Island Hills Station Hiking Tour  

No need to travel far for this little known hiking gem, plus relax in Hamner Springs

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The unique Island Hills Station Track (formerly known as the Hurunui High Country Walk) winds through stunning high country where native bush, sweeping mountain views and fascinating New Zealand history await. Leave your woes behind as you cross the swing bridge into cell-free hill country - your guide handles every detail and your luggage travels ahead. Walk through native bush and enjoy sweeping mountain views along with fascinating stories of New Zealand history, from early Māori pack tracks and mustering tales to intrepid shepherds and WW2 heroes. Island Hills Station is a working sheep, cattle and honey bee farm with its own protected conservation reserve - now open to the public, half of this amazing property has been left untouched and fully preserved.

Day 1: Christchurch to Island Hills Station
We meet in Christchurch around 2:30 to 3pm and in a little over an hour’s drive we reach the historic Hurunui Hotel. We can stretch our legs and there is time for a drink if you like (not included) while we enjoy the backcountry atmosphere.

Then we drive about 45 minutes into the backcountry to Island Hills Station where we enjoy our first home-cooked meal together, and our welcome drink (included). A great way to settle into our first night, which we spend in the former “Cookhouse” built in the early 19th century, full of rustic historic charm.

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Meals: D
 

Day 2: Island Hills Station Track - Hiking Day 1
4-5 hours hiking (~11 km length, ~ 590m difference in elevation)

The first morning starts with a 4-wheel drive farm tour to take guests out to the starting point of the walking track. An easy wide, mostly flat trail start allows us to warm up our muscles. Soon after, rolling hilly farmland progresses into vast areas of wild and rugged scenery with clear rivers, native forest and towering mountain peaks.

We will then use part of a historic pack track, following in the footsteps of Māori traders and later early European settlers, who used the route to come through from Lewis Pass with pack horses, all the way to our first accommodation for the night - Valley Camp Hut.

Meals: B, L, D, S

Day 3: Island Hills Station Track - Hiking Day 2

4-5 hours hiking (~9 km length, ~ 590m difference in elevation)
The diversity of the walk keeps you wondering what’s around the next corner. The track today cuts over a variety of hill country paddocks, along grassy river terraces, through native Manuka and Beech forests and leads up into alpine high country with high rocky mountain views. We will spend time within a 600 ha QEII wilderness reserve, the largest of its kind in Canterbury and home to diverse native plants and wildlife. We will walk on mossy tracks to discover the Bush Hut, our accommodation for the night.

Meals: B, L, D, S

Day 4: Island Hills Station Track - Hiking Day 3 and Hamner Springs
3-4 hours hiking (~9.5 km length, ~379m difference in elevation)

The last day is a very enjoyable walk predominantly through native bush. We’ll meander past a bush “lagoon” and over one last hill to finish with a very satisfying sense of achievement back at our starting point around lunch time. You will be able to use the showers and facilities to freshen up before departure.

Afterwards, we will drive to Hanmer Springs, well-known for its natural hot springs. Here you have time to soak in the hot pools, have a massage, or go on one of the many short walks to discover the area. The Forest Amble Walk, for example, is a short 30-minute walk where you can see amazing wooden sculptures created from Redwood trees.

Meals: B, L

Day 5: Return to Christchurch
After breakfast, we will make our way back to Christchurch, where we arrive in the early afternoon (~3pm).

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Meals: B

B-Breakfast  L-Lunch  D-Dinner S-Snacks

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Tour Grading

🥾 Island Hills Station Track – Grade 3 (Moderate)

This tour is graded as Moderate – mainly due to the length of the walking days and some steady climbs on farm and bush tracks.

Along with gentle valley walks, the trail offers a few ups and downs and small challenges along the way. Just enough to make it interesting and guarantee a diverse range of landscapes and vegetation. All the river crossings are nicely bridged, and you are only carrying a day pack, but a good level of fitness is definitely helpful – otherwise, you might find yourself a bit out of breath on the uphills. 

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👉 Our recommendation

If you’re generally active and happy to keep a steady walking pace, this tour will be a great fit. It’s not suited to those who prefer a very slow pace, as we want to keep the group moving comfortably together.​  A bit of sure-footedness also makes the walking feel easier and safer. You can find more about how we grade our tours here: → Our Hiking Track Grading System explained

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