Middle Earth Tour

Why only cycle in the summer? For those looking for some sun and a chance to ride through the worst of the British winter we offer our favourite regular trip ‘down under’. New Zealand is a long way to go so this is a 4 week trip, enough time to really see something of this incredible country. We will cover plenty of ground on both islands but a number of rest days have been built in to spend time at some of the key locations.

Our trip starts in Auckland. We head south via the coast to the famous volcanic springs of Rotorua and then on to Lake Taupo for a day of rest and sightseeing. We continue south through the rugged lower half of North Island, arriving in Wellington for a leisurely day taking the ferry across the infamous Cook Strait to Picton and South Island.

From Picton we take the picturesque coastal route round to the spectacular west coast, passing through Nelson, Westport and Greymouth before arriving in Fox Glacier where we have a day to explore.

The last leg takes us inland via Haast Pass through the southern alps and then down to Te Annau, jumping off point for Fjordland. For our last day we abandon the bikes to enjoy an excursion by coach and boat to Milford Sound, finishing in Queenstown (adventure capital of the world) where we will catch connecting flights back to Auckland.

In all we will cover 1200 miles, averaging 58 per riding day. New Zealand offers challenging riding with little flat ground but our timetable has been adjusted to make the trip manageable for all regular cyclists.

Whether you have always wanted to see NZ, or already have and are hankering to return, what better way to chase away the winter blues?