Great Rides of South Island New Zealand, 9 days

This itinerary is designed to showcase some of the very best trails the South Island has to offer. New Zealand has a vast network of cycle trails throughout the country offering a range of diverse landscapes; 23 have been awarded the Great Rides status. We have selected the finest sections of the best FOUR trails to cycle on ebike!

From glimmering Lake Tekapo to cycling sections of the Alps to Ocean trail near Aoraki/Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, ride past the snow‑capped peaks of the Southern Alps, turquoise glacier‑fed lakes and lush pastures dotted with sheep, as far as Lake Aviemore. Then peddle section of Central Otago to experience the stunning Lake Dunstan Trail which winds through a deep gorge and past world class Pinot Noir vineyards.

Ride along New Zealand’s original ‘Great Ride’, the Otago Central Rail Trail, the final ride explores the trails of Queenstown within the beautiful Lakes District, taking in the historic gold mining town of Arrowtown and the stunning Arrow River Bridges Trail.

Duration: 9 days

Itinerary

Highlights

~ Cycle finest sections of four spectacular Great Rides of the South Island all in one trip.

~ Admire pristine lakes, stunning river valleys and alpine landscapes of the South Island.

~ Ride the best sections of the spectacular Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail.

~ Enjoy time in Mt Cook Village, experiencing some of the short walk options including the stunning Hooker Valley Walk.

~ Cycle a section of the scenic Lake Dunstan Trail.

~ Experience a historic journey along a section of the Otago Central Rail Trail.

~ Peddle the trails of Queenstown within the beautiful Lakes District.

Day 1 Arrive Christchurch

Arrive Christchurch. Group shuttle transfer to the accommodation Rest of day is free at leisure until dinner. Official check in is 3 PM.

Christchurch, known as the “Garden City,” offers a blend of urban attractions and natural beauty, with the backdrop of the Port Hills and many beautiful beaches. If time permits, spend the free time checking out Christchurch’s cafes, outdoor shops, galleries and museums.

Meal: nil

Stay: hotel, Christchurch

Day 2 Christchurch – Twizel Great Ride #1 Alps to Ocean Trail

Drive south crossing the Canterbury Plains towards Geraldine, then over the scenic Burke’s Pass to the famous

Mackenzie Country, where Lake Tekapo soon appears as a bright blue jewel. Visit the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd perched on the edge of the shimmering lake with a panoramic mountain backdrop.

Embark on the first of the trip’s Great Ride Cycle Trails – the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail. This is NZ’s longest cycle path, travelling 300 KM from the highest mountain Aoraki/Mt Cook all the way to the ocean at Oamaru. Spend 2 days riding the best sections of this trail.

Begin on quiet roads alongside the turquoise blue waters through to Lake Pukaki. With amazing mountain views, ride around the lake shore before crossing the extensive tussock-lands of the Pukaki flats to the small town of Twizel.

Twizel is in the heart of a dark sky reserve so be sure to take a walk outside after dark to see the incredible starry skies.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel/motel, Twizel

Cycling Distance: 38 – 58 KM approx. Cycling Hours: 5+ hours est.

Day 3 Aoraki, Mt Cook National Park

Transfer to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, a rugged land of ice and rock, with 19 peaks over 3,000 metres including New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook.

Take a 3.5-hour hike on the Hooker Valley track along Hooker Valley and Hooker River, ending at the glacier lake, where there are amazing views of Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Mueller Glacier on a clear day. Along the way, cross the Hooker River via three swing bridges and see picturesque icebergs, glaciers and majestic mountains.

If time permits, there is also opportunity for other short walk options in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, it may be the Red Tarns Track with beautiful views of alpine tarns and Aoraki; Kea Point Track to the foot on Mount Sefton with beautiful glacier or Tasman Glacier Viewpoint, with vistas of NZ’s longest glacier and the Tasman Lake.

This afternoon, rest and relax or perhaps, you may explore the Edmund Hillary Centre or the highly recommended DOC centre.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Stay: hotel/motel, Twizel

Day 4 Twizel – Omarama Great Ride #1 Alps to Ocean Trail

The stunning scenery keeps coming as we ride alongside the Pukaki and Ohau canals with a vast mountainous backdrop, through to Lake Ohau. Then transfer to the historic woolshed at Quailburn for a ride down to Omarama.

