Southland Kepler Track

Given good weather this is a fantastic, moderate 3 day 2 night tramp from Brod Bay to Rainbow Reach and using the boat trip across the lake for access with pick-up at Rainbow Reach.

Day 1 is an easy 3 hours, mainly uphill walking on manicured track of just over 9km ascending some 800 metres to the Luxmore Hut.

Day 2 requires a fair length of time (over 6 hours) just to take in the scenery and cover the 15 kilometres including Mount Luxmore (1478m) and the shelter huts – Forest Burn and Hanging Valley – en-route. There is a fair amount of exposed walking on pretty narrow ridges so good weather is a requirement and the final descent of 700 metres down to Iris Burn Hut is real toe and knee torture. Once at Iris Burn the sand flies are tortuous!

Day 3 from Iris Burn to Rainbow Reach is a long one at almost 23km but there is very little “grunting” involved as the altitude ranges only between 500 and 200 metres and the walk can be done in between 6 and 7 hours. However, there are stream lines on this section that do get washed out and parts of the track can suffer from landslip debris or collapse completely and involve steep up-and-overs – but these minor problems are always brought to the trampers attention by the wardens in the Great Walk Huts.

• Day 1. 8.57kms 3 hours +/-900m
• Day 2. 15.41kms 7 hrs 17 mins +/-300m
• Day 3. 22.81kms 6 hrs 24 mins +/-325m

Last Updated Mar 2008

Start Point: Easting 1183071 Northing 4958513