Route Suggestions

Priorities (in order);

1. the West Coast (South Island)
2. Nelson (South Island)
3. Queenstown (South Island)
4. Rotorua (North Island)
5. East Cape (North Island)
6. Coromandel or Bay of Plenty (North Island)

If you have less than a month in New Zealand, spend it all in the South Island.

Try to avoid;

• Auckland - it's just a big city much like any other. Go to the South Island - it has better scenery and quieter roads.
• the Canterbury plains are flat and therefore boring
• Highway 1 between Auckland and Wellington - the road has little room for cyclists and is full of cars travelling at 110km/hr.
• Running out of time.

Here's an (unfinished) indexed review of rides published in various books:

• Northland 12 days
• Great Barrier Island 1 day
• Escaping Auckland Airport
• Auckland around and about
• Coromandel Peninsula 7-9 days
• Corormandel 2-7 days
• Lake Waikaremoana 2-3 days
• Gentle Anne 2 days
• Old Motu Coast Road 2-4 days
• East Cape 4-7 days
• Auckland to Wellington via Wanganui 6-9 days
• Auckland to Wellington via East Cape 11-16 days
• Taranaki Heartland 2-5 days
• Whanganui River Road 118 km
• The Big Coast (Wellington/Wairarapa Coast) 2 days
• Cape Palliser 145 km
• Wellington around and about
• Wellington to Auckland via The King Country 8-10 days
• Northern West Coast 2-3 days
• D'Urville Island 2-4 days, gravel and clay roads
• Queen Charlotte Walkway 3 days, off-road
• Marlborogh Sounds Loop 3-7 Days, off-road sections
• Picton to Christchurch 3-5 days
• Picton to Christchurch
• Nelson
• Nelson to Picton
• Nelson to Collingwood
• Kawatiri Juntion to Picton via Blenheim
• Molesworth 2-4 days, gravel roads
• Rainbow 2 days, gravel roads
• Clarence Expedition 2-4 days, hard core off-road
• Pioneer Heritage Trial 2 days, gravel roads
• Christchurch around and about
• Christchurch around and about
• Lees Valley 2 days, gravel roads
• Christchurch to Akaroa
• Christchurch to Greymouth via Lewis Pass
• Christchurch to Queenstown 6-9 days
• Christchurch to Queenstown via Geraldine and Omarama
• Christchurch to Dunedin
• Southern Alps Circuit 7-8 days
• The West Coast 5-9 days
• The West Coast and Nelson
• Greymouth to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass
• Godley Glacier 2-3 days, hard core off-road
• Hakataramea Valley 3-4 days, gravel roads
• Lake Hawea Circuit 2-3 days, gravel roads
• Omarama to Idaburn 1-2 days, gravel roads
• Mt Nicholas to Te Anau 1-2 days, gravel roads
• Otago Penninsula
• Otago and Southland 10-15 days
• Old Man Range Crossing 2 days, gravel and 4WD roads
• Contral Otago Rail Trail 2-3 days, gravel
• Dunstan Trail 2-4 days, gravel and 4WD roads
• Catlins Coast 2+ days, gravel roads sections
• Queenstown to Wanaka
• Wanaka to Greymouth via Haast
• Greymouth to Westport
• Queenstown to Invergargill via Lumsden
• Queenstown to Invergargill via Te Anau
• Invergargill to Dunedin via Alexandra
• Dunedin to Queenstown via Alexandra
• Westport to Nelson via Kawatiri Junction

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    Escaping Auckland Airport
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        Routes; into the city, to motorcamps, and going south. 
        Alternatively jump on a shuttle into town - it's just a 20km ride through busy city suburbs roads. Not much fun.

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    Auckland Day Rides
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        Three day rides; 50 km loop, Waitakere Ranges, Waiheke Island.

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    Northland
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        12 days, 1010-1069 km
        Route; Auckland-Warkworth, -Whangaarei, -Russell via Kawakawa or Helena Bay, -Whangaroa, -Pukenui/Houhora, -Cape Reinga, -Kaitaia, -Rawene direct or via Broadwood, -Trounson Kauri Park, -Pahi, -Helensville, -Auckland.

