The world’s ‘most dangerous’ migrant crossing has 60 miles of swamps and rainforest.
The Darien Gap is the only overland path connecting Central and South America, sitting on the border between Colombia and Panama.
It has become a leading transit point for migrants in search of work and safety in the United States, as authorities have cracked down on other routes by air and sea.
The Darien Gap is the only break in the Pan-American Highway that otherwise stretches uninterrupted from Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina.
The remote, roadless crossing consists of more than 60 miles of dense rainforest, steep mountains, and vast swamps through the lands of indigenous communities.
Migrants face many challenges on this journey northward including treacherous terrain, exposure to disease, and violence at the hands of criminal groups.
UN officials warn of a deepening humanitarian emergency after more than half a million migrants made the trek in 2023, one-fifth of whom were children.
The majority of migrants were from Venezuela, followed by Ecuador and Haiti, but some hailed from as far away as Angola, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Groups take a dangerous hour-long ferry ride to the Colombia-Panama border. Overcrowded boats have capsized and some wait weeks to board one.
Once within the jungle, the hike can take ten or more days with many paying to be led by a local guide, a “coyote”.
Along the route are smugglers and criminal groups, including a paramilitary group and Colombia’s largest drug cartel. These groups often extort and sexually assault migrants. Rape, robbery and human trafficking are as much a risk as animals, insects and water.
The Darién Gap is one of the wettest regions in the world, and frequent rainfall can trigger landslides in the mountainous terrain.
Temperatures can reach 35C with high humidity, exacerbating thirst and hunger. The area’s wildlife, including crocodiles and venomous snakes, adds to the dangers migrants face.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, more than sixty migrants died trying to cross the gap in the first six months of 2023, though officials say the actual figure is likely to be much higher.
Government officials and international aid organisations have sought to manage the crisis by setting up temporary housing and providing basic services to those arriving in Panama.