New Zealand Gravel Adventure Overview
This is the South Island at its most varied, ridden on quiet back-country roads and three of New Zealand’s Great Rides. We start in Christchurch’s Port Hills and follow the Kaikōura coast, where fur seals laze on the rocks, before crossing rolling hill country to the alpine spa town of Hanmer Springs. Beech-forest roads lead to the wild West Coast for glow-worm caves, the West Coast Wilderness Trail and a ride between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea. After a jet boat ride on the Haast River come the glacial lakes Wānaka and Hāwea, and the final two days run through the Cromwell and Kawarau gorges to Queenstown, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Grade: moderate to challenging
You’ll need to be a competent rider on sealed roads and off-road trails, with the stamina for up to 4–6 hours or 75 km (47 mi) a day, including some long climbs and steep sections. This tour isn’t suitable for beginners or for travellers with limited mobility.
Your bike
Bike rental is included: choose a gravel bike, an e-bike or a hybrid. The gravel bikes have carbon forks, 22-speed Shimano GRX gearing, hydraulic disc brakes and 32 mm tyres, with relaxed geometry for long days. The e-bikes give around 80 km of assistance per charge, so on longer days you’ll need to ride conservatively rather than relying on boost mode. Flat or SPD pedals can be fitted, and you’re welcome to bring your own pedals and saddle, or your own bike.
Ride at your own pace
This isn’t a race. The support vehicle follows the route with your luggage, snacks and room for you and your bike, so you can take a break whenever you like, although there are some sections it can’t reach. You should be confident riding on main roads alongside fast traffic. Helmets must be worn at all times, and bright clothing or a hi-vis vest (we can lend you one) is strongly recommended.
What you carry
Just what you need for the day. The bikes don’t have rear racks, but a seat-post rack or handlebar bag can be provided for a jacket, camera and sunscreen. Pack your luggage in a soft sports bag that’s easy to stow in the trailer, and keep it light. Anything you won’t need on tour can be stored until the end of the trip.
Getting ready
Some training before you travel will make the trip far more enjoyable, especially on hills. A full kit list is sent once your place is confirmed, along with the pre-departure information pack.
Weather
February is high summer, typically 10–30°C, but New Zealand’s maritime climate can change quickly. The West Coast is wetter, Central Otago drier and hotter, and it’s always cooler up high. Pack a good waterproof jacket, a warm fleece and thermals.
Food and dietary needs
We can cater for vegetarian diets and help with medically recommended diets, including allergies and intolerances. Please tell us at least one month before departure. Options can be limited in remote areas and we can’t guarantee an allergen-free trip, so travel with any medication you may need.
Travel light on the land
Bring your own water bottle, plus a reusable coffee cup and a foldable shopping bag, to cut down on single-use plastic along the way.
Please note
The itinerary is a guide and may change because of weather, natural events, regulations or other circumstances beyond our control. Come with a flexible, positive attitude, and if you’re unsure whether the trip suits you, talk to us before booking.
Team Members on this Tour
Ben Weigl - Trip Specialist
Ben has been working in the bike tour industry for over 10 years and has owned tour companies, designed itineraries and guided all over the world in that time. A traveller to the core, he calls Adelaide home but is rarely there these days. When he is not designing and running tours for Ride and Seek he’ll be found pack-rafting in some remote part of the world or pursuing his charity efforts with Helping Helmets and Africa Goal. His enthusiasm, professionalism, media skills and general tour expertise make Ben a very valued member of the team.
First cycling memory:
Taking the training wheels of my police car painted bike, complete with flashing light and riding down the laneway behind my house with my brother and his fire engine bike. He became a firefighter, I stuck with the bike.
Favourite bike:
Without sounding too much like a hipster, my father’s old Japanese steel Koga - Miyata that I restored and converted into a single speed. Moved through Melbourne traffic like the wind and completed more compliments from bearded men than I care to mention.
Top climb:
Col Agnel, Hannibal - a magnificent history filled, yet little trafficked gateway to Italy
One thing on your bucket list:
Buy a bush plane and get my pilot's licence
A special skill you bring on tour:
Videography and photography….."Smile"!
Favourite Ride and Seek tour gastronomic experience:
The Artisan gelateria in Alba (the town that smells of Nutella), enjoyed as an extended dessert on Hannibal.
