lighthouses in America.

• Popular sights: Acadia National Park, Maine Maritime Museum, Portland Head Light, Pemaquid Point Light, and West Quoddy Head Light
• Popular food stops: Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Moody's Diner in Waldoboro, The Whale's Tale in Boothbay Harbor

The Great River Road: A National Scenic Byway And All-American Road Following The Mississippi For 3,000 miles

A collection of state and local roads that take the course of the mississippi river through 10 states of america..

The Great River Road is also among the most famous road trips US states have to offer; it follows the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana and features charming river towns, breathtaking views of the epic Mississippi River, and historic sites related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the American Civil War. This route is also one of the best road trips in the US for foodies, offering everything from Tennessee barbecue to New Orleans gumbo.

• Popular sights: Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; and the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana
• Popular food stops: The Frostop Drive-In in New Orleans, Louisiana; The Blue Owl in Kimmswick, Missouri; and Fitz's Root Beer in St. Louis, Missouri

Related: Here's What Roadtrippers Should Know About The Loneliest Road In America

The Oregon Trail: America's Historic Road Trip Where 400,000 Pioneers Traveled From 1840 To 1880 In Wagons

Nearly 2,000 miles through mountains, valleys, and wild prairie on the historic route of america's first settlers..

Exploring The Oregon Trail is one of the most famous roads in America; it's a road trip made for history buffs and adults who spend their childhoods playing the popular video game. This historic route follows the path of the 19th-century pioneers who settled in the West, offering a fascinating glimpse into America's frontier past. There are plenty of museums on the route that tell the story of westward expansion, such as the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon.

Tourists can even visit pioneer cemeteries scattered along the Oregon Trail that shed light on just how grueling this journey was. Some of these cemeteries include the Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Walla Walla, Washington, and the Blue Mountain Cemetery in Prairie City, Oregon.

• Popular sights: Independence Rock in Wyoming, Chimney Rock in Nebraska, and Fort Laramie in Wyoming
• Popular food stops: The Oregon Trail Restaurant in Baker City, Oregon, and Fort Laramie Bed and Breakfast Cafe in Fort Laramie, Wyoming

Mighty 5: A Ride Into The Heart Of America's Red Rock Country

Driving through 5 national parks of utah for the most epic adventure..

Known to many as "The Utah National Parks Road Trip" or "Mighty 5 Road Trip", this famous US route is often considered the best road trip in America and, by some, even the best in the world. Drive through Utah's national parks with canyons stretching as far as the eye can see, soaring sandstone cliffs, fire-colored rock hoodoos, and thousands of dramatic arches, like the famous formations in Arches National Park .

• Popular sights: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Parks
• Popular food stops: Hell's Backbone Grill and Farm in Boulder, Capitol Burger in Torrey, Arches Thai in Moab, I D K Barbecue in Tropic

Olympic Peninsula Loop: a 300 Mile-Long Odyssey Through Stunningly Gorgeous Landscape

Winding around the perimeter of olympic national park, passing rugged mountain peaks, pristine alpine lakes, lush green forests, and scenic beaches..

Although packed with famous US highways that are seemingly made for road trips, few Washington drives are as iconic as the Olympic Peninsula Loop. The Olympic Peninsula Loop is 330 miles long and studded with countless sites to explore.

Although the loop can be covered in one day, to justify this road trip, travelers on the route can break the journey along many stops, such as the glassy Lake Cushman inside Olympic National Forest, Port Townsend known for its Victorian architecture, Lavender farms in the town of Sequim (pronounced “Squim”) and a historic lighthouse from 1857 inside Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. Seattle and Portland are two major cities accessible from the Olympic Peninsula Loop.

• Popular sights: Lake Cushman, Lighthouse inside Dungeness Refuge, Hoh Rain Forest, La Push, Ruby Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent
• Popular food stops: Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen in Tumwater, Jean-Pierre's Three16 in Tumwater, Gardner's Restaurant in Olympia

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BEST VACATION

Cruise destinations, caribbean & the bahamas tropic like it’s hot.

If you’re craving sun-kissed shores, nothing beats Caribbean cruises. Though best known for their beautiful beaches, Caribbean destinations offer much more than that — like bold cuisine, colorful colonial towns, and rich cultural traditions from all over the world. 

Perfect Day at Cococay

Puerto Rico

Eastern Caribbean 

Western Caribbean

Southern Caribbean

Caribbean Ancient Ruins and Cities

Caribbean Rainforest and Parks

Caribbean Beaches

Caribbean Wildlife Encounters

Mexico memory maxing east to west.

From coast to coast, Mexico is packed with incredible landscapes, flavorful food, and rich, vibrant history. Head west to the Mexican Riviera to explore deserts, go wine tasting and kayak through epic rock formations. Or take on the Yucatán in the east and soak up the sun on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

COZUMEL & CANCUN

Mexican Riviera

Alaska discover the last frontier.

A land of rugged mountains, coastal forests and diverse wildlife, Alaska is the ultimate cruise destination for intrepid explorers. Whether you're watching whales splash in the Pacific Ocean or gazing up at Hubbard Glacier, Alaska cruises are all about wild natural wonder. 

Alaska Cruise Tours

Alaska Glacier

Alaska Whale Watching and Wildlife

Alaska National Parks

Europe old world wonders await.

Discover captivating natural beauty, rich history and culture on our European cruises — like Rome’s ancient ruins, Russia’s golden-domed churches and Norway’s majestic fjords. With so many unique ports of call to explore, the opportunities to make memories are endless.   

Mediterranean

Greece & the Greek Isles

Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands

Baltic Sea and Scandinavia

British Isles

ASIA GO ALL OUT IN THE FAR EAST

From its neon-lit cities to its secluded shrines, this region offers plenty of captivating culture and natural beauty. Set sail on an Asia cruise and see the Great Wall nestled among China's forested mountains, or kick back on one of Thailand’s beautiful beaches.  

South Pacific

South Pacific cruises are the perfect way to embrace exotic island life. Dive with tropical fish in the Great Barrier Reef. Explore dramatic coastlines and emerald green jungles. And immerse yourself in the diverse cultures and untamed fauna that make each island so unique.

SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISES

NEW ZEALAND

Vanautu & Fiji Cruises

North america.

From California’s star-studded streets and Hawaii’s idyllic islands, to the rugged coasts of Canada, New England and Nova Scotia, North America cruises unlock all kinds of unique ports across the continent and beyond. 

NEW ENGLAND

SPECIALTY CRUISES SECTION

Transatlantic and transpacific sailings offer plenty of relaxing sea days and stops at must-visit cruise destinations. Go from colorful Caribbean towns to iconic European capitals, or explore bazaars, exotic isles and dense rainforests in regions like the Arabian Gulf, the South Pacific and Latin America.

ULTIMATE WORLD CRUISE

TRANSATLANTIC & TRANSPACIFIC

SOUTH AMERICA

ARABIAN GULF & NORTH AFRICA

PANAMA CANAL

Discover More cruise destinations

SEE WHERE ELSE YOU CAN CRUISE TO

Every destination has a unique story to tell — and with Royal Caribbean, getting there is part of the adventure. Not only are our ships filled with gamechanging ways to play and unwind — we offer unforgettable excursions that let you dive deeper into each destination’s vibrant culture, natural wonders and local charm. Learn more about all the different regions we visit, each brimming with one-of-a-kind ports of call that cater to all kinds of travelers. Whether you’re beach-hopping in the South Pacific, exploring ancient monasteries in Asia, scouting castles in Europe or cruising through glacier-dotted bays in Alaska — there’s no bolder way to see the world. 

There's more to explore

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