Darien gap

[Wortho]

Hi everyone, has anyone here driven the Darien gap or know anyone who has. I would like to get some info off them.

[87County]

G'day Wortho, unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure and I don't think that many people have - there was a Land Rover or Range Rover expedition that attempted in the early 70s and I'm sure that if you google it there will something noted on the web (there usually is).



Are you thinking of brushing up on your Spanish and doing the trip ?

[87County]

found these....

What happens when you abandon a Land Rover in the Darien Gap? - Expedition Portal

http://www.range-rover-classic.com/H...ver-darien-gap

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/sear...arch=Find+book

[clubagreenie]

Given that there's been 3 expeditions that I know of. One successful, and none in recent (last 20 years) I'd be surprised if anyone here had. It's still probably the last true adventure left in the world. And one I'd give a limb to do.

[Wortho]

I know that a Range Rover was the first vehicle to do it, bit of a mission apparently. I am trying to work out possible routes through that would bring you out near a border crossing on the Panamanian side. All part of a little something i am trying to plan at the moment. Any info or thoughts would be much appreciated.

[87County]

I know that a Range Rover was the first vehicle to do it, bit of a mission apparently. I am trying to work out possible routes through that would bring you out near a border crossing on the Panamanian side. All part of a little something i am trying to plan at the moment. Any info or thoughts would be much appreciated.

Since you posted I've been reading about it - the British Army Range Rovers did make it, but apparently a Jeep and a Land Rover S1 did it before that - difficult to find details of that expedition - apparently published in National Geographic mag in the sixties. I reckon I'd start by buying some of those books I linked to in post #3 and I'd be making some enquiries about personal security - life is cheap in that part of the world.

note the interesting hook arrangement

[loanrangie]

I dont think those abandoned landy's are the same as in the BW pic above, bars are different and BW looks like a shorty going by the side window.

[Michael2]

The expedition went from Alaska to Argentina (north to south of the Americas). I remember reading that the Range Rovers were fitted with large swamp tyres for the Amazon leg of the journey. This led to broken diffs. The soldiers complained about the width of the Range Rovers, as they were accustomed to Land Rovers. They bought the SWB Land Rover during the jungle leg of the journey to cut a track for the Range Rovers. They rolled it many times, and every panel was caved in, but it got the Range Rovers out.

[S3ute]

Hi everyone, has anyone here driven the Darien gap or know anyone who has. I would like to get some info off them.

Hi,

Google John Blasford Snell.

He was leader of the British Army expedition that crossed the Gap.

Cheers

[Wortho]

From all the reading I have done on the internet there seems to be a lot of conflicting reports about the feasibility of driving through. One bloke took 741 days on one trip and 49 on another. I think it might be best to contact someone in the area to get some local advise.