This tour is a combination of the Alp 2 Ocean Trail, the newly opened Lake Dunstan Trail and the Otago Central Rail Trail. It is all easy to intermediate grades and is suitable for all ages. Experience seven superb days of magnificent scenery on beautiful cycle trails. Cycle past our highest mountains, spectacular lakes, and rivers.
The trail will provide you with the best of the South Island off-road cycling trails in New Zealand. Highlights of biking the Rail Trail include the tunnels at Price’s Creek and Poolburn Gorge, viaducts and wooden trestle bridges – and of course, the absence of motor traffic.
DAY 1 TWIZEL
We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Christchurch in the morning. We drive via Lake Tekapo through the attractive Mackenzie country with panoramic views to Mt Cook (3,764m) at the head of Lake Pukaki. We will start our riding today on section 2 of the Alp 2 Ocean Cycle Trail from Braemar Road to Twizel.
DAY 2 LAKE OHAU
Today we start our second section of the Alps 2 Ocean trail. We ride from Twizel to the Lake Ohau Lodge. We cycle across a canal bridge and then the road descends to the lake foreshore.
DAY 3 CLYDE.
We start our ride on the newly open Lake Dunstan Trail. Cycle from Cromwell Heritage Precinct to Bannockburn Bridge. We stop for wine tasting and lunch at Mount Difficulty winery. From there to Cornish Point and continue to Clyde to meet the Central Otago Rail Trail.
DAY 4 LAUDER
The Rail Trail starts at the former Clyde railhead and follows a semi-rural landscape of orchards, vineyards and lifestyle blocks. From Alexandra, the route crosses the Manuherikia River and passes the old Tucker Hill gold diggings. The landscape is stunning Central Otago schist rock accompanied by aromatic wild thyme.
DAY 5 WEDDERBURN
Initially, the trail is flat with the Hawkdun Range at the head of the Manuherikia Valley. You soon enter the spectacular Poolburn Gorge and cycle through two tunnels cut through schist bluffs, cross the 37m high spectacular Poolburn Viaduct and then slowly descend Blackstone Hill to Oturehura, passing the Idaburn dam.
DAY 6 HYDE
This is one of the most spectacular sections of the Otago Rail Trail. We ride across the Maniatoto Plains to the art deco town of Ranfurly. Between Waipiata and Kokonga the trail skirts farmland that was once Taieri Lake and passes the area where stones were collected to build the Dunedin Railway Station. The trail gradually climbs into a spectacular gorge carved by the Taieri River.
DAY 7 CHRISTCHURCH
The trail now traverses the foothills of the Rock and Pillar Range as you cycle through farmland to the trail ends just north of Middlemarch Station. Today we will be driving northwards across the Canterbury Plains, and on to Christchurch for our farewell dinner.
DAY 8
After breakfast, the tour ends. We wish you ‘happy biking’, ‘bon voyage’ and hope to see you again.
