The Darién is quite literally the end of the road, the only gap in the entire Interamerican Highway from Northern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. It’s a vast expanse of wild virgin jungle and one of the last few unexplored places on earth. Many who come are lured by the mystique and risk associated with crossing the dangerous Darién Gap into Colombia. Let’s Go strongly discourages any attempt to cross the gap, which is home to, aside from two indigenous groups, a motley collection of drug smugglers, paramilitary groups, and bandits—not to mention the poisonous animals. Travelers in the gap have been abducted and murdered as recently as 1994. That said, it is also home to Parque Nacional Darién, one of the most biologically rich areas in the world, part of which is safe to explore.
The Interamerican Highway leads from Panama City through Metetí and ends near Yaviza, from where you can get a piragua (a wooden canoe) to El Real and hike into Parque Nacional Darién. Alternatively, you can turn off at Metetí, take a side road and a short boat ride to La Palma on the Golfo de San Miguel on the Pacific Ocean. Between the reserve and La Palma is the village of Mogué, which is remarkably touristy for a traditional village. On the other side of the reserve on the way to Garachiné is the Río Sambu, lined with indigenous villages. South along the Pacific coast from the Garachiné coast lie Casa Vieja and the isolated village of Playa Muerto. Even farther south is Bahía Piña and then, practically in Colombia, Jaqué.
Traveling in the Darién requires a lot of patience, money, or luck, and more often than not, a bit of all three. There are few roads, so almost all transport is by boat, either on rivers or on the Pacific Ocean. Buses and boats rarely run on a timetable, and even if they do, they are subject to change at any moment—ask around to make sure you won’t be stranded. Issues of safety, transportation, and local knowledge make planning a trip here difficult, so it might be wise (if pricey) to take a guided tour of the region. Ancon Expeditions has extensive experience in the region. If the areas of Garachiné and Sambú are what interest you most, fly in directly and avoid the hassle of waiting for a boat.
The Interamerican Hwy. comes to an unceremonious end at Yaviza, the beginning of the infamous 150km-long Darién gap. Yaviza remains the best starting point for intrepid, fearless souls looking to cross ...more
El Real (pop. 1500) is the gateway to Parque Nacional Darién and the Pirre station. The main part of town the town is a built on a small grid of paved paths around a decaying plaza with a church. Most ...more
La Palma (pop. 6000) is the province’s capital and largest town, but don’t get the wrong idea—it’s little more than a few houses strewn over a hillside or on stilts above the water. Though it ...more
The muddy waters of the Río Sambú open up to the Pacific between Garachiné and Punta Patiño. The river is lined with traditional Emberá villages that form the backbone of the Comarca Emberá Sambú ...more
The Rancho Frío ranger station is a 3hr. walk from El Real, depending on conditions on the trail. Another option is to hire a piragua (US$30-50) to take you to the village of Piji Basal, where you can ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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