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Yaamur · 08-06-2014, 23:50

Hey guys, we really need some help... We are a young couple from the UK and Turkey who are travelling all of Latin America for 1 year, our dream was to do it only by hitchhiking(autostop) and then write about it but we didn't realize it is not possible to cross from Colombia to Panama by land and are now stuck in Colombia.

Does anyone know anyone who might be passing by Colombia then towards Central America within the next 30 days?? We would of course work VERY HARD in exchange for the ride! We have very little experience in sailing but have studied international cooking, are very hard working, also very clean friendly people

Please help us to complete our dream!

Jimbo485 · 08-06-2014, 23:59

I doubt very much you will get a free ride. You have 2 alternatives.

1. Pay to go on a boat from Cartagena to Portobelo like all the other backpackers.

2. Hike the overland trails with the drug traffickers.

Both alternatives should provide fodder for your writing!

garyosborne · 09-06-2014, 06:40

Check out the boat yards, might be a boat finishing a haul out that is getting ready to come bacteria to Panama.

chubby · 09-06-2014, 07:51

cartagena is your best bet to catch a sailboat....turbo might be an option for a quicker panga ride to san blas.

either way generally sailors will give free rides to backpackers (at least there..and from my experience) if you have sailing experience/skills or you look really good in a bikini. (ideally both)

if not, i think the going rate is $500 per head from cartagena.
personally, i'd be happy with someone that can cook (and looks good in a bikini)

good luck.

tbodine88 · 09-06-2014, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by chubby

cartagena is your best bet to catch a sailboat....turbo might be an option for a quicker panga ride to san blas.

either way generally sailors will give free rides to backpackers (at least there..and from my experience) if you have sailing experience/skills or you look really good in a bikini. (ideally both)

if not, i think the going rate is $500 per head from cartagena.

good luck.

There are pages and pages of info on the internet about this trip, many of them scary. I'm contemplating a similar trip some day. Just search Darien gap. The above advice is good, but it appears a flight might be cheaper from this Overland Traveller - How to travel the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama

gussers · 11-06-2014, 12:33

I once gave a guy a ride from Cartagena to the Bay Islands so it's always possible. Look around the marinas in Cartagena and post something on a bulletin board.

category4jay · 11-06-2014, 12:52

Where exactly in Colombia are you guys? DO NOT. Repeat. DO NOT hike the Darien Gap under any circumstance. Google "missing hikers darien gap."

belizesailor · 11-06-2014, 19:21

Bus it to Turbo. Launcha to Sapzurro.

See also: http://sanblasadventures.com/

Stu Jackson · 11-06-2014, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yaamur

Hey guys, we really need some help... ...but we didn't realize it is not possible to cross from Colombia to Panama by land and are now stuck in Colombia.

Now ya tell me????

Good luck, though.

Yaamur · 19-06-2014, 16:56

Thanks for the advice and support guys! We actually found a boat, although it had problems, so went back to the marina and found another one, super luxury and amazingly nice captain. So it is very possible and in fact reasonably easy to hitchhike this journey, actually we will probably continue all the way to Costa Rica with him as he teaches us all about sailing

Thanks again!

belizesailor · 19-06-2014, 17:13

Just met a couple here in Panama, who are traveling by bicycles, trying to hitch a ride to Colombia. So far they don't appear to be having much luck, but maybe that will change.