Darien Gap Jungle Expedition (1 Viewer)

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I interpolated the same conclusion. Luck could be a huge variable though. It could come down to what course they took and the challenges they faced. Where did you find your information on their trip? Would very much be interested in any details of their trip...

All I know is what that doc I posted told me.

While I was watching, I had a hundred questions, and could have listened to the details for 5 more hours. I wanted to know how they REALLY did it.

How much local help?
Fuel and food?
Any conflicts?
Did the vehicles break? How? How were they fixed?
And the water crossings. Did they just show up and hope for a ferry?
How long and how many people were involved in the planning?
Did they REALLY only have 2 or 3 CJ7s? That seems like a lot of gear to have and not much of a vehicle to carry it all, esp. for worst case scenarios.
It may be worse/more difficult today, it may be easier. May come down to luck and any cartel activity in the area you choose to drive through.

The Expedition Overland guys (look up the second season on Youtube...and some of the guys are members here) drove to the gap, and started the negotiations to cross this past year, but were HIGHLY advised not to enter. Again, I'm sure they know ALOT more than the vids had time to show.

Would be an EPIC story to tell.
 
So thinking about the fuel problem......boats loaded with fuel go up the Atrato and tributaries each with a quad-bike to act as a fuel mule to take supplies the final few miles.....even if you don't use the river for the trucks it is your friend: they are the motorways of the jungle
 
I'm sure some of the guys from the 79 expedition are still alive? I'd start there.

Did you say what kind of vehicles you were planning on? Number? Modifications?
Mine is a 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ74 turbo diesel with 8000 lb winch, front and rear lockers, rock sliders, 32" Cooper Discoverer STT Pros. 1 1/2" spacers.
Planning on 3 vehicles, but 4 is the high end.
Other vehicles need to be equipped similarly or more so than mine.
 
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Funny, I'm going to be in Georgetown CA this Saturday for a landcruiser snow day in the sierras. Wonder if those locals know of this guy who tried the gap in the 70s?
 
I was going to suggest that Mark Smith might still be alive and open to questions about that 79 trip. I met him on the Rubicon Trail in 2001. He was old, but he seemed to be in pretty good shape. Looking him up, though, I see he passed away in 2014. :(

I'm sure some of the guys from the 79 expedition are still alive? I'd start there.

Did you say what kind of vehicles you were planning on? Number? Modifications?
 
This won't just be a test of planning or of the vehicles. It'll be a very physical one. During the Blashford-Snell expedition one man walked the entirety of the darien in front of both trucks, spotting for them. In fact both trucks were driven by one man as well.

Mark Smith said when he went through it with his jeep expedition the employed about 25 locals to cut trail for them.
 
On that doc I posted, I believe there were a few guys in there 20s/30s that were on the team. Perhaps you could find them on some sort of social media? Their names are mentioned.

Is a requirement to have a Cruiser or will your 'team' be providing?

If sponsors were/are involved, perhaps 2 or 3 trucks with the same engine/drivetrain/tire size are bought and fixed up the same (for ease of maintenance and spare parts)
 
On that doc I posted, I believe there were a few guys in there 20s/30s that were on the team. Perhaps you could find them on some sort of social media? Their names are mentioned.

Is a requirement to have a Cruiser or will your 'team' be providing?

If sponsors were/are involved, perhaps 2 or 3 trucks with the same engine/drivetrain/tire size are bought and fixed up the same (for ease of maintenance and spare parts)
So far it appears that we have two, potentially three Toyota BJ70 series diesel trucks. I agree that commonality is necessary.
 
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Enough interested parties are contacting me about this expedition to take it off line. Anyone interested should contact me directly via private message, and I will supply email contact information. More details will be given in a closed forum. Thanks.
 
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Darien  Print Map Villages.jpg
 
Kurt, as someone who was just recently in the area what are your opinions on issues with militias and the people?

Very real issues, both from a permitting/permission and security standpoint. Honestly I think you'll need solid connections in both Panama and Colombia to even begin obtaining permission and blessing of passage for a crossing.
 
Im just going to say it. It is absolutly the most dangerous place in the world. The likelyhood of crawling a group of vehicles through that jungle without being kidnapped for ransom, killed for your supplies or just left without any supplies is zero. The guerrillas (from many different sects.) drug smugglers, and just plain murderous kidnappers own that jungle. They don't understand anyone who enters and attempts to cross the jungle "just for the conquest". They view anyone who crosses their path as a threat to their survival. I wouldn't cross that bug infested crap hole in an armored humvee full of ar15's. But, good luck with your adventure!
 

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