Four Peaks High Country Track
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Four Peaks High Country Track
Walking, tramping, mountain biking... with attitude! Come and enjoy our pristine high country environment. Feel the peace & tranquility, sense the heritage of the area, and have a tonne of FUN!
The Four Peaks High Country Track is a private walking / mountain biking track over an historic 10,000 acre high country sheep station.
The track is a 40 kilometre (for walkers) and 60 kilometre (for mountain bikers) circuit, over untouched tussock and alpine terrain, following well-defined sheep, riverbed and four-wheel drive tracks. It takes in some of the regions defining landmarks.
The walk or bike ride over 3 days includes 3 nights in original musterers’ huts that have
been upgraded to ensure a comfortable break at the end of a day’s tramping or biking. The huts are fully equipped with gas cooking facilities, flush toilets and hot showers. All 3 huts,
steeped in charm and history of yesteryear, are situated alongside freshwater streams, in a tranquil and idyllic mountain environment.
The Track is open from November to April, bookings will be in groups of up to 8, ensuring
a maximum of 8 people are on any one section of the track on any given day. Walkers have the option of having their packs transported to the huts if they wish, just carrying a small daypack with lunch and wet weather gear allows for pleasurable walking.
The price is $180 per person, or $255 if packs are being transported.
Four Peaks High Country Track is offering mountain biking for the first time this season, with 2 options to choose from. The Experienced MTB option is 2 days/nights, $225 per person; and the Intermediate MTB option is 3 days/nights, $295 per person. Both options include packs transported to the huts.
This is an exclusive high country farm experience, a wonderful walk or mountain biking ride, with panoramic views, and a taste of the essence and history of the Geraldine area. Four Peaks High Country Track offers a wonderful opportunity to discover South Canterbury’s unspoiled high country environment. A ‘must do’ New Zealand outdoor experience!
Details
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Organisation |
Four Peaks High Country TrackCommercial organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Ashburton |
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Hiking Tours
Cycling
Reviews
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5.0/5
Seven ladies who worked together over 30 years ago decided to have a truely kiwi experience and spent last weekend on a two day tramp on The Four Peaks Station Track in Geraldine.
What a great time we had together and what a place. Truely spectacular scenery, wonderful farm hosts and rustic accommodation it truely was a great experience! I would love to do the four day tramp next!
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4.5/5
Highly recommended.
We booked this private walk from the UK on friends' advice. It's a walk over varied terrain, some 4wd track and then river crossings and gorge. Well set out, good waymarking, and you are rewarded with great views. The shepherds huts are equipped, and Jo carries your pack from hut to hut - so you can take proper food and wine. She looks after you really well, UHF radios to keep in touch and check the weather, and the treats are very welcome.
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5.0/5
My wife and I had a wonderful 4 day walk on Four Peaks High Country Track.
I would consider it to be an easy walk in that you are walking on 4WD farm tracks and well marked stock tracks. You are not scrambling over tricky terrain or rock climbing. However you do need a reasonable level of fitness as you climb up over several passes during the trip. It is so nice to have your packs transported through to the next hut rather than carry them. We took advantage of this by having several bottles of wine and no freeze-dried food packed away. We had just our small day packs but make sure you take rain coats and extra layers of clothing with you as we had snow on one of the passes in early January! The weather can change dramatically in just a few minutes.
We were very well looked after by Jo and Steve. Lovely treats along the way were perfect, hand radios to call in each evening and in the mornings to make sure we were well and with weather forecasts was great for peace of mind.
The huts were the old musterers huts, still used for mustering, but extended and made more comfortable or us. New hot showers and flush toilets out the back but built to be in keeping with the huts.
We thoroughly enjoyed our walk, the scenery was stunning and the whole experience fantastic!
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5.0/5
Great variety of terrain, alpine plants, panoramic views, topped off with lovingly restored historic huts, even flush toilets and hot showers to wind up the day.
