New Zealand – a holiday paradise with breathtaking coastal panoramas,
attractive harbour towns, richly varied flora, hot springs, snow-covered mountains
and much, much more. It is also a dream destination for bicycle tourists –
for good reason. New Zealand offers beautiful and varied landscapes, friendly
and hospitable people, a relatively low population density, a moderate climate
and a relaxing, slow-paced lifestyle in a country with a high standard of living
and an outstanding infrastructure for discovering its many attractions.
This book is designed to provide everything the bicycle tourist needs to get
started on a cycling tour of New Zealand: easy-to-use maps, route descriptions,
town and city detail maps and well as information about cultural attractions
and tourist facilities. The one thing this guide cannot provide is fine cycling
weather, but we hope you encounter nothing but sunshine and gentle tailwinds.
New Zealand is, without a doubt, one of the world‘s most popular bicycling destinations. Less experienced cycling tourists should not, however, underestimate the stamina and physical condition they will need to assure an enjoyable holiday. Hilly or mountainous stretches are common on both main islands. Riders who have never before taken a one to two-week cycling holiday or ridden 60 to 70 kilometers a day in hilly terrain carrying baggage should do some training before starting their trip. Along with the many happy cyclists that one meets in New Zealand, one also encounters those who are disappointed or discouraged because they were not prepared for the challenges presented by New Zealand‘s terrain. This book is designed to provide basic information to help prospective bicycle tourists prepare for what can be an exceptional cycling experience.
International dialing code for New Zealand: 0064
Currency exchange rate: 1 NZ$ = € 0.55
The authors
Dr. Thomas Wöhrstein was born in 1963 in Schramberg in Germany‘s
Black Forest.
Wöhrstein caught the travel bug at an early age, starting as a youth to
explore the world by foot and bicycle. When he was learning a trade, attending
university or pursuing his career, Wöhrstein regularly took time to travel
extensively – usually by bicycle – in Europe, Canada, the continental
United States and Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, usually by bicycle. He
estimates that in the last 15 years, he has spent about 2 and a half years in
the saddle, gathering experience about bicycle touring and mountain biking around
the world. Two long cycling tours took Wöhrstein through New Zealand, where
he established contact with Nigel Rushton.
Since 1989 Rushton has written and published the popular Pedallers’ Paradise
series of bicycle touring guides. In the course of numerous cycling tours through
New Zealand, Nigel Rushton has explored the furthest corners of his country
and carefully documented his experiences.
During one long evening in Lake Tekapo, Rushton and Wöhrstein decided to
make this huge amount of knowledge available to other bicycle tourists in a
single book.
Dr. Thomas Wöhrstein in 1999 became president of Outdoor Concepts, a planning
and consulting office that specializes in tourism planning, with a focus on
outdoor sports. Outdoor Concepts is currently the leading German provider of
professional planning for bicycling and mountain-biking tour routes and Nordic
walking facilities.
For more information on the possible re-opening of the Pedallers’ Paradise
cyclist accommodations in Christchurch please visit www.paradise-press.co.nz/accom.html.
Nigel Rushton would like to express his gratitude and thanks to the many people
who helped in the publication of this book, especially Yumi Sako, Eric and Aidy
Foley, Katrina Hope, Bob and Raylee Price, Thomas and Annette Wöhrstein,
Robin Brighouse and Julian Howarth, Pauline and George Wardle, and Bob Regnault.
Thanks also for the help and interest of the many others who sent suggestions
and observations that have helped make this book better.
Readers may also find more information at the following website: www.paradise-press.co.nz/updates.html
Just 150 years ago richly varied primeval forest covered the North Island of New Zealand. Today little of that remains. The landscape is dominated by sheep pastures. One of the island’s special features are the volcanoes and phenomena related to volcanoes, especially in the area around Rotorua. The ride from Auckland to Cape Reinga at the northern tip of New Zealand and back is about 1,000 kilometers. Travelers who like sandy beaches and small coastal towns and villages will like this area. The climate is similar to the Mediterranean, making it a good place to tour during the New Zealand spring or autumn, when the weather on the south island is cool.