Languages:
English & German. My French and Spanish are coming on.
Ride and Seek tours you lead:
I've been involved with all of the Epics to date
New Zealand Gravel Adventure Highlights
- Three Great Rides – the West Coast Wilderness Trail, the Lake Dunstan Trail and the Queenstown Trail.
- The Port Hills – the crater rim above Lyttelton Harbour, with views to the Southern Alps.
- Glow-worm caves – a head-torch walk into Te Ananui Cave at Charleston.
- Alps to the sea – rainforest, glaciers and wild beaches along the West Coast.
- Haast River jet boat – an hour on the river, with the odd 360° spin.
- Time off the bike – free days in Hanmer Springs and Wānaka, with the Rob Roy Glacier excursion.
Travel Essentials
New Zealand Gravel Adventure
Friday 12 February 2027
Pavilions Hotel, Christchurch
We recommend flying into Christchurch on Thursday 11 February so you’re settled before the 4pm start. Extra nights before or after the tour can be booked with the hotels, subject to availability, and Ride & Seek can help coordinate.
4pm briefing, followed by our first group dinner
Christchurch (CHC). Airport transfers are not included.
Saturday 13 February 2027, Port Hills, Christchurch
Bike fitting and a safety briefing before our first ride.
Tuesday 23 February 2027, after breakfast
La Quinta Queenstown
Queenstown (ZQN), with flights to Christchurch and Auckland. Taxis, shuttles and buses run from the hotel.
If you can, stay on for a few days to explore Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu in your own time.
New Zealand Gravel Adventure Bike Tour Dates & Prices 2027
| Tour | Start Date | End Date | Days | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand Gravel Adventure | 12 February 2027 | 23 February 2027 | 12 days (11 nights) | US$8,320 |
Supplements
What’s included
- 11 nights’ hotel, motel and resort accommodation with private bathroom, twin-share
- 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 9 dinners, catered to dietary requirements
- Bike rental for the tour: gravel, e-bike or hybrid, with helmet
- An experienced local guide and a Ride & Seek host
- Full vehicle support with luggage trailer, and all tour transfers
- Snacks, drinks and treats, plus morning and afternoon tea
- Glow-worm cave adventure at Charleston
- Haast River Safari jet boat tour
- Rob Roy Glacier excursion, including lunch
- Department of Conservation access and concession fees
- Pre-departure information pack
Not included
- International and domestic flights, and taxes
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Drinks, except at breakfast
- Optional activities, such as whale watching and the Hanmer Springs thermal pools
- Personal expenses, such as laundry and shopping
- Travel insurance, and visas if required
- Water bottle (please bring your own)
New Zealand Gravel Adventure Hotel Selection
Hotels, motels and a lakeside resort, chosen for comfort and location, with private bathrooms on a twin-share or double basis. You’ll find every overnight stop in the itinerary, and here are a few of our favourites. If seasonal demand means a listed hotel isn’t available, we’ll use one of a similar standard.
Pavilions Hotel, Christchurch
Situated in the heart of Christchurch this 4-star family-run hotel manages to combine providing all the amenities one would expect of a city hotel without losing any of its charm. It’s where we meet for our welcome briefing and first dinner together.
Scenic Hotel Punakaiki
Right on Punakaiki Beach, with native rainforest behind and the Tasman Sea in front, this hotel is hard to beat for location. The Pancake Rocks are just down the road, and the bar is the place to be for a West Coast sunset after a big day of riding and glow-worm caving.
Edgewater, Wānaka
Edgewater is the only place to stay in Wānaka that’s right on the water, looking across the lake to the mountains beyond. With two nights here, there’s time to enjoy the café, sauna and lakefront either side of our Rob Roy Glacier excursion, and the lakeside path leads into town.
