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Route Rating Level 3 to Level 5

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Premiere Inns
Trip Price:
  • $4,398 to $4,798 pp dbl. occ.
  • Flts, cruise, bungee not incl. in price.
  • (+$760 to $770 for sgl. occ.)
10 DAYS, 9 NIGHTS
ROLL OVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
2010 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 2 lunches and 2 dinners.

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

Meet / Depart

Christchurch, New Zealand/Queenstown, New Zealand

Special Interest

Cruise, Exotic Adventure, Geological Wonders, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Rainforest Exploration, Tropical/Winter Sunshine

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

New Zeland Biking

New Zealand Biking

The South Island from Christchurch to Queenstown

“Picture the Oregon coast on one side of the road and the Tetons on the other, without a stoplight all day,” says Condé Nast Traveler of the South Island’s west coast. Join Backroads for a feast of biking and beauty in this place where sheep farms rub elbows with rain forests, alpine peaks host thundering waterfalls and deserted beaches welcome crashing breakers. Each biking day underscores New Zealand’s endless beauty and diversity, and just when you think it couldn’t get any better, it does. To top it all off, you’ll rarely encounter people more genuine than New Zealanders. 

View other trips in Asia & the Pacific

Day 1 Punakaiki

Meet in Christchurch Take the famous TranzAlpine train from one side of the island to the other, enjoying views of the Canterbury Plains and the spectacular gorges of the Waimakariri River Follow the river to the Tasman Sea, where the pounding surf awaits  Arrive at Punakaiki, known for its impressive ocean “geysers.”

Day 2 Hokitika

Bike along the dramatic Tasman coastline, bordered by rain forest Explore the town of Hokitika, famous for pounamu (New Zealand jade).

Day 3 Franz Josef

Pedal through dense marshland, bush reseves, verdant paddocks and old-growth forests on your way to Mount Hercules and Westland National Park.

Day 4 Fox Glacier

Hike up the stunning Franz Josef Glacier, where ice meets the rain forest  For the truly fit, bike the challenging Fox Hills to Fox Glacier, or skip the pedaling and get there using van and foot power.

Days 5-6 Lake Moeraki

Ride to picturesque Lake Matheson and stroll along the shore Enjoy the beauty of the coastal rain forest as you spin to Lake Moeraki  Tackle coastal climbs and savor fantastic views of the Tasman Sea Walk to Munro Beach, where you can feed eels or just kick back.

Days 7-8 Lake Wanaka

Discover the waterfall-laced Haast World Heritage area on the most spectacular and challenging  ride of the trip Climb Haast Pass and pedal along Lakes Makorora and Hawea en route to sapphire Lake Wanaka  Opt for a scenic flight and cruise to the spectacular Milford Sound  Visit beautiful Lake Hawea Station for an afternoon of sheepshearing and sheepdog demonstrations.

Days 9-10 queenstown

Follow the Clutha and Kawarau Rivers past vineyards in one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing wine regions.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

The best active vacation I've ever experienced. Everybody should see New Zealand at least once in their lifetime, and this Backroads trip is the best way to do it.
Bradford Bond - Park City, UT

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the New Zealand tour experts. For biking tours in Asia & the Pacific, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Asia & the Pacific biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Asia & the Pacific walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Asia & the Pacific multisport tours click here.

New Zealand Biking

KIWI COMFORTS: Premiere Inns*

Punakaiki Rocks Hotel
Punakaiki Rocks Hotel

Punakaiki (1 night)
Adjacent to Paparoa National Park, enjoy the beautiful views of the dramatic Tasman Sea from your oceanfront room.

* With 1 Casual Inn night

Beachfront Hotel

Hokitika (1 night)
Steps away from the beach and surrounded by views of the ocean, rain forest and Southern Alps. 

* With 1 Casual Inn night

Westwood Lodge
Westwood Lodge

Franz Josef (1 night)
Spacious, warmly finished guest rooms overlook the rugged terrain at this inviting and secluded lodge.

Te Weheka
Te Weheka

Fox Glacier (1 night)
Tastefully furnished rooms with private balconies offer expansive vistas in a stunning locale near the Fox Glacier.

Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki
Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki

Lake Moeraki (2 nights)
Few places on Earth can match the unique natural setting of this family-run riverside hideaway in the rain forest.

Edgewater Resort Hotel
Edgewater Resort Hotel

Lake Wanaka (2 nights)
Enjoy the beautiful mountain and lake panoramas from the window of your well-appointed and spacious lakeshore suite.

Nugget Point Resort
Nugget Point Resort

Queenstown (1 night)
An intimate full-service resort in a spectacular setting overlooking Shotover Gorge.

New Zealand Biking

Route Rating: Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles
Day 1
  • Level 2  1 Route Option Available
  • 26 miles
  • 300 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 2 to 4   2 Route Options Available
  •  26, 51 miles
  • 1000 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 4 to 5 3 Route Options Available
  • 45, 65, 83 miles
  • 1500 - 3000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Level 3 1 Route Option Available
  • 15 miles
  • 2200 feet elevation gain
  • Optional Hiking (2, 4 miles)
Day 5
  • Levels 3 to 4  2 Route Options Available
  • 45, 61 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Levels 2 to 4 2 Route Options Available
  • 21, 42 miles
  • 1000 - 2000 feet elevation gain
  • Optional Hiking 1.5 hours
Day 7
  • Levels 3 to 5  4 Route Options Available
  • 40, 62, 71, 90 miles
  • 1000 - 5000 feet elevation gain
Day 8
  • Level 3 1 Route Option Available
  • 32 miles
  • 500 feet elevation gain
  • Optional activities
Day 9
  • Levels 3 to 4  2 Route Options Available
  • 35, 45 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 10
  • Conclusion of Trip