The track passes through many landscapes of the Fiordland National Park such as rocky mountain ridges, tall mossy forests, lake shores, deep gorges, rare wetlands and rivers.

Richard Henry, Fiordland's first ranger, lived at the southern end of Lake Te Anau for many years and often explored the Kepler area.

Alf Excell and Les Henderson, two members of the Fiordland National Park Board, came up with the idea of a track they called the “Around the Mountain Walk”.

The project was accepted and the Kepler track, however, was established in 1988 and opened in February of that year as a Great Walk as part of the Fiordland National Park Centennial celebrations.

If time is short, the track can be shortened to three days by exiting or entering at the Rainbow Reach swing bridge using a car or bus.

While it is possible to complete the Kepler whilst camping this requires a 10-hour hike between Brod Bay and Iris Burn campsites.

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council's video on the Kepler Track The price and availability of accommodation varies considerably between the peak season (summer) and the off-season (winter).

The nearest townships of Te Anau (4.6 km or 2.9 mi[2] away) and Manapouri have a full range of accommodation and shops catering to all tramping needs.

Shuttle buses also operate during the summer months to entry and exit points on the track and a scheduled boat service provides access to Brod Bay.

This hut sleeps 54 in bunk style rooms with mattresses and is equipped with stoves and tables inside for cooking as well as an outside deck area.

[11] Along the trail there are shelters that can be used for day time picnic and rest stop use and a few that are set up to be used in emergencies during the winter months.