New Zealand Encompassed

Your airport transfer will take you directly to our hotel. Depending on how you feel after the long flight, either take a walk around and see the sights of Auckland or head across to Mission Bay Beach for your first NZ beach experience. Then, dinner in the evening with your fellow riders and guides where we discuss the tour itinerary, motorcycling in NZ, highlights to see and do on the tour, and questions and answers time.

Your first day is a reasonably long one but well worth it, you’ll enjoy some stunning riding up into the delightful Bay of Islands.

Another big, yet rewarding, effort on the bike continuing north up to Cape Reinga and back, the northernmost tip of the North Island. Otherwise, enjoy a free day exploring the local area or simply relax by the pool or jacuzzi.

With the Bay of Islands in our rear-view mirrors, today we’ll head across to Opononi and then down through majestic Kauri forest area into Dargaville. There will be time to visit the Matakohe Museum on our way back into Auckland.

Today’s riding is spectacular as we ride the Coromandel Loop. We overnight in the beautiful beachside town of Pauanui.

Our destination today is the geothermal area of Rotorua where we can enjoy therapeutic thermal springs and we will experience a traditional Maori cultural evening and Hangi. En-route, riders will also have an option that includes a visit to the set of Hobbiton, made famous by Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (optional excursion).

Today we will see the impressive Huka Falls, a popular destination for Jet Boat enthusiasts. Our destination is Ohakune which is a small town close to the southwestern slopes of the active volcano Mount Ruapehu.

Wellington, the nation’s capital, sits near the North Island’s southernmost point. It’s our last day on the North Island before we catch the ferry across the Cook Strait tomorrow.

Catching the inter-island ferry, we’ll arrive in Picton Harbour around midday. It’s beautiful ride on to Nelson via the spectacular Queen Charlotte Drive to Havelock.

Today we will ride out and over the Takaka Pass with its 257 corners in a region known for its impressive cave formations, sinkholes and streams. From there, it’s a wonderful stretch of road out to Collingwood. En route we can visit the amazing Te Waikoropupu Springs with the purest water on earth, before riding back into Kaiteriteri for the night.

Retracing our tracks out via Havelock and onto Blenheim before hitting the coastal highway to Kaikoura where we will pick up the scenic Inland Road to Hanmer Springs. The spa town of Hanmer Springs offers up easily accessible natural hot springs and pools which is always a nice way to unwind after a day’s ride.

Today will see us head over the ranges via Lewis Pass to Greymouth, a small town on the West Coast. Our route will take us via Westport allowing us to visit the famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes in Punakaiki.

Leaving Greymouth and with weather permitting, we’ll enjoy a morning ride to Arthurs Pass Village before heading back to the coast and onward to Fox Glacier. Fox Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers on the planet and one of New Zealand’s must-see destinations.

Weather permitting again, there are glacier flights on offer over Fox Glacier (Optional Excursion). Today’s destination is Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. The riding today will again include some of the most amazing scenery you could ever hope for.

A free day in Queenstown to enjoy all the activities that Queenstown is very well known for. White Water Rafting, Jet-boating, Bungee-Jumping, Para-Gliding and for the most daring of us all, Disc (AKA Frisbee) Golf in Queenstown Gardens. Tonight we will experience a unique paddle-steamer cruise on Lake Wakatipu that includes a BBQ Dinner and Farm Show

Today we head down to both Invercargill and Bluff, the southern-most point of the South Island. We’ll visit the NZ Motorcycle Museum which rivals one of the finest motorcycle collections anywhere in the world. More back roads from Tuatapere to Manapouri and finally, the ever-enchanting Te Anau.

We’ll ride out to Milford Sound and back along the lake to take in a boat cruise on the Sound and experience one of the most famous Fjords in the world (included excursion). It’s difficult to imagine another place that captures such pristine beauty, over and again.

You’ll be charmed once again with our route from Te Anau into Dunedin and even more captivated with our accommodation at Larnach Castle!

Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, is our agenda for today. We’ll depart early with a lot to take in. We’ll be riding through delightful rural valleys and rivers and finally up into the picturesque wall of snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps for the night.

Before we depart Mt Cook, there is the possibility of scenic flights if the weather is clear (optional excursion). We’ll have one final day of wonderful riding out of the Alps and into the Garden City of Christchurch.

Depending on your departure time, the day is free for you to explore Christchurch – how about the Antarctic Centre, the famous trams, Botanical Gardens or Hagley Park? Then you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel arrangements.