Kepler Track, Kraig Adams's way

Kepler Track

Three days, 44.0 miles (70.8 km), November 17 to 19, 2023. A Great Walk loop from Te Anau: along the lake, up to Luxmore Hut, over a long ridge above the bushline, down the Iris Burn to Lake Manapouri and back through the forest. DOC's official loop is 60.1 km (37.3 miles), usually 3 to 4 days. My total includes the walk back into Te Anau.

How I did it. It was my first Great Walk in New Zealand. I started with a friend, who left after the first night, and continued the loop on my own. I booked Luxmore Hut and Moturau Hut and skipped Iris Burn Hut to make Day 5 a bigger day. On Day 5 I thought about hiking all the way out, but I decided to stay at the hut.

Kepler huts and campsites (DOC): Luxmore Hut (54 bunks, at 1,085 m, about 3,560 ft), Iris Burn Hut (50), Moturau Hut (40, on Lake Manapouri), Brod Bay campsite and Iris Burn campsite (30 each). The Forest Burn and Hanging Valley shelters on the ridge are for emergencies only: you can't stay overnight in them. DOC doesn't recommend the Kepler for children under 10.

The standard four days are in Other ways to do it.

Flying in. I flew direct from New York to Auckland, about 18 hours, then on to Queenstown. Queenstown has direct flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. At the end I flew Queenstown to Auckland (NZD 172 on Jetstar) and home from there.

NZeTA and the levy. Most visitors, including Americans, need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before they fly. In 2026 it costs NZD 17 in the official app or NZD 23 on the official website, and you also pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, NZD 100. Allow 72 hours. My NZeTA was still pending days before my flight, and I paid a third-party website to rush it. Don't: Immigration New Zealand says to use only its own app or nzeta.immigration.govt.nz. Apply weeks ahead.

Where to base yourself. Queenstown for the Rees-Dart and the Routeburn: the shuttles leave from town and go through Glenorchy, about 45 minutes away. Te Anau for the Kepler and the Milford: the Kepler starts at the edge of town and the Milford boats leave from Te Anau Downs, up the road toward Milford Sound. I stayed around Queenstown for most of the trip, including at a small retreat run by a subscriber's family, and went to Te Anau for the Kepler.

How I got to each track

The road from Queenstown to Glenorchy is a beautiful view but it's twisty, and I definitely felt sick.

Shuttles, buses and boats (2026-27)

Info & Track (Queenstown and Glenorchy, infotrack.co.nz), scheduled services November 2026 to May 1, 2027, adult one way:

• Queenstown to Routeburn Shelter: 8:00 a.m. (arrives 9:30) and 11:15 a.m., NZD 70. Back from Routeburn Shelter 9:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
• Queenstown to Muddy Creek (Rees): 8:00 a.m., arrives 9:30, NZD 85. Back 9:30 a.m.
• Queenstown to Chinamans Bluff (Dart): listed at NZD 85 but with no scheduled times in 2026-27, because of the Dart Track closure.
• The Divide to Queenstown: 10:45 a.m. (arrives 2:25 p.m.) and 3:15 p.m. (arrives 7:45 p.m.), NZD 109.

Tracknet (Te Anau, tracknet.net), November 1, 2026 to May 1, 2027, adult one way:

• Te Anau to the Kepler Track car park: 9:00 and 10:00 a.m., 2:20 and 3:40 p.m. Rainbow Reach to Te Anau: 10:30 a.m., 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. The timetable says NZD 13 and 23; Tracknet's Kepler web page says NZD 35. Check when you book.
• Queenstown to The Divide: 7:15 and 10:15 a.m., NZD 109. Te Anau to The Divide NZD 61.
• Milford Track package from Te Anau (bus to Te Anau Downs, both boats, bus back from Milford Sound): NZD 243. From Queenstown: NZD 348.
• Milford Sound to Te Anau: 10:00 a.m., 2:30 and 4:45 p.m., NZD 76. To Queenstown: 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., NZD 120.

Kepler Water Taxi (Fiordland Outdoors) runs from the Te Anau lakefront to Brod Bay in 15 minutes, which skips the first 3.5 miles of the Kepler. NZD 30 on the company's own page, NZD 50 on Tracknet's page. October 1 to April 30.

Milford boats. RealNZ runs the boats from Te Anau Downs to Glade Wharf (usually 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) and from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound in the afternoon. Book them through a transport operator: DOC lists Tracknet, Fiordland Outdoors, Cheeky Kiwi and Easyhike. There's no road to either end of the Milford Track.