Exploring the scenic areas and unique features of the North Island entails some hard and very hard riding. Even by New Zealand standards, the island is extremely hilly. Traffic volume can be quite high, and there are some busy stretches on narrow winding roads. Because the region has become a popular summer destination for New Zealanders, bicyclists are well advised to avoid it during the main holiday season.
1 Auckland – Helensville – Brynderwyn (47 km)
2 Brynderwyn – Waipoua Forest (125 km)
3 Waipoua Forest – Kaitaia – Cape Reinga (123 km)
4 Kaitaia – Paihia
5 Paihia – Whangarei – Brynderwyn (126 km)
The suburbs of metropolitan Auckland stretch far to the south. It can take a good half day‘s ride just to reach Papakura, where the outer suburbs finally give way to countryside. Add to that the heavy traffic in the region, which always catches first-time visitors to New Zealand by surprise. This traffic stays heavy along the Auckland-Hamilton corridor, and motivates most bicycle tourists to turn off the main highway at the first opportunity. Most choose to turn eastward, towards the Coromandel Peninsula or the Bay of Plenty. And then, suddenly, there it is: the beautifully green and cultivated New Zealand that the traveler knows only from the photographs and travel brochures. Small, quiet roads wind through a peaceful landscape that may not be spectacularly beautiful, but which is enormously enjoyable. This is where your New Zealand bicycle tour really begins.
6 Coromandel-Route (131 km)
7 Thames – Whitianga (101 km)
8 Whitianga – Waihi (108 km)
9 Waihi – Rotorua (118 km)
This section covers western parts of the North Island between Auckland in the north and Wanganui in the south. It includes large parts of the Waikato, Taranaki and Manawatu/Wanganui areas. The most important cities are Hamilton, New Plymouth and Wanganui.
Hamilton, New Zealand’s largest inland city, lies on the banks of the Waikato, the country’s biggest river. Agriculture dominates the local economy. New Plymouth lies in the shadow of Mt Egmont/Taranaki. Agriculture and energy production are major pillars of the local economy. Further south, Wanganui lies at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand’s second longest river. The economy here is also largely agricultural.
All three regions are historically and culturally important. Kawhia is the home of the Tainui, Ngaruawahia is the capital of the Waikato tribe and the seat of the Maori monarchy. The land wars began in 1860 in Waitara and officially ended in 1881 near Pirongia, 9 years after the end of fighting.
The region features two National Parks: Mount Egmont/Taranaki and Wanganui River. Better known and just as spectacular are the Waitomo Caves. The region also has a number of other interesting natural sights, including Kawhia and Raglan Harbours, the karst-limestone landscape around Waitomo, the North Taranaki Bight and Papa landscapes between Stratford and Taumarunui.
10 Auckland – Ngaruawahia (110 km)
11 Ngaruawahia – Te Kuiti (96 km)
12 Te Kuiti – New Plymouth (163 km)
13 Auckland – Raglan (172 km)
14 Raglan – New Plymouth (185 km)
15 New Plymouth – Wanganui (163 km)
This region includes the area south of a line between Wanganui and Napier.
It has some of the least interesting scenery to be found in the North Island.
Highlights include the Rimutaka, Tararua, and Ruahine Ranges, which run through
this area and form the backbone of the southern parts of the North Island. There
are many different coastal landscapes. Manawatu and Wairarapa are predominantly
agricultural areas, while the area around Hawke Bay is focussed more on horticulture.
Dannevirke and Norsewood have strong cultural roots to Scandinavia, a
fact reflected in their names. East of the mountains is a town which is said
to have the world’s longest name. Endangered species of birds are bred
in Mt Bruce National Wildlife Sanctuary.
Palmerston North, Hastings and Napier are the larger provincial towns in the
region, and also centres of horticulture and farming. Wellington is the world’s
southern-most capital city, and lies on the bay of the same name. Wellington
is also known as the windiest city in the world.
