By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
Key facts
- Distance
- 2.5 km one way
- Walking time
- 50 min
- Track grade
- Intermediate
- Location
- Banks Peninsula area
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
This track will will take through beautiful old growth tōtara forest at Waipuna Saddle and on to Rod Donald Hut which you can book for an overnight stay or visit as a day walk.
This DOC directory entry covers Port Levy Saddle to Rod Donald Hut in Canterbury, within Banks Peninsula area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 2.5 km one way
- Walking time: 50 min
- DOC grade: Intermediate
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This track is part of the Te Ara Pātaka/Summit Walkway.
Cross Western Valley Road and follow the marked track to Waipuna Saddle. There is a beautiful old growth tōtara forest at Waipuna Saddle. This is on private land, but the landowner permits you to visit it.
Respect this very special place. Rod Donald Hut is down a side track and takes about 25 min to walk to from here. This section of the track is accessible by mountain bike, but bikes are best left at the top of the Rod Donald Hut track.
The Rod Donald Hut is on private land belonging to the Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust and protected by a QEII National Trust covenant. As with Packhorse Hut, bunks must be pre-booked through this website, but day walkers are welcome to visit.
Getting there
The Port Levy Saddle car park is at the top of Western Valley Road.
This steep, narrow gravel road connects Little River to Port Levy. It is not suitable for campervans or towing vehicles, and can be difficult for 2WD vehicles after heavy rain.
Know before you go
The track is suitable for people with moderate backcountry skills and experience. It's rough and steep in places.
The track is exposed to all weathers. It can be windy, cold and prone to low cloud in poor weather.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
