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Tour de Great Taste Trail: Cycling Tour from Nelson
As the name suggests, this cycling tour of the Great Taste Trail is a journey into food and wine country on the south island of New Zealand. Starting and ending in the scenic, seaside town of Nelson, this tour will delight the senses with the array of wonderful local produce, including some incredible wines! This is a fully guided tour, and you will be looked after from start to finish. Quality accommodation, gourmet meals, all winery visits, transport and a guide are all included. Sit back, cycle a little and enjoy all the best of this beautiful and stunning region of New Zealand.
- CategoryEasy-going & Leisurely
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration6 days
- Culture LevelFamiliar
- Skill Level1 - Beginner
- Activity Level2 - Moderate
- Elevation2 - Moderate
- TerrainCoastal
- Distance98.8 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance24.7 miles
We loved the tour, the company of friends, your great organization and Sean’s hard work. Thank you once again. It won’t be our last Tour de Vines.
The area around Nelson on the northern tip of the NZ South Island is a hidden gem. I can confidently say the best way to discover this varied landscape (rolling hills, vineyards, mountains and coast) is on two wheels.
I have just returned from the Tour de Vines six day…
The area around Nelson on the northern tip of the NZ South Island is a hidden gem. I can confidently say the best way to discover this varied landscape (rolling hills, vineyards, mountains and coast) is on two wheels.
I have just returned from the Tour de Vines six day Great Taste Trail guided tour and it's one of the best holidays I've had.
Scenery: the "great taste" means experiencing a wide variety of scenery. I was jumping off my bike regularly to take another photo of picture postcard views.
Bikes: I loved my bike (hire included). She was a sturdy hybrid with a comfortable saddle, 24 gears (including a "granny gear" for the occasional slog up a long hill) but surprisingly nippy.
Accommodation: Varied between a traditional NZ pub, self-contained villa with stunning views over the ocean, and a bed & breakfast. But all were very comfortable and clean.
Food: Damn! Even with all that cycling I came home 2 kgs heavier. The food was excellent. The area is famous for seafood and we ate well (possibly too well in my case) every day. Most meals were included (a couple were at our own cost) and two meals were beautiful "picnic" lunches. A highlight for me was dinner al fresco at a property out in the country, eating home-cooked gourmet food under a huge spreading tree watching the sun go down.
Wines: What a great area for wine lovers. We cycled through/past acres of vines. The area is famous for its wines, particularly its sauvignon blanc, riesling, pinot noir and pinot gris. We had the opportunity to taste these and other varieties at a number of boutique wineries.
Extras: As well as the wine tasting visits, we went to WOW (World of Wearable Art) in Nelson which also included about a billion dollars worth of classic cars. And a day easy-walking and swimming in the stunning Abel Tasman National Park.
Fitness: We had a large group and the fittest could possibly give Cadel Evans a run (spin) for his money. But I never felt any pressure to keep up and could happily pedal at my own pace. And of course there was the trusty sag wagon if you really couldn't pedal any more. If you are not a regular cyclist, I would recommend upping the kilometres to 50-100 a week to get the best out of this tour.
Niggle: Just one "area for consideration". The daily notes were not always accurate about the terrain or challenges. The roads were more often "undulating" rather than "downhill" all the way. But I know that the tour is still a work in progress and am sure this will be remedied.
I started the tour not knowing any of the other riders but ended with lots of new friends. Thank you Damien and Sean for a fabulous time.
Just completed the great taste trail from Nelson New Zealand.
5 nights of cycling and 1 day hiking Abel Tasman national park.
Shaun and Damian were excellent tour guides and support. Accomodation and food was fantastic. Every you asked for
They helped with everything, even with getting a wash…
Just completed the great taste trail from Nelson New Zealand.
5 nights of cycling and 1 day hiking Abel Tasman national park.
Shaun and Damian were excellent tour guides and support. Accomodation and food was fantastic. Every you asked for
They helped with everything, even with getting a wash and blow dry at a local hairdresser in Mapua.
I would recommend Tour De Vines for any age.