South Island 15 day Mountain Bike Tour

Christchurch

You will be met and greeted on arrival at the airport and transferred to your accommodation. Join us for an afternoon tour of the city, including a highlight stop at the "Sign of the Takahe", with views over the city to the Canterbury Plains and the Southern Alps. We will fit your bikes, before enjoying an evening at one of the many excellent local restaurants.
[No Cycling]

Day 2

Christchurch - Lake Coleridge

The nearby Port Hills provide us with magnificent views and we will begin with a great warm-up ride around the summit track. After lunch in Sumner we board our bus and will be driven to Lake Lyndon, a ninety minute drive across the Canterbury Plains, before we reach the lower peaks of the impressive Southern Alps. We cycle on a gravel road to Ryton Station, where we will be based for the next two days. [45km single trail & gravel road biking, 3.5hr riding time]

Lake Coleridge

After a hearty country breakfast we get on our bikes and make our way through the high country. The Pinnacle Track guides us over meadows and rivers, up and down with fantastic views of the mountains and valleys. We have got all day to experience the peaceful natural surroundings on private farmland.
[41km biking, 3.5hrs riding time]

Day 4

Lake Coleridge - Omarama

The day starts with a jetboat ride on the Rakaia River. Then we bike along the expansive riverbed of the Rakaia River and around the Mount Hutt Range with a spectacular view overlooking the Plains. At Lake Heron we load our bikes onto the trailer. During the 3 hour bus ride to Omarama we will pass through the MacKenzie Basin, and Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki. On a clear day, we can view the snowcapped peak of Aoraki/Mount Cook - New Zealand's highest mountain.
We then continue to Omarama or "Place of light" which is famed as a gliding centre.
[45km biking]

Omarama – Shortlands Station

For the next few days we will be accompanied by a local guide. We follow the Omarama stream with many river crossings before we climb to St Bathans pass - an old goldmining track and leads us to the little settlement of the same name. Today the former digging hole is a fantastic lake that varies in colour daily. A refreshing dip in the lake or a cold beer at the historic pub could finish this beautiful ride, before our bus takes us back to the farm.
[45km biking]

Day 6

Shortlands Station and Danseys Pass

The Station owned by our hosts David & Glenys, is huge and a mountain biker’s heaven. Today’s track provides us with breathtaking views and a fantastic downhill ride. At the end of the day a scrumptious meal in Glenys’ kitchen awaits us.
[34km biking]

Shortlands Station – Clyde

Phil our local guide will show us some great tracks around Naseby Forest, the highest exotic forest in the South Island. We will then ride along the famous Otago Rail Trail. It is a disused railway line, which has been converted into a cycling and hiking track. After lunch at Chatto Creek we stay on the Rail Trail for the 25km to Alexandra followed by another 10km alongside the mighty Clutha River to Clyde.
[95km biking]

Clyde - Queenstown

This morning we start with a steep ascent to the Bannockburn Range, but should be rewarded at the top with magnificent views. The last stretch for the day is a downhill ride to the well known wine-growing area of Bannockburn, where our bus is waiting for us.
[35km biking]

Day 9

Queenstown - Rest Day

Queenstown, the outdoor adventurer’s capital of the world! Take the Gondola ride to the Skyline restaurant, viewpoint and luge ride. Don’t miss the lake cruise aboard the historic steamship ‘Earnslaw’, jet boating on the Shotover river, Bungy jumping, white water rafting, paragliding, or a visit to the Kiwi and Birdlife Park to see New Zealand's national icon in the flesh. Or take a day trip to Fiordland's, Milford or Doubtful Sound.

Day 10

Queenstown - Fox Glacier

We leave Queenstown and traverse Lakes Hawea and Wanaka. The road enters the Makarora Valley and Mt Aspiring National Park. We start cycling from Makarora to the Haast Pass (563m), and along the Haast river to the rugged West Coast and the Tasman Sea.
On reaching Haast township we load up the bikes and drive the final 115km up the coast through South Westland to glacier country and Fox Glacier township.
[84km road biking, 5.5hrs riding time]

Day 11

Fox Glacier - Punakaiki

This morning there is time for a walk to the Glacier face which is just above sea-level, or there maybe time for an optional Helicopter flight over the Glaciers, before we continue our northbound journey in the vehicle.
After 165km we arrive in Hokitika and for those are interested, there is time to visit a Greenstone factory before we drive to our picnic lunch spot at Lake Kaniere. This afternoon we have a 1.5 - 2 hour single trail ride along the ‘Water Race’ - a relic left behind from gold-mining days - before driving to Punakaiki with its famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes.
[15km biking]

Punakaiki - St. Arnaud

Early morning walk along the Truman track before our journey takes us through to the beautiful Buller Gorge. Late morning we ride through old West Coast gold and coal mines. We have lunch in Murchison and cycle via the Braeburn Pass to Lake Rotoroa. It is a mixture of road and gravel, with some great climbs. The small village of St. Arnaud lies in the Nelson Lakes National Park, one of the best in New Zealand, where we will stay overnight.
[62km biking]

St. Arnaud – Portage (Queen Charlotte Track)

In the early hours our bus takes us to Picton, and then we take a boat trip of about an hour through the picturesque Queen Charlotte Sound to Resolution Bay (or Ship Cove), where we start our single trail ride. After lunch (not included) at Punga Cove Resort restaurant, a challenging afternoon lies ahead, during which we will be rewarded with
breathtaking views of the Marlborough Sounds.
[51km single trail riding]

Day 14

Portage – Kaikoura

From Portage we bike through lush green coastal forest over mountain ridges to Anakiwa. We then ride along the winding Queen Charlotte Drive to Picton, where our bus is waiting to take us to
Kaikoura. This fishing village is well known for it’s whale watching tours.
[20km single trail, 20km road]

Kaikoura – Christchurch - Departure

The morning is at your own leisure. As a final highlight you could join a whale watch tour or take a walk to historic Fyffe Cottage on the Peninsula, before driving 2.5 hours back to Christchurch and the end of the tour.