PANAMA TO ALASKA 2008 ROUTE NOTES – January 2008

Day

1

Fly to Panama City.

2,3.

Collect and check cars. From the hotel overlooking the Panama Canal, drivers will be bussed to the other side of the isthmus to the modern Manzanillo container port at Colon on the Atlantic coast to collect the vehicles. A rough road back to the hotel will take two to three hours and shake up the cars enough to give them a good work-out before the rally start.

4

Rest day .   The Casco Viejo to the West is the oldest area of the city with public buildings, churches and plazas built after Panama Viejo to the East was destroyed by fire during Henry Morgan’s attack in 1671. The ruins of the first settlement which includes convents, a cathedral and the slave market can be visited. In the canal area, there is a viewing station and a slide show at the Miraflores Locks.

5

Panama City     Boquete   471k.

Across the Punta de las Americas, which is 117 metres above the water to allow passage of the largest ships, is the first of many stages to be driven on the Pan American Highway or Interamericana. We pass through the orange groves and sugar plantations of the lowlands to the town of David and then turn North into the Chirique Highlands often covered in misty cloud. The small town of Boquete beneath Volcan Baru (3475 m.) lies in a rocky valley where the rich volcanic soil supports coffee fincas and intensive farming between pristine forests and cool streams.

6

Boquete    Las Horquetas  443k.       Panama / Costa Rica

We take a new road, yet to appear on maps, that winds gently through the hills to the tropical Caribbean coast where banana plantations flourish. A river bridge floored with planks of wood forms the border with Costa Rica. The night stop is in the rain forest with its own private reserve.

7

Las Horquetas    Fortuna  142k.

The morning is free to enjoy the hotel grounds with its butterfly garden and natural river pools. A pleasant afternoon drive takes us to Fortuna where the hotel is opposite Volcan Arenal. After dark, if the weather obliges, hot lava can be seen streaming down the slopes of this active volcano.

8

Fortuna     Monteverde   112k.

There is time to walk up to old lava flows or check out the thermal baths before leaving to circuit the beautiful Lake Arenal. As we leave the lake the last 35k becomes bumpy gravel as we climb up into the cloud forest. Our hotel has its own private forest reserve with trails and a lake.

9

Rest day to enjoy the 10,500 hectare Monteverde cloud forest reserve or the less busy reserve at Santa Elena. Guides can point out some of the 400 species of birds and abundant plant life although you will be lucky to see the reclusive quetzal. Time to try a high walk on hanging bridges or an aerial wire slide.

10

Monteverde    Granada   305k.  Costa Rica/Nicaragua

Excellent photo opportunities as we tackle another 35k. of bumpy road down to rejoin the Pan American Highway. This leads over the border and past the huge Lago de Nicaragua with its island of twin volcanoes to the elegant colonial city of Granada.

11

Rest day to explore the city from our hotel near the central square and the cathedral. Take a boat trip to the nearby Las Isletas, a group of 300 tiny lava islands covered in lush vegetation, some of which have restaurants. If feeling adventurous, you can hire a sea kayak. 

12

Granada    Tegucigalpa   412k.       Nicaragua/Honduras

Back on the PAH to pass Lago de Managua and then climb into tobacco country. Over the border in Honduras, the tobacco fields continue and in Danli there are four cigar factories. We stay in the capital, Tegucigalpa, safely enclosed in our international class hotel.

13

Tegucigalpa     Copan Ruinas    422k.

Over more hills and down into the rich valley containing the old capital Comayagua and then past the pretty Lake Yojoa before turning on to the Western Highway to Copan Ruinas.

14

Rest day. Copan Ruinas is a charming small town just a kilometre from the Mayan ruins which you can reach on horseback if so inclined. When you are exhausted from touring the site and museum, there is a parrot park and coffee finca to visit as well as caves and thermal baths.

15

Copan   Antigua   282k.        Honduras/Guatemala

In Estranzuela there is an interesting museum containing dinosaurs and the remains of giant sloth 4 metres high.

Outside the town is a memorial to the 23,000 people killed in the 1976 earthquake (7.5 Richter ). Fault lines can still be seen in the fields nearby. We turn on to the Atlantic highway and drive through cactus and acacia country to Guatemala City. We pass through the bustling, crowded city of 2 million people to reach Antigua.

