The new track to Packhorse Hut via Tūpari Reserve starts at the Kaituna Valley car park. It’s well signposted from the car park, and there’s a big map as well if you’re still in doubt. The track climbs along the ridge to the northwest from the car park, and once it reaches the 220 m contour, it follows the contour to the first creek and a beautiful patch of native forest – a good reminder of what much of Banks Peninsula used to look like.
The track then climbs gradually at first, and later more steeply, gaining height and sidling around pt562 and pt571 at about the 360-400 m contour, before finally meeting the Kaituna Valley – Packhorse Hut Track.
I have to say that the Tūpari Reserve Track to Packhorse Hut is pretty stunning compared to the somewhat monotonous valley DOC track. Unlike that track, the Tūpari Reserve Track offers views from the very beginning, and the patches of original rainforest are a nice cherry on top.
From Packhorse Hut, we continued along Faulkner Track towards an obvious straight fenceline that led us to the Eye of the Needle. Faulkner Track is lovely and one of my favourite tracks on the peninsula. The track to the Needle follows a fence up a very steep grassy slope. It’s somewhat unforgiving, and there’s no real option but to grit your teeth and keep going. Higher up, the track leaves the fenceline and continues through some hebes and scrub before finally reaching the Eye of the Needle.
Most members of our party completed the scramble without issues, but a few trampers needed some verbal encouragement – and in some cases, a bit of a controlled, gentle push 🙂
From the top of the Eye of the Needle, there’s a well-defined track leading through gorse to the “official” summit (marked by a pole with a pile of rocks), and then down to the Te Araroa / Te Ara Pātaka Walkway. From there, it’s just a matter of rolling down the hill to Packhorse Hut, followed by about an hour’s easy stroll back to the cars.
Great day out – this may become my Banks Peninsula staple walk!
Stats: 16.5 km, 6h 10min, 1015 m ascent. Track on NZ Topo Map (GPX download below).
Participants: Michal Klajban (leader, scribe, GPX), Kate Stedman, Diana Dolensky, Tim Anderson, Yurii Kotok, Damian Wilkinson, Lisa McArthur, Charlotte Littlewood, Carol Armstrong, Michael Drawbridge, Joanna Buchajczyk, Jennifer Poole, Andrew Ecker
Tramped on 19th April 2026.
Photos
Map
Max elevation: 850 m
Min elevation: 39 m
Be the first to comment on "Tūpari Reserve Packhorse Hut Track + the Eye of the Needle"