Cambios

The Greater Patagonian Trail crosses most of Patagonia and the adjacent regions to the north of it. For this reason I named the trail “Greater Patagonian Trail” to be precise and well descriptive as the same time. I coined the term "Greater Patagonia" when I started publishing the trail in 2014 to combine Patagonia in its traditional limits with the surrounding area like "Greater London" adds the city of London with the surroundings.

So depending on the chosen definition the Greater Patagonian Trail gets in casting distance to Patagonia at the end of section GPT05 where you can view for the first time over the border into Argentina into the province Neuquén. But with a different understanding you enter Patagonia on section GPT13 where you ford the Río Biobío, or on section GPT16 where you walk into the administrative region XIV (Región de los Ríos) or on section GPT22 where you reach the Estuarió de Reloncaví and with this you step on terrain that is doubtless Patagonia.

But all this does not matter if wish to make a formidable hike and if you desire to discover “real Patagonia”. What matters most is an open mind and readiness for the true diversity of this region. If your expectation and knowledge of Patagonia is based on a brief Google search and a few articles about Patagonia than you probably have seen only the three heavily hyped tourist magnets:

These are three truly amazing spots on the eastern edge of the Southern Icefield in the heartland of Patagonia but not representation of the ample character of Patagonia. “Real But “real Patagonia” it is much more than this and consist consists of surprisingly disparate zones. There are vast open plains in the east. This rather of Patagonia with a dry and wind battered steppe that spans from the eastern edge of the Andes to the Atlantic cost. The western part of Patagonia is in some regards the opposite. On In the western edge west you have the rugged very wet and humid Pacific coast with countless islands and fjords where and islands. Here steep mountains rise out of the sea. An impenetrable tempered rain forest covers most of this landto the west of the Andes. And in between these two unlike parts areas – in between the pains dry plains in the east and the humid fjords in the west - tower the Patagonian Andes. Dormant and occasionally active volcanoes rise into the sky. Glaciers and glaciers cover all higher summits and powerful rivers drain . During previous glacial periods these mountains along glaciers grew to a formidable size and carved deep cut wide valleysinto the Patagonian Andes. These valleys are now partly filled by lakes that get drained by powerful rivers. All this is Patagonia and this creates the mystery and magic of this region.  The Greater Patagonian Trail snakes mostly through the Patagonian Andes but diverts also