Jo's attention to detail is impressive - from unexpected treats to safety measures such as providing walking groups with a walkie talkie radio to check in each evening. Enjoyed the set-ups for al fresco cooking and dining. Can thoroughly recommend.
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5.0/5
I am from Canada but we spend about four months a year in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
We are always up for a new tramping adventure and so when we were invited along on this tramp we said yes. What a really neat experience! Yes, you do need a certain level of fitness but the views, the accommodation, the extra little treats put out by Jo, the hot showers at the end of the day, were worth every bit of exertion we put forth. Sometimes we felt like true musters with the sheep going on up the hills ahead of us! Being of farming background it was very interesting to see how things are done in New Zealand and also the running of such a large station. I would highly recommend this walk to anyone!
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5.0/5
This walk was great we saw chamois, deer and sign of wild pig and had 2 falcon perched on rocks close by pretty amazing.
We did the wee detour up Devils Peak what an amazing view. Just loved it, after a decent walk you get hot showers wow! not to mention flush toilets. Jo & Steve have set up an amazing experience absolutely worth doing.
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5.0/5
AMAZING experience I had walking with my mum on the Four Peaks track.
I felt very connected to nature, always felt safe, beautiful scenery and cute, cosy huts to greet us a long the route. Thank you so much to our host Jo who made everything so easy....and for all of the treats along the way ;) oh and if you are up for it I recommend taking a dip in the river right by the hut at sunset...couldn't ask for a better end to a day full of personal achievements!
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4.5/5
We really enjoyed this track and would recommend it to anyone.
Our group was in the age bracket 50-62 and found the days challenging but not too difficult. The huts are really comfortable and clean but still maintain the authenticity of a back country experience.Hot showers a real treat after a big day's walking. Great hosts - we felt secure having radio contact and track markers easy to spot. Awesome views from Fiery Pass and we also spotted deer. A track like this one is a fantastic opportunity to have quality time away with friends and family in awesome surroundings
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1.5/5
I have been tramping on numerous NZ private tracks over the past 15 years.
Unfortunately this track was very disappointing and does not meet expected standards for this type of tramping experience. The markers were extremely poor and often very confusing. The instruction booklet and map were not clear so this was no help either. It did not appear that the owners had maintained or checked these in many years. The open air 'kitchens' at each hut were quote substandard with cracked crockery and even covered in bird droppings at one stop. Pillows were lumpy - not expensive to renew these surely. Overall cleanliness of the huts needed real attention. For the price we paid per person (equivalent to the cost of a good motel) we would expect a much better standard of facilities and track maintenance. At the last hut the toilet was about 20 metres away up a very narrow, uneven track, far too dangerous to negotiate in the dark or after rain. No handrails even. We appreciated the little treats each day....but for the price and in comparison to other tracks this one is in dire need of a major upgrade in all respects.
Hi 'Jack' thank you for your feedback. We had about 2 weeks this year where the Welcome swallows were flying in and out of the kitchen facility of one of the Huts, & causing nuisance, but we have since erected a tarpaulin cover to prevent it happening next season. Sorry you found some chipped crockery, we do check it at the beginning of each season and replace where necessary. The odd chipped mug is no less than what the early-days shepherds would have drunk their whiskey & hot milk out of!
The point of interest of our walking track is experiencing authentic musterer's huts that were used in those early pioneering farming days, so they are genuinely rustic, but very comfortable. The original toilets were long-drops which were smelly and much further away, so the flush ones we have replaced them with, must be better? Our website does clearly outline the type of experience we offer. We're sorry that you didn't enjoy our Track, but there are lots of other walking experiences available in this beautiful country of ours, that have the degree of luxury, lodge-style accommodation, that you were expecting.
Our price has to cover the cost of vehicle upkeep for the tracks we have to negotiate to shift the packs. It's not like most walking tracks that have tarseal or maintained gravel roads for access. This is the high country, it's isolated and big, and beautiful, but obviously it doesn't suit everyone! We are always endeavouring to improve the experience we offer so we do value everyones feedback - thank you.
