Introduction
The Kepler Great Walk is our second great walk we are to complete. We decided this time to do it with the Otago Rotary Trust. Its an amazing organisation which has been doing this for 34 seasons. Part of your fee goes back to helping kids in whatever outdoor activity they are passionate about. They have raised over 2 million dollars! It was a well lead and well organised trip and we got to meet some amazing people who shared their experiences freely. We will definitely be back to do Milford and Routeburn with the amazing group of people.
Day One – Hike to Luxmore Hut
The first day of our Kepler Great Walk began with a bus ride to the car park by the control gates and a walk to Luxmore Hutt. Everyone told me that the first day up the incline was the hardest. We found this not to be true with a beautiful bush walk to start off the day. Then there are mild and gradual switchbacks, which should be fairly easy for anyone who has climbed stairs or climbed mountains. Once you’ve completed the switchbacks and come out onto the ridgeline, you’ll see Luxmore hut nestled in the open with a breath-taking view of Lake Te Anau.
Day Two – Mount Luxmore to Iris Burn
Breakfast was served at 7am, another gorgeous morning with some fog in the early hours. We were eager to set off to see the sights! After starting our ascent and walking up the gravel/rock path, we stopped along the way to take a lot of photos. We arrived at the Mount Luxmore detour, which only some of us in our group decided to make. Leave your packs at the bottom and head up to the top of Mount Luxmore; the views are spectacular and the 20-30 minute detour is well worth it. I recommend stopping there if you are going to stop, I couldn’t believe people kept going. Then we headed to the Forest Burn Shelter, which was another awesome walk around ridgelines and the side of the mountain and finally down some switchbacks to Forest Burn.
We had a snack there and used the fancy toilets. Getting to the Hanging Valley Shelter is the best part of the walk, in my opinion. The views of Lake Te Anau and walking across the amazing mountain tops must be seen to be believed on a perfect day. It was definitely the highlight of the Kepler Great Walk for me to walk along the tops of the ridgelines. After arriving at Hanging Valley Shelter, we sat inside the shelter for a bit to get out of the sun and enjoyed our lunch. From Hanging valley, the track descends down stairs on the ridgeline and offers some great views. Immediately before entering the bush on your quest to Iris Burn, I heard one of our fellow hikers describe the next stage of the ascent as a “knee crusher”, which it certainly was for me. The steep descent to Iris Burn finally flattens out to a couple of waterfalls and ultimately Iris Burn after what seems like an eternity of switchbacks.
Day Three – Iris Burn to Moturau Hut
Today was an easier walk and definitely a good day to recover from yesterday. While way more low key it’s still a beautiful walk through to Rocky Point Shelter. We stopped for lunch at Rocky Point Shelter but were savaged by sand flies so couldn’t stay long. In comparison with the previous two days, the remainder of the walk to Moturau Hut was a little underwhelming. In contrast, as soon as we arrived at Moturau Hut on a beautiful 20 degrees day, we were greeted by some of the most breathtaking views anywhere in the world. Lake Manapouri was a site to behold on a clear and calm day! After finding our beds and changing into our togs, we spent a good 30 minutes in the beautiful waters of Lake Manapouri. I would say that this was my favorite spot and hut to stay at. Although some people skip this hut and continue on to Rainbow Reach, it is totally worth your time if you have an extra day.
Day Four – Moturau Hut to Kepler Track Shelter and Car park
Getting from Moturau Hut to Rainbow Reach involves mostly walking through a wetlands area in which you are exposed to the elements once again. Although still beautiful, the scenery today isn’t as stunning as the previous three days. Most people stop at Rainbow Reach and take the bus back to Te Anau, but we decided to carry on to the control gates where we started 3 days earlier. Undercover in bush, this walk meanders along the Waiau River. Despite the beautiful scenery the previous days, it was on this part of the trip that I took my most commented on photo. Stunning ferns and bush cover can be found on this walk and it would make for a great day trip. It took a couple hours for us to make it back to the control gates and complete the Kepler Great Walk!
