Pan American Highway
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Border crossings
North America
Central America
Helpers
You are certain to encounter locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across borders in Central America. They will usually have Identification (home made) and can be quite pushy, demanding and rude. Depending on the border and time of day, you may be surrounded by ten or more people yelling and trying to take your paperwork. These "helpers" will insist the process is so difficult you can not cross the border without their help, which is completely untrue.
Their help is really not needed, and so do not give them your documents. They will ask for outrageous amounts of money to give it back, after helping you very little. Often they will pretend to be officials to get you to hand over your documents. Only give your documents and seek advice from people inside official offices, or a uniformed Police officer with a badge.
Safety in the no mans land
Often when crossing borders you will be officially stamped out of one country, pass through a populated area that seemingly has no jurisdiction, then enter the second country. These "No Mans land" areas are not a good place to spend time, it's advised you move through them directly to the next official station.
South America
Crossing The Darien Gap
The Darien Gap is a 160km strip of swampland that separates Panama from Colombia. You can read all about it at the wikipedida page Darién Gap. While a couple of extremely well outfitted 4x4 expeditions have managed to drive through the gap, it's extreme 4x4ing and not without serious risks.
Shipping a vehicle
By far and away the most popular option to cross the gap is to load your vehicle into a shipping container and use ocean freight to move it from Colón in Panama to Cartegena in Colombia, or the opposite direction. Note that people will have to make the crossing separately (usually flying or sailing).
Start by reading the Vehicle Shipping page to learn everything you need to know.
NOTE: Because this is such a popular crossing with Overlanders it's very likely you'll meet someone else heading in the same direction to share a large 40 foot container with. Not only will this work out cheaper, you'll have another Overland team to help work through the paperwork.
Common shipping agents
A Few shipping agents have become popular over the years for Overlanders.
- Seabord Marine Panama
Deal with tourists on a very regular basis and usually quote an "everything, no hassle" price of around $1,000.00 USD to $1,200.00 USD for one vehicle.
Ave. Miguel Brostella
Edif. PH Camino de Cruces, Local M2, Mezzanine
Tel.: (507) 360-5900 Fax: (507) 360-5940
Apdo. 0816 - 00665 Panamá 5, R. de P.
Tel= (507) 273-7488, (507) 273-8368, Fax: (507) 273-0727
Contact = Javier Sucre (Spanish & English), Vanessa Degracia
Tel = (507) 360-5914 / Fax = (507) 360-5910
GPS = 9.006061° -79.538382°
Web = Seaboard Marine
Email = jsucre@seaboardmarinepanama.com
seacargo@seaboardmarinepanama.com
