Special school-term rates for NZ schools

School Camps

An experience of a lifetime

Plan a school camp in Hanmer Springs and give your students an experience of a lifetime. Extend their horizons, build their self-confidence, and encourage them to work as a team — all surrounded by the forest.

With a huge range of accommodation, on-site activities, catering, and facilities, we make it easy to run a camp of any size.

Where you can stay

Accommodation

There are a lot of options at Hanmer Springs Forest Camp. Schools can book the Ensor Lodge, the Forestry Huts, or the Abilities Lodge, and pair them with a kitchen to suit your group. We also offer tent sites for those wanting the full camping experience. Special school prices apply for New Zealand schools during term time.

Ensor Lodge

Family-style cabins arranged around a shared grassy courtyard — a great home base for larger school groups.

Forestry Huts

Simple, characterful cabins tucked among the trees — ideal for splitting classes into smaller groups.

Abilities Lodge

Purpose-built for accessibility and perfect for smaller groups — or combine it with the Forestry cabins.

Tent Sites

For groups wanting the full camping experience under the Hanmer sky.

Shared kitchens: pair your cabins with the Big Kitchen, Maling Kitchen, or Reid Kitchen — or a combination to fit your numbers.

Big Kitchen · seats 100 Maling Kitchen · seats 45 Reid Kitchen · seats 40

Mountain biking Tramping Overnight camps Bush skills Tree climbing Orienteering Problem solving Leadership training Weedbusting

On-site adventures

Activities

We have an outdoor activity company on site — Activity Hanmer — offering a range of challenging and exciting activities built for school camps. They also run team-building sessions for conferences, corporate events, social groups, and sports squads.

Visit Activity Hanmer

Meals sorted

Catering

If you’d rather not cook, let a caterer do the work. Catering packages are available for groups of any size staying at the camp. Using a catering service means you know your costs upfront — and you save valuable time. Choose from either of our on-site catering partners below.

4 Square Hanmer Springs

Catering packages for school groups of any size.

4 Square Catering Form >

Rusty Carrot Catering

Fresh, home-style catering for camps and groups.

4 Square Catering Form >

Everything else on site

Kitchens & grounds

Recreation Hall — a large hall available for hire, seating up to 90. Perfect for camp concerts, group activities, and conferences, with plenty of room to get creative.
BBQs — a number of BBQs are located around the camp for your school’s use. Gas bottles can be hired from Reception during your stay from $10.
Drying Room — ideal for drying those hard-to-dry garments during your stay. Just ask at Reception to have it turned on.
Playground & fields — a wonderful playground for the children to burn off some steam, plus open fields that are just right for recreation during your stay.

Camp Map 2026

PDF – Site Layout.

School Camp Pricing

PDF – View our current pricing.

School Reservations Form

PDF – Book your dates.

Ready to plan your school camp?

Get in touch to check availability, request a quote, or talk through the right mix of accommodation and activities for your group.

Contact our team