"Great Cycle Tours since 1992"

 

A 5 Day – 4 Night cycle tour in a Christchurch to Christchurch loop. Experiencing the majesty of Aoraki Mt Cook and the sweeping tussocklands of the Mackenzie Basin - and everything along the way!

 

Day 1 Christchurch to Tekapo
Meet at Christchurch depot for cycle fitting and trip briefing. Once this is completed we can head south aiming for our first coffee stop at Geraldine and then onto our first ride on beautiful quiet sealed rural roads. Through gentle hillsides we eventually arrive at a local winery where we lunch before cycling on and after our first 27 kms, load up and drive to Farlie. The road from here to Burkes Pass is again flat until gradually rising to to Burkes Pass which we climb by coach. Traffic and weather dependant we may have a final ride for the day into Lake Tekapo where the local hot pools ease any aches. The turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo are a back drop to the famous Church of the Good Shepherd and the tribute to the sheepdogs that make farming the Mackenzie Basin possible. The lake is also the first of the storage lakes which feed the hydro schemes in the basin and down the Waitaki valley which we will follow over the coming days. (L, D)
Road Distance – UP to 50 kms

 

Day 2 Tekapo to Twizel
Before leaving Tekapo we can either drive or walk to the summit of nearby Mt John – an ideal spot to view today and tomorrows rides. The views from here put the Mackenzie basin into perspective. After a coffee, we drive to the nearby Tekapo canal and enjoy the flat easy riding which takes us to the edge of Lake Pukaki. From the road end, Mt Cook beckons so we load up and drive to The Hermitage where we have the option to enjoy a visit to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and local DoC centre – or a walk to nearby Kea Point for stunning views of the Hooker valley and Mt Cook. Weather dependant we can cycle away from the Southern Alps for a spell until we finally we load up and drive to nearby Twizel for the nights stay. Twizel was built for the Hydro project in the 1970’s and in recent years has been rejuvenated as a holiday and rowing destination, surrounded by rolling tussock hillsides. (B,L)
Cycling Distance – Up to 40 kms

 

Day 3 Twizel to Kurow
We back track to Lake Pukaki and again join the canal roads which leads us through the backroads to Twizel and then onto the nearby DoC Black Stilt recovery centre to learn of NZ most endangered bird life. The stilts are under pressure from the invasive lupines which chock up the braided waterways – as well as the foraging hedgehogs who attack their nests. From Twizel it’s a short drive to the Quailburn historic shearing shed where we lunch and then cycle out on the sealed road to the highway. A short drive to the low pass above Otamata accesses the downhill cycle and side road which takes us to the majestic Aviemore dam. A beautiful sealed lakeside road keeps us entertained before we have a short drive to our nights accommodation. (B,L,D)
Cycling Distance – UP to 40-50 kms

 

 

Day 4 Kurow to Oamaru
We head east to Duntroon and then turn inland on more beautiful quiet rural roads. The rest of the day is spent amidst spectacular limestone outcrops and landscapes as we gradually descend towards Oamaru on some of the prime cycle roads in NZ. The historic Oamaru warehouse quarter is alive and vibrant with in season street actors providing entertainment. In the evening we visit the famous Blue penguin colony to view the penguins who are returning to their nest after a day food gathering.
 Cycling Distance – Optional 40 – 60kms
(B, L, D)

 

Day 5 Oamaru to Chch
Today we are Christchurch bound - but not before more rural cycling. South of Timaru we start on a road system that weaves through small farmlets and communities into the river reserve below Mt Horrible. A short coach lift takes us over the gorge for a final burst of cycling through to Pleasant Point and the start of the final drive back to Christchurch. With good traffic flows we should be into Christchurch by around 5.00pm. (B,L)
Cycling Distance – UP to 40 kms