16

Rest day. Antigua is the cultural centre of Guatemala, a picture-postcard town of cobbled streets and pastel-coloured houses with red roofs. Mayan women in traditional dress can be seen by the churches, convents and monasteries. If you have already tired of pretty towns, you can hire a bike, ride a horse, climb one of the three volcanoes overlooking the town or go off for the day white water rafting.

17

Antigua   Santa Cruz Verapaz   259k.

We encounter steep hills, sharp bends and precipitous drops as we pass the crater rim for a spectacular view overlooking Lago de Atitlan. Panajachel on the lake has wonderful views and a small nature reserve but is very touristy with endemic fleas and pickpockets. Solola is a quieter village out of town with good views of the lake. We also pass through Chichicastenango, another cute town with narrow cobbled streets and then take some twisty roads to our hotel near Coban.

18

SC Verapaz    El Remate   284k.

Variable roads today with some bumps. We pass through Coban in the highlands which has soft rainfall all the year round and later call to see the caves of Candelaria. In Sayaxche we have to ferry across the river and we can pause at the pretty little town of Flores on Lake Peten before the final run to our hotel at the other end of the lake.

19

Rest day. A visit to the stunning Mayan city of Tikal buried in the Peten Jungle. To visit the best of the sights involves a strenuous walk of up to 9k.

20

El Remate    Belize City   207k.       Guatemala/Belize

Crossing the border into Belize, we may pause at a wildlife sanctuary before heading to the capital to park our cars in a secure area. We then board a chartered high speed launch which will whisk us out to Ambergris Caye on the Caribbean reef.

21,22.

Rest days. We spend two nights in a tropical paradise where the choice is world-class diving and snorkelling or relaxing on the beach, before speeding back through the waves to Belize City to a waterfront hotel ready for the drive to the Mexican border the next day.

23

Belize City   Tulum   407k.         Belize/Mexico

We exit Belize and pass the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a mixture of tropical forest, savannah and mangrove on the coast to reach Tulum, just before the Riviera Maya becomes wall-to-wall hotels, where an unusual Mayan site is perched on the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

24

Tulum     Chichen Itza   212k.

We pass Coba, another important Mayan site with many structures still buried in jungle. Near Vallalodid is the Cenote Xkeken near Dzithup. The whole of the Yucatan was a large limestone plateau which has been eroded by acidic rain forming many underground caves and large sink-holes or cenotes which were very important to the Maya as a source of water. Xkeken is a large cavern containing a pool with a small aperture open to the sky. It has been artificially illuminated and it is possible to swim amongst the fish in the crystal clear water. We stay near the site of Chichen Itza, a classic Mayan city later influenced by Toltecs. El Castillo is the main pyramid with 91 extremely steep steps. The pyramid was aligned so that on the days of the spring and autumn solstices the sun cast a shadow like a serpent on the pyramid’s steps.

25

Chichen Itza    Campeche   386k.

First stop is Izamal, the centre of the Spanish attempt to Christianize the Mayas. A small town with a convent, church and major buildings painted a golden ochre, it was constructed on top of a pyramid. Some re-used carved stones can be seen in the walls. There is an adjacent ruined pyramid which can be climbed for a view of the town. In the region are many cactus-like henequen plantations. Related to sisal, the plant was grown for the rope-making industry but with a fall in demand, the juice is now being used to make a kind of tequila. We also visit Uxmal in the Puuc region of small hills. This site from the Classic period shows richly decorated stone mosaics with carved masks of the hook-nosed rain god Chac.

26

Rest day. Campeche on the Gulf of Mexico is a large town with a relaxed atmosphere. As well as the usual old religious and public buildings and some fine haciendas, it is possible to take a circular walk round the many restored bastions and sections of city wall or stroll along the board-walk on the sea front.

27

 Campeche     Palenque    509k.

A journey along the coast and by the wetland reserve of Centla we reach the site of Palenque, another Mayan gem in the jungle.

28

Palenque    San Cristobal    262k.