Jo
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5.0/5
Such a wonderful walk - we were so well looked after and just the isolation is what we loved.
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5.0/5
Seven ladies who worked together over 30 years ago decided to have a truely kiwi experience and spent last weekend on a two day tramp on The Four Peaks Station Track in Geraldine.
What a great time we had together and what a place. Truely spectacular scenery, wonderful farm hosts and rustic accommodation it truely was a great experience! I would love to do the four day tramp next!
-
4.5/5
Highly recommended.
We booked this private walk from the UK on friends' advice. It's a walk over varied terrain, some 4wd track and then river crossings and gorge. Well set out, good waymarking, and you are rewarded with great views. The shepherds huts are equipped, and Jo carries your pack from hut to hut - so you can take proper food and wine. She looks after you really well, UHF radios to keep in touch and check the weather, and the treats are very welcome.
-
5.0/5
My wife and I had a wonderful 4 day walk on Four Peaks High Country Track.
I would consider it to be an easy walk in that you are walking on 4WD farm tracks and well marked stock tracks. You are not scrambling over tricky terrain or rock climbing. However you do need a reasonable level of fitness as you climb up over several passes during the trip. It is so nice to have your packs transported through to the next hut rather than carry them. We took advantage of this by having several bottles of wine and no freeze-dried food packed away. We had just our small day packs but make sure you take rain coats and extra layers of clothing with you as we had snow on one of the passes in early January! The weather can change dramatically in just a few minutes.
We were very well looked after by Jo and Steve. Lovely treats along the way were perfect, hand radios to call in each evening and in the mornings to make sure we were well and with weather forecasts was great for peace of mind.
The huts were the old musterers huts, still used for mustering, but extended and made more comfortable or us. New hot showers and flush toilets out the back but built to be in keeping with the huts.
We thoroughly enjoyed our walk, the scenery was stunning and the whole experience fantastic!
-
5.0/5
AMAZING experience I had walking with my mum on the Four Peaks track.
I felt very connected to nature, always felt safe, beautiful scenery and cute, cosy huts to greet us a long the route. Thank you so much to our host Jo who made everything so easy....and for all of the treats along the way ;) oh and if you are up for it I recommend taking a dip in the river right by the hut at sunset...couldn't ask for a better end to a day full of personal achievements!
-
5.0/5
Great variety of terrain, alpine plants, panoramic views, topped off with lovingly restored historic huts, even flush toilets and hot showers to wind up the day.
Jo's attention to detail is impressive - from unexpected treats to safety measures such as providing walking groups with a walkie talkie radio to check in each evening. Enjoyed the set-ups for al fresco cooking and dining. Can thoroughly recommend.
-
1.5/5
I have been tramping on numerous NZ private tracks over the past 15 years.
Unfortunately this track was very disappointing and does not meet expected standards for this type of tramping experience. The markers were extremely poor and often very confusing. The instruction booklet and map were not clear so this was no help either. It did not appear that the owners had maintained or checked these in many years. The open air 'kitchens' at each hut were quote substandard with cracked crockery and even covered in bird droppings at one stop. Pillows were lumpy - not expensive to renew these surely. Overall cleanliness of the huts needed real attention. For the price we paid per person (equivalent to the cost of a good motel) we would expect a much better standard of facilities and track maintenance. At the last hut the toilet was about 20 metres away up a very narrow, uneven track, far too dangerous to negotiate in the dark or after rain. No handrails even. We appreciated the little treats each day....but for the price and in comparison to other tracks this one is in dire need of a major upgrade in all respects.
Hi 'Jack' thank you for your feedback. We had about 2 weeks this year where the Welcome swallows were flying in and out of the kitchen facility of one of the Huts, & causing nuisance, but we have since erected a tarpaulin cover to prevent it happening next season. Sorry you found some chipped crockery, we do check it at the beginning of each season and replace where necessary. The odd chipped mug is no less than what the early-days shepherds would have drunk their whiskey & hot milk out of!
