Kepler Track

Added 1 June 20011 June 2001 by MatthewMatthew.
2 revisions, most recently 19 October 200719 October 2007 by RoderickRoderick. View history

Popular, new and accessible loop track providing access to the mountains around Lake Te Anau.

Begins	Visitor Centre, Te Anau
Return	Loop track with brief road section
Grade	What does this mean? Click for warnings and more detail! Easy: Unusually smooth, well-marked track, easy gradients. Up to about 4 hours per day. Easy-medium: Typical lowland track. Generally easy walking and well marked. Ascents of up to 1000m. Some easy river crossings, unmarked travel along rivers. Medium: Typical tops track. Experienced trampers only. Rough, muddy and poorly marked or unmarked. Ascents of up to 2000m. River crossings, open tops, passes. Up to about 8 hours per day. Medium-hard: Navigation and snow skills (use of ice axe and crampons) required. Glaciers, exposure to falls. Hard: Rough or non-existent tracks. Following ridges, bush spurs, and rivers. Steep ascents, arduous travel, hazardous conditions, snow and navigation skills essential. Medium
Length	67.0 km (41.6 mi)
Time	3 – 4 dqays
Altitude
Map sheets	NZTopo50-CD07 NZTopo50-CD08 NZMS260-C43 NZMS260-D43 View points

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Comments

"Helped build this track in 1986 with Operation Raleigh.

Constructed the Upper Iris Burn Hut and surveyed the caves at Mount Luxmore

Was an exhilerating walk through virgin bush to establish the hut site which took two days to get to through very dense undergrowth and rotten vegetation.

Behind the hut was a breeding pair of Blue Duck and we had regular visitations from some Kia. We later found several items from the camp at their nesting ground several hundred feet up in the mountain tops." — Nic B-C 7 January 20097 January 2009

"My first tramp completed last weekend 31.03.08 and have caught the bug. What an awesome expererience, took all four days to walk it and if the weather is clear along the ridges on day 2 as it was for us, something you will never forget. Will now be doing many more. Day 1 was a eyeopener for a first timer like myself but after that it was just perfect." — henry191 2 April 20082 April 2008

"My first tramp completed last weekend (31.03.08) and have caught the bug. What an awesome expererience, took all four days to walk it and if the weather is clear along the ridges on day 2 as it was for us, something you will never forget. Will now be doing many more. Day 1 was a eyeopener for a first timer like myself but after that it was just perfect." — henry191 2 April 20082 April 2008

"My first tramp completed last weekend (31.03.08) and have caught the bug. What an awesome expererience, took all four days to walk it and if the weather is clear along hte ridges on day 2 as it was for us, something you will never forget. Will now be doing many more. Day 1 was a eyeopener for a first timer like myself but after that it was just perfect." — henry191 2 April 20082 April 2008

"I just finished this track, doing the traditional anti-clockwise circuit over 3 nights/4 days. Day One is pretty long with a steady climb of 900M up to Luxmore Hut. You could shorten the day by 45 minutes by either catching a shuttle bus to the Control Gates, or you could knock 2 hours off by catching a water taxi from Te Anua to Brod Bay. Day Two is an awesome high level ridge walk and if the weather is kind to you (it was for us) then you will be rewarded with some magnificent views. Don't be fooled into thinking the hard work was done on Day One, because there is still plenty of up and down and the day ends with very steep descent into Iris Burn hut which tested my knees! There are 87 zig zags on the descent and if you want to count them, you will pass 26 stoat traps on the way down, so if you get to number 13 and you are knackered, you've still got a way to go!

Day 3 is easier and many people walk straight out at this point to Rainbow Reach, but we stayed at Moturau Hut, which was much quieter than the previous 2 and is beautifully situated right on the shore of Lake Manapouri. Day 4 gives you a steady 5 hour walk out along the Waiou river and back around Lake Te Anau to your car.

All in all, a fantastic walk, challenging, tiring, but manageable for an averagely fit group including children 10 years-plus. I would not attempt this walk with younger children unless you (and the child) are experienced. It can get mighty windy up at the top and add a bit of rain into the mix and it could get fairly hairy for young ones." — scobb 16 January 200816 January 2008

"An awesome track. Its very popular, but still has that feeling of remoteness. Unlike most of the great walks it has easy access from a town and is a loop. Each of the 3 days has different scenery. Though, expect a hard slog your first day..." — phantasm72 18 November 200618 November 2006

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