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Grand Tour
Duration
15 days
Site savings
$48
From
$4,725 USD
A 15-day cycling tour from Picton to Queenstown unveils New Zealand’s South Island in all its splendor, allowing you to savor its breathtaking scenery at a leisurely pace. You'll traverse some of the country's most picturesque landscapes, including the serene Marlborough Sounds, the rugged West Coast, and the majestic Southern Alps. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to discover historic gold mining towns like Ross and Arrowtown, each rich in charm and history. As you near Queenstown, you'll be enveloped by some of the world's most dramatic mountain scenery, with snow-capped peaks soaring above and crystal-clear lakes stretching out before you, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop to your ride.
- CategoryMulti-Activity
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration15 days
- Culture LevelFamiliar
- Skill Level2 - Novice
- Activity Level3 - Active
- Elevation3 - Intermediate
- TerrainCoastal
- Distance367.9 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance28 miles
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Quick Stats
- Duration15 days
- Main DestinationSouth Island
- Distance367.9 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance28 miles
- Elevation3 - Intermediate
- TerrainCoastal
Route Map (click to view larger image)
Itinerary Details
- Day 1Picton
You will meet at 4:00 pm at the Picton Yacht Club Hotel, 25 Waikawa Rd, Picton. Your tour leader will then hold a trip orientation meeting and fit you to your rental bikes. After that, you'll take a short ride of around 20 kilometers on a quiet coastal road to Whatamango Bay.
- 12.4 miles
- Picton Yacht Club Hotel
- Dinner
- Day 2Picton to Nelson
You will climb out of Picton along a delightful, twisty little coastal road to Mahau Sound and the sleepy town of Havelock, from where the mail boat departs. The town's claim to fame is that two scientific giants grew up here: Ernest Rutherford, the first to split the atom and a Nobel Prize winner in 1908, and William Pickering, who spent his career in the U.S. and directed the first successful satellite launches in the late 1950s in response to the Soviet Sputnik program. You'll also notice many mussel farms along the Queen Charlotte Sounds.
After riding through dairy farming country, you'll reach an attractive bush reserve at Pelorus Bridge, where you'll have lunch. Due to traffic volumes from here, you'll meet at Pelorus Bridge or Rai Valley to drive into Nelson over the climbs of Rai Saddle and Whangamoa Saddle. Keen riders may enjoy an additional cycling side trip to Okiwi Bay on a quiet road with excellent views. The cathedral city of Nelson is New Zealand's sunniest city, with its neighboring orchards and sandy beaches.Picton to Havelock: 35km/22mi +635m -635m
Picton to Pelorus Bridge:56km/35mi +840m -815m
Picton to Nelson: 110km/69mi +1612m -1609m- 21.7 miles
- The Hotel Nelson
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 3Nelson to St Arnaud
You drive 45 minutes to Motueka, located at the mouth of its namesake river, which empties into Tasman Bay. You then cycle up the Motueka Valley, a delightful, quiet road that passes apple orchards, berry farms, fields of hops, wineries, and dairy farms before reaching open sheep country. After enjoying a picnic lunch at Tapawera, you continue climbing through the Golden Downs forest and mostly uninhabited country before a final descent to St Arnaud, set in a beech forest by the beautiful Lake Rotoiti (“little lake” in Maori).
Motueka to Kohatu: 52km/33 mil +535m -340m
Motueka to St Arnaud: 97km/61 mil +1305m -670m- 32.3 miles
- Alpine Lodge, Nelson Lakes Park
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 4St Arnaud to Murchison
You'll take a short walk (up to1 hour) in the beech forest by the lake before starting the day's ride. From St Arnaud you will follow the Buller River downhill through sheep farming country to Murchison. There are virtually no towns or shops before Murchison, once a gold mining town and best known for the devastating 1929 earthquake.
St Arnaud to Murchison: 60km/37mi +290m -760m
- 39.8 miles
- Murchison Lodge
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 5Murchison to Westport
You have the option (at an extra cost) to raft down the impressive Buller Gorge to Lyell for lunch or cycle the road that continues to follow the course of the Buller River. The river passes through a narrow gorge along parts of the route, and there are few services before you reach Westport and the sea. The sparsely populated West Coast is relatively isolated, being cut off by the Southern Alps.
Westport was originally founded as a gold-mining town around 1860, then served as a port for shipping coal, but it now mainly relies on tourism and fishing. You'll have a chance to visit a New Zealand fur seal colony and see cheeky black wekas, which are flightless native birds.
Murchison to Berlins: 64km/40mil +780m -880
Murchison to Westport: 96km/60mil +1160m -1325m- 39.8 miles
- Omau Settlers Modge Motel, Westport
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 6Westport to Punakaiki
The rolling coastal road offers many spectacular views and delightful sandy coves. The Paparoa Range provides a backdrop of thick native bush and broken by limestone cliffs. At Punakaiki you will take a walk around Dolomite Point to explore the fascinating Pancake Rocks, where the sea has undermined the sedimentary rock and created spectacular layered rock formations and dramatic blow holes, especially at high tide.
Westport to Punakaiki: 63km/39mil +925m -920m
- 39.1 miles
- Copthorne Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 7Rest Day
Options today include kayaking on the scenic Pororari River, hikes in Paparoa National Park or easy walks on the Truman Track or to the Punakaiki Cavern, featuring glow-worms. The rainforest features nikau palms, tree ferns, rimu and towering rata and you may be lucky enough to encounter native birds such as weka, tuis, wood pigeons or bellbirds. Or you may choose to simply relax in the beautiful surroundings or explore the expanses of wild empty beach.
