Backroads, Rivers & Ranges Cycle Tour  

📌New Tour

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Off the Beaten Cycle Trails - Gravel Roads and Gold Rush History

This tour takes you through three of the South Island's most remarkable regions - the Mackenzie Country, Central Otago and the Waitaki Valley - on quiet gravel roads and trails well away from the tourist crowds.

Each day brings something different. You'll cycle through the high country towards Lake Pukaki, ride through the remote Ahuriri Valley, explore the gold-mining ghost town of St Bathans, cross the historic Danseys Pass, and finish with a classic section of the Alps to Ocean trail. Along the way there's curling in Naseby, a visit to a historic engineering place, vast open skies, and some truly special places to stay. It's a tour that gets under the skin of the South Island - its landscape, its history, and its quiet back-country character.

This is a Moderate Cycling Tour - you'll need to feel confident on Grade 3 terrain.

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Day 1: Christchurch – Lake Ohau

We leave Christchurch around 9:30am and head across the Canterbury Plains into the Mackenzie Country, stopping in Geraldine for lunch (not included) before continuing to Lake Tekapo, where our bikes are waiting for us.

Just past Tekapo we set off on a gravel road through the wide open landscape of the Mackenzie Basin. It's a beautiful, unhurried ride with big skies and the Southern Alps in the distance. After about 23 km we reach Lake Pukaki, load our bikes onto the van and continue south to our home for the night, the characterful Lake Ohau Lodge. There's time to freshen up before we share our first dinner together.

 

Driving: ~ 3 hours / ~ 225 km

Cycling: ~ 23 km, easy (gravel road)

Accommodation: Lake Ohau Lodge

Meals: D 

 

Day 2: Lake Ohau – Ahuriri Valley – Wanaka

Two very different cycle rides today as we make our way south into Central Otago.

The first takes us up from the Lodge on the Tarnbrae Track, following the lower slopes of the Ohau Range with sweeping views back across the basin. After an easy start, the track narrows and climbs steadily to 900m before an exhilarating descent to the historic Quailburn woolshed.

We then drive to the Ahuriri Valley - one of the most remote and beautiful glacial valleys in the South Island. Our second ride follows Birchwood Road above the river terraces, heading towards the Ben Avon Wetland at the edge of the Ahuriri Conservation Area. The lagoons are full of birdlife - keep an eye out for Kaki (black stilt), which nest along the river here. Expect to share the road with the occasional mob of merino sheep - you're well and truly in high country farming territory here. From here we drive on to Wanaka, our base  for the next two nights.

 

Cycling 1: ~ 19 km, moderate off-road trail (rough, narrow and rocky sections, steep descent)

Driving to Ahuriri Valley: ~ 40 km / 45 mins

Cycling 2: ~ 25 km, moderate gravel road (loose sections)

Driving to Wanaka: ~ 140 km / 2 hours

Accommodation: Altamont Lodge, Wanaka

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 3: Wanaka – Lake Hawea – Luggate - Wanaka

A full day on the bike, exploring the lakes and rivers around Wanaka at a relaxed pace.

We start along the Wanaka waterfront, following Beacon Point Road around the northern edge of the lake to the Hikuwai Reserve. From here we join the Clutha River Outlet trail, winding along the river to Albert Town. Crossing the bridge, we pick up the Hawea River Track - a lovely ride with the turquoise river on one side and mountain ranges on the other.

The track leads us into the lakeside town of Hāwea, where we stop for coffee at a local café (not included). From here we continue along the lake shore on the Gladstone Trail before a short gravel road section brings us back to the trail we came in on. A great day out - all on quiet trails and back roads, never far from water.

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Cycling: ~ 42 km, easy-moderate (on-road and gravel trail)

Accommodation: Altamont Lodge, Wanaka

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 4: Wanaka – St Bathans – Lauder

Today we leave the alpine lakes behind and head into the dry schist country of Central Otago.

We drive through Cromwell and the Kawarau Gorge to the Manuherikia Valley, where we unload our bikes for the ride to St Bathans. The road is sealed and climbs gradually through open farmland - a comfortable ride with the reward of St Bathans waiting at the top.

St Bathans is a beautifully preserved remnant of the gold rush era. Wander past historic buildings, stop at the mud-brick Vulcan Hotel (built in 1882), and take a walk around the Blue Lake - a striking man-made lake created when gold miners literally washed away Kildare Hill with high-pressure water. The evidence of that extraordinary effort is visible all around you.

The return ride is a different story. We take a gravel road back through rolling hill country - with some genuinely fun downhill sections that put a smile on everyone's face.

Still not ready to stop? Weather permitting, there's an optional extension: an extra 24 km on quiet but rougher back roads and tracks through the high country, finishing on the Otago Rail Trail into Lauder.

 

Driving: ~ 135 km / ~ 2 hours 

Cycling: ~ 33 km return, easy (sealed road to St Bathans, gravel road return) plus 24 km optional cycling, moderate

Accommodation: Lauder School Historic B&B

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 5: Lauder – Oturehua – Naseby – Kyeburn Diggings

A fascinating day - part history, part sport, and part cycling through big open country.

