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→Food Supply on the Trail
There are no proper shops along the first seven sections of the trail. The first regular food store on the trail comes after 600 km at the finish of section 7. But there is a road with public transportation at the end of each section that gives you the opportunity to take a bus and to travel to the next village or town to resupply. A true through-hike would require the setup of food depots on strategic points along the route.
On this trail, in particular on the first seven sections you will meet herdsman on the summer pastures with their annimals mainly cattle, sheep, goats and horses. Depending on the altitude and the snow melt snowmelt they migrate up between October and January and return home in April or May. These herdsman, locally called "Puestero", live in imporvised permanent shelters, called "Puesto". They bring large quantities of food with their horses and mules up in the mountains. You may ask them for food, in particular for flour and bread or whatever they are willing to sell. If you are desperate for meet they may sell you a goat or a sheep but be aware, the smallest quantity for sale is typically half an annimal. To communicate with the locals you need to be speak Spanish.
On section 5 to 10 you will cross the Araucania region with plenty of impressive Araucaria trees. What we liked on this trees were not just the imposing figure of these living fossiles, but the nutritious fruits rich in carbohydrates. The indigious Pehuenche people teached us how to harvest and prepare this food. You can gather these Araucaria "piñioes" between February and April.