New Zealand Gravel Adventure Itinerary
| Day | Date | Route | Overnight | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fri 12 Feb | Arrival in Christchurch | Pavilions Hotel, Christchurch | No riding | – |
| 2 | Sat 13 Feb | Christchurch → Kaikōura | Panorama Motel, Kaikōura | 30 km / 19 mi | +433 m / 1,421 ft |
| 3 | Sun 14 Feb | Kaikōura → Hanmer Springs | Alpine Lodge Motel, Hanmer Springs | 63 km / 39 mi | +1,139 m / 3,737 ft |
| 4 | Mon 15 Feb | Free day in Hanmer Springs | Alpine Lodge Motel, Hanmer Springs | No riding | – |
| 5 | Tue 16 Feb | Hanmer Springs → Punakaiki | Scenic Hotel Punakaiki | 44 km / 27 mi | +632 m / 2,073 ft |
| 6 | Wed 17 Feb | Punakaiki → Franz Josef | Scenic Hotel Franz Josef | Up to 76 km / 47 mi | +784 m / 2,572 ft |
| 7 | Thu 18 Feb | Franz Josef → Haast | Haast River Motels & Holiday Park | 72 km / 45 mi | +584 m / 1,916 ft |
| 8 | Fri 19 Feb | Haast → Wānaka | Edgewater, Wānaka | 50 km / 31 mi | +739 m / 2,425 ft |
| 9 | Sat 20 Feb | Wānaka and the Rob Roy Glacier | Edgewater, Wānaka | No riding | – |
| 10 | Sun 21 Feb | Wānaka → Cromwell | Carrick Lodge Motel, Cromwell | Up to 56 km / 35 mi | +614 m / 2,014 ft |
| 11 | Mon 22 Feb | Cromwell → Queenstown | La Quinta Queenstown | 50 km / 31 mi | +712 m / 2,336 ft |
| 12 | Tue 23 Feb | Departure from Queenstown | Tour ends after breakfast | No riding | – |
Total riding: c. 440 km / 273 mi · Total climbing: c. 5,640 m / 18,500 ft · Average riding day: c. 55 km / 34 mi Distances and climbing are approximate. Days 6 and 10 are maximums and can be shortened, and the route may change with weather and trail conditions.
Day by day
Day 1 · Fri 12 Feb – Arrival in Christchurch
Welcome to the South Island, Te Waipounamu, and the Garden City of Christchurch. We meet at 4pm at the Pavilions Hotel for introductions and a trip briefing, so please plan your travel to be there in time. Then it’s our first dinner together, and a taste of the twelve days ahead. Overnight: Pavilions Hotel, Christchurch · Meals included: Dinner
Day 2 · Sat 13 Feb – Christchurch → Kaikōura
Ride: Dyers Pass to Lyttelton · 30 km / 19 mi · +433 m / 1,421 ft A short drive takes us to the Port Hills for bike fitting and a safety briefing. We ride the crater rim of an extinct volcano on the quiet Summit Road, looking over the Canterbury Plains to the Southern Alps and down into Lyttelton Harbour. A stop at Godley Head reveals a WWII battery on 120 m cliffs, then it’s a sweeping descent to the port town of Lyttelton. After lunch, a three-hour transfer follows the Pacific coast north to Kaikōura. Overnight: Panorama Motel, Kaikōura · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 3 · Sun 14 Feb – Kaikōura → Hanmer Springs
Ride: Kaikōura to Mt Lyford · 63 km / 39 mi · +1,139 m / 3,737 ft Early risers can join an optional whale-watching cruise (about three hours, calm conditions only) while the rest of us walk the Kaikōura Peninsula, with its sea cliffs and tidal platforms. After lunch we ride the Inland Kaikōura Road through rolling farmland, past the historic Doone Station and land still scarred by the 2016 earthquake. From the Whale Back Saddle it’s downhill to Mt Lyford, then a transfer to the alpine spa town of Hanmer Springs. Overnight: Alpine Lodge Motel, Hanmer Springs · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 4 · Mon 15 Feb – Free day in Hanmer Springs
A day to soak in the thermal pools, explore the mountain-bike trails and walks, or simply enjoy the mountain air. Your guides can help you book activities, but they’re required by law to take a rest day today. Overnight: Alpine Lodge Motel, Hanmer Springs · Meals included: None
Day 5 · Tue 16 Feb – Hanmer Springs → Punakaiki
Ride: Springs Junction to Reefton · 44 km / 27 mi · +632 m / 2,073 ft We cross the Lewis Pass by van and start riding at Springs Junction, climbing gently over the Rahu Saddle through beech forest to the old gold town of Reefton. Then we drive through river gorges to Charleston: a rainforest train through the Nile River Canyon and a head-torch walk into Te Ananui Cave and its glow-worm galaxies. (You’ll need to be sure-footed, happy walking for two hours and able to climb 135 steps.) A short drive south brings us to Punakaiki. Overnight: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 6 · Wed 17 Feb – Punakaiki → Franz Josef