The point of interest of our walking track is experiencing authentic musterer's huts that were used in those early pioneering farming days, so they are genuinely rustic, but very comfortable. The original toilets were long-drops which were smelly and much further away, so the flush ones we have replaced them with, must be better? Our website does clearly outline the type of experience we offer. We're sorry that you didn't enjoy our Track, but there are lots of other walking experiences available in this beautiful country of ours, that have the degree of luxury, lodge-style accommodation, that you were expecting.
Our price has to cover the cost of vehicle upkeep for the tracks we have to negotiate to shift the packs. It's not like most walking tracks that have tarseal or maintained gravel roads for access. This is the high country, it's isolated and big, and beautiful, but obviously it doesn't suit everyone! We are always endeavouring to improve the experience we offer so we do value everyones feedback - thank you.
Jo
-
5.0/5
This walk was great we saw chamois, deer and sign of wild pig and had 2 falcon perched on rocks close by pretty amazing.
We did the wee detour up Devils Peak what an amazing view. Just loved it, after a decent walk you get hot showers wow! not to mention flush toilets. Jo & Steve have set up an amazing experience absolutely worth doing.
-
5.0/5
I am from Canada but we spend about four months a year in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
We are always up for a new tramping adventure and so when we were invited along on this tramp we said yes. What a really neat experience! Yes, you do need a certain level of fitness but the views, the accommodation, the extra little treats put out by Jo, the hot showers at the end of the day, were worth every bit of exertion we put forth. Sometimes we felt like true musters with the sheep going on up the hills ahead of us! Being of farming background it was very interesting to see how things are done in New Zealand and also the running of such a large station. I would highly recommend this walk to anyone!
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5.0/5
Such a wonderful walk - we were so well looked after and just the isolation is what we loved.
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4.5/5
We really enjoyed this track and would recommend it to anyone.
Our group was in the age bracket 50-62 and found the days challenging but not too difficult. The huts are really comfortable and clean but still maintain the authenticity of a back country experience.Hot showers a real treat after a big day's walking. Great hosts - we felt secure having radio contact and track markers easy to spot. Awesome views from Fiery Pass and we also spotted deer. A track like this one is a fantastic opportunity to have quality time away with friends and family in awesome surroundings
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5.0/5
This is the first tramp in 17 years and my friend and I picked a beauty!!
First day was long and hot but oh so amazing. The three huts were fantastic, spotless and extremely well equipped. Can't believe we had flush toilets and hot water so far from madding crowd!! The little treats courtesy of Jo McAtamney along the way were so welcome. Views from start to finish were to die for, we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country. Anyone who has completed this tramp can't help but rate it highly.
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5.0/5
My friend and I walked this track mid January.
It was hot, 30 degrees, no wind. What an amazing experience. The accommodation is fantastic,the huts are so quaint, great little treats along the way. The first
day going up that huge hill was a slog but certainly worth it once we were at the top. I would suggest anyone walking the track take and use gaiters there are a few prickly bushes on the way. It was bliss having hot showers and flush toilets, but also sitting in a beautiful babbling brook drinking a bottle of wine was right up there. We loved the experience.
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5.0/5
We really enjoyed this track.
The musterers' huts were full of character yet very comfortable and the facilities (cooking, hot showers) were outstanding. We biked to the start of this track on touring bikes and were able to leave our bikes in safe keeping then have our paniers transported between huts - this meant that the only thing extra we had to take on a cycling tour were our walking shoes! The walk itself had stunning views and the highlights of the 3 day walk included the outside bath on the second night, the surprise treats along the way (but I won't say anything more about that in case I spoil it) and the sense of history of each hut. The concept of this track is great and I recommend it highly!!!
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5.0/5
A true back country experience in upgraded musterers huts still used for normal farm activities.
A reasonable level of fitness is required but the rewards more than compensate - the views and scenery are magnificent. If you want to experience NZ high country life then this is for you.
