The Hiking Joy Continues on The Kepler Track, New Zealand – Day 1

A lot of people told me I was doing it all wrong!

My first experience of hiking in New Zealand was walking with Ultimate Hikes along the Milford Track. They delivered super-comfortable lodges, real beds, hot showers, drying rooms and three-course dinners.

And now, I was loading up my backpack with everything I needed to set out on the Kepler Track independently – staying in simple huts, sleeping in bunk beds with 15 of my closest friends I’ve never met, no showers, no drying rooms and looking forward to four days’ worth of dehydrated food.

Hmm, maybe those people have a point!? 😊

The Kepler Track is another of New Zealand’s designated Great Walks. Bookings for the track and the Department of Conservation Huts open in June-July each year for the following season, and the trails are booked out within hours. They are that popular.

A member of my local bushwalking club was keen to tick all the Great Walks off his Bucket List. So, he rallied a few of us to join him and he then proceeded to get out of bed at 4am to sit poised over his computer keyboard to secure out places on the Kepler Track. Now, that is dedication and I couldn’t have been more grateful. The Kepler Track is simply fabulous.

Day: 1

Date: Tuesday, 18 February 2025.

From:  Queenstown, NZ                  To: Te Anau, to start of the Kepler Track, to Luxmore Hut

Distance (Official): 17.3km            Actual: 17.7km

Progress: 17.7km

Time: 4hm50s

Ascent: 897m                                     Descent: 98m

Weather: Warm, humid then hot, before the wind and rain arrived in the last 45minutes of the day.

Terrain: More flat forest floors, then constant ascent on steep forest paths with endless switchbacks before popping above the tree line and across alpine tussock fields.

Stayed At: Luxmore Hut (1,085m)

General Comments:

• Sadly, my time on the Milford Track was over and it was time to head back to Queenstown. Happily, I was only there for two nights before meeting up with my bushwalking club mates, getting back on the bus for Te Anau and connecting to the Kepler Track.
• The bus was pretty full when we left Queenstown and everyone was excited to get to Te Anau and get walking. You have the option of catching a shuttle to the start of the track (about 3.5km away) or you can stroll along the picturesque shores of Lake Te Anau. Guess which option we chose? 😊

• Our little group of eight soon found our stride, chatting happily and keeping one wary eye on some threatening storm clouds. In no time at all we were all standing around the sign at the Kepler Track trailhead, smiling for the camera and looking very excited about the next four days of walking.
• Click went the camera phone and we were off!! Everyone enjoyed the amble through yet more beech forest with the waters of Lake Te Anau sparkling through the trees. Man, we are so privileged to be able to do this.

• Unfortunately, our late start meant that we were soon walking in the heat. The forecast rain had not arrived to cool us and I was thankful for the dappled shade of the trees, and my full water bladder.
• And it was hard and hot going! The beautiful, flat forest paths adjacent to the Lake were soon replaced with beautiful forest paths that went nowhere but UP! Ugh!

• I was very envious of the day walkers casually strolling down towards me and Kepler walkers who were on the home straight, and could already taste their first cold beer.
• There was nothing for it but to keep pushing up, up, and up. From our lunch stop at Brod Bay, the sign said it was 4.5hrs to the Hut and I was hoping, and praying that I was making better time than that. If only there had been a breeze to cut some of the humidity, but No. It was brutal.

• I kept looking ahead and up to the tree tops to see if there was more blue sky, indicating the end of the climb. A million false summits teased me until I finally could see clear air and the path popped me out, and above the tree-line.
• Ah, the cool breeze at last and spectacular views in every direction. There were mountains behind me and Lake Te Anau below. Just spectacular.

• Standing and admiring the view, cooling down and catching my breath, I noticed a storm to the North, making its way down the Lake. As I set out walking again, I was pretty confident (Yes, Ever the Optimist) that the rain would continue its merry path down the lake, giving me a wide berth.
• The more I walked, the more I watched the rain, and the more it was veering towards me. It was like someone had a bird’s eye view of my progress and was playing one helluva joke sending the storm my way.
• Walk faster, walk faster, walk faster. Nope, the storm wins and I screeched to a halt to don my rain jacket and backpack cover.

• It blew! The rain came sideways! It was cold and it was damp! Not bucketing rain thankfully, but enough to turn me from a sweaty mess to a bedraggled, half-frozen hiker in minutes.
• Over one ridge, over another, I kept expecting to see the hut and finally it appeared through the mist and rain. I can tell you, a simple building never looks so attractive as when you are trying to get out of the rain.

• Again, unfortunately due to our late start, our group were some of the last people to arrive and all the best beds (read = lower bunks) were taken. I ended up high on the top shelf with eight of my closest unknown friends. Doing the midnight wander is going to be a challenge and I will have to be careful I don’t trip and plummet to the dorm room floor in the process!
• The hut is very busy with about 40-50 other hikers. It’s well set up with a large communal dining and kitchen area, and more importantly, it is dry!
• Time to sit in the warm and watch the rain come down.

Ah, the life of a hiker…

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