Southern Lakes, Mountains and Rail Trails Tour:
13 February to 24 February 2009
-12 Days/11 Nights Tour.
This 2009 Bushranger Bikes 12
day/11 night tour of New Zealand's mighty South Island
is one of our favourites. It commences with a pickup
in Christchurch and transfer by road to the start of the
Little River Rail Trail and some fantastic riding out to the
French Akaroa district of Banks Peninsula, just south of
Christchurch. Then it's off to Scottish Dunedin in the deep south of New
Zealand which is our launch pad into mighty Central Otago.
We wind our way through this magic part of New Zealand,
including Queenstown and Wanaka to the rugged West Coast.
Back over Lewis pass brings us to beautiful Hamner Springs -
a relaxing alpine hideaway in the Canterbury High Country
and a great location to ride some flowing forest tracks or
ease some tired muscles in the thermal pools, and finally the
tour finishes back in beautiful 'English influenced'
Christchurch.
Itinerary overview and features of this tour:
-
Pickup in Christchurch
followed by some fantastic riding on the Little River
Rail Trail plus riding a section of the Banks Peninsula Summit
Road with a downhill adrenaline blast into beautiful 'French' Akaroa
-
A transfer day in the
Bushranger bus to Dunedin, taking in the
sites of the rugged Otago coastline including the
impressive Moeraki Boulders.
-
Accommodation at fantastic, historic Larnach Castle
in Dunedin
-
Transfer by train on the
historic Taieri
Gorge Railway into the heart of Central Otago
-
Riding the full 150KMs of
the Central Otago Rail Trail though the amazing 'Big Sky
Country' of the high Otago Plains - the scenery truly is
breath taking
-
Visiting old gold
towns like Naseby, St Bathans and Clyde
-
Extra activities depending
on available time such as Curling and visiting New Zealand's old
and new Gold
-
A beautiful lakeside ride
into Queenstown - plenty of sight seeing and
maybe some time for a quick look at the shops
-
Driving the amazing Crown
range road, staying a night at the historic Cardrona
Hotel and then on to Lake Wanaka and another fantastic
lakeside ride.
-
Riding a great road
section from the top of Haast Pass for 30kms to Roaring
Billy falls, or maybe 60kms to Haast Village for the
energetic
-
Clear lakes, roaring
waterfalls and trout spotting at the Blue Pools
-
Driving the rugged West
Coast
-
A
chance to walk to the face of Fox Glacier and/or walking the
Lake Matheson Circuit renowned for its reflections of Mt
Cook
-
BBQ on the beach at
Hokitika and a ride into the ranges (weather and time dependant)
-
A transit section over
Lewis Pass, via Greymouth, with a night in beautiful Hamner Springs in
the
Canterbury high country (optional ride and /or soak in
the natural springs)
-
Riding the flowing
beachside trails of Bottle Lake Forest on the northern
outskirts of Christchurch
-
Fantastic food,
accommodation and company - and lots, lots more!
This tour is rated as
Grade 2+ and is
suitable to a broader range of recreational cyclists looking
for all the ingredients of a magical New Zealand cycling
adventure with achievable distances and more moderate
terrain.
Places on this tour will be limited to 6 to 8 people so if
you are keen, express your interest early.
Cost
is A$2995 per person*
for the land content and
includes quality accommodation (11 nights - share basis), 11 breakfasts,
11 dinners, 5 lunches, transfers and
support vehicle/trailer, guides with great local knowledge,
plus ride and mechanical support.
* Prices
are subject to change and can be impacted by rising fuel
costs and fluctuating exchange rates.
A
note about Bushranger Bikes Back
Country Cycling tours - click here.
2009 - Bushranger Bikes Volcanic
Madness Tour:
27 February to 10 March
2009. The exact dates will be confirmed.
12 Days/11 Nights Tour.
This is one of our signature
Back
Country tours and is
suitable for cyclists with good fitness, some road/mountain
biking
experience and a big sense of adventure and FUN. The
difficulty rating is Grade 3
(with options to vary the rides between 2+ and 3+ to suit
the particular group) and training rides will be offered for
those located in the Brisbane area (a training calendar will
also be provided to all participants) prior to going on
tour. This will assist to sharpen the off-road cycling
skills and build endurance in the weeks leading up to the
tour.
The tour
commences and finishes in Wellington and we will be riding
some of New Zealand's best adventure trails in locations that
are part of a circuit
that takes in Regional Wellington (riding the Rimutaka Rail Trail) Tongaririo National Park,
Turangi, Lake Taupo and the fantastic tracks of Redwoods in
Rotorua – the focus being on a Region in the
centre of the North Island known as the
Volcanic Plateau. The
area includes the North Island's highest mountains, New Zealand’s
longest river and highlights the geothermal wonderland that is
rich in Maori culture and iconically New Zealand.
Itinerary overview and features of this tour:
-
The scenery
is spectacular and diverse – from snow-capped mountains, roaring
streams and waterfalls, to arid desert, ancient forests, huge lakes
and
rumbling geysers & volcanoes – a clean, fresh and exciting
environment that is uniquely New Zealand.
-
Ride
the fantastic Rimutaka Rail Trail.
-
Take
the challenge of the coastal dune trails in the Kapiti
Region overlooking the coast whilst riding under the brooding eye of Kapiti Island.
-
You will ride
beside beautiful fresh lakes, roaring huge waterfalls & cross
cool mountain streams.
-
Take a
walk
across
an ancient land in the tussock and mountainous area of
Tongariro National Park.
-
Ride trails amongst
hissing geysers and bubbling fumaroles.
-
Ride an
unforgettable section of road (or two) from the highest mountain in the
North Island starting above the tree and snow line - the best
downhill scenic ride in New Zealand.
-
Experience ancient New Zealand riding the tracks of
Whirinaki Forest.
-
The
best mountain bike tracks in the world? Pure
Rotorua Redwoods magic - you decide.
-
Stay in great
resort & mountain lodge style accommodation.
-
Experience
fantastic food from cafes and restaurants like Pihanga on the
Mountain or 'The Station' in National Park.
-
Great company, fun
and lots,
lots more!
In
the style of tours to places like the Kokoda Track we will be
offering preparation mountain bike rides to those located in the Brisbane
area prior to the tour to make sure
that everyone is prepared and ready to get the most out of the
tour – all included in the tour price.
Bushranger Bikes tours are small and intimate, where you get
personal attention, so places on this tour will be limited to 6 to 8 people.
If
you are keen, express your interest early to avoid
disappointment.
Cost
is A$2995 per person*
for the land content and
includes quality accommodation (11 nights - share basis),
11 breakfasts, 11 dinners, 5 lunches, transfers and
support vehicle/trailer, guides with great local knowledge,
plus ride and mechanical support.
A
note about Bushranger Bikes Back
Country Cycling tours - click here.
Finally,
Bushranger Tours are not hardcore mountain bike races across the
country side where the scenery is just a blur. They are
adventure rides for adventurous people, of all ages and most
skill and fitness levels. You actually get to experience the
places you travel through, meet the locals, take in the magic breathtaking
scenery of New Zealand and enjoy the cycling experience with
friends. Go on – put this tour on your to do list, then put a tick
beside it and contact Bushranger today for more information –
info@bushrangerbikes.com.au .
Please Note:
Bushranger Bikes reserves the right
to cancel the tour or change tour content and trails ridden
without prior notice depending upon participant numbers, weather
conditions and other variables to ensure the safety and fun factor
of our tours.
*
Prices are subject to change and can be impacted by
rising fuel costs and fluctuating exchange rates.