We struck heavy rain which really made for some spectacular rises in stream levels. It certainly made the trip absolutely memorable, its the sort of experience that all of us will remember for a lifetime. All our group of 8 were on the wrong side of 50 but managed the trek OK, slept well and enjoyed the challenges of cooking sort of outdoors.
The real test of any organisation is what they do when things go wrong. We had to radio for help when the streams got dangerously high and impossible to cross safely. Steve and Jo came out and took us round an alternate route and made sure that we were all safe. Two of our group had injured knees and were amazingly well looked after.
In summary, we all had an experience that was memorable and something that none of us will ever forget. So long as you are reasonably fit and are prepared to put in some effort then this trek is for you.
Impossible to make any negative comment.
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4.5/5
Our group of six older persons thoroughly enjoyed the Four Peaks experience.
It isn't a "walk in the park" so a reasonable level of fitness is required. We had sun, cloud, rain, hail and snow all in one day so be prepared for all weathers! The huts are rustic and comfortable but best of all, we never saw another human or vehicle for 3 days. Bliss. If you want a real high country station experience with wonderful views (when viewable), then this is a great choice.
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5.0/5
If you love mountain biking in the scenic high country outback, with a touch of history thrown in, then this is the perfect 3 day mtb ride adventure for you and a group of friends.
It certainly was for us and so we are ‘ranting and ranking’! We rode over farm tracks and up and over 3 ‘passes’ on this working high country station. We knew we needed to carry gear for changeable conditions and have a reasonable level of fitness and we were glad we went well prepared. The cycling demands vary with the terrain - expect to do some walking up the steeper inclines, but after the ‘grind’ you will be rewarded by some awesome downhills! It was roughly a 5 hour journey each day allowing for breaks with heaps of fantastic photo opportunities. We felt spoilt having our gear carried between the huts so we made sure we had the necessities to dine well! Being accommodated each night in restored historic musterers huts added to the atmosphere and gave us an appreciation for high country life. Important historical information (books, poems, photos and narratives) left in each hut by Jo and Steve helped to build this atmosphere. Jo and Steve clearly have a passion for sharing their high country life in this area and we felt privileged to be part of their new mtb venture. They are mindful of everyone’s safety and the responsibility of all to look after this environment.
Get a group of riding friends together and head for these hills for some challenge and fun. You won’t regret it!
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5.0/5
If you haven't booked in to mountain bike the Four Peaks High Country Track, then get cracking and do it.
A friend and I did this track through a high country station in April and can recommend it as a great mountain-biking experience. The scenery is absolutely incredible. The tracks are well-defined and there are some good grinds uphill that are guaranteed to get the heart and legs pumping. Even experienced mountain bikers (and we thought we were super fit!) may need to get off and walk (or not! - that's your challenge!). Great descents, awesome views and the accommodation is pretty cool - staying in musterers' huts that have been done up with great hot showers (and one even has an outside bath as well). This is an experience we won't easily forget and Steve and Jo's friendliness and hospitality made it even better. They even take your large packs for you so you just need your day pack - what more can you ask for? Definitely a must experience.
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5.0/5
Just had a great four days walking in the sun.
So used to organising everything myself, it was refreshing just to arrive somewhere with minimal effort and have every convenience laid on. There was a real sense of hospitality about the whole trip (including a few little surprises that I won't let on here). Great value, Great history. A nice combination of 4WD and proper off road tracks. Medium-challenging walking grade (these a quite big peaks... but you can pass on the big one if you want)... so expect to sweat a little. Anyway.. come on NZ... get away from your desks and computers and do something really worthwhile! Thanks guys! You deserve a 10!
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5.0/5
A great experience with awesome scenery, lovingly restored musters huts, well equipped, warm and comfortable.
Well maintained four wheel drive tracks with grunty uphill sections requiring some walking, and rewarding descents. Amazing to have this all to ourselves. Friendly, helpful hosts. Would love to do this trip again with the advantage of a bit more fitness.