What I paid

My receipts from this trip are incomplete. Here's what's on record, in NZD where I paid in NZD.

Not on record: the guided Milford walk, the Rees-Dart shuttles and huts, the Routeburn shuttle and bus, and my flights to Auckland and Queenstown.

What it costs in 2026-27 for my route

For an international adult, walking independently, per person, NZD. Not included: flights, the NZeTA and levy (NZD 117 to 123), rooms in Queenstown and Te Anau, and food. The guided Milford (NZD 2,925 shared) would replace the Milford huts and transport.

Booking the huts

Great Walks: how booking works

All Great Walk huts and campsites are booked on the DOC website, bookings.doc.govt.nz. In season you can't stay without a booking, and the penalty for doing so is the normal fee plus the full adult fee.

When bookings open. For the 2026-27 season, bookings opened at 9:30 a.m. New Zealand time on May 13, 2026 for the Milford, May 15 for the Routeburn and May 19 for the Kepler. DOC uses a virtual queue: anyone in the waiting room before 9:30 gets a random place in line; anyone who arrives later goes to the back. The 2027-28 dates will be announced by DOC early in 2027.

How to give yourself the best chance.

• Make your DOC account weeks ahead and test the login. DOC says forgotten passwords are one of the main reasons people miss out.
• Be in the queue between 9:00 and 9:15 a.m. New Zealand time on opening day. Work out what that is in your time zone.
• Have two or three date options ready, and the hut order you want.
• If you miss out, check back. Cancellations come up all year, especially in the weeks before a date.

The Milford is one way, 4 days and 3 nights, starting at Glade Wharf, with a night each at Clinton, Mintaro and Dumpling huts on the nights you booked. There's no camping on the Milford. You also need to book the boats at both ends (see Milford Track).

Changes and cancellations (2026-27 DOC terms). Free on the booking day or the day after (if more than two days before arrival). A 10% fee from 48 hours after booking to 15 days before arrival, 50% between 14 and 4 days out, 75% from 3 days out, and no refund from the day before arrival. No refund if you leave early.

2026-27 prices

Per person per night, NZD, in the Great Walks season. "Resident" means New Zealand citizens and residents.

Children (5 to 17 for residents, 0 to 17 for international visitors) pay half. Outside the season huts are NZD 30 a night (NZD 35 at Luxmore Hut and on the Routeburn in May and June). International visitors have paid 1.5 times the resident rate since July 2021.

My booking story. I found the Kepler huts easy: I booked Luxmore Hut and Moturau Hut online on November 15, 2023, two days before I started, at NZD 102 a night. For the Milford I couldn't find any hut availability at all. It's a very popular trek and very competitive, so I signed up for a guided walk. On the Routeburn I looked for hut bookings and couldn't really find any, so I found a place to wild camp instead.

Rees-Dart huts

Shelter Rock, Dart and Daleys Flat huts are DOC "serviced" huts, and DOC says to book them online. There's one price for everyone. 2026-27 prices, adult per night, NZD: 28 on weekdays and 32 on weekends from October to April, 29 and 34 from December to February, and 25 from May to September. There are campsites at all three huts. Most of the hikes in New Zealand need hut nights, and when the Great Walks are booked up you go with what's left. The Rees-Dart was less popular, which is why we chose it.

The guided Milford

I joined an all-inclusive guided walk with Ultimate Hikes, the company that runs the private lodges on the Milford. 2026-27 prices, per person, NZD: 2,925 in a shared room (up to six, bunks, shared bathrooms), 3,750 each for two in a private room with a bathroom, 6,075 for one person in a private room. It includes transport from Queenstown or Te Anau, four nights in lodges, all meals, and a Milford Sound cruise on the last morning. You pay in full when you book, and cancelling within 30 days of the trip costs the full fare. Minimum age is 10.

My booking was nearly a disaster. A travel disruption and a late NZeTA meant I'd have missed my original departure. The company moved me to a later date at no extra cost, and I walked from November 25.

On the tracks there's nothing to buy. Great Walk huts have gas cookers in season, cold running water, toilets and heating, but no food, no cooking pots or utensils, and no showers. Bring everything, including a pot, a mug, a spoon and a lighter. Rees-Dart huts are simpler.

Water. DOC says hut water comes from rain or streams and Giardia may be present: boil it for 3 minutes if you're unsure. I treat it.

