New Zealand Milky Way Luxmore Hut, Kepler Track, Fiordland National Park

Luxmore Hut is one of the three huts where you can stay in during your Kepler Track.

The Kepler Track is one of the Great Walks in New Zealand and located near Te Anau. This 60km long distance hike features everything of the Fiordland National Park: mountains, native forest, waterfalls and glacier-carved valleys.

Check your camera settings before the evening and make sure you understand everything for night photography. Use a tripod, the manual focus, put of the stabilization, and use the lowest aperture. In comparison to this you can try out what ISO fits to the shutter speed. Use not longer than 20 seconds for stars cause they are slowly moving.

This 60km loop trail requires a good level of fitness. Strength is necessary. Normally you can do it in four days but if you are very fit it is possible in three days.

You can start the track from Kepler Track Trail Head to Moturau Hut and further on to Iris Burn Hut or in the other direction from Lake Te Anau Lookout / Kepler Track Trail Head to Luxmore Hut.

There are three huts and two campsites provided by the Department of Conservation (DOC) dotted at points along the track. At the DOC huts you'll find running water, solar lighting, tables and seating and cooking facilities in the summer months. Bookings are required for all huts and campsites on the Kepler Track during the Great Walks season which is from late October through to late April.