Kepler Track day hikes by helicopter or jet boat
The Kepler Track can be experienced on a guided day outing from Te Anau, combining walking with a helicopter flight or a jet boat journey. These products give you a section of the route rather than a complete Great Walk. Choose the helicopter outing for a flight combined with guided walking and a water taxi; choose the jet boat outing for the Waiau River, guided Kepler walking and a picnic lunch.
The 8-hour heli-hike includes accommodation pickup, a 15-minute helicopter flight, a fully guided walk, safety gear, hot drinks, a water taxi from Brod Bay and the transfer back to your accommodation. Lunch costs extra. The flight is one part of a walking day, so prepare for the track rather than dressing only for a sightseeing flight.
The 7-hour jet boat and hiking outing starts at 60 Town Centre in Te Anau. Its inclusions cover a Waiau River jet boat ride, a guided Kepler walk, morning tea with freshly baked treats, a picnic lunch and transport back to Te Anau. Compare the wider choice of Te Anau activities if your party wants a different balance of water, walking and travel.
Kepler Track and another Great Walk
Compare guided Kepler walks with a self-guided Milford Track day reached by boat.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided Kepler Track heli-hike
- Helicopter flight (15 minutes)
- Fully guided walk with local knowledgeable guide
- Water taxi transfer from Brod Bay
A guided Kepler walk combines a helicopter flight with a water taxi from Brod Bay. Lunch costs extra.
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Waiau River jet boat and Kepler walk
- Jet boat ride on the Waiau River
- Guided walk on the Kepler Track
- Picnic lunch
Combine a jet boat ride on the Waiau River with a guided Kepler Track walk.
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Milford Track day walk by boat
- Boat journey
A self-guided Milford Track day walk begins with a boat journey from Te Anau Downs; no guide or hut reservation is included.
Check availability →Kepler hikes and a separate Milford Track day
Combine guided Kepler walking with a helicopter or jet boat, or arrange a self-guided Milford Track day with a boat journey from Te Anau Downs.
Self-guided Milford Track day from Te Anau Downs
The Milford Track day option starts at the boat launch in Te Anau Downs, outside central Te Anau, and lists a boat journey as its included service. The walk is self-guided: bring your own weather-appropriate clothing and lunch. Its listed duration is 6 hours, but your arrangements also need to account for reaching the departure point from your accommodation.
The Milford Track is a separate route from the Kepler Track. A day visit accesses a section of that route and does not provide a full crossing or a hut booking. The complete Milford Track is 53.5 km and takes 4 days. For an outing focused on the fjord and road instead, see Milford Sound from Te Anau. Do not confuse the two experiences when choosing your day.
Great Walk itineraries, huts and transport
The full Kepler Track is usually planned over 4 days and 3 nights, with Luxmore, Iris Burn and Moturau huts and two campsites along the route. The staffed Great Walk season runs from 27 October 2026 to 30 April 2027. Reserve huts and campsites for that season separately from any day activity you book.
The Milford Track season runs from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027, with the last start on 28 April 2027. Huts and the necessary transport need advance booking, and camping is prohibited. Boat access and the separate return bus matter to a complete itinerary: neither end of the actual track has road access. Organise your arrival in Te Anau around those reservations, rather than buying transport after fixing an incompatible arrival time.
Booking, children's charges and winter risks
Kepler and Milford hut charges distinguish international visitors from eligible New Zealand residents, and international children pay for overnight stays. Select the correct age and residency category when budgeting with DOC. A day outing ticket pays for its stated activity, while the overnight itinerary needs its own hut reservations. No overnight stays are permitted in the Forest Burn or Hanging Valley shelters on the Kepler Track.
Luxmore Hut still requires a reservation outside the Great Walk season. For a winter Milford Track itinerary, clarify the applicable hut booking procedure directly with DOC before fixing your plans. Reduced facilities, avalanche and flood hazards, and the removal of some winter bridges make winter a different undertaking. Snow can occur throughout the year, so season dates do not promise snow-free walking.
The Milford Track is not recommended for children under 10 and has no mobile coverage. Check current track alerts and the forecast before setting off, carry suitable equipment and avoid treating a phone as your only way to seek help. The season and weather guide explains how walking conditions fit into a wider Te Anau itinerary.
Fiordland walking also calls for insect repellent against sandflies and care around wildlife. Do not feed kea, and keep food and loose equipment secured. When moving equipment between waterways, follow Check, Clean, Dry to help prevent the spread of freshwater pests. Those practical preparations belong alongside your transport arrangements, whether you are taking a guided day or carrying equipment for several nights.
Kepler Track and Milford Track questions
Does a day hike include a hut reservation?
No, the Kepler guided day products and the self-guided Milford day option are separate from overnight hut bookings. Book the huts needed for a multiday Great Walk in addition to the necessary transport. The boat journey offered for the Milford day walk starts at Te Anau Downs, outside central Te Anau.
When is the Kepler Great Walk season?
27 October 2026 to 30 April 2027 is the staffed Kepler Great Walk season. Huts and campsites require reservations during that period. Luxmore Hut also needs a booking outside the season, and winter brings reduced facilities and alpine hazards rather than the same walking conditions with fewer visitors.
Is the Milford Track suitable for young children?
The Milford Track is not recommended for children under 10. Consider the route's weather exposure, flood and avalanche hazards and lack of mobile coverage when planning for a family. International children also pay hut charges, so select the correct age and residency category for overnight bookings rather than assuming free stays.