Kepler Track: Rainbow Reach to Shallow Bay or Moturau Hut

From the Rainbow Reach carpark, cross the swingbridge then turn left onto the Kepler Track towards Moturau Hut.

The track is gently undulating and wanders through mountain beech forest with some great river views. Some scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed near this part of the river.

Further along, cross a kettle bog then continue to the shores of Lake Manapouri.

The Moturau and Shallow Bay Huts are near the lake shore.

Moturau Hut

Category: Great Walk

Facilities: 40 bunk beds, cooking, heating, lighting, mattresses

Bookings required

Shallow Bay Hut

Category: Standard

Facilities: 6 bunk beds, heating, mattresses

Bookings not required - first come, first served

The track begins from Rainbow Reach, about 12 km south from Te Anau.

Private transport: Follow the Manapouri - Te Anau Highway for about 10.6 km, then turn right at the signposted road to the Rainbow Reach carpark.

Transport providers: There are shuttles service to the car park.

Amoeboid Mire

Worth visiting just for its name, this multi-lobed mire (bog) is a easily accessed from this section of the Kepler Track (45–60 min from the car park). A 200 m boardwalk has information panels and a lookout over the tarn and mire.

Located on a terrace that formed as the Manapouri glacier melted, the vegetation is dominated by sphagnum moss, other mosses and wire rush with a range of herbs, shrubs and other plants.

A feature is the large tarn in the central part of the mire system. The wetter south-east portion along the Kepler Track is dominated by sedges. Plants of interest are the yellow-silver pine and pygmy pine - both uncommon at low altitudes.