Hiking the Kepler Track | New Zealands Great Walks | Episode 2

New Zealand's Great Walks are premier tracks that pass through diverse and spectacular scenery. From native forests, lakes and rivers. to rugged mountain peaks, deep gorges and vast valleys, from coastline to alpine...there's a Great Walk for everyone!
The tracks are maintained to a high standard, making it easier for visitors to explore some of the most scenic parts of New Zealand's backcountry. This is Episode 2 of our Great Walks series: The Kepler Track
The Kepler Track is 60 KM loop starting from Te Anau, New Zealand. The Track is generally hiked over 3-4 days and can be hiked in either direction.
This awe-inspiring track was carefully planned to show walkers all the best features of Fiordland National Park - moss-draped beech forest, prolific bird life, tussock high country, huge mountain ranges, cascading waterfalls, vast glacier-carved valleys, luxuriant river flats and limestone formations. The track’s construction makes for easier walking. Most streams are bridged, boardwalks cover boggy areas and the very steep sections have steps. Walk the Kepler and you’ll see everything that’s marvelous about this exquisite corner of the world.
Timestamps:
00:00 - 1:06 - Intro
1:06 - 3:41 - Control Gates to Brod Bay
3:41 - 4:41 - Onwards to Luxmore Hut
4:41 - 5:45 - KEA TIME!
5:45 - 7:08 - To Luxmore Hut
6:42 - 8:40 - Side Trip: Luxmore Cave
8:40 - 9:35 - Xmas morning
9:35 - 10:51 - To Mt Luxmore Summit
10:51 - 15:07 - Bliss
15:07 - 15:54 - To the Waterfall
15:54 - 16:56 - Christmas dinner
16:56 - 19:07 - To Moturau Hut
19:07 - 20:24 - Trail Logistics
20:24 - 21:27 - The End
More Info on the Trail:
- www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-rec...
- www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/...
- www.newzealand.com/nz/feature...
Trail Logistics:
- • Routeburn Track: Alpin...
- www.mountainsafety.org.nz/
Transport:
- Tracknet: www.tracknet.net/tracks/route...

[@cherylmcmullen9257]

Every time you post one of these videos, I think "Okay, THIS is my favourite trail!" It's stunning -- the varying landscape and foliage; and of course, the cocky kea. Love it. You two are definitely living your best life!

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks Mama ❤️❤️❤️ We have to get you over here! We just finished hiking the Milford Track this past weekend and it was definitely in the top 3 of best hikes we've ever done! It will be a while till we get around to editing the video though

[@brianferguson6278]

I have had the joy of hiking the Kepler three times through my lifespan with young children to myself becoming an old man. Always will remember a young Welsh man I had meet a few days earlier on the Routeburn, it was mid afternoon on our day four. He came up upon us a lively a happy Easter bunny, he started the tramp from Te Anau in the morning, this 60km plus tramp was just a mid morning /afternoon stroll/run for that young man. So that's what being in shape really is...I thought I was a strong hiker, not really. Thank you for bring the memories back.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you for that story! ❤️ Danya and I always seem to get passed by ultra marathon runners on long distance hikes, sometimes in the middle of nowhere! 😂 We did a 14 day hike in Central Australia and on Day 9 we had a few runners pass us that had started the day before 😂

[@kingy002]

Those runners just grind my confidence into the ground! Truly demoralizing.

[@ChrisandDanya]

I just tell myself I'm enjoying it more 😅

[@WalkingEng]

Your video work is outstanding on all the videos I’ve seen. A lot of the travel vlogs seem to be more about promoting hotels, car rental etc. You keep it simple and right where it needs to be, it’s all about the hike, scenery and the wildlife. Thank You!!

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you 🙏❤️😊 Not going to lie, if someone wanted to give us a free hotel or rental car, I'm sure we'd shout them out 😅. But we like to cut out as much fluff that we don't think people would find interesting and just focus on the good stuff

[@bf3750]

The scenery is stunning, I wish people would show more of the scenery when filming and not so much of them selves. After all the title of this post is the Kepler track.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks for watching Bruce! I agree, it's definitely about the track, but it's definitely a balancing act. A lot of the landscapes don't feel as grand without a person there for scale I wanted to do a video of just shots of a trail, with no people at all; but after I started editing, it wasn't very interesting. Might give it another try though! Would be interesting to see if people enjoy it

[@lasselarsen2914]

Another amazing video! I enjoy watching all of them

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you Lasse 🙏❤️ Really appreciate it!