What I ate. On the Rees-Dart one of my friends is a great trail chef, and it was cool to learn a few things from how she cooks. At Lake Mackenzie I ate an avocado, one of my favorite new trail foods. On the Milford the lodges fed us, and I packed a chicken pesto wrap, or two, every day.

In town. Queenstown is full of places to eat. There's a really popular burger spot named Fergburger, and the chocolate chip cookies at Cookie Time are flawless. After the Kepler I did a speed run back to Te Anau for pies and coffee. Stock up at the supermarkets in Queenstown and Te Anau; Glenorchy is small.

Gear for this route

What a Great Walk hut trip needs

Bring a sleeping bag (huts have mattresses only), a stove only outside the season, a pot, mug, utensils and lighter, all your food, a headlamp (lighting is only in the kitchen), rain jacket and pants, warm layers and a hat, insect repellent, a water treatment method, a first aid kit, and a personal locator beacon.

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I walked four tracks in three weeks, mostly hut to hut, with one wild camp on the Routeburn and a guided Milford where I barely carried anything. Here's what I carried in 2023, what I'd take now, and what I filmed with.

What I carried in 2023

I don't have a full packing list from this trip. This is what my films and their gear lists show.

Hiking

• Pack: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 (Hyperlite)
• Sun hoodie: Amazon Essentials Quick-Dry Tech Hoodie (Amazon)
• Shoes: Salomon Speedcross (Amazon)
• Water bottle: Katadyn BeFree AC · 1L (Amazon). Hut water comes from rain or streams. I treat it.
• Tent: my tent. For the wild camp at Lake Wilson on the Routeburn.

Filmmaking

• On the Milford: hiking clothes, camp clothes, camera gear and a few snacks. I barely had to carry anything.

Other

• Umbrella: an umbrella. It was great on the last day of the Milford, except for the sandflies.

What I'd take now

My current kit for a Great Walk hut trip. All of it is on my gear page: kraigadams.com/gear.

Hiking

• Sleeping bag: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Quilt (Hyperlite). Huts have mattresses only.
• Stove: Jetboil Stash (Amazon). Only outside the season: Great Walk huts have gas cookers in season.
• Mug: Sea to Summit Frontier Camp Cup (Amazon). Huts have no pots or utensils.
• Spoon: TiTo Long Handle Spork (Amazon)
• Headlamp: Nitecore NU20 Classic (Amazon). Hut lighting is only in the kitchen.
• Rain jacket: Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket (Arc’teryx)
• Warm layer: Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody (Arc’teryx). The Kepler ridge and Mackinnon Pass are exposed. Carry warm layers even in summer.
• Hat: PATH Projects Hoyt Merino Beanie (PATH Projects)
• Umbrella: Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Carbon (Amazon)
• Tent: NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P (Amazon). For a camp like mine at Lake Wilson.
• Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT (Amazon). If you camp.

Other

• Navigation: AllTrails+ (AllTrails, 30% off). Import my GPX files and download them offline. Offline maps need the paid plan.
• Phone data: Airalo eSIM (Airalo, $3 off). Data in Queenstown and Te Anau. There's no cell coverage on most of these tracks.

Filming kit

What I filmed these tracks with in 2023. My setup is smaller now (below). Check the drone rules in Weather and safety before you fly: conservation land needs a DOC permit.

Hiking

• Phone: Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Filmmaking

• Camera: Sony a7S III (Amazon)
• Lens: Sony FE PZ 16-35mm f/4 G (Amazon)
• Mic: Rode VideoMic GO II (Amazon), now the GO II Helix
• Tripod: a tripod

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail, and the Mini 5 Pro in the air.

• Camera: DJI Osmo Pocket 4 (Amazon)
• Mic: DJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX (Amazon). It pairs with the Pocket 4.
• Drone: DJI Mini 5 Pro (Amazon)

In the Great Walks season huts and campsites must be booked with DOC; per night adult fees are NZ$88 (NZ) or NZ$132 (international) for huts and NZ$28 or NZ$42 for campsites, children half. Off season only Luxmore Hut needs a booking. DOC says bookings are open for stays up to 30 June 2027.

The season. The Great Walks season runs from late October or November 1 to April 30. For 2026-27 that's October 27 to April 30 on the Kepler and November 1 to April 30 on the Routeburn and the Milford (last Milford departure April 28). In season the huts have gas cookers, flush toilets, running water and a ranger, and the bridges are in.

