New Zealand, known as Aotearoa by the indigenous Maori population, means The Land of the Long White Cloud. Today, New Zealand has become synonymous with adventure and breathtaking scenery. Much of New Zealand's natural beauty has been protected by National Parks which has attracted adventurers from around the world. The Southern Alps dominate the South Island with peaks reaching 12,000 feet and over 350 glaciers. Come join us on our bike tour of New Zealand, as we explore this wilderness playground. Whether kayaking in an alpine lake, crossing streams and rivers by foot, bicycling the majestic west coast, or exploring a temperate rainforest, make sure you bring your sense of adventure.
Trip Wow’s
- Cycle between the temperate rainforest and the Tasman Sea
- Kayak on a pristine glacier in search of the endangered Crested Grebes
- Sample some of the world famous wines from the Otago region
- Experience one of the many adrenaline sports from Sky-Diving to Bungee-jumping
- Hike through amazing landscapes with the Southern Alps as a backdrop
Days 1 & 2 | Arthur’s Pass
Stay at Arthur’s Pass Wilderness Lodge
Spin your legs through Arthur’s Pass National Park | Visit a sheep station | Go for a guided hike | Kayak the pristine Lake Pearson before Exploring Broken River gorge
Days 3 & 4 | Hokitika and Franz Josef
Stay at Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat
Bicycle through the rainforest toward Westland National Park | Ride to Okarito Lagoon or hike near the base of Franz Josef Glacier
Days 5 & 6 | Lake Moeraki
Stay at Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge
Take a guided hike through the rainforest | Choose whether to kayak Lake Moeraki or walk down the beach to see Fur Seals | Cycle to a local Salmon Farm and walk the Monroe trail | Ride through a rainforest with views of the Tasman sea
Days 7 – 9 | Wanaka
Stay at Edgewater Resort
Ride your bike over Haast Pass and the continental divide | Check out the town of Wanaka | Enjoy any of the multitude of adrenaline activities the area has to offer | Choose to ride to Treble Cone along Lake Wanaka or stroll to the renowned Rippon Winery
Arthur’s Pass Wilderness Lodge | Arthur’s Pass, New Zealand
Arthur's Pass Wilderness Lodge is a luxurious property amidst a native beech forest, surrounded by the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps, located on a 6,000 acre nature reserve featuring a high country merino sheep station. Each room is lovingly decorated and is blessed with a mountain view.
Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat | Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat is a luxury lodge with the intimate atmosphere of a private residence. The lodge is situated on 200 acres of peaceful family farmland, surrounded by the Southern Alps, featuring Franz Josef Glacier.
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge | Lake Moeraki, New Zealand
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge is a luxurious property, located on the banks of the Lower Moeraki River, surrounded by temperate rainforest and flanked by the mighty Tasman Sea and the Southern Alps. The lodge features a spacious and comfortable atmosphere.
Edgewater Resort | Wanaka, New Zealand
Edgewater Resort is located on the edge of Lake Wanaka, nestled within the spectacular Southern Alps. It features tennis courts, a sauna, and spa.
What’s Included in the Trip Price
- 8 nights of accommodation
- Daily breakfast, 5 lunches, 4 social hours, 7 dinners, and all snacks and drinks for each day
- The knowledge, support, and camaraderie of experienced guides
- Daily route support
- The use of a Trek Madone™ 5.2 carbon road bike, or Trek Madone™ 5.1 Women’s Specific Design carbon road bike (limited selection), or Trek 7.5 FX™ hybrid bike
- The use of Trek bike helmets and other gear and equipment to make your ride comfortable
- Trek Travel water bottles
- Private tours
- Entrance fees to all group events/activities
- All luggage transfers
- All transportation during the trip, including private coaches
- Comprehensive trip literature and complimentary Trek merchandise
- All gratuities for special events, local guides, transfers, hotels, and restaurants
- $300 Discount on a 5 or 6 series Trek Madone purchase at your local Trek retailer
Not Included
- Airfare to and from the trip
- Transportation to the trip pick-up location
- Lodging before and after the trip
- Gratuities for Trek Travel guides
- Personal items purchased during the trip
- Some meals are not included in each destination, which allows you the opportunity to explore regional cuisine on your own. Your guides are happy to make recommendations should you so desire.
What is the weather going to be like?
Daytime temperatures are typically in the 70’s and 80’s, but can rapidly drop the first days of the trip. Bring layers, as well as a rain jacket to be prepared for possible rain. Night temperatures range from the 60’s to 70’s.
What are the daily rides like?
| Rider Type | 3 |
Average Daily Mileage | 40 |
| Terrain | hilly |
Average Daily Elevation | 1,565 |
On all of our vacations, Trek Travel strives to find quiet, paved secondary roads or bike paths to experience a region; busy roads are avoided as much as possible. New Zealand is best suited for our Type 3 Riders. Our Trek Travel guides can also easily accommodate Type 2 Riders, who seek less mileage or fewer uphills, with a boost in the van. Type 4 Riders will enjoy the extra mileage the avid route options offer. The terrain is a mixture of rides on this trip ranging from long, flats to undulating terrain with some long steady climbs. See Itinerary for specific daily ride distance and elevation options.
What are the options for a non-rider travel companion?
This destination is best suited to guests who want to cycle every day. Because of the terrain and/or remoteness of the hotels and riding routes, there are few, if any, non-riding options available. If a non-rider wants to accompany a rider guest on this trip, they would need to spend many hours in the van and/or at the hotels on the trip. Due to this, we strongly discourage non-riders from this destination.
As an alternative, call a Trek Travel Trip Consultant at 866.464.8735 for trip suggestions where more non-rider activities are available, such as South Australia, Costa Rica, or Vietnam.
How do I train for my trip?
We work with Vision Quest Training to give you that little boost before your Trek Travel bike trip. Vision Quest offers custom training plans that will get you ready to tackle your trip with confidence. The coaches consider the amount of hours you can train per week, what you need to focus on based on your goals and milestones you need to hit in order to achieve them. They develop a detailed write up and training plan just for you!
General FAQs
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out our General FAQs section. You will find answers to all the most common questions that don’t necessarily pertain to a specific trip.
Make New Zealand Your Own:
Trek Travel can customize a trip for groups ranging from 14 to 20+ guests. Tweak an existing itinerary or create a new one! When you build your own Custom bike trip with Trek Travel, each and every moment is artfully crafted to a blueprint of your choosing; it’s personalized and tailored to fit your schedule, interests, curiosities, wants, needs and budget.
So what do you need to do to get started? Check out our ’Trips to enthuse’ for ideas, contact us, then tell us who, where and when—it’s that easy. Let the planning begin.
Wow’s From Our Guests & More Photos
When we asked our guests what their favorite WOW’s were from their New Zealand vacations, here is what they said…
I recently returned from the New Zealand trip and wanted to let you know how great of a trip it was. But what really made the trip were the guides didn’t feel like they were guides so much as my good friends. —Clark
The trip was extremely well planned. We enjoyed the small group and the active, adventurous schedule.—Nha
Some of the most fun I've ever had on a bike.—Nicole
