Track & Trail Cycle Adventures

Tour Aotearoa – North Island takes riders the length of the North Island, from the Cape Reinga lighthouse to Wellington's harbourfront, over 14 days of riding and 1,400 km. The route strings together five of New Zealand's 23 "Great Rides", including the Hauraki Rail Trail, Waikato River Trail, Timber Trail, sections of Mountains to Sea and the Remutaka Rail Trail, alongside Ninety Mile Beach, ancient kauri forest and a Kaipara Harbour ferry crossing.

Terrain mixes sealed road, cycle trail, gravel and beach or forest single track, with a rest day in Whanganui after the Whanganui National Park stage. Nights are spent in a rotating mix of hotels, holiday cabins and lodges, with most meals covered.

They cap the tour at eight riders and provide one guide/driver plus a support vehicle, though it can't reach every section of trail.

Highlights:

• Ride Ninety Mile Beach and visit Tāne Mahuta in the ancient Waipoua Forest
• Cross Kaipara Harbour by ferry from Pouto Point to Helensville
• Link three Great Rides in succession: Hauraki Rail Trail, Waikato River Trail and Timber Trail
• Climb the Kaiwhakauka Track to the Bridge to Nowhere, then jet boat down the Whanganui River
• Finish over the Remutaka Rail Trail and into Wellington via the new Te Ara Tupua coastal path

Surface and terrain:
Roughly 35% sealed road, 30% cycle trail and 25% gravel, the rest beach or forest single track. Terrain is variable with an average riding speed near 15 km/h. Some days involve 1,500–2,000 m of climbing and descending. Hardtail/full-suspension MTB, gravel or touring bikes with wide tyres suit best.

Suitable for:
Seasoned cyclists capable of around 100 km/day over varied, often off-road terrain, comfortable with gravel, single track and sustained climbing.

Kōpiko Aotearoa traverses the North Island at its widest point, running 1,060 km from the East Cape lighthouse to Cape Egmont on the Taranaki coast. Riders climb over 16,000 m across the tour, following remote sealed and gravel back roads through Te Urewera, Waikaremoana, the Timber Trail and the King Country to Whangamomona and New Plymouth.

The route mixes coastal riding, native forest, high country farmland and sections of three Great Rides, finishing with a half-day ride to Pukeiti before returning to Rotorua. Accommodation is a mix of resorts, guest houses, lodges and community stays, with six of twelve nights rated high quality.

They cap the tour at 10 riders, with a support vehicle available for most of the route (though not on sections like the Timber Trail), and a personal locator beacon carried in remote areas.

Highlights:

• Start at first light at the East Cape Lighthouse, the world's easternmost sunrise point
• Ride through Te Urewera past Rere Falls, Rere Rockslide and Lake Waikaremoana
• Cross the Timber Trail's suspension bridges and the Ongarue Railway Spiral
• Climb the Okahukura Saddle and pass through the historic Moki Tunnel to Whangamomona
• Cross the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge with Mount Taranaki in view, finishing near Cape Egmont

Surface and terrain:
Around 60% sealed road, 27% quiet gravel road and 13% cycle trail. Terrain is demanding, with multiple daily saddle climbs and over 16,000 m of total ascent across the tour. Hardtail/full-suspension MTB, gravel or touring bikes with wide tyres are recommended; road bikes are not suitable.

Suitable for:
Seasoned, well-trained cyclists capable of 75–110 km of demanding, hilly, partly unpaved riding per day.

Tour Aotearoa – South Island runs the length of the South Island from Picton to Bluff, covering around 1,250 km over 12 days of riding. The route climbs out of the Marlborough Sounds, threads goldfields country to Nelson and Lake Rotoroa, then crosses to the West Coast via Reefton and Greymouth, picking up the West Coast Wilderness Trail to Hokitika.

From there riders continue past Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers (with a rest day at the glaciers), over Haast Pass and along Lake Wānaka to Cromwell, Queenstown and Walter Peak Station, finishing through Southland's high country and flat farmland into Bluff.

They cap the tour at eight riders, with one staff member driving, navigating and providing light mechanical support, plus a support vehicle that can't reach every trail section.

Highlights:

• Ride the Tasman Great Taste Trail and cross Braeburn and Maruia Saddles to the West Coast
• Follow the West Coast Wilderness Trail from Kumara to Hokitika
• Rest day among the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers
• Climb Haast Pass through Mount Aspiring National Park to Lake Wānaka
• Cross Lake Wakatipu by boat to Walter Peak Station and ride through the Von Valley to Mavora Lakes
• Finish through Southland's plains into Bluff at Stirling Point

Surface and terrain:
Roughly 35% sealed road, 30% cycle trail and 25% gravel, the rest beach or forest single track. Terrain is hilly with saddle climbs (Braeburn, Maruia, Haast Pass) and variable trail surfaces at an average speed near 15 km/h. Hardtail/full-suspension MTB, gravel or touring bikes with wide tyres suit best.

Suitable for:
Seasoned cyclists capable of around 100 km/day over varied, often off-road terrain, comfortable with gravel, single track and sustained saddle climbs.