After a morning visiting the ruins, the route heads over the hills via Agua Azul waterfalls to San Cristobal de la Casa, one of Mexico’s most beautiful towns.

29

San Cristobal    Huatulco    466k.

A long drive over hilly terrain to a new resort built on a series of bays in a forest reserve.

30

Rest day. After three busy days on the road, an idle day to unwind on the beach before we turn North into Central Mexico.

31

Huatalco    Oaxaca    274k.

IAn early start will enable us to drive straight to the impressive Zapotec site of Monte Alban on a hill overlooking Oaxaca. We will have time in the afternoonto visit this large city which has many museums and an attractive central square or zocalo with streets closed to traffic.

32

Oaxaca    Mexico City   494k.

An expressway over the sierras with a good view of volcano Popocatepetl leads to the capital.

33

Rest day. Scheduled service time ( about 4000 miles covered so far ).

Options include a trip to the mysterious site of Teotihuacan with the largest pyramids in Central America. Home to 250,000 people 1500 years ago, its history is still relatively unknown.

34

Rest day.

35

Mexico City     Guanajuato    360k.

On to the colonial highlands where silver was wrested from the ground, Guanajuato fills a narrow gorge with steep and twisted streets some of which are underground. For a taste of the macabre there is a museum displaying one hundred mummies removed from the adjoining graveyard after their descendants stopped paying for their upkeep..

36

Guanajuato    Zacatecas   318k.

A pleasant town of pink houses where you can walk through an old silver mine then take el Teleferico over the city for a superb view.

37

Zacatecas     Mazatlan     658k.

An early start is required for a long day. We pass the Sierra de los Orgenos national park with an unusal landscape of grouped basalt colums. The high scrubby desert landscape was the background for several John Wayne films. After the film-making centre of Durango where we take lunch in the saloon of the Western film set, there is a spectacular descent to the sea. First passing through a forest, the road is then cut into the sides of steep canyons and passes over The Devil’s Spine on a land bridge with huge vertical drops on each side. Matzalan is Mexico’s largest Pacific port and a popular holiday resort.

38

Mazatlan       El Fuerte      513k.

A run along the Pacific coast to one of the stations on the Chihuahua al Pacifico railway.

39

Rest day. The train departs in the early morning and heads up through tunnels and over bridges via the breath-taking Copper Canyon. We disembark after about 7 hours and stay at an hotel perched on a cliff top overlooking the canyon.

40

Rest day. Return through canyon by train.

41

El Fuerte       Hermosillo         568k.

On good toll roads to the capital of Sonora Province, which is on a different time from the rest of Mexico, so we have to change our watches.

42

Hermosillo       Tucson     439k        Mexico/USA

A busy day to reach the border at Nogales, take back roads to skirt the city of Tucson, visit the Pima Air & Space Museum, Davis Monthan Airbase known as ‘the boneyard’ where hundreds of military planes are stockpiled for spares and also the Saguaro National Park where giant cacti can grow to 50 feet and weigh 6 tonnes. Hotel at the base of Santa Catalina mountains with canyon and desert views.

43

Tucson        Sedona        451k.

Scenic minor roads to bypass Phoenix.

44

Rest day. Sedona is set in red rock country with some beautiful trails. The town has up-market shops and galleries and some excellent restaurants. Tours are available in a bi-plane from local airport.

45

Sedona      Kayenta         447k.

We head off early to reach Grand Canyon Village before the typical traffic jams and crowds of summer become too frustrating, then motor gently along the South Rim pausing at the best look-out points. After reaching Navajo territory, we divert to view an ancient Indian settlement. We are now in motel country after recent luxury stops.

46

Kayenta      Moab          310k.

Leaving Arizona on Highway 163, time to stop for the iconic road picture with the sandstone buttes and mesas of Monument Valley in the background. We have time to drive off-road on the sandy track through the tribal park itself.

 To follow this we attempt the Mokee Dugway, an old mining road, still gravel in places, which climbs over a thousand feet in three miles in a series of hairpin bends. The reward is a magnificent view from the top. Moab is an adventure sports centre and gateway to the Arches National Park which we will visit in the late afternoon.

47

Moab    Bryce Canyon       425k.

