Alaska to South America

A

Alaska_jk

New member
I am looking to do trip down the South America in 2015 from Alaska I have done trips on my bicycle an motorcycle for 2-4 weeks at a time but am looking to build my 2013 JKU up for this adventure..., any mods you guys would suggest... I already have snorkel,2.5 lift,35s, plenty of lighting, tools... And what do you think this trip would cost round trip. I am also gonna be staying in a RTT. Thanks for any input
 
The first thing I suggest is stopping in anchorage and picking me up before you gol. Ill pay for the first fill up! Lol
 
I have always wanted to do a trip like this. First where in South America? There is a stretch of about 40 or so miles (I believe) through the jungle that is not passable by vehicle. It has only been done a handful of times and they were on motorcycles. Traveling in the US is the easy part. You need to look into vehicle laws, visas, vehicle insurance and the like in the other countries. Just know that in other countries they will most defiantly stop you if your rig is built up because they know they can get money from you. You have no other choice then to pay them what they say. They are corrupt.

There is a ton of info on the web about this type of travel. Should answer most if not all of your questions. Hope I didn't deter you as this would be a sweet trip!:rock:
 
OverlanderJK said:
I have always wanted to do a trip like this. First where in South America? There is a stretch of about 40 or so miles (I believe) through the jungle that is not passable by vehicle. It has only been done a handful of times and they were on motorcycles. Traveling in the US is the easy part. You need to look into vehicle laws, visas, vehicle insurance and the like in the other countries. Just know that in other countries they will most defiantly stop you if your rig is built up because they know they can get money from you. You have no other choice then to pay them what they say. They are corrupt.

There is a ton of info on the web about this type of travel. Should answer most if not all of your questions. Hope I didn't deter you as this would be a sweet trip!:rock:
Click to expand...

Do you know if fuel will be a issue? I have read a few people that have done this trip in Nissan patrols.., I have read lots of books but I am open to any an all suggestions
 
Alaska_jk said:
Do you know if fuel will be a issue? I have read a few people that have done this trip in Nissan patrols.., I have read lots of books but I am open to any an all suggestions
Click to expand...

From what I have read its not really an issue as long as you plan ahead.
 
Back in 2003 I drove from NYC to buenos aires, Argentina in a 1998 Subaru forester. Carry extra fuel, I carried 15 gals, make sure your vehicle is in good working order, and use your common sense. You will need to do some planning because when I went I needed visas to most put tries before leaving the us and if you plan on driving south of panama, then you will need to make arrangements to get your car shipped since you will not be able to dive through the Darien gap. I shipped my car from panama to Columbia then hit pan-American highway. Once we were done with out trip, we sold the car and flew home.
 
Wow! Very cool! I have no tips, but I can't wait to hear about it.

Actually, get a good camera and make sure to document it. There...I guess that's a tip?
 
I would do a regear to help with gas mileage and power. And a superchips flashpaq to adjust for tire size and gear ratio. Anything to help keep that thing running smoother and easier on that big of a trip.
 
I drove from AK to Colorado in a 2003 Dodge Cummins ( 6" lift and 35s ) if you have any questions let me know. :yup: but one things for sure it is an AMAZING and memorable experience
 
Alaska_jk said:
Do you know if fuel will be a issue? I have read a few people that have done this trip in Nissan patrols.., I have read lots of books but I am open to any an all suggestions
Click to expand...

There was a thread on expedition portal by a guy that did Alaska->South America (all the way down)->Africa (South Africa then all the way up.) Took 1.5 years and $35,000USD for 2 people, not including repairs/parts for his Nissan Patrol, and it was a diesel. He did say that fuel quality was poor in some countries, and diesels are more forgiving than gas vehicles in terms of quality (diesel will run on anything so long as it burns.) This type of trip requires A LOT of planning, knowledge, and a good chunk of change. Having said that, plan it right, and it would be the trip of a lifetime. The guy documented the whole thing and the photos speak for themselves. It's 80+ pages long and more photos than you can shake a stick at, so get some good bandwidth, a good beer, and a comfy seat, and enjoy the read.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/45353-unURBAN-Adventures-Alaska-to-Argentina-to-AFRICA!
 
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this sounds like a good time tom me. I would invest in dual batteries and IDK if you are planning on camping the whole time or not but look into the ARB ROOFTOP TENT. another Idea satellite GPS
 
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