Tour of Aotearoa - South Island

Picton to Bluff – 15 days: 2 transport day, a rest day and 12 days of riding

South Island Tour of Aotearoa Trip a Glance…

Price: NZD $7,300 inc GST. Deposit $2,000 to secure a seat, balance required 3 months out.
South Island Trip Dates: Mon 9th of Feb 2026
Transport Day ending in Picton.
Tues 10th Feb (start of tour in Picton and first day of riding)
to Sunday 22nd of Feb (last day of riding)
Monday 23rd of Feb 2026 (return to Christchurch)
Time commitment: 15 days
Who is it for: Seasoned cyclists, capable of 100-125kms of varied terrain riding each day.
Total kilometres: ~1,300 kms
Accommodation styles: motels, hotels, holiday cabins and lodges.
Ebike charging, laundry and Wi-Fi at all accommodation.

Food: Breakfasts – Cafe or provided by accommodation. Some days we may need to prepare own own.
Lunches – buy your own lunches along the course.
Snacks – fresh fruit, muesli bars, chocolate and nuts.
Evening – at the accommodation or nearby restaurant, pub or eatery.
Best bike: hardtail mountain bike, full-suspension mountain bike, gravel bike. Ebikes with a secondary battery.
Max number of riders on the trip? 8
South Island Ride starts at: the Picton Ferry Terminal
South Island Ride ends at: Bluff

Daily Itinerary with Maps and Elevation

Daily stage and elevation breakdowns at: https://ridewithgps.com/collections/2986030
Note: There are 3 possible amendments to the official TA route: the section from Pelorus Bridge to Nelson that includes the very steep and rough Maungatupa Saddle is replaced by a shuttle, the Big River section of 33kms of “rough track” swapped for the road, and if possible the Crown Range Rd is substituted with the new Kawarua Gorge trail.

What Track & Trail Cycle Adventures provides…

Transport to the start and from the end Mercedes Sprinter van
Lake Wakatipu crossing
Accommodation
Carry your gear forward
1 staff person. Driver, first aid and light bike mechanic
Daily ride information, map files for your phone, GPX and route notes
Breakfasts and dinners (lunches are own care)
Water, riding snacks and sunscreen
Basic mechanical support and first aid
Support vehicle (in some places the van cannot be on the route eg. West Coast Wildness Trail)
Carbon offsets for the van and your travel to the start
Bike hire
What you provide: strong legs, heart and lungs. …you ride, have fun, be awesome and see the less trod parts of NZ

Exclusions

The tour price does NOT include:

flights or getting to a pick up point
optional activities and entrances to attractions
personal equipment (bags, helmets, wet weather gear)
carrying rigid or semi rigid bike cases
bike repairs
alcoholic drinks & café stops
emergencies. The cost of emergency evacuation by ambulance or helicopter is at your own cost.

If you have to leave the tour we will we help you arrange transport at your own cost. You may wish to take travel insurance.

Please read our Is this Trip for Me? and Terms & Conditions carefully before booking.

The Ride

A total distance of 1,300 km spread over 15 days of riding.
Though e-bikers are welcome, this is a human-powered cycle trip. Riding distances and daily stages are suited to ordinary pedal bikes. A second battery is essential for e-bikers.
Daily riding distances have been planned to be challenging but achievable and to allow time for photo stops, to explore the local towns and points of interest along the way.
Each day starts with breakfast at 7am, riding by 8:30am and finishing the day at 4-5pm depending on daily stages. Mostly you will ride in and out of the accommodation.
100-125 km riding per day on wonderfully remote and scenic riding route. Approximately 35% road, 30% cycle trail and 25% gravel road the rest is beach or forest single track.
NZ cycle trails have variable terrain and generally slow riding speed of around 15kph.
A hardtail or full-suspension mountain bike, a gravel bike or a touring bike with off-road tyres are all good bikes for the trip.
Our support vehicle is available (most of the time) should you need a break from the saddle.

Book Now with a 25% Deposit

The Route Map

Click the [ ] top right to get a full screen map.

Bikes, Food & Accommodation

There are a few bike styles that work well on the Tour of Aotearoa. In order:

Hardtail mountain bike
Full-suspension MTB with adjustable shocks
Gravel bike with wide tyres
Touring bike …. whatever your bike, gravel tyres are best

You are responsible for the fitness of your bike. Please get it fully serviced before you join the tour and bring spare parts eg. inner tube, spare brake pads, a derailleur hanger, chain speed link. It will be doing 3,000 km on some of the roughest terrain in the country and parts will not be available without a delay.

Your bike must be able to carry 1.5 litres of water, your rain jacket, snacks, phone, spare inner tube and sunscreen so a handlebar bag, front roll or frame bag is recommended. Avoid backpacks as they put too much pressure on your sitting bones, affect your balance and are too hot in summer.

Contact Peter if you plan on hiring any type of bike.

The tour includes most breakfasts, lunches, evening meals and snacks. There may be exceptions where we stop in a major centre. We are unable to cater for gluten intolerance or coeliacs. If this includes you, it is crucial to advise us of this well before the tour begins.

Typical meals Include:

Breakfasts – Fresh fruit, muesli, toast and spreads, hot drinks.
Lunches – own care.
Van Snacks – Fresh fruit, muesli bars, nuts, crisps and baking. Electrolytes.
Evening – Prepared by your tour leaders, local accommodation or nearby restaurants.

Accommodation is included for all 15 nights of the trip. Our job is to explore and find the most fitting accommodation to work in with the riding route. The TA is remote in places and the accommodation can be limited with often only basic options available. We will be staying in a combination of holiday park cabins, farm stays, lodges, hotels in major centres. It’s likely bathrooms will be shared. Accommodation is on a twin shared basis.

Safety comes first! The main threats are; getting lost, getting cold, running out of water, sunburn, falls in remote country. We are here to mitigate as many of those risks as much as possible but care and attention will be required from you at all times.

This cycle tour includes rides of 125 km per day. Preparing for your cycle tour should involve:

Riding on gravel and other unpaved surfaces
Riding hills, lots of them! In a day you may climb 1,500 to 2,000 metres in rises and falls.
Riding 3-4 times a week with rides of 50-80km in length.

The more prepared you are the more you will enjoy your adventure!

Made in NZ, 100% merino, retro cycle jersey by Soigneur are offered to riders or this supported tour at a 15% discount. The shopping cart discount code will emailed to you after your booking.