Kawarau Gorge, Lake Dunstan and Otago Rail Trail

The tour is 5 days long with all 5 days being cycling days.

You can expect this trip to feel introductory to moderate overall. The Central Otago Rail Trail is an easy, well-formed ride—wide, hard-packed, and mostly gentle, with just one longer climb that follows the old railway line at a steady gradient.

Things step up a notch on the Kawarau Gorge and the Lake Dunstan Trail through the Cromwell Gorge. Here, the riding becomes more technical, with steeper climbs, narrower paths, tight corners, and some exposed sections. If you’d prefer something easier, there’s an alternative route that skips the Cromwell Gorge section.

To get the most out of the trip, you’ll want a reasonable level of fitness. Aim to ride 2–3 times a week for 2–3 hours in the three months leading up to departure. Training on gravel or off-road trails will help, and doing a multi-day ride beforehand is a great way to get comfortable spending long hours in the saddle. The more practice you have on hills, switchbacks, and narrower trails, the more enjoyable the experience will be—especially if you plan to take on the Cromwell Gorge.

Trail Surface

Compacted Gravel 99%
Majority of the Otago Central Rail Trail is compacted gravel therefore cyclists need to be confident riding on uneven surfaces. The trail is wide, which means that you can be sociable and ride alongside others. There are some narrow cattle-stop grates and chicanes (s-shaped safety gateways).

Some single track
Parts of the Kawarau Gorge and Lake Dunstan Trails are narrow in places with drop offs and tight corners

The guides are one of the biggest assets of the tour operator and they have pride for their level of quality and high standards. Once the trip reaches 8 people,  two expert guides will join to maximise your enjoyment and overall experience. You’ll know you’re in safe hands as all of the guides are certified in first aid and CPR and many of them are trained bike mechanics. They come from all walks of life but the guides have a common desire to give you the best possible experience, fun and lots of fond memories to take home with you.