This self-supporting tour will take you on 11 days of riding and sightseeing through the north of New Zealand's South Island. You will ride through scenic valleys with expansive meadows and plains, along creeks, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes. You will climb a few mountain roads and ride the scenic west coast before boarding the train from Greymouth back to Christchurch. More...
This self-supporting tour will take you
on 11 days of riding and sightseeing through
the north of New Zealand's South Island.
You will ride through scenic valleys with
expansive meadows and plains, along creeks,
waterfalls, rivers, and lakes. You will
climb a few mountain roads and ride the
scenic west coast before boarding the
train from Greymouth back to Christchurch.
The tour will take you from the small
seaside towns of Picton and Havelock to
Nelson, an oceanside resort situated on
the coast of the renowned New Zealand
wine producing region of Marlborough.
In Nelson you will have the option to
take a couple of days break from cycling
to explore the town and its surroundings
and to take a day-hike through Abel Tasman
National Park located just north of Nelson.
From Nelson you will ride southwest to
the northern tip of the Southern Alps
and a small mountain resort town of St.
Arnaud located on Lake Rotoiti. From there
you will continue along the Buller River
and its scenic gorge. You will follow
the river from its beginning at Lake Rotoiti,
through the town of Murchison, all the
way to its mouth at Tasman Sea where you
will visit the oceanside town of Westport.
After taking a day break in Westport,
you will head south along the coast to
the small town of Punakaiki near the Punakaiki
National Park, where you will visit the
renowned Pancake Rocks and marvel at the
its blow holes.
From Punakaiki you will ride for the last
leg of this tour along the coast south
to the old gold and coal mining town of
Greymouth from where (after an overnight
stay) you will board a train which will
take you over the Arthur's Pass back to
Christchurch where this self-guiding tour
ends.
NOTE: The tour begins and ends with train
transportation from and to Christchurch.
It is recommended you make reservations
ahead of time, especially if you are planning
on traveling during the peak season between
late December and the end of January.
You can make your reservations at TranzScenic.
Trains depart daily from Christchurch
and are equipped to transport bicycles.
You will need to reserve two trips, one
from Christchurch to Picton, where this
tour begins, the other form Graymouth
to Christchurch at the end of the tour.
You can also choose to ride this tour
in the opposite direction (clockwise)
from Graymouth to Picton (which may be
a better choice under certain circumstances,
such as when the wind blows hard from
the west because you will end up with
a tail wind.) If you decide to ride in
the reverse direction, make your train
reservations accordingly. Less...
The best time
to ride this tour is from November to March.
However, if you want to avoid the summer
crowds, and be sure of availability of accommodations
in smaller towns, we recommend that you
avoid riding it from mid December to mid
January, which are some of the busiest months
of the summer season. Less...
How to Get There
The starting and ending destination of this tour of the northern part of South Island is the city of Christchurch. Air New Zealand and other New Zealand regional airlines operate daily flights from within New Zealand to Christchurch (for North American cyclists Air New Zealand has direct/non-stop flights operating several times a week from Los Angeles to Christchurch).
Alternatively, if you are traveling from the North Island, you can arrive on the South Island via Wellington by taking the Cook Strait ferry to Picton (the initial part of the tour's first day is a scenic train ride along the east coast from Christchurch to Picton) and then jump on your bicycle and ride from Picton to Havelock by following the directions of the tour's first day. Less...
Accommodations
Some of the smaller towns on this tour, such as St Arnaud, have limited number of accommodations; hence, it is strongly recommended that you make reservations ahead of time, especially during the high summer tourist season. Less...
The Roads
The quality of roads is good. However, you will find that the majority of roads on this tour are "chip seal" (most roads in New Zealand are chip seal) and therefore somewhat less suitable for thin high pressure tires (too much vibration). Mountain roads are narrow, and often closed in snow conditions. Less...
Recommended Gear
Besides
the standard
touring gear & spare parts, it is
recommended that you bring at least two
extra foldable tires with strong Kevlar
casing. Clothing layers and cycling rain
gear is absolutely essential for this
tour. Additionally, if you like to use
rearview mirrors, whether they are helmet
mounted or bicycle mounted, make sure
you bring one that can be switched for
riding on the left hand side of the road.
As previously mentioned, a cycling helmet
is required by law in New Zealand and
if you ride after sunset, your bicycle
must be equipped with rear reflective
lights and front headlight. Less...
