Banks Track / Banks Peninsula, NZ

This is a beautiful track. Different every day. The accommodation is quirky and lovely, in beautiful settings, inviting to spend a comfortable afternoon and evening with good wine, beer and food. So convenient to have your luggage and food transported. Very doable but a reasonable amount of fitness required for the two hill climbs. Had a great time with friends. Can thoroughly recommend.

We walked as a group of 4. There was a family with 4 children and a young couple also doing the 3 day hike also. Stunningly beautiful scenery enjoyed by all over 3 perfect days. Huts were all different, but all unique, clean, comfortable and quirky. Some good climbs and descents made the evenings great for relaxing and recouperating. All in a thoroughly excellent experience. Thank you!

Awesome family adventure (kids aged 12, 12 and 16)!!While challenging (particularly days 1 and 3), totally doable and thoroughly enjoyable. From the stunning views, lush NZ bush, unique accommodation (Stony Bay being the standout highlight, but all locations excellent), to the cool wildlife (sheep, seals, penguins and native birds), we all loved this 3 day family hiking experience!Highly recommend the Banks Track.

This was an amazing experience for the whole family. Each day was different but every day came with amazing views, scenery and experiences. The different huts that we stayed in during the 3 days were all interesting and quirky. It felt like a real achievement doing it and it was definitely an experience that the whole family will remember forever.

I had a wonderful time walking the Banks Track in 2 days, with a lucky perfect streak of weather! The facilities were beautiful - stunning cabins with lots of treats for purchase and lots of amenities (compared to a DOC hut at least!). The customer service from start to finish was excellent, and you could really feel the manaakitanga from all the families who run the track. As a regular tramper, I found the 2 day walk to be fairly easy, although I heard from 3 day trampers who aren't used to so much walking that it was a struggle for them (and I can imagine that it would be challenging in wet weather!!). It was wonderful meeting other walkers from the Christchurch region, from around NZ, and from overseas, and the way the track is set up meant that we had great opportunities to chat over a fire with a beer in hand. My expectations were exceeded - thank you to the families who are taking such care to make this walk possible!

This was one of our favourite hikes in New Zealand. The track and flora are really diverse, and the accommodation each night reflects the personality of each land owner.The first night seems very luxurious, the bird life is stunning, and the first day as you set of seems to go straight up. But someone else meanwhile is carrying your pack, so slow and steady as the terrain and plant life changes gradually.As you go over the other side you enter forest and drop into your second night which you share with penguins. The free penguin tour was great, and it is heart warning to see a farmer caring so well for marine life.The second day was a real surprise. We thought it might be dull walking through farm paddocks, but the scenery was stunning. The shelter that is neighbour to a seal colony is a great place to rest.The 3rd huts are so quirky. We had the pleasure of being visited by 4 seal pups in the river.The third day is probably the toughest with some steep sections, but once again the forests and flora are quite distinctive including totara and tree fuschia.All up, highly recommended. Not carrying packs and getting resupplied along the way = win. The huts are a win too - this isn't like DOC huts where you could be on racks next to some epic snorer. There is also the private room option.

Wow what a treat. Highly recommend from start to finish. Beautiful bays, magical scenery. Recommend the sea Kayaking option for the beautiful wildlife. Can not recommend this walk highly enough. What a true Gem. Lucky humans we are having such beautiful walking options in NZ.

I walked this with 4 friends in October and we had the most incredible time. The views were amazing and we saw so many native birds and seals. We even saw a penguin! The accommodation was well maintained and clean. Thoroughly recommend to anyone thinking of doing it.

The Banks Peninsula Track is a magical place. Each of the three days of hiking is filled with spectacular vistas, well-cared for and well marked trails, and each overnight hut experience has such a unique flavor. There’s an ambiance on the trails and in the huts that arises out of a warm and thankful experience: amazing views, interesting trails, well cared-for resting places each night. Not carrying our packs was itself fantastic! One was free to appreciate it all without backpack struggles. The trails were a mix across all levels of difficulty but all well marked and looked afterIt is clear that this unique group of people who run and care for this wonderful 3-day hike cherish the place and make sure we all notice its specialness and splendor.A highlight at Flea Bay was, of course, the amazing and interesting penguin walk with Joey Helps and other scientists. Wow! We learned so much and her enthusiasm, knowledge and love of these beautiful birds was inspiring.We hiked around lots of places on the South Island over a month. The Banks Peninsula was beyond all, our favorite.Make sure you sign up early, well before you plan to go. Worth every minute!

Wow! I highly recommended this 3-day walk! From start to finish the surprises along the way just kept coming! From nature (spectacular scenery, native forests, beaches, swimming under waterfalls to wildlife (we saw kereru swooping, fantails flitting, geckos skittering, Hector dolphins on the kayak trip, seals and penguins) to the quirky huts (each hut stay was its own unique experience, comfortable sleeping arrangements, good cooking facilities and clean toilet/showers, views!) and stories you learn along the way from the people you go with and meet makes it a worthwhile experience! I came back from a ladies trip fizzing to learn more about The Banks Peninsula. The walk itself had its ups and downs but the changes in scenery, places to stop along the way and the fact that overnight packs are carried for you (you can even ride with them for the walk isn’t for you) gives this walk accessible opportunities for all! Thank you for creating this for us to enjoy!