[@zaiENT1]

So sickkkk

[@ChrisandDanya]

Cheers buddy!

[@jonathanfarmer5593]

Great content moose , keep it up 👍

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you my man 🙏🙌🫶

[@Hikaholics]

Amazing video again guys!! Always enjoying your content😍

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you 🙏❤️

[@JuanVargas-sd6lv]

Amaizing thank you🙂

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks for watching Juan! 😊

[@nadzorsaqyun1]

Thank you for the amazing video. Kepler is indeed beautiful track🍀

[@ChrisandDanya]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@angelicamason1650]

Oh wow! So beautiful, thanks so much for sharing. Always really enjoy your ideas.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks for watching as always Angelica! ❤️ Plenty more to come! 🥾🌲🏞️

[@angelicamason1650]

@@ChrisandDanya that should have read "enjoy your videos" I look forward to seeing more.

[@ChrisandDanya]

I think we have 15+ videos already recorded, each one just takes too long to edit haha

[@rina_kat_kati6743]

This was such a great video! Thanks for sharing. And the kea time interruption was awesome too.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks for watching Rina! Glad you enjoyed it 🙏❤️ Got plenty more in the works

[@cnm757]

Yes, poles are great, especially downhill. I had never tried them because I was always carrying a rifle, until a lady introduced me to the concept, so I cut a bit of lancewood and tried it out. Sold.

[@ChrisandDanya]

My knees already get pretty destroyed during long descents. I can't imagine how much worse they'd be if I didn't have poles! Definitely a must have for us

[@exploreearth6275]

Amazing video as usual Kepler Track is wonderful

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you! That 2nd day crossing the ridges is breathtaking. So glad we had good weather 😊

[@peterarcher9688]

An excellent video. with perfect exposure in the forests, often hard to obtain. Well done and thank you!

[@ChrisandDanya]

Great to hear from a fellow camera enthusiast! Thanks for watching and thank you for the kind words 😊🙏

[@ervinslens]

Super adventure! Great film and photos of this amazing trail. I like the fact that you were very descriptive of the hike, truly stunning content buddy.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you for the kind words Ervin, it really means a lot 🙏

[@alanbrassil5074]

Another fantastic video & once again thanks for sharing. We were hanging for this release as we had Kepler & Routeburn booked for Dec 2021 though had that cancelled. Hopefully Dec 2022. Once again thanks for continuing to share your adventures.

[@ChrisandDanya]

So sorry things didn't work out and you didn't get the chance to make it over this year; we know you were really looking forward to it! 😓❤️ Thank you for being a constant legend and supporting this channel no matter what we post, it's people like you that keep us motivated to keep at it. Here's to next year! 🍻🙌

[@erandalakmal6085]

How coincidence i am planning to do this on Christmas day 2023 :)

[@ChrisandDanya]

Should be a great trip! Hopefully you luck out with the weather like we did and hopefully it's not too busy 😊

[@brendacooper5962]

Thanks for sharing that amazing, scenic trek

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you for watching Brenda🙏 Appreciate the kind words

[@fedebjalways]

Hi there! I enjoyed so much this and Routeburn Track's videos! Planning on going to spend the summer working on the South Island, so really this is a lot of help. Great footage all around, it is really admirable when someone manages to capture such amazing and quality footage while hiking in the middle of nature. Total professionals!! Thanks a lot for this!

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you for the kind words and continued support Fede, it really means a lot! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask :)

[@davidbroadley454]

Well you both did a great job with the filming of this walk. I was impressed by your Christmas dinner! The Kepler was a purpose built track about 40 years ago to take the pressure on the increasingly popular Milford and Routeburn Tracks. The day up Mount Luxmore is fabulous. Years ago we had a thick mist that gradually disolved to give great views to Mount Alice in the west.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you David! Danya did an awesome job creating a Christmas Dinner on the trail 😄 Loving on the historical facts about the NZ trails, keep them coming 🙏❤️

[@celiamellor3918]

Thank you.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you for watching!

[@murraysmith595]

Walked the keepler 25 years ago. Didnt know there was a cave by the first hut..

[@ChrisandDanya]

Wow 25 years ago, that is amazing! It's possible the track to the cave wasn't there back then

[@clp1]

Love the videos team. Cheers from another North American living in NZ (a much rarer creature since the borders closed). I don't think Yanks or Canooks even make the top 10 list in terms of migrants to NZ, never understood why that was. Maybe we'll see you on the trail someday. 🙂

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks Bel! We just moved over from Australia in July, so haven't been here for too long, but it certainly does remind me of home a lot of the time! Hope to see you out on the trail someday!

