Southern Alps Epic

The tour is 8 days long with 6 days of biking.

A true New Zealand mountain bike tour awaits.

For many people who aren’t familiar with the term “Single Track ” it means riding a slice of dirt that winds through terrain on a thin narrow pathway.  Mountain Biking can be often viewed as riding off-road, as in four-wheel drive tracks, or off the pavement. However, a true mountain bike experience should entail single track. The tour operator's main focus on this New Zealand mountain biking tour is to ride proper single track. At times you will ride an access track in order to get to an incredible trail, but mountain bike New Zealand for them entails riding true single track and why NZ is also ranked as holding some of the best mountain biking in the world.


At the very least you need to have been mountain biking for at least 2 years with good trail riding skills. You should be able to climb and descend under control on moderately steep singletrack with loose rocks. You should be able to ride with mild exposure at times and enjoy the challenges of a climb, and be in good shape for biking. You should be able to handle moderately technical terrain and obstacles such as small logs and rocky sections, roots and other obstacles.

You need to be in good shape and exercise for at least 4-5 hours per week.

The skills and fitness rating for this ride are 3/5, Intermediate - Advanced Rider and the technical rating information relevant to this rating can be found in the "What do the different Skills & Fitness Ratings mean?" tab on this FAQ page. Please ensure you are comfortably within the 3-5 range for both Skills and Fitness before booking.

You will also be required to fill in a medical form after booking with information relevant to any medical conditions and/or dietary restrictions you may have.

Please contact us if you have any queries regarding this.

The tour operator conducts their operations with a high focus on Safety and Wellbeing. Their safety management systems are in place to ensure the best practices possible, to reduce the risk involved in outdoor adventure activities, specifically Mountain Biking.

They maintain high safety standards that are continually being monitored and approved by New Zealand Law on an annual basis.

They are proudly registered with AdventureMark, as one of a select few of New Zealand’s Mountain Bike Guiding Companies, offering incredible NZ MTB Tours throughout both Islands. They are also accredited by The Department Of Conservation to guide their incredible Mountain Bike Tours throughout New Zealand’s Parks, Recreational Reserves and stunning backcountry wilderness areas.

By joining a qualified and approved adventure activity operator like this, you are investing back into what makes New Zealand so special. Every MTB trail in NZ you ride, a portion of money is given back to DOC and local Mountain Bike Clubs to help fulfil their awesome efforts, visions and creativity in developing single track mountain bike trails that make this country a unique riding paradise.

What this means is that the tour operator delivers high quality and well thought out guided mountain bike adventure tours of a lifetime from all angles.

Do bear in mind, as with many tours, that you will need to acknowledge the risk factor of participating in a mountain bike tour of a certain skill level, and will therefore also be required to sign Risk Disclosure and Waiver forms. You will be required to sign these after making a booking. Please contact us if you wish to read these prior to booking.

It's important to ensure you are riding within your ability and fitness levels when booking a single track mountain bike adventures. Please refer to the following technical skills & fitness levels rating below. if you need more clarification please contact us so we can make sure you are comfortable with your choice of trip!

The skills and fitness rating required for this ride are 3-5, Intermediate - Advanced Rider

Technical Skills Level 1-5

LEVEL 1 – Newbie

• I have never ridden a mountain bike before. It freaks me out.

LEVEL 2 – Beginner

• I have experience riding a mountain bike for at least ten times, I am capable of controlling my bike speed and direction on smooth doubletrack and rolling singletrack trails. I am not comfortable with rocks or roots. I must get off and walk my bike if there is anything technical.

LEVEL 3 – Intermediate

• I have been mountain biking for at least 2 years, I have good general trail riding skills. I can climb and descend under control on moderately steep singletrack with loose rocks. I can ride with mild exposure at times. I enjoy the challenges of a climb, and am in good shape for biking.
• I can handle moderately technical terrain and obstacles such as small logs and rocky sections, roots and other obstacles

LEVEL 4 – Strong Intermediate

• I Have been mountain biking for over 3 years, and I am confident riding all types of singletrack, and am able to ride small drops and jumps and descend technical steep sections including rocks drops and uneven roots. I Can ride confidently with exposure.
• I am in good shape for a long ride, long climbs and feel fine to ride over 5-6hrs a day on the bike

LEVEL 5 – Advanced

• I am confident in all aspects of mountain biking. I have been riding for many years.
• I can handle most technical terrain, include rocky and rooty trails, along with features such as steep drops and small- medium jumps.
• I rarely – if ever – get off my bike to walk sections except on extremely technical terrain. I am comfortable on most advanced expert trails.
• I can ride 7 hours + on my mountain bike.

Fitness Level 1-5

LEVEL 1 – Not Active

• You are not that active
• You cannot ride for more than an hour on flat terrain at a time, and the thought of climbing a hill on a bike is unlikely.
• You live a fairly sedentary life with little physical activity other than walking.

LEVEL 2 – I am working on getting into shape

• You can handle a 2-hour bike ride on flat terrain at a relaxed pace. Small, short hills are challenging to climb, but manageable.
• You exercise on average at least 2-3 hours per week (including riding/being active).

LEVEL 3 – I am in relatively good shape

• You are capable of riding 3-4 hours a day with several breaks.
• You enjoy a climb, but have to stop several times to catch your breath but you are up for the challenge and you feel strong. You consider yourself in relatively good shape.
• You exercise on average 4-5 hours per week

LEVEL 4 – I am in great shape

• You can ride 4-5 hours a day at a moderate pace with some short breaks, over a few days.
• You are capable of climbing over 500 vertical meters in a day.
• You exercise on average 5-6 hours per week

LEVEL 5 – I am a super fit machine

• You can ride up to 7 hours a day at a fast and steady pace over several days.
• You have little trouble climbing 1,000 vertical meters (3,280 ft.) in a day on steep terrain.
• You exercise on average over 8-10 hours per week, I train a lot.

Eating well on tour is a key ingredient in what makes the tour operator stand out in executing the best NZ MTB Tours.

As riders themselves, they know you need a lot of good calories to keep those legs and heart pumping at optimal level. Breakfasts range from hearty poached eggs and free-range bacon to homemade mueslis with heaps of berries, nuts, Kefir and all that good stuff you’ve heard about to keep that gut nice and healthy!

Lunches are often on the trail as you'll usually be out mountain biking awesome New Zealand single track. Wraps, Meats, Cheese, Sprouts, Hummus and all kinds of combos to ensure your ready to keep on riding but not too heavy. Since you’ve been mountain biking New Zealand, at the end of a day, dinners are often for riders to have some time out and take in the local kiwi cuisine if you're staying close to a wee town. Your mountain bike guides are also awesome cooks, and ensure a good old Lamb roast with roasted Kumara (sweet potato) and kale salad or even fresh-caught seafood from the local harbour are on the menu at times.

A lot of thought and logistics goes into the meal plan and tour, so they ensure you are having the best MTB Trip possible. Fresh ingredients are carefully picked up along the route to ensure nothing but local free-range deliciousness.

Yes. You can bring your own bike, or save the worries and rent one from the operator.

They own a fleet of the very latest specialised mountain bikes (Enduro Comps and Stumpys), with sram 1/11 gears and dropper seat post, and sram guide brakes, 3-inch tires.

Please contact us for pricing.

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