We start with a visit to the Hayes Engineering Works near Oturehua, a Category 1 Historic Place where the buildings, machinery and artefacts of bygone times are still largely intact. Even if farm machinery isn't your thing, the homestead alone is worth the visit - it tells the story of the people who lived and worked here, and that's quietly fascinating.
Next stop is Naseby, a peaceful little town nestled under the trees - and also home to one of New Zealand's few indoor curling rinks. We'll lace up our shoes and have a go at this ancient Scottish sport. It's trickier than it looks and a lot of fun.

After lunch we set off on our bikes, heading north through quiet farm country towards Kyeburn Diggings. The route passes through high country with dramatic views, and the landscape still bears the scars of large-scale gold sluicing - steep white gravel cliffs that rise up out of the farmland.

We finish the day at the historic Danseys Pass Hotel, a beautiful original stone building that's a very welcome sight after a full day out. One look at this place and you'll be glad we're not just passing through - it's exactly the kind of spot you'd want to stay the night.

 

Driving: ~ 75 km / 1 hour

Curling: ~ 1½ hours

Cycling: ~ 17 km, easy–moderate (gravel road with gradual climb)

Accommodation: Danseys Pass Hotel

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 6: Kyeburn Diggings – Danseys Pass – Earthquake Rocks – Duntroon

A longer ride today, and one of the most scenic of the whole tour. Be prepared - there are some Grade 3 sections along the way.

We set off from the hotel on Danseys Pass Road, climbing between the St Mary's Range and the Kakanui Mountains to the pass at 935m - the boundary between Central Otago and the Waitaki Region. From here it's mostly downhill, with spectacular views and a section of road that skirts the edge of a dramatic gorge carved by the Maerewhenua River.

Past the settlement of Livingstone we enter the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark, where limestone outcrops begin to appear in the paddocks around us. We take a short detour to the Earthquake Rocks - an impressive jumble of massive boulders that stop you in your tracks. From here a quiet road leads us into Duntroon, where we join the Alps to Ocean trail along the Maerewhenua River to the Takiroa Māori Rock Art site. The recently refurbished Duntroon Hotel is a very welcome sight at the end of the day.

 

Cycling 1: ~ 48 km, easy-moderate (unsealed rural road with Grade 3 sections)
Cycling 2: ~ 10 km, easy (Alps to Ocean trail to Maori Rock Art) 

Accommodation: Duntroon Hotel

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 7: Duntroon – Omarama – Twizel – Braemar Station

Our last full day on the bikes - and we've saved some of the best for last.

After breakfast we load up and drive up the valley to Benmore Dam where we unload the bikes for a classic section of the Alps to Ocean trail. We cycle up from the dam to Sailors Cutting - a spectacular stretch of trail above the lake that simply shouldn't be driven past. The views are something else entirely. From Sailors Cutting we follow the trail through to Omarama, then load up a last time and drive the short distance to Twizel to return our bikes.

​Our final destination is Braemar Station in the heart of the Mackenzie Country - and arriving in the afternoon gives us time to truly settle in, which is exactly what this place deserves. It's warm, welcoming and utterly peaceful. The views of Mt Cook, Lake Pukaki and the Ben Ohau Range through the huge windows are breathtaking, and on a clear night, the starry sky is extraordinary.

 

Driving: ~ 53 km / 45 mins to Benmore Dam

Cycling 1: ~ 16 km, moderate (narrow, rocky, steep sections)

Cycling 2: ~ 13 km, easy (gravel trail)

Driving: ~ 40 km to Twizel and ~ 43 km / 50 mins to Braemar Station

Accommodation: Braemar Station Cottages

Meals: B, L, D, S

 

Day 8: Braemar Station – Tekapo – Geraldine – Christchurch

A relaxed final morning. We share a last breakfast together, pack up, and begin the journey home through Tekapo, Fairlie and Geraldine - with plenty of options for stops and lunch (not included) along the way.

We aim to be back in Christchurch by 4pm, leaving plenty of time for onward travel.

 

Driving: ~ 250 km / 4 hours

Meals: B

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B-Breakfast  L-Lunch  D-Dinner  S-Snack

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Tour Grading

🚴‍♀️ Backroads, Rivers and Ranges Tour – Grade 2 (Easy) to Grade 3 (Moderate)

This tour is a genuine back-country adventure - and the riding reflects that. Expect a mix of quiet gravel roads, rougher unsealed surfaces, and narrower trail sections, with both climbs and descents along the way. Everything is manageable, but it does ask a little more of you than a flat rail trail.
Most days are Grade 2 (Easy to Moderate), with wide open gravel roads and steady terrain. Some sections step up to Grade 3 (Moderate), with rougher surfaces, occasional loose gravel, and climbs that reward you with sweeping high-country views.
You can find more about how we grade our tours here: → Our Cycle Trail Grading System explained

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👉 Our recommendation

This tour is best suited to women who feel confident and comfortable on their Ebike - ideally with some gravel road experience already under their belt. If climbs and descents don't faze you and you enjoy riding terrain that feels a little more adventurous, you'll absolutely love it. And as always - support is close by, and there's no pressure to push beyond your comfort zone!

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