The extensive suburbs, heavy traffic and hilly geography around Wellington make it advisable to avoid bicycling between Paraparaumu and the city centre. The commuter train system offers a welcome alternative.
16 Wanganui – Wellington (190 km)
17 Wellington – Woodville (181 km)
18 Woodville – Napier (152 km)
This region comprises eastern parts of the North Island between Napier, Rotorua and Tauranga. It includes Te Urewera, the North Island’s largest national park, with Lake Waikaremoana, Panekiri Bluff, craggy mountains and natural forests. The hike around the lake is one of the DoC’s “Great Walks.” Raukumara, Waioeka and Whirinaki Forest Parks are also in this region, as is the North Island highest non-volcanic mountain, Mt. Hikurangi.
The route around East Cape, and especially the northern part between Opotiki
and Hicks Bay, is one of the highlights of the North Island. Bike tourers from
New Zealand say this stretch is one of the most beautiful coastal rides in the
world, especially in the summer, when the pohutukawa trees are in bloom. The
ride follows a quiet coastal road past many beautiful bays, sandy beaches and
deep blue water.
East Cape is also an historic point of interest: Polynesian and European seafarers
landed here. The region’s most important cities include Gisborne and Whakatane.
19 Napier – Wairoa (118 km)
20 Wairoa – Gisborne (99 km)
21 Gisborne – Hicks Bay (182 km)
22 Hicks Bay – Opotiki (148 km)
23 Opotiki – Rotorua (152 km)
This region consists of the central part of the North Island. Rotorua with its post-volcanic phenomena is one of the region’s biggest tourist attractions. The volcanic activity shows how thin the earth’s crust is in this area. The area also has interesting cultural and geographic features and has been popular among visitors for more than a century. Many follow the “Grande Tourist Route” which ran between Rotorua and Wanganui, through the towns of Taupo, Turangi, National Park, Raetihi, Pipiriki, and Whanganui Valley. The scenery along the route changes frequently over what is a relatively short distance, making this an especially interesting tour for cyclists.
This chapter includes both Tongariro and Whanganui River National Parks, two
of the four national parks on the North Island. Although Lake Taupo is not a
national park, it is the country’s biggest lake as well as the source
of New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato. The lake is the centre of
the Taupo Volcanic Zone which shaped much of the terrain in the middle of the
North Island. It is also said to have some of the best trout fishing in the
world.
With the exception of several larger towns or small cities, like Rotorua, Wanganui,
Taupo and Tokoroa, the countryside is mainly populated with small towns and
villages.
24 Rotorua – Taupo (80 km)
25 Taupo – National Park (101 km)
26 National Park – Wanganui (123 km)
The Pacific Ocean is never far away as one heads down the east coast of the South Island. The route either follows the coastline or stays a short distance inland, passing many side roads that lead down to coastal hamlets and beaches. To the west, the mountains rise abruptly into the clouds. The coastal climate brings with it strong winds which can play a major role in how fast cyclists make progress. Riders coming from the North Island will also immediately appreciate the reduced amount of traffic on the roads. That changes around Christchurch, but city planners are working to improve the infrastructure for cyclists there. The city is certainly worth a visit. The Canterbury Plains spread out to the south and west of Christchurch, presenting a flat and relatively uninteresting expanse that most riders will wish to cross quickly, winds permitting. Be careful on the long narrow bridges over the plains‘ meandering rivers!
Because the eastern parts of the South Island lie to leeward of the Southern Alps, heavy rainfalls are relatively rare in the summer months. As a result, the mountainsides are dry and ochre-coloured during the warmer season.
