New Zealand

South West Coast Cycle

9 Day/8 Night Cycle Touring New Zealand Queenstown to Christchurch

Detailed Itinerary

Highlights: With the South Island offering some of the best cycling in NZ, this 9 day itinerary provides a crossing of the Southern Alps and some the best of the best in cycling!

Starting in Christchurch with the Tranz Alpine train to Arthur's Pass, followed by eight days of spectacular riding through the Glacier region and over spectacular Haast Pass, this tour finishes in the beautiful Southern Lakes district around Wanaka & Queenstown.  This is New Zealand's most famous & scenic multi day cycle ride known as one of the world's top five touring routes.

 "Thanks Steve, Tim and Chris for loading and unloading bikes and bags everyday, enabling us to enjoy as much of the South Island as we could in our short visit.  For rustling up some great picnic lunches, and the reassuring blasts of the horn to let us know you were near, as we cycled in various conditions.  For organising kayaking and the Fox Glacier walk, both new exciting memorable experiences.  You made it a really good trip for all of us." - Kathryn Hall, UK Great West Coaster, Dec 2007

Note - apart from leaving & entering the main centers it is possible for strong riders to cycle the whole route on this tour. Less experienced riders can also be accommodated by using the support vehicle to leapfrog ahead or catch up with the group. On all our tours strong riders will get as much cycling as they want & slower riders always have the option of a ride in the support vehicle.

Itinerary

Day 1  Christchurch to Hokitika   40km Riding distance

We pick you up from your Christchurch hotel at 7.00am and bring you back to the depot for a bike fitting.  Following that, we drop you and your bikes at the station for your Tranzalpine Express departure at 8.15am. 

We arrive in Greymouth at around  12.45pm and from here we cycle southwards through the rural countryside before it finally reaches the craft center of Hokitika, home of the local jade known as Pounamu, or Greenstone. (L, D)   

Day 2         Hokitika to Franz Josef Glacier                135km Riding distance    Altitude Gain 799m

Suggested Shorter Option - Ross to Whataroa - 81km

Further south, the glacier country beckons and the road soon changes from rural countryside to one fringed with the mighty podocarp rainforests. Along the way we break for coffee at Ross, one of the early gold-mining townships and then onwards through Hari Hari and Whataroa until finally we reach Franz Josef Glacier township for the night. (B) 

Day 3          Franz Josef Glacier to Fox Glacier                 25km Riding distance     Altitude Gain 580m
This morning is a chance to relax but for those who feel the need for some upper body exercise there is an option to do some sea-kayaking into the rainforest at the nearby Okarito Lagoon & bird sanctuary. The distance to Fox Glacier is only a matter of 25 kms but that ride crosses three strenuous passes, each followed by an exciting and exhilarating downhill.

The ride is worth the effort with the last downhill into Fox leading straight into one the village cafes or bars. In the evening we take a short tour to walk around nearby Lake Matheson with its famous sunset reflections of New Zealand's highest mountains. (B, L)

Day 4  Fox Glacier - Rest Day

Time for a day off the saddle and Fox Glacier is a great place to enjoy this. Relax and catch up with your diary or postcards. Your guide will take you for a walk to the base of the Glacier, but you also have the option of going with the local Alpine Guiding company for a half or full day hike onto the glacier itself.

Flight-seeing is very popular here either in fixed wing planes around the mountains or a helicopter flight to land on the snowfields high above the village. For those with extra energy we offer a late afternoon drive & then walk along the isolated Gillespies beach. (B)

Day 5         Fox Glacier to Haast                                    120km Riding distance     Altitude Gain 646m

Shorter Option - Fox to Lake Moeraki - 89 kms

After the free day we head off again on the beautiful highways and flat roads. The road reaches the coast at Bruce Bay before turning inland again and skirting the beautiful Lake Moeraki and then the Knights Point coastline. Eventually we roll into Haast township and a final night on the west coast. (B, L, D)

Day 6    Haast to Makarora                                             82km Riding distance     Altitude Gain 834m

Haast Pass presents another of the riding highlights. For some 50 kms the road slowly rises as the mighty Landsborough river joins the nearby Clark Valley. Countless waterfalls cascade from the mountains towering above the road & the lush rainforest changes to beechforest as you get higher up the valley. A final serious climb takes us to the summit of the pass at 678m.

From here there is a 20km ride down into the beautiful township of Makaroa and a deserved end to the days ride. If the descent does not provide enough excitement there is a thrilling jet-boat ride nearby taking you deep into the Mount Aspiring National Park. (B, L, D)

Day 7          Makarora to Wanaka                                    68km Riding distance      Altitude Gain 605m

Dramatic changes in the landscape today as we enter the dry arid country on the eastern side of the ranges. Today we cycle alongside spectacular lakes as the road rolls down into the headwaters of the Otago valleys and then climbs along the lake shore before taking us into the bustling resort township of Lake Wanaka. The afternoon is free to enjoy the shopping & relax alongside the lake. (B)

Day 8          Wanaka to Queenstown                                   78km Riding distance        Altitude Gain 1132m

This morning we head out of town on a 25km cycle to the historic township of Cardrona, passing on our way the famous "Bra Fence" - ladies you are welcome to leave your mark?

From here the last serious climb of your tour takes us to our highest point, 1070m at the top of the Crown Range with its spectacular views, before a wicked drop down into Arrowtown for lunch. We have time to enjoy this historic Gold Mining town before our final ride into Queenstown. (B, L, D)

Day 9   Queenstown

Our tour ends today after breakfast and we must sadly say farewell. Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the world. The town is situated alongside a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains so relaxing is also very easy to do & the shopping is fantastic. We recommend you spend some extra time here and are happy to help with accommodation bookings. (B)

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Back to Top