Outside the season the tracks become alpine winter routes: gas, flush toilets and indoor water are taken out, some bridges are removed, and there are dozens of avalanche paths (DOC counts more than 57 on the Milford and 32 on the Routeburn). DOC says winter trips need alpine skills and gear such as an ice axe, crampons, and an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe.

What I got in November. It was early in the season, early spring in New Zealand, and the snow was melting. That was totally fine, but it was a bit boggy down low. There was snow on Rees Saddle and around Harris Saddle and Lake Wilson, and Conical Hill on the Routeburn was closed because of snow and ice. A seasonal bridge over Snowy Creek on the Rees-Dart had been put in a few days before we started. Many days were clear. Rain caught us on the last day of the Rees-Dart, and the last day of the Milford was rain and cloud.

Early season notes. Avalanche risk on the Milford, Routeburn and Kepler can run into December, and the upper Snowy Creek bridge on the Rees-Dart can go back in as late as December. If you go in early November like I did, check DOC's alerts for each track the week before.

Weather can turn any time. DOC warns that cold, snow, strong winds and heavy rain can happen in any month in Fiordland and Mount Aspiring national parks. Keep a spare day where you can.

Weather and safety

Emergency: 111. There's no cell coverage on most of these tracks. Rent a personal locator beacon (PLB) before you go: in Te Anau at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre, Caltex Te Anau or Bev's Tramping Gear Hire; in Queenstown at the DOC Visitor Centre, Macpac, Small Planet Sports or Mobil Frankton. 2026 prices from the Southland Locator Beacon Trust: from NZD 30 for three days, NZD 40 for a week.

Forecasts. MetService has national park forecasts for Fiordland (with the Milford Track, Routeburn, Mackinnon Pass and Harris Saddle) and Mount Aspiring: metservice.com/mountains-and-parks. Check DOC's alerts on each track page the week before and the day before.

Tell someone. Leave your plans with a trusted contact. The AdventureSmart Outdoor Intentions form does this by email.

Rivers. Both Milford valleys become impassable in heavy rain. On any track, DOC's advice: don't cross a flooded river or stream, or if you can't find a safe way in and out, or if you're unsure. Turn back or wait for it to drop. On the Rees-Dart, watch Snowy Creek and Cattle Flat.

Avalanches and snow. Early in the season there's snow on Rees Saddle, Harris Saddle and Mackinnon Pass, and avalanche risk on the Milford can run into December. Outside the Great Walks season these are winter alpine routes.

Wind and cold. The Kepler ridge and Mackinnon Pass are exposed, with no water on the Kepler ridge. Carry warm layers even in summer.

Sandflies. Repellent, long sleeves, and keep hut doors shut.

Kea. Don't feed them. Put away loose clothing, food and gear. They're endangered.

Drones and dogs. Flying a drone on conservation land needs a DOC permit (NZD 180 for a recreational green-zone permit in 2026). No pets are allowed in national parks.

The standard Kepler (4 days, 3 nights)

Take the water taxi to Brod Bay to shorten Day 1, or camp at Brod Bay and Iris Burn. My version merged Days 2 and 3.

All four in about three weeks

My order worked: Rees-Dart from Queenstown, a few days off, the Kepler from Te Anau, back to Queenstown for the Routeburn, a few days off, and the Milford last. Book the Great Walk huts first, on the opening days in May, and fit the Rees-Dart and the rest days around them. The Milford is the hardest to book, so build the trip around the Milford dates you get.

Before you go, check these

These change every year. Everything else in this guide stays the same.

Bookings

• DOC's Great Walks booking opening dates for your season (May, 9:30 a.m. New Zealand time) and your DOC account login
• Hut and campsite prices (this guide uses 2026-27 prices)
• The guided Milford price and dates, if you go guided

Track status

• The Rees-Dart: whether the Dart Track has reopened, the Waterfall Creek bridge, and whether the Snowy Creek bridge is in
• DOC alerts for the Kepler, Routeburn and Milford the week before, and Conical Hill in early season
• The Mount Aspiring park bylaws on camping near the Routeburn, if you plan to camp off the track

Transport and entry

• Shuttle and boat timetables and prices for 2027-28 (Info & Track, Tracknet, RealNZ, Fiordland Outdoors)
• Whether Info & Track runs to Chinamans Bluff again
• NZeTA and levy fees, through the official Immigration New Zealand app or website only

Conditions and your stuff

• MetService park forecasts each evening, and river levels after rain
• A PLB, offline maps, insect repellent, and a pot and utensils for the huts