With
its variety of terrain and lack of heavy
traffic (outside of Auckland metropolitan
area), New Zealand is the perfect place
to tour on a bicycle. Most of New Zealand
looks like it emerged from a picture postcard.
With its many national parks, New Zealand
is well known for its "green and clean"
natural environment. Its stunning scenery
and many microclimates make cycling in New
Zealand challenging and pleasurable at the
same time. More...
With
its variety of terrain and lack of heavy
traffic (outside of Auckland metropolitan
area), New Zealand is the perfect place
to tour on a bicycle. Most of New Zealand
looks like it emerged from a picture postcard.
With its many national parks, New Zealand
is well known for its "green and clean"
natural environment. Its stunning scenery
and many microclimates make cycling in New
Zealand challenging and pleasurable at the
same time. Less...
When
to Visit
The two main
islands of New Zealand have different climates,
and as such, the best time to cycle either
one will differ. While the North Island
can be explored year round, the South Island
has a cooler climate, and therefore, a shorter
cycling season. The best time to visit New
Zealand's South Island is between late November
and mid April when the weather is warm.
If you do not mind the summer humidity (December
- February) then the North Island can be
explored on a bicycle year round.
However, if you want to avoid the crowds
and be sure of availability of accommodations
in smaller towns, we recommend you avoid
New Zealand's peak tourist season and their
summer holidays (late December through January). Less...
Climate
and Weather
New Zealand
has a maritime climate and the weather can
change unpredictably. In the Southern Alps
of the South Island you can encounter snow
even during summer months and temperatures
can drop quickly. If you are cycling in
the Southern Alps region, it is imperative
that you come well prepared for any kind
of weather.
The prevailing winds (and it is windy in
New Zealand, especially along the western
coastal areas) come from the Tasman Sea
and are blowing west to east year-round.
They can range from gentle breezes to raging
winds and storms in winter. On occasion,
the winds come from the south from Antarctica
and these are icy cold southerly winds which
always indicate that colder weather is on
its way. The windiest season is in spring
between September and November, while the
calmest is in fall from March to May.
The high mountains along the west coast
of New Zealand, especially on the South
Island, influence the weather to the east.
This is one reason you will find many microclimates
in New Zealand; on the South Island it can
be dry and hot on the Canterbury Plains
in the summer and cold and rainy on the
west coast. The west coast of the South
Island, along the Southern Alps, can get
up to 750 cm (24 ft) of annual rainfall,
while the east plains (west, south, and
north of Christchurch) may only get 33 cm
(1 ft) of rain. Less...
How
to Get There
If you
are traveling by air, then you will most
likely arrive at one of the main international
airports which are Auckland on the North
Island and Christchurch on the South Island.
From there you can take another regional
flight to your final destination, or use
bus, shuttle, or taxi to get you to a
hotel, motel or B&B. If you feel energetic,
after a generally long trip, and you brought
your bicycle with you, you can assemble
your bike at the airport and get on your
way to explore New Zealand.
There are several scenic trains operated
by Rail New Zealand, where you can transport
your fully assembled bicycle in specially
designated railroad cars to destinations
on the North and South Islands. If you
decide to use one of the trains, it is
recommended that you make reservations
prior to your arrival in New Zealand,
especially if you are traveling during
high tourist season. Less...
Accommodations
Most of
New Zealand's accommodations are clean
and well serviced and relatively affordable.
You can simply camp (if you prefer to
carry your own tent) or stay in a basic
hostel, or you can select a more comfortable
option such as motel, hotel, private flat,
or B&B (Bed and Breakfast).
You will find that many private and B&B
accommodations in New Zealand offer shared
bathroom (generally for lesser rate) which
may have a shower but not bath, or vice
versa. If you prefer a room with private
bath or shower (or both) look for accommodations
advertising "ensuite" and always ask if
the bathroom has a bathtub (There is nothing
more soothing than a good bath after a
hard day's ride). Less...
What
You Need to Know
New Zealand stretches over 1,000 miles/1,600
km from north to south. It consists of
two main islands, the North Island and
the South Island. The area of these two
islands (266, 000 sq km) is larger than
United Kingdom, but smaller than Japan.
The population of New Zealand is 3.8 million.
Maori are the New Zealand's natives and
their culture is intertwined with New
Zealand's history, so that many of the
landmarks and national parks have Maori
names. Maori is one of the two official
New Zealand's languages; the other is
English.
New Zealand has a modern economy and enjoys
the same level of standards of living
as other "developed" countries in the
world.
More than a quarter of New Zealanders
live in the largest city of Auckland (more
people live there than on the entire South
Island). The capital is Wellington, also
known as the windiest city of New Zealand.
Among other things, Wellington is known
for its world cup mountain bike races.
New Zealand's traffic drives on the left.
If you like to use a rear view bicycle
mirror, whether helmet-mount, handlebar-mount
or other, be sure you make necessary adjustments
or purchase one for the right side of
your helmet or bicycle handle bar. A rear
view bicycle mirror is strongly recommended
because most New Zealand drivers (especially
around Auckland and on the North Island)
are unpredictable and have a tendency
to pass cyclists uncomfortably close;
therefore, being able to view the traffic
behind you is very important.
Electricity in New Zealand is 230V, 50
Hz, same as in Europe and Australia. Flat
three-prong plugs are used. If you plan
on using small appliances that you bring
with you, you may need a power supply
transformer (available in any travel shop
or web site).
New Zealand is known as the “shaky”
island as both islands have volcanic activity
which is also responsible for some of
its great geysers and hot natural springs,
especially on the North Island.
New Zealand has a relatively thin ozone
layer; as a result, it is easy to get
sunburned even on an overcast day. Make
sure you protect your eyes and skin with
appropriate UV protective eyewear and
sunscreen cream.
You must wear a bicycle helmet when cycling
in New Zealand. It is required by law.
If you are planning on camping and/or
hiking through grassy or bushy areas inland
or along the coast, make sure you bring
effective insect repellent as New Zealand
is known for its very annoying mosquitoes,
and especially its sand flies (small black
flies that bite mostly on the feet and
ankles). Less...
Recommended
Maps
There are
numerous maps available for New Zealand.
We used 1:800,000 scale map of New Zealand
that is printed on paper-like plastic
material which is tearproof and waterproof.
The Cycling New Zealand book from Lonely
Planet is a great resource for detail
information on cycling in New Zealand.
For mountain bikers, the Classic New Zealand
Mountain Bike Rides by Paul Simon & Jonathan
Kennett is a great reference book for
mountain bike trails in New Zealand. Less...
Favorite Bicycling Destinations
in New Zealand
(1-2 of 2)
With
its variety of terrain and lack of heavy
traffic (outside of Auckland metropolitan
area), New Zealand is the perfect place
to tour on a bicycle. Most of New Zealand
looks like it emerged from a picture postcard.
New Zealand stretches over 1,000 miles/1,600
km from north to south. It consists of
two main islands, the North Island and
the South Island. The area of these two
islands (266, 000 sq km) is larger than
United Kingdom, but smaller than Japan.
The population of New Zealand is 3.8 million.