Translating from Maori as ‘place of light’, Omarama is known for its extraordinarily clear skies, offering incredible star gazing opportunities at night. There may be the opportunity for a well-earned soak* in the hot tubs in Omarama.

This evening, enjoy a meal at a typical small town pub and experience real Kiwi hospitality.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel/motel, Omarama

Cycling Distance: 64 KM approx. Cycling Hours: 6+ hours est.

*additional at own expense

Day 5 Omarama – Clyde Great Ride #2 Lake Dunstan Trail

Transfer to Cromwell – a stunning 109-KM journey through the Lindis Pass and is known for its scenic beauty.

Ride the first section of the newest Great Ride, the Lake Dunstan Trail. It is a spectacular ride through unique and fascinating landscapes so characteristic of Central Otago. Start at Smith’s Way with an easy ride following the shores of Lake Dunstan.

Peddle through Cromwell’s old town. Here the galleries, coffee shops and boutiques give us a short break from the bike. Then continue along the Kawarau arm of Lake Dunstan to the Bannockburn Bridge. Wind our way through old mine tailings, wineries and olive groves and from Cornish Point Head into the dramatic Cromwell Gorge.

Pack up and a short van transfer to another quaint gold-mining town, Clyde.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel/motel, Clyde

Cycling Distance: up to 30 KM approx. Cycling Hours: 3+ hours est.

Day 6 Clyde – Wedderburn Great Ride #3 Otago Rail Trail

Great Ride 3 is the famous Otago Central Rail Trail, NZ’s original cycle trail, which opened in 2000. The 152-KM trail follows the former Otago Central railway line, which was responsible for opening up Central Otago by helping farmers and orchardists in Central Otago get their stock and produce to market in Dunedin.

A short transfer inland beyond the tiny settlement of Chatto Creek, the trail climbs gently before levelling off for easy riding through to the township of Lauder. The next section features the trip’s first tunnels and old railway bridges as we trace the pretty Poolburn Gorge and the Idaburn Valley. If time permits, stop at Hayes Engineering Works, a delightfully rustic heritage site, and Oturehua’s old-fashioned grocery store. Then it’s a gentle climb to the rail trail’s highpoint, follow by a downhill roll to Wedderburn.

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay: hotel/motel, Wedderburn

Cycling Distance: up to 45 KM approx. Cycling Hours: 5+ hours est.

Day 7 Great Ride #3 Otago Central Rail Trail

Join the trail in Ranfurly where the trail tracks towards Waipiata, then follows the edge of an old lake before entering the picturesque Taieri Gorge with more bridges and tunnels. It’s a flowing downhill ride to the historic Hotel Hyde, a picturesque spot for a breather. From here, the final 27 KM takes in the poignant 1943 Hyde rail disaster memorial, then wends across rolling plains towards the trail’s end at Middlemarch.

Transfer back to Wedderburn. A dinner celebration for completing our 3rd Great Ride.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel/motel, Wedderburn

Cycling Distance: up to 75 KM approx. Cycling Hours: 7+ hours est.

Day 8 Wedderburn – Queenstown Great Ride #4 Queenstown Trails

Cycle the Queenstown Trails, the 4th and final of the Great Rides of our South Island adventure. With a scenic drive from Wedderburn, make our way into Gibbston Valley, renowned for its vineyards and Pinot Noir.

Cycle alongside the Kawarau River to the historic bridge and the origin of AJ Hackett’s bungy jump. Here Witness bungy jumpers and zipliners getting their adrenaline fix! Continue on to the Arrow River Bridges trail, which criss-crosses the sparkling Arrow River over huge purpose-built suspension bridges to reach Arrowtown.

Arrowtown is a charming, picturesque gold mining town. There may be time to explore the old Chinese mining settlement or take a leisurely stroll around.

Pedal past more colourful Central Otago vineyards to meet the Twin Rivers Trail linking the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers. On reaching the edge of Lake Wakatipu nestled amongst vast mountain ranges, our cycle trail weaves along the shore and takes us into central Queenstown through the botanical gardens.

Tonight, enjoy our final dinner together.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel, Queenstown

Cycling Distance: up to 45 KM approx. Cycling Hours:5+ hours est.