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    Coromandel Peninsula
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        7-9 days, 466-897 km
        Route; Auckland-Thames, -Coromandel, plus North Coromandel Loop option, -Whitianga, -Whangamata, -Te Aroha, -Kaiaua, -Auckland. Plus Whangamata-Tauranga, -Whakatane. Plus Tauranga-Rotorua via Ngawero or via Te Puke.

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    Auckland to Wellington via Wanganui
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        6-9 days, 604-761 kms
        Route; Auckland- Kaiaua, -Cambridge, -Lake Waipapa, -Tokaanu, -Raetihi/Pipiriki, -Wanganui via the Whanaganui River or via Mangwhero River, -Levin or Palmerston North, -Wellington.

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    Auckland to Wellington via East Cape
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        10-16 days, 1191-1528 km
        Route; Auckland-Kaiaua, -Te Aroha, -Rotorua, plus Lake Tarawera option, -Whakatane, -Opape, -Te Kaha, -Opape, -Te Kaha, -Te Araroa, -Tokomaru Bay, -Gisbourne, -Wairoa, -Napier, plus Hawkes Bay options, -Dannevirke, -Masterton, -Wellington. Option Rotorua-Taupo, -Tokaanu.

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    Wellington
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        Intro to/info on Wellington, plus three day rides; Island Bay, Makara, and Rimutaka Circuit.

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    Wellington to Auckland via The King Country
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        8-10 days, 731-819 km
        Route; Wellington-Palmerston North, -Wanganui, -Hawera, -New Plymouth via Stratford or via Opunake, -Awakino, -Waitomo Caves via Te Kuiti or via Makakopa, -Huntly or Hamilton, -Auckland.

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    Picton to Christchurch
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        3-5 days, 346 km
        Route; Picton-Seddon, -Kaikoura, -Cheviot, -Christchurch.

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    Christchurch
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        Intro and info on CHristchurch, plus two day trips; Northern Summit Road, and Summit Road and Lyttleton. Also a three day ride; Christchurch-Akaroa, -Diamond Harbour, -Christchurch.

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    Southern Alps Circuit
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        7-8 days, 573-736 km
        Routes; Christhcurch-Lake Coleridge, -Arthurs Pass, -Moana, -Reefton, - Maruia Springs, -Hanmer Spring, -Rangiora, -Alforn Forest. Option; Christhcurch-Springfield, -Arthurs Pass. Option; Arthurs Pass-Greymouth, -Reefton.

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    Christchurch to Queenstown
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        6-9 days, 484-634 km
        Route; Christchurch-Rakaia Gorge/Alfond Forest, -Geraldine, -Lake Tekapo, -Omarama, Mount Cook side trip, -Cromwell, Arrowtown/Queenstown. Option; Omarama-Wanaka, -Arrowtown/Queenstown.

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    Otago and Southland
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        10-15 days, 747-1155 km
        Route; Queenstown-Mavora Lakes, -Te Anau/Manapouri, or Queenstown-Kingston, -Te Anau/Manapouri, Milford Sound side trip, -Tuatapere, -Invercargill, -Curio Bay, -Pounawea, -Lake Waihola, -Dunedin, Otago Peninsula side trip, -Middle March, -Naseby, -Alexandra, -Queenstown or Wanaka or Hawea. Option; Dunedin-Lawrence, -Alexandra.

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    The West Coast and Nelson
        See New Zealand by Bike by Bruce Ringer.
        10-12 days, 837-908 km or 15-16 days, 1,222+ km
        Routes; Wanaka-Makarora, -Okuru/Lake Moeraki, -Okuru or Lake Moraki, -Fox Glacier, -The Forks or Okarito, -Ross, -Greymouth or Rapahoe, -Charleston or Westport. Westport options; Cape Foulwind, Denniston, Karamea. Westport-Murchison, -St. Arnaud, -Nelson or Picton via Spring Creek. Nelson-Havelock, -Picton via Queen Charlotte Drive. Nelson options; -Takaka, Collingwood.