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Cycle New Zealand: Wilderness Trail


Cycle New Zealand: Otago Rail Trail
View tripOverview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Set out on one of New Zealand’s great rides as you cycle the West Coast Wilderness Trail through the South Island’s untamed natural wilderness.
- The scenery is wild, but the ride is smooth as you follow mostly traffic-free cycle paths and trails with amazing West Coast scenery at every turn.
- When you’re not on two wheels, explore on two feet during hikes at Lake Kaniere at the spectacular Point Elizabeth Lookout, where you can see the ocean stretch to the mountains.
- Experience the famous hospitality of New Zealander’s firsthand on a trail built specifically to cater to cyclists.
Short Description
Feel the fresh West Coast wind in your hair (well, in your helmet) as you cycle through some of the South Island’s most spectacular scenery. Discover a region renowned for rugged coastline, fascinating inland, dazzling mountains, incredible beaches and one of New Zealand’s great rides – the incomparable Wilderness Trail. Pedal your way from Ross to Greymouth through ancient rainforests, past glacial rivers and around brooding lakes, with plenty of time to soak in magnificent views and spin a yarn with the locals. Four days, two wheels, and one unforgettable adventure.
Theme
Cycling & BikingDestinations
New ZealandAttractions & Cities Visited
N/AActivities & Interests
N/AAge Requirement
15-99Itinerary
Day 1 Hokitika & Ross
Kia Ora! Welcome to Hokitika, New Zealand. Your West Coast cycling adventure kicks off with a meeting at 11am where you’ll meet your leader and fellow travellers. After the meeting you’ll be fitted with your bike, then hop aboard your vehicle and follow the shores of the Tasman Sea to the nearby town of Ross. Here you’ll set your wheels in motion and begin your cycling journey along the West Coast Wilderness Trail. Today will be a chance to find your feet as you cycle the mostly flat road north through gently rolling farmland and tracts of green forest, crossing the Totara River before arriving at the tiny town of Ruatapu. If time permits, you may like to take an optional visit the West Coast Treetop Walk to see a forest of ancient Rimu trees from a different perspective. From here, cycle along peaceful tree-lined roads, past the calm emerald waters of Lake Mahinapua, through wooded areas, and cruise all the way back into Hokitika. This evening you may like to get to know your travel companions over dinner in town, or perhaps head to the nearby Glowworm Dell where magical creatures light up a cave above you.
Day 2 Lake Kaniere & Hokitika
Tuck into an early breakfast then jump in the vehicle for a short drive up the hill to the stunning Lake Kaniere. Fringed by mountains and ancient Rimu forests, this glacial lake is just as beautiful as it is culturally significant, once serving as a mahinga kai (food gathering place) for the Maori people. It’s also a perfect spot for a short hike, and if weather permits, you’ll enjoy a scenic stroll along the Lake Kaniere Walkway (approximately 2 hours). Stop of at the secluded Dorothy Falls, then hop back on two wheels and cycle 10km along undulating gravel road hugging the east shore of Lake Kaniere. From here, enjoy a mostly downhill ride, following the fast-flowing Hokitika River back into Hokitika town. The rest of the afternoon is free for your own explorations. You may like to learn about the significance of carving in Maori culture at a local carving studio, where you can carve a piece from pounamu (greenstone), bone, or shell. For a glimpse into Hokitika’s past, head to the local museum, or you may like to end the day at Hokitika beach, watching an amazing West Coast sunset.
Day 3 Lake Kaniere to Kumara
To avoid a long uphill stretch this morning, you and your bike will be driven back up to Lake Kaniere to start today’s ride. Leaving the lake, you’ll start climbing almost immediately, skirting Mt Tuhua, cycling through valley farmland and crossing the braided Arahura River. Continue up to the high point of the trip under the craggy peaks of the towering Mt Turiwhate. The next 20kms are almost all downhill, as you drop down past Trappers Rest then continue to the twin lakes of the Kumara Reservoir, cycling across the narrow spit of land that separates the wooded shores of the still green waters. Pause to take in the view, then follow the water north before dropping down into Kumara itself. If the weather’s warm, why not relax by the sandy banks of the Taramakau River, or if you’re feeling more active, enjoy a short and easy stroll through tailings and old gold workings to view Londonderry Rock – a huge boulder too large for the miners to move or break. Once a thriving gold town with over 50 pubs, sleepy Kumara is now a wonderful place to simply put your feet up and enjoy the tranquillity of rural life in New Zealand.
Day 4 Kumara to Greymouth
Rise bright and early to saddle up for your final day on the Wilderness Trail. You’ll cover a lot of ground today (47km) but it’s pretty easy going, with the first 12km at a good speed downhill from Kumara, all the way to the point where the Taramakau River meets the Tasman Sea. Follow the path through ever-changing scenery, covering flat coastal roads past the West Coast’s rugged beaches and small settlements. Ride through the busy town of Greymouth, then continue across the Grey River out to the pounding surf of Shipwreck Point, then follow the ocean north to the Point Elizabeth Walkway. Park your bike and take a well surfaced hike (approximately 5km return) through mixed coastal forest out to the Point Elizabeth Lookout. Take a moment to soak in some truly unforgettable views stretching from the ocean to the Paparoa Mountain Range. Then it’s a short and flat ride back to Greymouth, where on arrival your West Coast Wilderness Trail cycling trip comes to an end.
Availability
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Cycle New Zealand: Wilderness Trail
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Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport Bicycle (e-bike available,subject to availability)
Group Size
Small Group - 24 max
Maximum Number of People in Group: 12
Accommodations
Hotel (3 nights)
Guides
All Intrepid cycling group trips are accompanied by one of our cycling leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Our cycling leaders are all passionate cyclists, as you’d expect, but they also go through some pretty rigorous cycle-trip specific training. Each one has undergone on-road training and supervision and knows how to do safety checks, basic repairs and emergency first-aid. And at the end of the day they’re still regular Intrepid leaders, which means they will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. On this trip we have a single leader that rides with the group, and another that drives the support vehicle (acting as a back marker where needed) There may be times when a client is asked to be the back marker, ensuring no one else rides behind them, if the vehicle cannot travel directly behind the group. Your leader will discuss this at the initial group meeting.
Age Notes :
Min. Age: 15
Max Age: 99
Additional Information
Finish point
- Greymouth
- Array
- Greymouth
- NEW ZEALAND
Trip ID#:
intrepid-PHXW
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