Follow Our
Pan-American
Expedition
We’re driving our Land Rover Defender 110 from Uruguay all the way through South, Central and North America, one border at a time, before shipping the car onward to Australia to start our next expedition. This page is our hub for the whole journey: the route, the build, and everything we learn about each country along the way. Departure: 1 October 2026.
Meet Laura & Alexander
We’re Laura and Alexander, the Belgian couple behind Lost Between Oceans, where we write honest travel guides for couples who love adventure. Alongside the blog, we film YouTube videos from the road and create UGC content for brands we use. This expedition is the biggest trip we’ve ever planned, and we’re documenting every border, breakdown and campsite here as it happens.
The Route
📍
South America
Start
📍
Central America
Leg 2
📍
North America
Leg 3
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Shipping Car to Australia
Next Up
The Rig
Our Land Rover Defender 110
Vehicle
Land Rover Defender 110
Year
2003
Mileage
254,000 km / 157,828 miles
Car tour
Accessories
Shipped
Hamburg (Germany) → Montevideo (Uruguay)
Departure
1 October 2026
Countries
19 planned
Country By Country
🇺🇾
Currently Overlanding
“
Uruguay is an amazing country with more wine culture than we ever imagined!
— Laura & Alexander
'/%3E%3C/svg%3E "Pan American Expedition 19")
🗺️
Argentina
Coming Soon
Chile
Coming Soon
Paraguay
Coming Soon
Brazil
Coming Soon
Bolivia
Coming Soon
Peru
Coming Soon
Ecuador
Coming Soon
Colombia
Coming Soon
Panama
Coming Soon
Costa Rica
Coming Soon
Nicaragua
Coming Soon
Honduras
Coming Soon
El Salvador
Coming Soon
Guatemala
Coming Soon
Belize
Coming Soon
Mexico
Coming Soon
USA
Coming Soon
Canada
Coming Soon
Latest From The Road
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Best Restaurants in Montevideo
Montevideo isn’t a cheap city to eat in. We expected high prices, but oh man, they’re even higher than in European restaurants. We spent five days in the city while our Defender waited for port clearance, ate out for most meals, and averaged around $60 (€55) per person per day. Along the way, we…
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What to Pack for Uruguay: Our Essential Packing List
Working out what to pack for Uruguay is a different job than packing for the rest of South America: there’s no altitude to prepare for and no multi-day trek to gear up for. We arrived in Montevideo in October 2026, after our car spent four weeks at sea being shipped from Germany in a…
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Best Time to Visit Uruguay (2026): When to Go and When to Skip
The best time to visit Uruguay depends more on which region you’re headed to than most guides let on. We came in October, Uruguay’s spring, to drive around the country for three weeks. It was around 14°C (57°F) on cloudy days and close to 20°C (68°F) when the sun came out. We wore some…
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Fill The Tank
Fuel, ferries, park fees and the odd tow truck add up. If this page or our trip has been useful or entertaining, you can help keep the Defender moving.
Everything On Board
Our Overland Build
Every item in the Defender, organised by category, each one linking to where we actually bought it. This card grows as the build does, more items and more categories get added over time.
Power & Electronics
via Victron
via Wolfbox
via Garmin
New to Overlanding? Start Here.
This page is about our Pan-American route specifically. For general overlanding know-how, gear guides and prep advice, head to our Overlanding Tips hub.
Pan-American Expedition FAQ
What is the Pan-American Expedition?
Our overland trip through South, Central and North America in our Land Rover Defender 110, starting 1 October 2026 in Uruguay, before we ship the car onward to Australia for the next one.
How long will the trip take?
There’s no fixed end date, and that’s on purpose. We’re planning about a month in Uruguay and around five and a half months in Argentina and Chile, then we’ll keep heading north through South, Central and North America at whatever pace the road, the seasons and the Defender allow.
Can I buy your route or maps?
Yes, we’re creating a downloadable map for every country on the route, with the roads, campsites and stops we actually used. Maps that aren’t ready yet have a waitlist, so sign up once and we’ll let you know as each country goes live.
What vehicle are you driving?
A 2003 Land Rover Defender 110 Td5 with over 254,000 km (157,828 miles) on the clock, which we shipped from Hamburg to Montevideo. It’s fitted with a rooftop tent, a Victron electrical setup, Starlink and a 110 litre fuel tank. You can see every upgrade in our full build list above.
How do you afford this?
We fund the trip through our work on the road: this blog, our YouTube channel, UGC videos for brands, and support from our sponsors, alongside savings we built up before leaving. We travel on a tight monthly budget, cook most of our own meals and camp wherever we can. Newsletter subscribers get our real cost breakdowns.
Where do I start if I want to overland myself?
Start with our Overlanding Tips hub for vehicle prep, gear and planning advice. Then use the Get Ready to Overland section on this page for the shipping, insurance, connectivity and border tools we use ourselves.
Get Ready To Overland
The gear and services we actually use, adapted from our regular trip-prep list for overlanding specifically.
🚚
with Overlander Shipping
🛡️
MERCOSUR Car Insurance
via MAPFRE
📡
via Starlink
🗺️
via MapOut
🧰
via Amazon Storefront
🏥
via Chapka
💳
via Wise
🆘
via Garmin inReach
Our Sponsors & Publications
Our Sponsors
Vicious Offroad
Equipment: Performance upgrades, custom ORD suspension kit, and heavy-duty tree sliders.
About: Vicious Offroad is a Defender specialist workshop in Belgium focused on high-performance Land Rover builds and serious off-road capability. From suspension systems to custom one-of-a-kind Defender builds, Kenzo and his team create durable upgrades designed for real-world adventure and overlanding.
Landycars
Equipment: LED light bar, rear window guard kit, and MOMO steering wheel.
About: Landycars specializes in Land Rover accessories and Defender upgrades, combining functionality with premium styling. Their products are designed for travelers who want reliable equipment that performs both on and off the road.
Maltings Off Road
Equipment: Carpet kit, window guards, spare steel wheel carrier, and HALO lights. Durable upgrades that make overlanding more practical, comfortable, and ready for long adventures on and off the road.
About: Maltings Off Road specializes in Land Rover and overlanding gear built for adventure. From practical accessories to rugged upgrades, they offer high-quality equipment that’s made to last and perform in real off-road conditions.
Wolfbox
Equipment: Wolfbox G900 Tri Pro smart dash camera system.
About: Wolfbox develops innovative driving technology and smart vehicle accessories built for modern adventurers. Their products combine safety, convenience, and premium functionality, making them ideal for long-distance road trips and off-grid expeditions.
Clutchfix
Equipment: Heavy Duty Cover Assembly (600+ Nm), HD1 Organic Friction Drive Plate, Heavy Duty Billet Clutch Bearing, and a complete new clutch bolt set.
About: ClutchFix specializes in high-performance clutch systems engineered for reliability under extreme conditions.
DDS Metal
Equipment: Seat corner protectors.
About: DDS Metal creates durable metal accessories and protective upgrades for Land Rover Defenders. Their products are designed with practicality and longevity in mind, helping us keep our car adventure-ready.
Our Expedition Is Featured In
