From milford sound to queenstown to the keplar track!

I last wrote this on friday 5th and it was a very quick blog as i was leaving for te-anau on saturday the 6th march. As you all will know i loved milford sound, seeing the differences from milford and doubt full was one thing id really wanted to do, I've found another place i've fallen in love with, new zealand is levelling south africa as each day passes.

On friday when i last wrote i backed up my rucksack and finalised our plans for the 4 day trip, Saturday morning we left queenstown at an early 7am and had the 2 1/2 hour drive to Te-anau, such a nice town with the lake as a great setting, not to busy full of travellers. Leaving the car we headed to the doc offices; d.o.c; department of conservation you will read a lot about DOC when in new zealand they take care of the trails and great walks in new zealand to which there are around 8 great walks to which keplar is one of them. To do one of the walks requires you to pay for your accommodation along the track, we camped two nights $15 altogether then $45 to use one of the huts on the last night as there was no campsite there. There fore showing are proof of payment and letting the doc office know our plans we begun our 4 day walk!

The keplar track is situated on the south west of the south island with te-anau being the nearest town this is a 60kilometer circular track traversing through spectacular scenery in fiord land national park. From the town the 45 minute walk to the control gates then the start of the track, now most people complete the track from right to left however we were doing it the opposite way. The first day was round a 5-6 hour walk through the dense bush with the river parrelel to us along most of the day, walking through the trees on a blue sky day meant for great walking temperatures as the shade from the trees was ideal. Our first campsite; shallow bay.....wow!!! This is of lake manapouri, a pebble and sandy beach, the camping spots under the shelter of the beach trees and the small hut amongst the trees, looking out of the bay and the calm calm water with the mountains in the distance and the dense vegetation on the hills surrounding the bay. The tent i had bought had its first pitching-hence its name is now keplar! The lack of sand fly's to our amazement allowed for journal writing and just enjoying the scenery chatting to a fellow walker also. It was one of those amazing evenings as the sun went down.

Sunday morning back on the track, trough thick bush, the number of ferns incredible! We made really good time on this part of the walk and reached the second camping spot by 2 in the afternoon after leaving quite early in the morning....however this is when i really experienced the sandflys.....(i've dealt with seriously bad midge's but these..... double the size of a midge and when they bite...give it a few minutes and and you see the damage,very itchy red blotches soon begun to appear! Talking a walk to the nearby waterfall after pitching the tent quite swiftly, was a nice relief form the sandflys. Meeting some campers we chatted and had to retreat to the tent within an hour or so. THis part of the walk has been lovely with the changes in vegetation, walking through the valleys, and meeting people along the way a great start now at the mid way point.

Day three, monday morning, out of all my camping experience that was possible the hardest ground i have ever slept on and both of us not realising we were both awake from around 3am! Once 5.30 am came round...we packed up our things, the tent and we had planned to get up this early so that we could climb as the sun came up and get the hardest part over by around 9.30 am. As we were doing the track this way round in meant we had a very steep climb but over a shorter distance, head torches on we begun the zig zags up through the bush, the one thing about it being so early it was a perfect temperature, we could only hope for nice weather, as dawn begun to break we could catch a glimpse through the trees over to the opposite mountains as the sun lit up there peeks and the pink coloration was clear to see.....we were beginning to think we were on for a great day weather wise but didn't want to tempt fate....but the higher we climbed the bluer the sky became :). Mentally you have to prepare for the grind of these steep climbs but why do we do it.. its painful in many ways....but that's watt makes it all the more worth it you have to work for what you would love to see and where you would love to be. Getting above the bush line then into alpine forest an vegetation within two hours we were above all the trees and could see the famous keplar ridge.... taking a well earned break and the smile on our faces, we were not even on the ridge but wow the view across the the other mountains, and valleys along with the a plain flying as our level.. blue sky's....very very lucky!

THe climb to the ridge.... now the feeling off getting up there, one of the best views yet, and walking along the ridge for the next few hours, tired but the energy you get from such an amazing walk, i couldn't believe how lucky we were with the weather, it was getting nicer and nicer. We then were along the ridge to where the first shelter is..... i think that's the highest toilet i've been too!! (its not often you have toilet facilities on a walk! one at each campsite and rest point along the way!!! from there we caught a glimpse of what i called mini milford; this being the south arm of lake te-anau, wow just incredible, with more views of mountain peaks with snow caped tops, along with the few clouds dotted about. FRom there the ridge swung round and we were heading for mount luxmore, some very narrow parts to the ridge and on a a very windy day i wouldn't recommend it! The views to mount luxmore were just as incredible, becoming more rocky and more areas of scree slopes adding a different character to the track, reaching mount luxmore by around 1pm....... :):):):)!!!!!!!!!! The view, 360 view as far as the eye could see, i couldn't be more in my element!

Spending an hour or so at the top meeting lots of walkers, before our decent to luxmore hut, our last night on the track. We now had done all the climbing and we could gradually walk down, Reaching the hut around 4pm; the facilities doc provide are great, being able to keep the track in such a good condition, no sign of litter, having the emergency shelters and all the campsites and huts along the 4days blending in to the scenery its very nice to see this kept as a national park and looked after. The hut sleeps 55 people, bunks and very pleasant to sleep on a mattress. Meeting a lot of people at the hut and sharing stories of travelling and how we are liking new zealand it was a great evening.

Now to yesterday morning, the nights sleep in the hut was luxury, then waking up around 7, i herd someone say it was a nice morning, immediately i though "sunrise" i hope i've not missed it!! Out of the room onto the decking... i cant describe the sunrise and how beautiful it was. One of those ones that just makes you smile endlessly, a lot of people trying to adjust camera settings and i don't think any camera could truly capture it. Where do i begin, the mountains in the far distance straight ahead, the valley below were lake ta-anau is,to my left the southern arm of the lake.....now a blanket of clouds covering this, we were above the cloud level, and so those mountains in the distance with an orangey colouration as the sun begun to rise from my right round the corner of the small hill, as that sun rose the rays hitting of the blanket of cloud, the half moon directly above my head, the turquoise colour of the sky increasing in intensity the further the sun rose. Just beautiful... and that's how i can try and describe it! I Think because of the setting, being on the trek for the 4 days this being our last morning out hear it was just perfect and we couldn't get over how lucky we were and how glad we were to do the walk the opposite was round. :):)!!!

Leaving the hut, knowing that i would do that walk over and over again, i definitely hope to be back!! As we walk down slowing getting closer to the tree line and walking back under the cloud cover, one last glance behind us then into the green vegetation once again. Within 5 hours we were back at the car, the walk down really nice meeting a lot of walking heading up and at the start of there 4 days or just day walkers up the mountain. The clouds soon cleared and te-anau had a blue sky day, the lake perfectly calm and mountains, clouds reflecting off it as we walked parallel to it back into town.! A very very nice way to finish the trip,.

The drive back to queenstown just as nice as previous, and one drive that i would never get bored of. Back at the backpackers and into queenstown witch i love, a very very nice meal sitting on the grass by the lake and trees...(that furg burger i was telling you about.....mmmmm a must try) a coca doodle oink was what i had!!!

Then to finish sitting watching the sun set!

you can see how being out there is what really makes me happy!!!:):):):)!!

Up next wanaka!
(pictures soon i hope)