This self-supporting tour will take you on 5 days of riding and sightseeing through the Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The route will circumnavigate the peninsula, taking you through scenic farmlands, spectacular coastlines, and even some demanding climbs as you cross the peninsula from west to east over the mountains of the Coromandel Range. Along the way you will encounter pristine beaches, deep forests, and mountaintop views of ...  More...

This self-supporting tour will take you on 5 days of riding and sightseeing through the Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The route will circumnavigate the peninsula, taking you through scenic farmlands, spectacular coastlines, and even some demanding climbs as you cross the peninsula from west to east over the mountains of the Coromandel Range. Along the way you will encounter pristine beaches, deep forests, and mountaintop views of the South Pacific Ocean.

The spectacular Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach are not worth the side trips and not to be missed. Kuaotonu Beach, Ohuka Beach, Buffalo Beach in Whitianga, Cooks Beach, Hahei Beach, Hot Water Beach and Whangamata Beach are all beautiful and refreshingly cool on a hot summer day.

After leaving Whangamata, you will begin to ride inland, slowly turning west to journey back to Thames across the bottom part of the peninsula. Along the way you will ride through the beautiful Karangahake Gorge, where you will have the opportunity to visit the relics of the gold rush era, before you emerge in Paeroa. From Paeroa you will ride north through rolling hills of the Waihou River valley to Thames, where this self-guiding tour ends.  Less...

The best time to ride this tour is before or after the high summer (southern hemisphere) season (December - January) when there is much less traffic and less crowds. Because the climate is generally mild, cycling in Coromandel can be quite enjoyable any time between October and April and often well into May and June.

If you are planning to visit during December and January, it is advisable you make lodging reservations ahead of time.

Note: Stay away during the high summer season and on long holiday weekends, since most of Auckland heads for Coromandel during this time, and cycling in traffic on the very few paved Coromandel roads can become perilous.  Less...

These directions assume you have already arrived in Auckland, New Zealand by the transportation of your choice. If you have planned your travel to Auckland, New Zealand, check Air New Zealand and other major airlines for their schedules. For North American cyclists Air New Zealand has direct/non-stop flights operating several times a week from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Auckland. If you are traveling domestically, Air New Zealand and other New Zealand regional airlines operate daily flights from within New Zealand to Auckland.

The start and end destination of this tour is the town of Thames. Thames is considered to be the gateway to Coromandel and it is the main transport hub of the Coromandel Peninsula. InterCity buses run daily service between Thames and Auckland. These services accept bicycles, but if you have a tandem (without couplers) then check with the bus service ahead of time if they can accommodate you. Regardless of whether you ride a tandem or a single bike, check the bus service web site before you begin the tour (or from any tourist information centre during the tour) for the latest schedule and fares.

Alternatively, you can start and end the tour at Coromandel rather than Thames. The 360 Discovery Tours ferry service runs several times a week between Auckland and Hannaford's Point Wharf at Te Kouma, located south of the town of Coromandel. The ferry service originates from the Auckland's Passenger Ferry Terminal at Pier 3, and it departs every Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday and Public Holiday (check their web site http://www.360discovery.co.nz/ for schedule and fare prices). The trip from Auckland to Coromandel lasts around 2 hours. However, be aware that inclement weather can impact the service (it crosses open waters). As a result, the service can be cancelled without prior notice or the crossing can be quite rough (if you suffer from sea sickness, be prepared). Reservations, especially during the high summer season, are strongly recommended. The ferry does take bicycles and tandems.

If you wish to extend the tour, you can ask the captain to drop you off on Waiheke Island at Orapiu Bay on the return trip from Coromandel, where you can ride across Waiheke Island and then board the larger Fuller's Waiheke Island ferry back to Auckland. The ride across Waiheke Island is very hilly but beautiful and well worth the effort. See TrekByBike's Ride Across Waiheke Island for details on this beautiful one-day ride.

Either ferry service will drop you off at the Auckland Fullers' Ferry Terminal, which is located across the street from the Britomart Transportation Station, your connection to buses and trains.  Less...

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).

If you are traveling during high summer season (unless you are camping), it is recommended you arrange for reservations ahead of time. Check the web for B&Bs in the Thames and Coromandel region. Alternatively, pick up one of the many free accommodation guide books available from any tourist information center in New Zealand (mind you they can add some weight to your bicycle load). These guides offer an extensive list of accommodations from campgrounds to hotels.  Less...

The quality of roads on this tour is good. However, you will find that most of the roads on this tour are "chip seal" (majority of New Zealand roads are chip seal) and therefore somewhat less suitable for thin high pressure tires (too much vibration).

Coromandel roads can be quite narrow in places with steep drop offs, especially where they cross the mountain range. Although the traffic, outside of tourist season, is not heavy, care must be taken to stay out of harm's way especially on the twisting mountains roads. Kiwi drivers are known for being crazy drivers.  Less...

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...