To take in the best of the scenery, the route turns back to pass Capitol Reef National Park and takes route 12 through Utah’s most outstanding high desert scenery to a hotel near Bryce Canyon where you can watch the sunset on the multi-coloured rock pinnacles

48

Bryce Canyon       Salt Lake City    450k.

The route passes the Fishlake National Forest and we take the Nebo Loop past the 11,900 foot Mount Nebo before reaching Interstate 15 to glide into Salt Lake City.

49

Rest day After viewing the Mormon Temple (closed to public) and Tabernacle, a visit to Antelope Island State Park in the Lake offers trails and white beaches. For a change, visit the largest open-cast copper mine in the world.

50

Salt Lake City        Ketchum       532k.

Through forestry and over the Snake River to Craters of the Moon National Monument, part of a vast black lava bed landscape. Ketchum is close to the Sun Valley ski region where a there are a few small wineries .

51

Ketchum     Polson     716k.

A huge distance but the roads are good. Nothing to stop for, except to snap the scenery as we drive through the Sawtooth Mountain Recreational Area, cruise along the Salmon River canyons and circuit Flathead Lake before the welcome sight of our excellent hotel on Whitefish Lake.

52

Polson      Banff      584k.             USA/Canada

A winding road passes through the rugged Glacier National Park. With the current rate of global warming it is estimated that the 27 remaining glaciers in the park will have disappeared by 2050. Just to keep you on your toes we aim to circuit Calgary via the Highwood Pass due to be opened after winter the day before we arrive.

53

Rest day Banff. Time to prepare the vehicles for the long days on empty roads ahead in this pleasant ski resort. Scheduled service day ( about 8000 miles covered so far ).

54

Banff   Grande Prairie         678k.

 The Icefields Highway at the foot of the rocky mountains leads to Jasper and from there The Bighorn Highway leads into the wilderness of forest, mountain and lake that stretches to Anchorage.

55

G.Prairie    Fort Nelson         587k.

The Alaska Highway begins at Dawson Creek – there is a Mile 0 sign in the town. Time for earnest elk and bear spotting.

56

Fort Nelson   Watson Lake       518k.

Summit Lake is the highest point on the highway at 1295 metres. Soon after comes the pristine Muncho Lake and Liard Hot springs, a popular posting for winter builders of the road.

57

Watson Lake  Whitehorse           724k.

A chance to get off the tarmac and experience true solitude on the well-graded gravel Campbell Highway. You may not see another vehicle or a human being for several hours. The next settlement at Ross River is 364 kilometres away and consists of a few shacks and a petrol pump. From there the rather more undulating gravel Canol Road leads back to civilization. An alternative to this route for the less adventurous is to continue on the paved Alaska Highway to arrive in Whitehorse after 440k.

58

Whitehorse   Dawson City        539k.

Lots of river crossings including the Yukon and Stewart Rivers

59

Rest Day Dawson City. Stroll along the dirt streets past wooden houses or on the board walk outside the Sourdough Saloon with its swing doors in this gold rush town that was bursting at the seams during the Klondike days. Take a drive to Bonanza Creek where a huge mechanical dredger lies rusting near the worked-out creek, or stroll beside the turbulent waters of the Yukon River.

60

Dawson City Tok        294k.             Canada/USA

There is absolutely nothing to do in Tok so have a lie-in and a lazy breakfast before taking the ferry across the Yukon River to enjoy the spectacular views from the Top of the World Highway. Over the border, the first settlement in the USA, where you must stop for a coffee break, is the dusty metropolis of Chicken, population about 30 and a few dogs.

61

Tok      Fairbanks        326k.

We follow the Alaskan Pipeline for a small section of the route to Fairbanks.

Thick curtains are on our list of essentials for the hotels – it is daylight for twenty two hours here and difficult to maintain a sleep pattern.

62

Fairbanks        Anchorage        587k.

We pass Denali National Park on the way to our final destination where a fresh salmon and a few glasses of Alaska Amber will go down well.

63

Anchorage/Seward/Anchorage        426k.

A wonderful scenic drive through alpine valleys and glaciers to Seward nestled in the fjords of Resolution Bay and back to Anchorage.

64

Cars to docks.

65

Rest day before flying home the next morning.