Walking Tours Island Hills

Includes 3 nights of accommodation and 3 days on trail. The booking date refers to the evening of arrival prior to the first day of walking.
Only 1.5 hrs drive from Christchurch airport, on the way to Hanmer Springs.
The Island Hills Track is like no other in the country as there is such a diverse range of landscapes that change continuously throughout your adventure.
This is a self-guided private walkway which is very well marked and easy to follow. The lodge style accommodation facilities are unique, with fully serviced kitchen, BBQ and dining facilities, bunk beds, pillows and plenty of privacy. The luxury of hot showers, super comfortable beds, fresh pillow cases, and pack transport each day makes for a stress free adventure.
The marked trails cover a distance of 30 km and although situated amidst high mountains, the placement of the track has meant that it is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and walking ability. The three day walk is the most popular with two day options for those with less time and a little more fitness. For the three day trip, day one takes walkers on average 5.5hrs, day two 5hrs and an easy day three takes around 3.5hrs.
The Island Hills Station Track is limited to 10 people per trip. As your bed is guaranteed each night you are able to walk at your leisure and make the most of the opportunity to immerse yourself in the surroundings. You will be provided with a detailed pamphlet of information on the surrounding wildlife, stories about Island Hills and a map showing you points of interest along the trails.
Dogs are welcome on the track, but they must meet stringent criteria and controls so as not to upset other track and hut users, or disturb farm animals and wild life. Permission to bring a dog must be pre-organised with the track ranger at least one week prior to arrival at the property. Read more about the dog requirements here https://islandhillsstation.com/dogs
You will arrive at the "Cookhouse" on the evening of your booking date. Arrival times from 5:30pm onward, but no later than 9:00pm. The private car parking area is safe secure so you can relax and immerse yourself into uninterrupted high country life, with no cell or internet reception allowing time to explore the relics of history. The farm museum provides you with a sure memory of your childhood and a glimpse into high country station life many years ago.
You are welcome to use the fully serviced kitchen, BBQ and dining facilities to prepare your own meals. On the first evening you may like to have dinner along the way. If you are travelling from Christchurch there are multiple options in the Waipara wine district. We highly recommend the Brew Moon Brewing Company in Amberley for wood-fired pizza, burgers and small plates. The recently renovated Amberley Hotel also has a great menu. Amberley is about 45 min drive from Island Hills Station. For a closer option the Star Hotel Waikari (30 min drive) offers Thai and Kiwi menu's you can even order Thai takeaways online as you travel, open Wed - Sun. If you are travelling from the north, Hanmer Springs has multiple restaurants (50 min drive to Island Hills Station).
For groups of 4 or more an alternative option is to book a Farm 4WD Tour plus BBQ meal for the evening of your arrival. This option would suit those able to arrive prior to 6:00pm on the first evening of the walk, we offer a fun informative guided farm tour, home cooked BBQ style meal with vegetarian and gluten free options available by requesting a few days in advance. BYO drinks. The price for this extra option is $65 per person including GST, min 4 people.

On the first day of walking the track operator will meet you at the "Cook house" by 8:30am to conduct a safety briefing and provide hand held 2-way radios for 24 hr coms. The track ranger will then provide a 20 minute 4 wheel drive farm tour taking you to the entry point of the walking track. From here you leave your packs for transport to the next accommodation and carry your day packs with lunches, water bottles and extra clothing for safety. On day two you need to have your packs ready for transport by 10:00am. You can expect your packs to arrive at the accommodation facilities by 1:00 pm each day. On your last day you will be walking back from the forest and through the farmland to your parked cars. You are welcome to use the showers and kitchen and leave the station at your leisure.

By the time you have finished this Island Hills Station adventure you will feel like you have experienced high country life and learnt a little about the history. You will have met a few farm animals, bumped into some wild creatures and made friends with the native birds. You will have felt the spongy moss under your feet and maybe even hugged a few trees as you witnessed the Mandamus Preservation Reserve project in action where the property has set aside vast areas of land for forest regeneration, pest control and in turn wild life restoration.
Payments/Cancelations/Transfers/Refunds policy ; Payments are to be made in full at the time of booking, however 25% deposits are acceptable for large group bookings that are reserved more than 3 months prior to start date. Those who have selected to pay by bank transfer must have deposits paid within 3 days of booking. Full payment must be submitted within 30 days prior to the start date or the space will no longer be reserved and will become available for others to book. Full refunds will be allocated to the purchaser for any reason up until 7 days prior to start date of the trip. Within 3-6 days prior to start date the purchaser can opt either for cancelation of the booking with a 50% refund or to put the booking on hold with no extra charge for re-scheduling a later date (re-booking start dates are subject to availability and must be advised by e-mail to the operator). Cancelations within 48 hours of start date/time of the trip will not be able to be refunded or rescheduled. Any booking rescheduled within 30 days of the start date will not be eligible for future refunds and will not be eligible for further rescheduling. If the facility is closed by the operator for any reason full refunds will be allocated right up to the start date of the trip.

Immerse yourself in rugged mountain scenery, beautiful forests and low input farm landscapes alongside local hosts who will look after you all the way. All meals are catered for you including 3 dinners, 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches including special local produce and wild foods. Meet the local birds and farm animals and perhaps even spot a wild deer or pig. Learn about the history of a high country farm and discover a pest control program in action to protect the native wild life. Relax in the isolated cosy cabins with heating, lighting, kitchen, hot showers, individual bunk beds and plenty of privacy.
What to expect
Trips are hosted and include four wheel driving, hiking and full meal preparation. You just have to be willing to walk some hills and become part of nature.
Meals and accommodation provided. We do not provide alcohol.




What to bring
Snacks and drinks, insect repellent (for sand-flies and mosquitos), hiking boots (preferably with gaiters), warm clothing layers including beanie and gloves, weather proof jacket and over trousers (optional), sun protection including sunscreen, cap or hat, headlamp and spare batteries, bathroom towel and personal effects, hiking pack, day pack, camera and end of day liquid refreshments.





All prices in $NZ including GST (tax)