4667
ediciones
Cambios
sin resumen de edición
|-
|}
==Recommended Season==
[[Archivo:GPT02-P0039.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 2: Crossing Río El Melado. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
[[Archivo:GPT02-2014-Pano-Pic046.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 2: Sudden weather change in mid-summer. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
If you plan to hike the entire trail in the correct sequence starting with section 1 than you should leave in December, ideally in the second half of December.
On the first sections several rivers and high mountain passes need to be crossed. In particular high river-water-levels during snowmelt may make the river crossings difficult and dangerous until early December. Therefore leaving before or in early December may put you in risk when crossing rivers or traversing still snow-covered passes. But if you leave after December you may be surprised by the heralds of the winter before reaching the finish of the Greater Patagonian Trail if walking in a moderate pace.
If you do not insist in hiking all trail sections in the correct sequence then you have more options when and where to start. If you want to leave before December and you have a packraft you may in example set out in late October or November in Coñaripe as we did. This is the start of section 11 and the first of the 8 sections with signficant packraft options. Starting with this section before December give you the advantage of floating down the rivers with a comfortable high river-water-level during snow melt. Once you reached the finish of section 16 you can travel by bus to the start of section 1 an hike all the way to the point where you started the track.
On sections 6 to 10 the trail crosses the distribution range of the Araucaria tree. Between February and April the cones of these trees can be harvested and provide plenty of nutritious food. If possible arrange to cross sections 6 to 10 during these months.
Even if hiking this trail in the recommended season be prepared for sudden weather with some snowfall, in particular if you are higher up in the mountains.
==Trekking Direction==
[[Archivo:GPT08-P0032.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Greater Patagonian Trail Section 8: Near volcano Sollipulli. Image: Jan Dudeck]]
The generally recommended trekking direction is southbound even if most sections can be hiked in either direction.
Some sections require an entrance permit if you hike northbound. This limitation applies to section 1 and 12 and the long distance challange 2/3. Without an entrance permit you may be “kicked out” but if you walk southbound this means leaving the property in the direction that you are hiking anyway.
If you are hiking with a packraft section 11, 17 and 18 need to be taken southbound. Only in this direction you can float down the rivers with your packraft in the flow direction. When hiking without a packraft these section can be taken in either direction using the alternative hiking trails.
For section 15 the recommended trekking direction is also southbound. If you go south you can ask shortly before reaching the Lago Todos Los Santos a local settler for a private boat transfer. In the other direction this may not work as easy. So if you do not have a packraft or if you are unsure that you really want to cross such a rather large lake with a tiny boat, then hike the section 15 southbound.
==KMZ File for Hiking==
[[Archivo:Perfil-greater-patagonian-trail.png|thumb|center|1050px|Greater Patagonian Trail profile. The name of the tracks are shown at the extreme left of each one. Click to enlarge]]
==Entrance Permits and Fees==