Ride: West Coast Wilderness Trail · up to 76 km / 47 mi · +784 m / 2,572 ft A morning stroll to the Pancake Rocks and blowholes, then the Truman Track to a wild West Coast beach. From Greymouth we ride our first Great Ride, the West Coast Wilderness Trail: riverside paths, an old tramway to the gold-mining town of Kumara, forest tracks to the high point and switchbacks down to Milltown, finishing at glacial Lake Kaniere. Distance depends on weather and time. Then it’s a two-hour drive south to Franz Josef. Overnight: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 7 · Thu 18 Feb – Franz Josef → Haast
Ride: Fox Glacier to Lake Paringa · 72 km / 45 mi · +584 m / 1,916 ft An easy forest walk to view the Franz Josef Glacier, then a drive over three steep passes to Fox Glacier, where we’re back on the bikes. The road winds through rainforest, tree ferns and rimu, crossing glacier-fed rivers to reach the driftwood-strewn beach at Bruce Bay. We finish at horseshoe-shaped Lake Paringa, then drive on over New Zealand’s longest single-lane bridge (737 m) into Haast. Overnight: Haast River Motels & Holiday Park · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 8 · Fri 19 Feb – Haast → Wānaka
Ride: Lakes Wānaka and Hāwea · 50 km / 31 mi · +739 m / 2,425 ft The day starts on the Haast River Safari, an hour-long jet boat ride mixing nature and pioneer history with the odd 360° spin. We drive up the Landsborough valley, past waterfalls, and over the Haast Pass, where rainforest gives way to dry eastern ranges. Then we ride beside the glacial lakes Wānaka and Hāwea, finishing on the Hāwea lakefront, with a short transfer to Wānaka. Overnight: Edgewater, Wānaka · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9 · Sat 20 Feb – Wānaka and the Rob Roy Glacier
Wānaka is the locals’ adventure playground. Today includes an excursion to the Rob Roy Glacier Track in Mount Aspiring National Park, with lunch. Prefer to take it easy? Explore the lake, visit local wineries and craft breweries, or curl up on the lakefront with a good book. Overnight: Edgewater, Wānaka · Meals included: Lunch
Day 10 · Sun 21 Feb – Wānaka → Cromwell
Ride: Lake Dunstan Trail · up to 56 km / 35 mi · +614 m / 2,014 ft Our second Great Ride, the Lake Dunstan Trail, end to end. From Smiths Way we follow the lakeshore to Cromwell’s old town and Bannockburn Bridge, then wind past old mine tailings, vineyards and olive groves into the Cromwell Gorge, where the trail clings to the cliffs on bridges and boardwalks all the way to Clyde. Prefer something gentler? Skip the gorge and ride the river trail from Clyde to Alexandra. A 20-minute transfer takes us back to Cromwell. Overnight: Carrick Lodge Motel, Cromwell · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 11 · Mon 22 Feb – Cromwell → Queenstown
Ride: Bannockburn to Arrowtown · 50 km / 31 mi · +712 m / 2,336 ft The Kawarau Gorge Trail leads from Bannockburn Bridge past rapids, two suspension bridges and stories of gold miners, early power schemes and ancient Māori routes, emerging in the Gibbston wine valley. Here we join the Queenstown Trail, our third Great Ride, through the vineyards to the Kawarau Bridge, home of the first commercial bungy jump, and over five bridges to Arrowtown for a farewell drink. Then it’s on to Queenstown for our celebration dinner. Overnight: La Quinta Queenstown · Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 12 · Tue 23 Feb – Departure from Queenstown
Breakfast, then onward travel at your leisure. If you can, stay on for a few days to explore Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu in your own time. Meals included: Breakfast
Next:
Overview
The Trip
Gravel roads, alpine landscapes and spectacular lakes, from Christchurch to Queenstown.
Email me the Tour Overview Book Now Schedule a CallTour at a Glance
Dates: 12 – 23 February 2027
Countries: New Zealand
Number of days: 12 days
Number of stages: 1
Price: US$8,320
Grading: Moderate to Challenging
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