NZ MTB Web: Rides: Touring: Route Suggestions

Route Suggestions

Priorities (in order);

the West Coast (South Island)
Nelson (South Island)
Queenstown (South Island)
Rotorua (North Island)
East Cape (North Island)
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.

Route ideas you can also be discussed in our Cycle Touring Forum page.
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.
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