If you continue you will dive into the twilight of lush green tempered rain forest that is lined by snow covered mountains. Numerous passes and high plains get you above the tree line into barren terrain with broad views. Crystal clear rivers decent from these mountains and feed deep blue lake along the way. Numerous passes and high plains get If you above bring a packraft you can paddle over these lakes and float down these rivers all the tree line way into barren terrain with broad viewsthe Patagonian fjords where the Pacific hits the ragged land.
Eventually you can reach the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, the world's second largest contiguous extrapolar ice field. Here giant glaciers of rock towers sting into the Southern Icefield that sky while enormous glaciers to their feed calve colossal blocks of ice into wind battered lakes.
On this 1500 km long trail In the northern part of the route you will meet herdsmen solitary herdsman with their animals, indigenous Pehuenche that move every spring after the snow melt on higher ground to let their cattle, horses and goats feed on the mountain pastures. The trail crosses later the homeland of the indigenous Pehuenche where majestic Araucaria trees tower above the tribal land and provide the traditional food for this sometimes shy and sometimes proud people. When going further south you will meet courageous settlers that have ventured into a challenging backcountry. If you are interested you can listen to their stories while sitting around the warm stove and sharing the traditional drink of this region: Mate. These authentic encounters are part of the beauty of this trail.
The Greater Patagonian Trail is not an official In numerous parts the trail that was planned and set up by branches into different routes creating a government agency. It’s better: it’s a compilation wide network of the most beautiful and diverse trails, neglected minor roads and cross country sections through the Patagonian Andes selected by a passionate hikertracks that give you various choices.
In several parts the trail branches into different routes giving you various choices. You may walk the entire trail or you can take a packraft with you to paddle over pristine mountain lakes and to float down on calm meandering rivers. You can also opt to climb up to the summits of several landmark volcanos on the trail. And if the regular route is not challenging enough for you than you can venture into even more remote backcountry.
