A 100-day journey from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska carried two friends through 15 countries in a second-generation Porsche Cayenne while raising awareness of ALS.
A continent-sized road trip
A long-distance road journey can begin with a romantic idea and become something altogether more demanding once the weather, borders and mechanics take over. Rainer Behrendt and Jan Bongers set out in spring 2026 to drive from Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego to Deadhorse, Alaska, in a second-generation Porsche Cayenne Diesel.
Porsche's account, published on 25 September, records a distance of 41,600 kilometres through 15 countries in 100 days, excluding the outward and return journeys. It was also a campaign to raise awareness and donations for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, following a death in Behrendt's family.
From the Beagle Channel into the Andes
The route began beside the Beagle Channel, a setting familiar to expedition-minded travellers for its southern waters and dramatic landscape. The pair then travelled north through Patagonia, pausing near the Perito Moreno Glacier before confronting the high roads of the Andes.
Altitude brought both human and mechanical difficulty, and their diesel Cayenne struggled to regenerate its particulate filter in the thin air. A visit to Porsche technicians in Lima eventually helped return the vehicle to normal operation, an unplanned reminder that difficult terrain can overwhelm an itinerary.
The journey behind the photographs
Porsche accompanied the travellers with professional photographers in Peru and Canada and combined those images with material from their personal archive. The result is more than a series of car portraits, with mountain passes, salt flats, cities and wildlife providing the story's changing backdrop.
In Bolivia the route brought practical problems sourcing fuel, while a search for AdBlue added another complication farther north. At other moments the trip opened doors to local Porsche communities and people willing to help, experiences the pair describe as central to its meaning.
A northern finish with a wider purpose
After passing through Central America and the United States, the team reached Canada's west coast, the Rockies and finally Alaska. In June they crossed the Arctic Circle and travelled onward to Deadhorse, completing a journey that had begun at the opposite end of the Americas.
The fundraising message continued to accompany them after the finish, with conversations and donations prompted by the Cayenne's livery. For travellers planning their own great road expedition, this story is a vivid example of why preparation, local support and room for the unexpected matter as much as the destination.
Source
Porsche Newsroom