Day 9 Depart Queenstown

Simply rest and relax until it’s time for the group shuttle transfer to Queenstown Airport and the tour concludes. Official check out time is 12 PM.

Meal: Breakfast

Inclusions

~ 8 nights in accommodation;

~ 7 breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 6 dinners;

~ return airport group shuttle transfers on day 1 and day 9;

~ luggage transfer as required;

~ provision of mountain bicycle + helmet during cycling days;
(FREE ebike upgrade)

~ provision of water and snacks during cycling hours;

~ provision of support vehicle during cycling days;

~ service on an English-Speaking Cycling Lead.

Exclusions

~ air/land travel to Christchurch/Queenstown, New Zealand;

~ New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorisation application NZeTA;

~ visa arrangement, if required;

~ meals not mentioned within the itinerary;

~ comprehensive personal travel insurance;

~ expenditure on personal effects;

~ anything not specified in the trip inclusion and itinerary.

Important Notes

~ Non – refundable deposit, 30% of total tour price is required at the time of booking. If the actual trip price increases by more than 10% than the featured price, cyclists may withdraw, and the deposit will be fully refunded.

~ Full or balance payment is 60 days prior to departure.

~ Only book your air ticket to Christchurch/Queenstown, New Zealand when you have been informed to do so.

~ Most visitors will require New Zealand Electronic Travel Authorisation (NZeTA) to enter New Zealand, check your entry requirement and apply HERE.

~ Should you require a visa to enter New Zealand, it is your responsibility to obtain such document before departure. Check your entry requirement and apply for your visa HERE if you require.

~ The trail surfaces vary from hard packed to loose gravel yet all are purpose built for off‑road cycling and are well maintained.

~ Every effort is made to ensure the trip and included experiences take place during the ideal time or period of the year, however certain sights are subject to weather conditions and seasonal variations that are not within the control of Travel Wander. Although you may get to see and/or experience, we cannot guarantee the sightings.

~ Provision of meals during the trip showcases the local authenticity, cuisine and food culture of the places we are visiting. All food allergies and dietary restrictions must be disclosed to Travel Wander at the time of booking. We will use reasonable efforts to accommodate special requirements or requests but this is not always possible given the nature of the destinations visited and availability of options. We cannot guarantee that dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated. Travel Wander is not liable for failure to accommodate or fulfil such requests. Meal supplementary charges may be imposed to meet your dietary needs.

~ Trip grading is an indication on the difficulty of the activities included. Preparation and engaging in regular exercise to maintain good physical condition and active lifestyle prior to the trip will be most beneficial in ensuring you have full enjoyment of the trip. We are glad to discuss your concerns and answer your queries.

~ Our utmost priority is always the safety of the cyclists. Therefore, the inclusion of the itinerary may be altered due (not limited) to bad weather, local conditions, accommodation book out, the skill levels of the cyclists and/or other unexpected circumstances beyond our control. We reserve the right to make changes necessary, and there will be no refund should you decide to discontinue the trip.

~ You will need a good level of fitness on this trip. Because cycling requires a certain level of cardio and stamina exertion, it is not suitable for cyclists with chronic and/or acute diseases. Please consider your physical condition before booking. Cyclists must ensure they are medically and physically able to cycle.

~ If cyclist presents difficulty in completing the ride of the day, we strongly discourage the cyclist from continuing for the day with top priority on the safety of the cyclist and team in mind. The cyclist can board the support vehicle for relaxation. There is no refund on this portion of the trip.

~ Cyclist may choose to terminate the ride early during any time of the planned cycling day or make it a rest day. Cyclist can relax onboard the support vehicle. There is no refund on this portion of the trip.

~ Purchasing comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. See HERE for details.

~ By making a payment to Travel Wander LLP, you (and on behalf of the rest of travelling companions) acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to Travel Wander’s Booking Conditions and Other Important Information: Cancellation and Amendment, Modes of Payment, Privacy Policy, Indemnity Policy, and Terms & Conditions.

Activity	Cycling
Cycling Grade	Grade 3 – Intermediate
Season	01 – January, 02 – February, 10 – October, 11 – November, 12 – December
Country	New Zealand

Great Rides of South Island New Zealand, 9 days