[@danlindner7115]

Amazing! The first series I’ve seen that professionally captures the Great Walks! My video of the Great Walks is so amateur compared to this 😂. I love watching your videos and hope you film the Milford Track.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thank you so much Dan ❤️🙏 We did the Milford Track last weekend with a brand new camera! The footage is too high quality to edit on my current computer, so I need to purchase a new one before I can edit 😅 Should have it done in June!

[@danlindner7115]

@@ChrisandDanya I always wanted to revisit past hikes and film them to your standard. I can’t even begin to describe how much I appreciate the effort and detail you invest on your hikes. I started binge watching your videos and it’s if I’m back on the trail. Even watching the Nakasendo and Kumamo Kodo hikes you caught details in the landscape and flora that I completely missed when I was there. It’s challenging capturing a multi day hike, but you capture them perfectly! Looking forward to your Milford episode and hope you keep releasing videos for years to come. I can’t believe you’re not at 1M subs. You’re the best out there.

[@ChrisandDanya]

I'm so sorry Dan, not sure how we missed your lovely reply! 😭 Thank you so much for your kind words, it's people like you that keep us going with the KZbin grind! I completely understand what we mean by wanting to revisit hikes. There are so many hikes that I wish I could re-film, or re-edit because I made a terrible choice in music, or I am just more experienced now. Our Larapinta Trail series is a perfect example, I could re-edit that and make such a better video now. It's good though, it shows progression and experience! Too many beautiful trails in the world to focus on re-doing old ones! Maybe one day

[@thirstymercfan]

Hey Guys, great video. I’ve done The Routeburn and Milford track. I’m thinking of doing the Kepler in December this year… bookings for the season will be released soon. But I’ve been thinking of doing the Rees-Dart. But that one looks a little sketchy, so not sure as I will be doing it myself. Hmm😬 have you guys done Rees-dart? Thoughts?

[@ChrisandDanya]

Sorry for the delayed response! Never done the Rees-Dart unfortunately, that's one trail we've always wanted to do. If you can get a good weather window the the Kepler is a fantastic track, especially that second and third day 👌

[@thirstymercfan]

@@ChrisandDanya thanks for the reply. I booked in for the Kepler for December, will just cross the fingers for the weather. Will Leave the Rees -dart for another time

[@ChrisandDanya]

@thirstymercfan great choice! We went in December during Xmas and we had great weather. Fingers crossed!

[@soniakeepa5127]

Hi, your videos are awesome. Iv just done the Tongariro Northern Circuit as my first walk. I used borrows gear but now I’m hooked so looking to start building my kit. What packs are you using?

[@ChrisandDanya]

Hey Sonia, apologies for the delayed response, we've been out of service for a few days. Congrats on completing the Tongariro Circuit! We were supposed to do that track with my mom last April, but unfortunately the weather was not in our favour! We use the Osprey Exos 48 and Eja 48 for our hiking bags. They are a decent lightweight bag and can recommend them! I personally don't like the Pro version so would go with the standard. If you're 100% sure you're going to enjoy tramping for the next several years then it's worth it to spend more initially on some quality and more lightweight gear.

[@soniakeepa5127]

@@ChrisandDanya thanks so much. That’s really helpful.

[@ChrisandDanya]

No worries! Let us know if you have any other questions

[@kiinmay1139]

What season do you guys recommend to go there?😃 so stunning view

[@ChrisandDanya]

Definitely recommend Spring or Summer

[@user-uq7pd6ht3g]

Great video! We only managed to get a spot in iris burn hut, so we would have to walk from Brod Bay all the way to Iris Hut on day one, and then continue to Rainbow Beach parking on day 2. Do you think it's still enjoyable to do this walk in two days? We are in our twenties and in good condition.

[@ChrisandDanya]

It's definitely doable, but I don't know how enjoyable it will be tbh. It's hard to say though, Danya and I are quite slow hikers, so you might find that distance completely manageable. The best section is along the ridge between Luxmore Hut and Irin Burn Hut, so you want to take your time and enjoy it. If you've got good weather it's actually a pretty easy, but if you get bad weather, combined with a long 23+km day, it will be miserable. I'm not sure if it'll make a difference, but if you could reverse it and go Iris Burn to Brod Bay, it might be a bit easier since the elevation gain would happen straight away and is mostly stairs on the Iris Burn side. The decline from Luxmore Hut to Brod Bay should theoretically be easier and faster. The walk out from Brod Bay to the gates is very nice

[@user-uq7pd6ht3g]

@@ChrisandDanya thanks for the quick response! We managed to get a spot in Luxmore hut as well - that should make it more manageable. Looking forward to seeing more of your content!