- Copthorne Hotel
- Breakfast
- Day 8Punakaiki to Hokitika
You will head south along the coast on a road squeezed between the mountains and the sea, crossing a few rivers, to Greymouth, the principal town of Westland. Named after Sir George Grey, New Zealand’s first Governor, it was the site of Mawhera, the largest Maori settlement on the West Coast. From here it is a flat run to Hokitika -a town famous for its gold-rush in the 1860’s and more recently timber milling. The town has greenstone (jade) and glass blowing factories and now relies on tourism.Punakaiki to
Greymouth: 44km/28mil +446m -442m
Punakaiki to Hokitika: 84km/52mil +580m -580m- 27.3 miles
- Beachfront Hotel, Hokitika
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 9Hokitika to Franz Josef
Crossing the Hokitika River you will head south through native bush of rimu and Kahikatea (white pine). The route takes you through an agricultural valley and forest. The country is rolling with one climb up Mt Hercules after the town of Harihari (nowhere near as daunting as the name suggests!) and a final flat run from Whataroa. Entering Westland National Park as you pass beautiful Lake Mapourika, you will have superb views of snow-capped peaks.
Mt Hercules summit to Franz Josef: 51km/32mil +450m
Lake Ianthe to Franz Josef: 80km/50mil +725m -620m
Hokitika to Franz Josef Glacier: 135km/84mil +1300m- 31.7 miles
- Punga Grove, Franz Josef
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 10Franz Josef to Lake Moeraki
From Franz Josef to Fox Glacier is just 24 km, but you'll encounter three quite severe climbs (and descents) through beautiful native forest. The remaining terrain is gently undulating. From Fox to Lake Paringa, the road passes through lush rainforests of rimu and rata, flax-filled swamps, and rugged hills. The many rivers become raging torrents after rain. In fine weather, you'll enjoy superb views of Mt. Cook and the Southern Alps.
Bruce Bay to Lake Moeraki: 43km/27mil +280m -290m
Fox to Lake Moeraki: 88km/55mil +565m -730m
Fox to Haast: 1 19km/74mil +1013m - 1185m- 26.7 miles
- Heartland Hotel Haast
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 11Haast to Makarora
Just south of Lake Moeraki, you'll find Knights Point, which offers excellent views of the rugged coastline where seals can often be seen basking in the sun. From Haast, you head inland, following the Haast River towards the snow-capped peaks. You'll pass innumerable waterfalls and see much bird life, notably keas, fantails, and bellbirds. After lunch, you'll tackle the stiff climb through the Gates of Haast before a gentle descent to the tiny, isolated Makarora. Makarora serves as a base for trampers (hikers) and the renowned Siberia Experience.
Haast to Pleasent Flat: 48km/30mil +460m -385m
Haast to Makarora: 81km/51mil +1250m -940m- 31.7 miles
- Makarora Tourist Centre
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 12Makarora to Wanaka
The landscape becomes dramatically drier, with dense bush giving way to open sheep paddocks. The road closely follows Lake Wanaka, crosses the Neck to Lake Hawea, and then re-crosses to Lake Wanaka. You'll enjoy dramatic views of jagged, rocky mountains across the lake. Wanaka is the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park and several winter ski regions. If you have energy to spare, you might like to hike up Mt. Iron for more panoramic views.
Makarora to Hawea turnoff: 50km/ 31mil +580m -540m
Makarora to Wanaka: 66km/ 41mil +705m -730m- 31.1 miles
- Lake Wanaka Lodge
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 13Rest Day
Wanaka is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka and is surrounded by mountains, making it a playground for outdoor enthusiasts like you. You can choose a scenic loop ride of 56 km (35 miles) or enjoy walks of all lengths, including the Rob Roy Glacier trail in Mt Aspiring National Park, one of the best half-day walks in New Zealand. You can also experience a world of mountains, jet boating, kayaking, or fishing, and there is a scenic golf course to enjoy. If you prefer a more leisurely day, explore the town or visit Rippon Vineyard for stunning Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc wines.
- 31.1 miles
- Lake Wanaka Lodge
- Breakfast
- Day 14Wanaka to Queenstown
Today, you’ll follow our route up the Crown Range and over the Cardrona Road. You'll climb through tussock hills past the historic Cardrona Hotel. At the top, you'll be rewarded with amazing views of the Remarkables mountain range and Queenstown. The adjacent Pisa Range (1963m) features New Zealand’s only Nordic ski-touring and snow-shoe trails.
You'll then descend the exhilarating hairpin bends to Arrowtown, an attractive, well-preserved gold-mining village with quaint old cottages and avenues of elms. An easy, flat ride beneath Coronet Peak, a winter ski field, will take you to Arthur’s Point, where you’ll cross the Shotover River on your way to Queenstown. Keep an eye out for jet boats speeding through the narrow gorge.
Surrounded by mountain peaks (including the famous Remarkables) and set on Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown has much to offer.Wanaka to Cardrona Hotel: 23km/15mil +270m
Wanaka to Queenstown: 78km/49mi +1204m- 14.3 miles
- mi-pad Queenstown
- Breakfast and Dinner
- Day 15Queenstown
The tour ends after breakfast. You can stay and enjoy more days in Queenstown or join the guides for a drive back to Christchurch.
- 16.8 miles
- Breakfast