Pour la version française, voir Passer un véhicule du Panama vers la Colombie ou vice-versa (au travers du Darien)
The Pan-American Highway ends in southern Panama and only resumes about a hundred kilometers further south in Colombia. There is no way for vehicles to cross. In the past, this was the territory of the FARC rebels. Nowadays, it is a major route for drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The area is mountainous and the forest dense. One day there will be a road, but for now, if you want to cross with a vehicle, the only option is to put it on a boat (or in the case of a motorcycle, on a plane [apparently much more economical]).
Since the process is at first intimidating and still fairly expensive, we researched it thoroughly and benefited from the experience of many other travelers who detailed the adventure on their blogs. As services change and information quickly becomes outdated, I thought I’d return the favor and share how we went about it.
Unlike many travelers, we were driving a humble car rather than a massive camper. Our container companions, on the other hand, had a 23-foot-long Ford F350, so our suggestions still apply.
Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) or Container?
Apart from flying motorcycles, there are two ways to ship your vehicle: a ship designed specifically for wheeled vehicles (RORO) or the classic container vessel.
If your vehicle doesn’t fit inside a container, you have no choice but to use RORO. There once was a passenger-and-vehicle ferry service. You can still find traces of it online. It hasn’t been in operation for years, and I have no idea if it’s ever coming back.
On ships, it is of course forbidden to carry fuel. For camper Li-ion batteries, the rules seem to vary, but our container companions did not have to remove theirs.
Here’s a table that explains the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
| Container |
|
|
| RORO |
|
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How do I cross myself?
You can either fly Panama – Cartagena (frequent flights). On the water, there are tourist cruises that take you through the San Blas archipelago. Apparently very pleasant, and the crossing takes a few days.
Book in advance, but given the possible delays in loading and reclaiming your car, this can be tricky.
What’s the process?
There are many steps and, unsurprisingly, a huge amount of paperwork; the company you choose will make things much easier. Here’s an overview of the steps:
- 4–5 weeks before departure (D): find a company and pay the deposit.
- D minus 2–3 days: police inspection in Panama and obtain the authorization to export the car.
- D – 1: load the car into the container (you can book your flight at this point).
- D: ship departure.
- D + 5–6: ship arrives in Cartagena, container unloaded.
- D + 7: you unload your car from the container into a port inspection area.
- D + 8: inspection report signed and permits obtained to release the car (plus Colombian temporary import permit and SOAT insurance).
- D + 9: release car from port, the journey resumes!
Warning: everything went unusually quickly for us. The standard seems to be 2–3 weeks.
How far in advance should I plan, and how frequent are departures?
It’s recommended to plan 4–5 weeks ahead, especially if you want to share a container. Because of their vehicle’s length, our companions had to plan well ahead since there was only space left for one car like ours or motorcycles.
For containers, departures are weekly. For RORO, they’re less frequent.
How much does it cost?
About US$1,150 on the Panama side and US$1,150 on the Colombia side (paid separately in each country). Apparently, shipping from Mexico to Colombia is cheaper.
Which company/agent should I use?
It’s simply impossible to arrange shipping on your own—you must go through an agent. Cargo companies do not deal with individuals, and even if they did, it’s far too complicated, and I’m not even sure it would be legal for a tourist to arrange such a process in Panama or Colombia.
Initially, we exchanged with one provider, but our questions were only partially answered and response times were very long. Four weeks before departure, we contacted The Overland Embassy. They are based in Panama City but can ship your vehicle from anywhere in the world. Their service was impeccable: fast responses (everything goes through WhatsApp), clear instructions and explanations, related services (mechanical, supplies, etc.), competitive prices. They are experienced and it shows: their process is streamlined and they anticipate most of your questions.
What’s the timeline?
From the moment your car is in the container, expect 10–14 days before you get it back. Do not buy plane tickets until the container is sealed. You also need to be in Cartagena several days in advance to begin the process.
It is possible to track the container’s position in real time to know when to arrive in Cartagena and start the paperwork.
And that’s it! Hopefully this answers some of your questions.