[@ChrisandDanya]

That'll definitely make it more manageable, congrats! Fingers crossed you get beautiful weather🤞😊

[@emerkelly7462]

Hello! Im doing this track next week and I'm a little nervous about the difficulty level. I have done some hikes in NZ (Tongariro Alpine crossing, Rakuira track in Stewart Island). How steep is the incline up to Luxmore Hut?

[@ChrisandDanya]

If you've done those hikes I wouldn't be worried about Kepler. The distances are longer, but they are definitely manageable and the views are well worth it! The incline up to Luxmore hut wasn't that bad at all, I remember it being very gradual. Hopefully you get some nice weather because that will make the most difference!

[@emerkelly7462]

@ChrisandDanya thank you so much for your reply and also I forgot to say that this is an excellent video and really gave me a better idea of what to expect! I hope we get the weather that you guys got it looked beautiful 😍 Thanks again and happy hiking wherever you guys are now 😃🚶🏼‍♀️🚶‍♂️

[@GhostOfArtBell0935]

@@emerkelly7462 Your quads will feel it the first day - it is basically all uphill - but it is not overly steep and very doable. You can totally go at your own pace. Enjoy!

[@ChrisandDanya]

@emerkelly7462 happy hiking to you as well! We'll do a sun dance for you 😅

[@johnhallford239]

And here I thought it was just vehicle weather-stripping/moulding Kea's are opposed to. Turns out it's anything manufactured. The one seemed on a mission to dismantle that bridge. Have to admire it's dedication. Question for you. Because I won't have the time to complete the track, I considered covering the 10-kilometers on both ends of the track in a pair of day hikes. Does that sound like a worthwhile idea or would one of those days be better spent on another track in that area? If so, with your counter-clockwise comment in mind, would your recommendation stand or would the back side be better for views? I'd seen some of this scenery when I first decided to visit, but never this much. Incredible scenery. Thanks again.

[@ChrisandDanya]

You could do a day hike up to Luxmore Hut; you'll get a bit of alpine views from there and the forest section is pretty nice. I can't really remember the other section from Rainbow carpark to be honest. I know there was some really nice fern forest, but I can't remembwr how far away it was. I'd probably recommend sticking to the Luxmore Hut side. I haven't done many other day hikes in that area. I know there are a bunch on the road to the Milford Track, but not sure how far up they are

[@johnhallford239]

@Chris and Danya Thats what I'll do then. I'd planned to check out some of the hikes toward Milford Sound and left a few days open to just explore around Te Anau, Manapouri, Doubtful Sound and whatever/wherever else I see or hear about. I can't imagine I'll come across anything you haven't already seen, but I'll let you know. Thank you again.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Someone on Tramping NZ Facebook page just wrote a post about the Te Anau to Brod Bay section of the Kelper being boring, so maybe I am remembering incorrectly 😅 We haven't done many day hikes in that area, but from what researching we've done, the below are supposed to be great: - Key Summit - Lake Gunn - Lake Marian - Milford Lookout Track - Gertrude Saddle Maybe leave the Kepler till the end to see if you have enough time as the above options are probably better. Doubtful Sound looks great as well!

[@johnhallford239]

@Chris and Danya I appreciate the info. That sounds like a good idea. None of those were trails I'd even heard of yet, so I'll start checking locations and figuring which ones to add in. Once again, thank you very much. Been doing different trails for elevation and distance so I'm ready. Took one today in which the last 3.2 kilometers are at an 18% grade. Bit off a tad more than I could chew; didn't quite reach the top. Oh well. Back at it tomorrow.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Nothing wrong with turning around if you're uncomfortable, not safe or tired. Happens to the best of us

[@patrolmaverick]

Looks like an awesome place. Out of interest, why do people hike with those poles? I've never hiked any sort of long distance before.

[@ChrisandDanya]

Thanks for watching! Definitely awesome territory 🙂 We love our hiking poles. They provide stability (extra point of contact so when you slip or stumble you don't necessarily go down - good for slippery or unstable ground), reduces impact on your joints (great for steep downhills) and great for extra oomph to keep you moving over a multiday or just when your struggling (possibly some placebo effect here 😂)

[@tonydeloryn2195]

always good to have 3rd or 4th leg for balance and saves a lot of energy and makes downhill and uphill so much easier,

[@ChrisandDanya]

Agreed Tony! 💯