2 nights of on trail accommodation with meal provisions provided for 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches. 

Situated 1.5 hrs drive north-west of Christchurch, the Island Hills Track is like no other in New Zealand with a diverse range of landscapes that change continuously throughout your hiking experience. The 2 nights of accommodation features genuine unique back country lodges with lots of modern comforts; LED lighting, fully serviced kitchens, BBQ and dining facilities, bunk beds and plenty of privacy. The luxury of hot showers, super comfortable mattresses and luggage transport each day makes for a stress free adventure. 

Night one will be a three 3 course home cooked BBQ with a bonus farm tour guided by your host. For the remaining meals you will select from a variety of easy to prepare camping style food options, including continental breakfasts, easy lunches and boil in the bag curries/casseroles with rice or potato mash. A cheese board is on offer for your second afternoon. Vegetarian and gluten free options available. 

If you are a larger group of 4 or more party members we will prepare and host your evening meals at each accommodation.

You will also be provided with a food/drink cooler bag to include your extra BYO drinks and snacks. You will be provided with a sleeping bag and clean liner, pillow and daily fresh pillow case, towel and a duffel bag for transporting your track essential luggage. Secure storage facilities are provided for your suitcases.

Bring your own day pack, head torch, snacks, drinks, outdoor clothing and footwear. Prepare for all weather conditions. We recommend hiking boots and gaiters plus walking poles.

The well marked trails cover a distance of 24 km for the 2 day hike 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 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 into the beautiful and peaceful surroundings.

You will need to arrive at the "Cookhouse" on the evening of your booking date by 5:30pm, in time for the hosted BBQ and 4wd farm tour. The private car parking area is safe and secure so you can relax and immerse yourself  into uninterrupted high country life. The on farm museum provides you with a sure memory of your childhood and a glimpse into high country station life many years ago. There is no cell or internet reception at the accommodation blocks so enjoy the off grid detox. The first aid trained track managers will provide 2-way radios for 24hr communications to base while on the trails and at the huts. The service includes an evening weather forecast and medical/injury extractions. On the very rare occurrence of a  major medical event or injury the track manager will remotely call in to the New Zealand search and rescue service which includes a highly proficient helicopter medic and extraction service.

On the first day of walking the track operator will meet you at the "Cook house" accommodation by 8:30am to  conduct a safety briefing and load your luggage. 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 luggage for transport to the next accommodation and carry your day packs with lunches, water bottles and extra clothing for safety. On day two you will need to have your luggage ready for transport by 10:00am. You can expect your gear to arrive at the accommodation facilities by 1:00 pm each day. On your last day the walk will finish at the trail head shelter where you will be picked up by 4wd and delivered to your parked cars. You are welcome to use the shower and kitchen facilities and leave the station at your own 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.

What we provide

We provide generous amounts of high quality food for your breakfast, lunch and dinner (including cheese board type pre-dinner snacks and after dinner desserts or cakes). 

You will be supplied a duffle bag to carry your overnight gear. Your luggage will be transfered each day to your next accommodation destination and back to the car park on your final day. We can store your suitcases, etc in the secure office.

You will be supplied a fresh pillow case daily. You will be allocated a sleeping bag with liner and a towel for the duration of your stay. 

There is no need to bring any cooking or dining equipment the huts are well supplied. There are fridges and small freezers at each site.

What to Bring

BYO Snacks, alcohol and other drinks 

(we can provide a chilli bin for these items to be transported between camps) 

Essential Items

- Great Hikes App (download this app for free) while on WIFI, search Private Walks for Island Hills Track, open and “START TOUR”, this will load the maps and interesting historic information onto your phone to be available offline as you walk. The app has a GPS mapping system so you can track your location, we use this for injuries or medical situations so we can locate you. Some areas are fairly isolated and this system combined with VHF radios helps keep you safe. 

- Power Bank to charge phone (there are no power plugs on nights 2 & 3)

- Rain jacket

- Day pack

- Basic First Aid Kit (especially sticky plaster for blisters)

- Medical treatments. For example, there are bee hives present on the farm. Any walkers with bee sting allergies should carry appropriate medications

- Water bottle (or bladder)

- Warm clothes (wool or polypropylene)

- Appropriate footwear (we strongly recommend hiking boots, well broken in)

- We recommend gaiters or putties to cover the top of your boots

- We recommend that people bring walking poles or a hill stick for added stability over uneven ground

- Torch/flash light/head lamp (with good, fully charged batteries)

- Clothing: You will need at least one set of clothes to walk in and another to change into at night. 

- Socks: (wool/polypropylene) two pairs

- Shorts: (cotton/nylon)

- Shirt: (wool/polypropylene)

- Long johns or trousers: (wool/polypropylene)

- Jersey or jacket: (wool/polar fleece)

- Undershirts/T-shirt: (wool/polypropylene)

- Gloves: (wool/polypropylene)

- Soaps and toiletries (we don’t provide shampoo, soaps or toothpaste etc)

- Insect repellent

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.