PAN-AMERICAN HIGHWAY: THE WORLD'S LONGEST ROAD

Longest Road in the World
By Biggest Stuff, 29 January 2013.

If you’re a fan of the open road, we just might have something for your bucket list - traveling the world’s longest road. And by traveling we mean in its entirety, taking you from the freezing Alaska in the north to the most southern point of Argentina.

It’s called the Pan-American Highway, it stretches through a total of 18 countries with a whopping length of 29,800 miles (47,958 km) and yes, it is the longest road in the world.

Traveling this mega-road would take you through basically all of the world’s climates, from the misty mountains, through the arid deserts and thick jungles.

But it would also be a dangerous trip to take, a true adventure. Some of its parts are barely passable, meaning you might need somewhat of a different vehicle than your regular car. The most notable highway gap is the so called Darien Gap, a 54 miles (87 km) long section located in Panama with some rather dense jungles. This section can only be crossed using a terrain vehicle, with a bicycle or on foot. Insects, swamps and various wildlife animals are just some of the hazards you might come across, so be well prepared.

As we have already noted, this is not an adventure for everyone, but imagine the stories and wonders you’d encounter. Some might consider this the ultimate adventure, others might simply call it the ultimate madness, it’s up to you to make your own opinion or pick sides. Finally, we’ll leave you with a full alphabetical list of all 18 countries the Pan-American Highway passes through.

Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Columbia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Suriname
United States
Venezuela

Top image: Pan-American Highway in Chile. Credit: Ghenadie Shatov/500px.com.

[Source: Biggest Stuff. Edited. Top image added.]