27 Picton – Kaikoura (158 km)
28 Kaikoura – Christchurch (187 km)
29 Excursion: Christchurch – Akaroa (Banks Peninsula) (83 km)
30 Christchurch – Timaru (163 km)
31 Timaru – Dunedin (200 km)
If the south-western part of the island has the largest quantity of scenic highlights in New Zealand, the centre comes a close second. Furthermore, this region is comparatively easy for cyclists to reach, though doing so also requires rather good physical condition because the going is largely mountainous. In the eastern part of the centre, the cyclist encounters low mountains alternating with long, relatively easy stretches across highland plateaus. The further west one rides, the higher the mountains loom ahead. Strong winds and rapidly changing weather conditions often challenge the rider with adversity. Especially feared is the „nor‘wester,“ a powerful mountain wind. If it comes from behind, cyclists can put their legs up and „sail“ along. Riding against the wind requires patience and determination.
Queenstown lies in the southern part of the centre, and is the mecca for adventure and trend-sports in New Zealand. This is where fun-seekers come for an almost limitless variety of recreational activities. Thousands of thrill-seeking foreign tourists come here for bungy-jumping, jet-boating and river rafting. Bicyclists tend to spend less time here, because they already had their thrills riding through the magnificent mountains.
32 Greymouth – Arthur’s Pass (99 km)
33 Arthur’s Pass – Christchurch (154 km)
34 Christchurch – Geraldine (172 km)
35 Geraldine – Omarama (178 km)
36 Omarama – Queenstown (170 km)
„Southland,“ the southern tip of New Zealand, is dominated by
agriculture and hilly country that spread out into wide plains close to the
coast. The two main cities, Dunedin and Invercargill, are both interesting.
Cyclists spoiled by the dramatic scenery in other parts of New Zealand will
find the countryside here less interesting, and the weather frequently puts
a further damper on the biking pleasure.
Steward Island, however, with its native flora and fauna, offers spectacular
hikes. Tourists should not neglect to bring top-quality rain-gear.
37 Queenstown – Invercargill (187 km)
38 Queenstown – Te Anau (114 km)
39 Te Anau – Invercargill (186 km)
40 Invercargill – Dunedin (220 km)
When people say „the West“ in New Zealand, they usually mean the country‘s Alps, the magnificent mountain ranges between Haast, Fox and Franz Josef Glacier and the largely undeveloped Fiordland. Many of New Zealand‘s scenic highlights are concentrated in a relatively small stretch of the southern part of the west coast. This grandiose landscape was shaped by glaciers and the 7 meters of rain that fall on every square meter annually. Dense rain forest covers the strip of land through which the glaciers push almost down to the sea. Relatively few roads cross this sparsely-populated region, but traffic is also light, making this a wonderful place for unforgettable cycling adventures, especially if the weather cooperates.
41 Queenstown – Wanaka (112 km)
42 Wanaka – Haast (145 km)
43 Haast – Franz Josef Glacier (142 km)
44 Franz Josef Glacier – Greymouth (174 km)
45 Greymouth – Westport (101 km)
Tourists usually consider the South Island to be the more scenic part of New Zealand. For the bicyclist arriving from Wellington by ferry after crossing Cook Strait, the approach to the South Island port of Picton confirms those expectations of natural beauty. The entrance into Marlborough Sound is simply breathtaking, easily comparable with the fiords of Norway. The Sounds are not well suited to bicycling. Many of its bays and coves can be reached only from the water, but cyclists who have enough time may find the area to be a fine place to take a bit of vacation from riding. Picton is the main town for accessing the Sounds.
The landscape changes quickly after Picton. First the Kaikoura and Richmond Ranges rise in the cyclist’s path. Because the climate is sunny and, for New Zealand standards, relatively dry, the mountain slopes are usually dry and sun-burnt in the summer. In the last two decades, wine and fruit production have emerged as important and successful branches of economic activity.
Tourists riding out of Picton must immediately make a decision about whether they will first explore the eastern or western coast of the island. If there is enough time for both coasts, one might make the decision dependent on the weather. If there a stable high-pressure system, head for the west coast while the good weather lasts.
46 Westport – Kawatiri Junction (133 km)
47 Kawatiri Junction – Nelson (92 km)
48 Nelson – Picton (109 km)