The Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand is a collection of 23 of the best cycling trips you will ever experience. For those looking for that memorable South Island adventure, these two Great Rides – the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail and the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail – are your two-wheeled touring dreams come true.
Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail Great Ride
Distance: 5–6 days, 315km
Grading: Easy–Intermediate
Bike: Gravel, hybrid and e-bikes. For bike hire and supported tours see: alps2ocean.com/trail-directory
Getting there: Fly to Queenstown or Christchurch, from where the two Alps 2 Ocean starting points – Aoraki and Tekapo – are 2.5–4 hours by transfer/Intercity coach
Trail conditions: alps2ocean.com/trail-conditions/latest-trail-information
From the country’s tallest peak, Aoraki/Mt Cook, to the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand’s longest cycling trail serves up epic views from its start in the snow-clad Southern Alps through broad glacier-created valleys in the Mackenzie Basin, to glinting turquoise hydro-lakes and extraordinary rock formations in the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark.
“Cycling the Alps 2 Ocean is like experiencing a snapshot of all New Zealand in under a week,” says Jason Menard from Mackenzie Tourism. “You’ll ride through wide open grasslands, native beech forests, past glacial-fed lakes and snow-capped peaks, and the scenery changes every day.”
The route has two possible starting points, from Tekapo township – a slightly shorter ride – or from the foothills of Aoraki, the fabled mountain where Sir Edmund Hillary trained to climb Everest.
Travelling 315km, from Aoraki/Mount Cook, Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail, part of the 23 Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand, begins with an exhilarating helicopter ride across the rushing white waters of the Tasman River, to the far side of the broad intermountain Mackenzie Basin. The trail then tracks along beside Lake Pūkaki, its waters rendered tropically turquoise by glacial flour, finely ground rock particles eroded from the surrounding mountains, to the lovely hydro-settlement of Twizel.
This bright blue hue remains a constant in the lakes, hydroelectric reservoirs and canals you cycle beside as the trail unfolds toward the South Island’s east coast, often mirroring surrounding ranges, like the snow-coated Ben Ōhau mountains that you pass on day two.
After spending the night beside sparkling Lake Ōhau, the third day includes a gradual climb to the ride’s highest point, Tarnbrae Saddle, at 900m, and a short detour to the Clay Cliffs, a rock formation full of canyons and pinnacles that wouldn’t look out of place in Arizona. By now you’ve earned a long soak in Ōmārama’s outdoor hot tubs and a hearty country feed at the local pub.
“The Alps 2 Ocean isn’t just about stunning scenery,” says Heather Matthews, from Tourism Waitaki, on the region’s memorable hospitality. “It’s about the people and experiences along the way, from hot tubs under the Milky Way and boutique wine bars serving a well-earned local glass after a day in the saddle, to glamping hosts welcoming you with a home-cooked feast.”
Just when you think the best scenery is behind you, the Alps 2 Ocean ups the ante with a thrilling section: 67km from Ōmārama to Kurow, first running high along the cliffs above Lake Benmore before crossing a huge dam and continuing beside two more glinting reservoirs, Aviemore and Waitaki.
Rural hamlets like Kurow, a great overnight stop with its Waitaki region wineries and museum featuring local All Blacks legend Richie McCaw, and Duntroon, where the Vanished World Fossil Centre exhibits include a 24-million-year-old whale skeleton, are now thriving thanks to Alps 2 Ocean cyclists.
Just outside Duntroon, on the ride’s final 54km section to Ōamaru, are Elephant Rocks, another highlight of Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark. Scattered across fields where sheep graze nonchalantly, these limestone boulders, exposed by tectonic uplift and carved by weathering, look like playthings discarded by a Māori god.
As one of the world’s most spectacular trails reaches its finale beside the Pacific Ocean in Ōamaru, grab a celebratory selfie in the oversized picture frame on the seafront, and extend your ride with a night in this grand Victorian seaside town. “The Alps 2 Ocean Trail is an achievable adventure that’s within reach for almost anyone,” says Jason Menard, who has ridden the trail four times. “Take it one day at a time and, by the time you roll onto the ocean’s edge, you’ll feel like a true champion!”
