NEED TO KNOW
LOCATION The world’s longest highway runs from Alaska to Patagonia for almost 28,800 miles (48,000 km)
VISITORS PER YEAR Millions travel sections of the route, very few do the whole trip
DAYTIME TEMPERATURES Arctic lows of -22°F (-30°C) to tropical highs of over 104°F (40°C)
Trying to describe the world’s longest highway is like trying to describe the entire Western American Hemisphere, as that’s exactly what the Pan-American Highway is – a link that travels from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Apart from the notorious Darien Gap, a tantalizing 90-mile (150-km) strip in Panama, you can travel from Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay to the southernmost town in Tierra del Fuego and never leave this mega- highway. Literally almost every ecosystem and habitat on earth is encountered along the way, making this truly the world’s “ultimate road trip.” It is estimated that fewer than 500 people have ever completed the entire grueling journey.
Practical Information
Getting There and Around The Pan-American Highway is so vast that the only way it can be taken in is by a reliable vehicle over a period of several months (some say years).
When to Go Given the vast expanse of the highway, you’re almost guaranteed to encounter climatic extremes – and everything in between – no matter when you go. However, leaving from Alaska anytime between Nov and Mar is never a good idea.