Spanning 30,000 Km & Passing Through 14 Counties, This Is The Longest Road In The World

Air travel is convenient and train rides are fun, but the joy of a road trip is something unexplainable! Taking unexpected detours, stopping at random places, and discovering hidden gems on the way, road trips are all this and more. But have you ever thought about taking a road trip that will take about two months to cover and take you through as many as 14 countries? Well, there is one such road in the world! Spanning nearly 30,000 kilometres, the Pan-American Highway is the longest drivable road in the world, and here’s all you need to know about it.

Pan-American Highway: The Longest Road In The World

Starting from the icy reaches of Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina, the Pan-American Highway is known as the longest road in the world. It starts from Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay and ends in Argentina’s Ushuaia, offering the opportunity to experience diverse landscapes and countless cultures on the way!

The Pan-American Highway passes through 14 countries and covers snow-capped peaks, dense rainforests, arid deserts, and even bustling cities! Besides being the longest, it is also the most scenic and culturally rich road in the world. It gives travellers a unique chance to experience the continent’s rich tapestry every few kilometres. The Pan-American Highway connects the following countries –

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Mexico
4. Guatemala
5. El Salvador
6. Honduras
7. Nicaragua
8. Costa Rica
9. Panama
10. Colombia
11. Ecuador
12. Peru
13. Chile
14. Argentina

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All You Need To Know About This Road

It is quite fascinating that the Pan-American Highway isn’t a new infrastructure project! In fact, its construction began in the early 1920s. The aim was to boost tourism in the United States. In 1937, the 14 countries signed an agreement to develop their sections of roads to create a continuous route. By 1960, the Pan-American Highway was officially open for public use.

The longest road in the world also has the straightest path. Reportedly, the Pan-American Highway lacks significant turns or U-turns for thousands of kilometres. If one travels 500 kilometres daily, it will take a little more than 60 days to traverse the entire route. However, it also depends on your travel speed and how many stops you take. One of the travellers, named Carlos Santamaría, took around 117 days to complete a journey on this route.

There is one obstacle on this great journey – the Darién Gap. It is a 100-kilometre stretch of dense jungle and swamp. Due to concerns over potential harm to ecosystems and Indigenous communities, the road was never built in this area between Panama and Colombia. To bridge the gap between this sole interruption in the Pan-American Highway, travellers often transport their vehicles from Panama to Colombia and fly separately to continue their journey.

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Would you like to take a road trip along the Pan-American Highway? Let us know in the comments.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/JeremyRichards