Highlights
- New Zealand’s longest Great Ride, at 315kms
- Begin close to New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki/Mt Cook (3754m)
- Stargaze in Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve
- Take a thrilling helicopter ride across the Tasman River
- Cycle through Australasia’s only UNESCO Geopark, encompassing the Waitaki district entire 7200-square-kilometres, featuring otherworldly rock formations like Clay Cliffs and Elephant Rocks
- Ride beside turquoise hydro-lakes and canals
- Stop at craft breweries & vineyards in Waitaki wine country
- Wallow in Ōmārama’s alfresco hot tubs
- Visit quaint rural villages like Kurow and Duntroon
- Explore Ōamaru’s Victorian precinct and end the ride beside the Pacific Ocean
Around the Mountains Cycle Trail Great Ride
Distance: 3–5 days, 186km
Grading: Easy–Intermediate
Bike: Gravel, hybrid, mountain and e-bikes. Bike hire and supported tours: aroundthemountains.co.nz/service-type/tour-operators/
Getting there: Fly to Invercargill or to Queenstown then take a short steamship ride to Walter Peak Station
Trail conditions: Please check aroundthemountains.co.nz or metservice.com if it has been raining to monitor river flow and riding conditions
Scenery, scenery and more scenery – it’s no wonder the Māori know the location for the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail, part of the 23 Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand, in the country’s Deep South, as Taka Rā Haka or “the sun dances on the mountain top at the end of the day”.
This 186km circumnavigation of the Eyre mountains, which travels through the Te Wāhipounamu/South-West New Zealand World Heritage Area, has everything from panoramic Alpine vistas to spellbinding lakes featured in the Lord of the Rings, sections tracking through forest and alongside the burbling Ōreti and Mataura rivers, High Country farmlands and historic townships.
The trail, which runs from Walter Peak to Kingston, can be ridden in either direction and completed in four days. Cycling south from Walter Peak, recommended due to prevailing winds, the adventure begins with a cruise across Lake Wakatipu, aboard a century-old steamship, the TSS Earnslaw.
From here it’s a 50km ride along a remote but smooth gravel road to Mavora Lakes, with the trail’s biggest climb, up Von Hill, near the start and two rivers to cross along the way. There’s camping available at Mavora Lakes or a shuttle is available to other accommodation in nearby Mossburn or Te Anau. See: aroundthemountains.co.nz/service-type/accommodation/
The following day, you can shuttle back to rejoin where you left the trail – travelling along a busier gravel road – or continue from Centre Hill Shelter, a 44km ride toward Lumsden, a township settled in 1862. Much of the route threads alongside the Ōreti River, curving back towards Mossburn, known as the Deer Capital of New Zealand, before meandering through farmlands on repurposed rail line and well-graded track.
Leaving Lumsden, it’s an easy 33km cycle north toward Athol, with Mid Dome rearing up nearby backed by the Garvie mountains, and the route following an old rail line through rich farming country. Five Rivers, the meeting point of several streams descending from the hills where the Māori once gathered greenstone, which they consider sacred, is halfway and a lovely lunch stop.
The final day starts with crossing Athol’s “Golden Gates”, two suspension bridges over the Mataura River, brimming with brown trout, before the trail reaches tiny Garston, New Zealand’s most inland town, with a food truck to refuel with snacks and coffee. The remainder of the 30km route skirts an old glacier moraine in the Eyre Mountain foothills before reaching historic Kingston, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, where there are cafes, bars and accommodation as well as the beloved vintage steam train, the Kingston Flyer. Flushed with their achievement, riders return 45km to Queenstown by shuttle bus.
“The Around the Mountains Cycle Trail offers a truly magnificent journey through some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking and diverse landscapes,” says Trail Manager Susan Mackenzie. “From tranquil lakesides to dramatic alpine vistas, the ride connects people with nature and the heart of Southland in an unforgettable way.”
Highlights
- Cruise sparkling Lake Wakatipu
- Circumnavigate South Island’s Eyre mountain ranges
- Travel through the Te Wāhipounamu/South-West New Zealand World Heritage Area
- Cycle past Lord of the Rings setting, the Mavora Lakes
- Ride beside the beautiful Ōreti and Mataura rivers
- Stay in Mossburn, deer capital of New Zealand
- Follow old rail lines through High Country farmlands
- Cross the “Golden Gates” cycle suspension bridges near Athol
- Experience warm Southland hospitality in rural villages like Garston
- Take the Kingston Flyer vintage steam train
Whether it’s multi-day journeys or short scenic rides, the Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand offer something for everyone, making them a must-do for cycling enthusiasts and travellers alike. Head to nzcycletrail.com/aus to plan your ride.
