Can you go by car to the equator from Canada?

Answer 1

Yes. It is physically possible to make the entire journey by car. The route would travel what's called The Pan-American Highway, a 47,958km network of roads that span North, Central and South America. The route is made up of paved roads, except for a 150km section of dense rainforest in southern Panama and northern Columbia called the Darién Gap.

In the Americas, the Equator passes through Equador, Columbia and Brazil. To travel by car from Canada, you'd need to pass through the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, into Columbia. From there, you'd proceed to the Equator in either Columbia, Equador or Brazil.

Mexico City is about 4600km from Banff, Alberta, Canada, following US15S, US25 S, US385Sand into Mexico following México 29S and México 57S.

Mexico City to Panama City, Panama is about 3260km following México 150S to México 145S to México 185S to México 200 to México 3A Norte into Guatemala. In Guatemala you'd follow Route 8 to CA2 south into El Salvador. A score of different roads make up this section of the Pan-American Highways and connect El Salvador through Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica to Panama City.

Out of Panama City and South toward Columbia one runs into the Darién Gap. This dense section of rainforest has been traversed on foot, motorcycle, off road vehicle, and riverboat in various combinations.

The already difficult passage was become much more treacherous since the advent of the Columbian conflict. The Colombian portion of the Darién rainforest in the Katios Park region has fallen under the control of varius armed groups who have staged kidnappings and murders in Columbia and Panama.

Recent reports indicate that the Eastern side of the Darién Gap may now be more peaceful and is passable to hikers and, possibly, off road vehicle traffic. A recent study has proposed the creation of a ferry route between a new port in Panama and a port in Columbia, but such a ferry does not yet exist. The Darién Gap remains the most difficult and risky portion of any planned overland journey to the Equator.

The Pan-American Highway takes up again in northern Columbia. Vehicle passage is possiblefrom this oint south through the Equator to the southern tip of South America.

While travel to the Equator by car is physically possible, the 10,000+ kilometer (6200+ mile) journey is by no means an easy one. It is politically complicated, since it requires passage through many countries which are politically unstable and unfriendly to Canada and the United States. Portions of the journey are phisically very difficult and are frought with risk from both the environment and local criminal and political factions.