Is there anyone else who like me had the impression that the pan-american highway actually went all the way from North to South American?

I just learned that it didn't from the latest guest on my podcast. Frankly it sounds like the Darien Gap may be a bit too adventurous for me.

http://amateurtraveler.com/?p=842

This is indeed a dangerous place, I;ll give you a few links of adventurers who made it through!

www.vancouvertovancouver.com
and
Goliath Expedition (google this)

Both travelled through the Darien Gap. One on water in a dugout, the other by land and wading for HOURS in water. This is National Geographic, not for the faint of heart kinda stuff!

www.motoadventures.org
This guy bypassed the Darien Gap by boat, putting his motorcycle in a boat from Panama( a small boat). Then landed on a beach in the dark in Colombia! Really great Photos and a glimpse into a beautiful country.

www.travelblog.org
Then search for blogger Troy Freeman under South America. Really, really great photos, an interesting read, and again a glimpse into some beautiful countries. His favorite seemed to be Panama.
Enjoy! I did.

SORRY! Me again,I meant Troys favorite was Colombia.

But you can go to Cana Station in Darien with Ancon Expeditions if you don't mind spending the required $$$. We went for 4 nights in February and it was wonderful. You fly in and out, landing directly on grass strip at the station. And you hike the well known trails around that area with Ancon guides. So much to see. Very remote, interesting, and beautiful. But I'll admit to having been a tad bit nervous about going . . . .

Hi Glover, Wow, u r adventurous! Did you post a trip report? I would love to hear how you compare Costa Rica to Panama.Perhaps I'll do a search.

Silly me! I had read your report. I went over it again, the Gap sounds amazing. Thanx.

We did the Darién gap on March 2013 and made a short documentary on the trip which is freely available here: http://www.2globalnomads.info/2013/0...arien-gap.html

We did not notice anything dangerous or scary there. If you go there leave your car, bicycle and motorbike home. It is jungle and can be done only by walking and using boats.

the drug smugglers try to be unobtrusive.

I suspect it's a lot safer now, in 2013 than it was in 2006 when this thread was started. My understanding is there is a regular 'tourist trail' through there these days.

Yes, it is, but the strange thing is that in travel advisories and media it is still presented as something very dangerous and that is why many people are afraid to travel there.

is the FARC still operating there? not nice people.

ANCON expeditions has closed the Cana field station due to security concerns, so there must be something going on.

We got the feeling that military and police there are perhaps connected with the local boat lift service businesses and because of that try to drive customers using boats instead of walking through the jungle by themselves. All the locals we spoke with were not aware of anything bad or scary happening in the jungle, or the other travellers we met on the jungle path.