What is the Darién Gap and why is it so dangerous?

Why you may not want to try and go from Panama to Venezuela over land

The Darién Gap is a dense and humid forest in Central America, with a variety of ecosystems. It’s also one of the most remote places on earth.

Since the end of the Spanish conquest, there have been numerous failed expeditions to cross the Darién Gap from Panama to Colombia and vice versa.

The Darién region is one of the most dangerous places on earth for humans, starting with the fact that this region has been home to so many different types of venomous snakes, insects, and plants — many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Add to that drug cartels, paramilitary organizations and a deathly humid climate — and you have one of the most dangerous places on earth.

There are lots of reasons why people don’t like to explore this part of the world.

Many who have tried have never returned. In fact, more than 200 Europeans disappeared while trying to find a new water route from Europe to Asia in the 16th century, leading historians to suspect that they were all killed by hostile tribes or diseased and starved before meeting such an unfortunate end.

Why is the Darién Gap so dangerous?

The Darién Gap is so dangerous because it is home to so many dangerous species — from insects and plants to amphibians and reptiles.

Of all the places on earth, this is the only one that has all of these species. This region has been home to so many different types of venomous snakes, insects, and plants — many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

The Darién is the only place where you can find the Bushmaster, the world’s largest venomous snake. It can grow up to 10 feet and weigh as much as 20 pounds.

The Bushmaster is often referred to as the world’s deadliest snake. Fortunately, it is also one of the least aggressive snakes in the world, so nobody has ever been killed by this snake.

There are also large numbers of coral snakes in the Darién. These snakes are very dangerous, and can kill a person within hours.

There are many species of frogs, toads, and toad-like creatures in the Darién. Many of them are highly poisonous, and their poison can kill a human being within a few hours.

There are many deadly species of spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and other insects in the Darién. There are also many species of plants and trees in the Darién that are poisonous.

Some of them can kill a person within a few hours, and some can kill a person within a few days.

The Exploits of Famous Explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa

The Exploits of Famous Explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, who discovered the Pacific Ocean from the Darién Gap. Balboa was born in the Spanish city of Badajoz in 1475.

He was a Spanish explorer who is best known for being the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. Balboa became famous after he led a group of people across the Darién Gap, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

He and his group accomplished this by cutting a path through the dense and humid jungle that lies between these two oceans.

Balboa and his group did this in order to find a new water route from Europe to Asia. Unfortunately, Balboa and many of his men were killed by hostile tribes and diseases before they met such an unfortunate end.

The Tsunami of 2004: Its aftermath and Its effect on Humans

The Tsunami of 2004: Its aftermath and Its effect on Humans. This devastating tsunami occurred after a powerful earthquake shook the ocean floor off the coast of Chile.

The earthquake lifted the ocean floor by as much as 10 feet, causing a large wave or “tidal wave” to form.

The tsunami completely destroyed many parts of South America and Central America, including the Darién Gap. It also killed thousands of people, many of whom were in the Darién Gap.

The presence of drug cartels

The presence of drug cartels. There are two drug cartels that have been known to operate in the Darién Gap — the Rastrojos and the Urabeños.

Both of these cartels are extremely dangerous.

The Rastrojos are widely believed to have been responsible for the deaths of three U.S. missionaries who attempted to cross the Darién Gap from Panama to Colombia in 2001.

The Urabeños have been accused of killing a Colombian environmentalist in 2013.

The Urabeños are also believed to have been responsible for the disappearance of two American journalists and a New Zealander who were last seen in this jungle in 2004.

Fierce animals

Many animals, reptiles, and amphibians in the Darién Gap are extremely fierce and dangerous. Some of these animals are poisonous, while others are not.

The most ferocious animals in the Darién Gap include the Anaconda, the Bushmaster, the Fer-de-lance, the Green Iguana, the Harpy Eagle, the Jaguar, the Ocelot, the Puma, the Rattlesnake, the Teju, the Timber Rattlesnake, and the Yaguarondi.

The Anaconda is an extremely large and fierce snake that is only found in the Darién Gap. It can grow up to 23 feet and weigh as much as 550 pounds.

The Anaconda is sometimes called the “world’s largest reptile.” Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous animals in the world, and it is capable of killing a person.

Paramilitary organizations

There are a number of paramilitary organizations that have been known to operate in the Darién Gap. These include the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia, the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN), the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), the Gran Revolutionary Autodefensas del Comandante Para (GRACO), the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), and the Ejercito de Guerra del Pacifico (EGP).

Many of these paramilitary organizations are extremely dangerous because they are involved in human trafficking, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and other dangerous activities.

They also happen to be responsible for the deaths of many people who have tried to cross this jungle.

Summarizing why the Darién Gap is so dangerous

The Darién Gap is a very mountainous region, which makes it difficult for people to travel through it.

This jungle is home to a large number of dangerous and poisonous snakes, toads, frogs, spiders, and other animals and insects.

It is extremely humid and rainy in the Darién Gap, which makes it difficult for people to travel through this jungle.

The Darién Gap is also home to many species of poisonous plants.

If a person becomes lost in this jungle, it is almost impossible to find their way out.

There are a number of paramilitary organizations that have been known to operate in the Darién Gap.

Many of these paramilitary organizations are extremely dangerous because they are involved in human trafficking, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, and other dangerous activities.

Here's a tip, if you are trying to get from Central America to South America, as tempting as it might be to drive through the Darién Gap — you may want to fly.