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Experience the best of New Zealand
Alps to Ocean Cycling Holiday
This ride will take you to the most scenic landscapes in New Zealand, riding alongside flowing rivers with towering mountains as your backdrop. #Lovevelo #LoveCycling #Ridefurther
Cycling Tour in New Zealand
What to Expect on This Trip
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure on your cycling holiday from the New Zealand Alps to the Ocean. Picture yourself pedalling through a landscape so diverse and breathtaking, it feels like you've entered another world. The journey will encapsulate you, take you across unrivalled countryside and truly broaden your horizons, both on and off the bike.
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This is a trip that finishes where it started
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Your accommodation will be in boutique hotels and guesthouses, expertly picked for their locations and surroundings.
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We have a variety of bikes for you to explore the area including flat bar hybrid bikes and e-bikes.
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We will provide you with luggage transfers to take your belongings from hotel to hotel.
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Enjoy daily guided and supported rides, fully curated for your holiday through New Zealand.
Your Alps to Ocean Guided Adventure
Your Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 - Christchurch to Tekapo
55km total distance
We will collect you from the centre of Christchurch this morning and drive south to Geraldine. From here, you will cycle quiet sealed roads through picturesque countryside, before stopping for lunch in Fairlie.
After lunch we will drive to Lake Tekapo Village. Its picturesque lake is the first of the storage lakes which feed the hydro schemes in the basin and down the Waitaki Valley. Here you take your first ride from the alternate start on the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail, on the quiet roads that follow the turquoise blue waters of the canal system.
You will finish the ride in Tepako and have the option to visit the local hot pools to ease any first day muscle aches.
Included:Lunch
Dinner
Fully Supported Guided Riding
Day 2 - Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park
20km total distance
After breakfast, we’ll venture northward to the breathtaking Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, just an hour’s drive away. Today is all about soaking in the stunning alpine scenery of New Zealand’s highest peaks. We’ll kick things off with the Hooker Valley walk, where impressive swing bridges and towering summits, including the majestic Aoraki/Mt Cook, guide us to a serene glacial lake. This is where we’ll pause for lunch, surrounded by awe-inspiring vistas.
Once we’ve retraced our steps, it’s time to hop on our bikes and pedal towards the Tasman Glacier Viewpoint. A short stroll to the lookout rewards us with spectacular views of New Zealand’s longest glacier and the Tasman Lake. Back on our bikes, we ride southwards towards the airport, concluding this section of the Alps to Ocean trail.
If the weather isn’t on our side, we’ll explore the visitor centre and Edmund Hilary Museum, which boasts a planetarium. As the afternoon winds down, we return to Twizel for our second night’s stay.
Included:Hotel
Bed & Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Fully Supported Guided Riding
10km Guided Walk
Day 3 - Twizel to Omarama
65km total distance
The stunning scenery keeps rolling in as we ride alongside the Pukaki and Ohau canals, all set against a vast mountainous backdrop. We’ll then reach the picturesque Lake Ohau, where we’ll pause for a delightful lunch.
For those of you feeling confident, the trail to Tarnbrae Saddle (900m) awaits. This is the highpoint of the Alps 2 Ocean (A2O) trail, and the vast Mackenzie Country views are just reward for the climb. Alternatively, you can opt for a transfer to the historic woolshed at Quailburn, where a much easier ride down to Omarama awaits – our stop for the night.
Omarama, translating from Maori as ‘place of light,’ is renowned for its extraordinarily clear skies, offering incredible stargazing opportunities at night.
Included:Hotel
Bed & Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Fully Supported Guided Riding
Day 4 - Omarama to Kurow
67km total distance
Today’s ride takes you down the magnificent Waitaki Valley, renowned for its hydro lakes and dams. We start by following the trail along the shores of Lake Benmore to Sailors Cutting. From there, we’ll traverse the lakeshore, navigating around rocky outcrops, little beaches, and even tree-covered islands. The trail then descends from above the Benmore Dam, rejoining the quiet lakeside road.
For those of you who prefer a less technical section, there's an easier option available. Once we’re all regrouped, it’s a fun downhill cycle towards Aviemore Dam, where we’ll enjoy a delightful picnic by the lake.
Arriving in Kurow, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the town’s charming surrounds. Highlights include the beautifully restored St Albans Church and wine-tasting at local vineyards. We’ll spend the night in Kurow at an elegant lodge, where dinner will showcase delicious local produce.
Included:Hotel
Bed & Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Fully Supported Guided Riding
Day 5 - Kurow to Windsor
68km total distance
This morning, our cycle trail takes us along the scenic banks of the Waitaki River, passing by picturesque vineyards and a fascinating Maori rock art site before reaching the quaint town of Duntroon. From there, we head inland into the rolling countryside and explore the unique Elephant Rocks, a captivating field of huge limestone formations.
Next, we pick up the old railway line, riding through Raki’s tunnel before enjoying a gentle downhill to the settlement of Windsor. Our final night will be spent at the historic Burnside Homestead, a fitting end to our adventure, where we’ll savour a well-deserved night’s sleep after a hearty dinner at the local Enfield pub.
Included:Hotel
Bed & Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Fully Supported Guided Riding
Day 6 - Windsor to Christchurch
19km total distance
Today we are bound for Christchurch but not before we finish our Alps to Ocean journey with a final ride. Cycling from our accommodation we ride through picturesque rolling rural countryside and pass the Oamaru Stone quarry. Oamaru Stone has been extracted from the district since the 19th Century and its influence on local architecture is clearly seen as we ride our final section into the harbourside town of Oamaru. Here there is time to explore the old Victorian Precinct with its many galleries, shops and cafes. There may also be time for an optional visit to the fascinating Steampunk Museum (own expense). After a late lunch we will travel back to Christchurch, passing through some of the rich agricultural regions of the Canterbury Plains.
The tour ends today so you can either make your own arrangements this evening or we can help you.
Included:Breakfast
Fully Supported Guided Riding
Your Next Cycling Adventure
We are the cycling holiday experts.
Whether you're a keen road cyclist, enjoy riding an e-bike or hybrid bike, or want to get your family more active, we have the perfect cycling holiday for you.
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Awesome customer Service like it used to be. I admit that I'm one of many people who have taken to booking holidays and flights direct to save a few quid. But when planning my husband's 50th birthday and knowing very little about cycling I decided to try Love Velo and I can't recommend them, and the service I've received from James Danvers highly enough.
Read full reviewAbby
I booked through Love Velo because the reviews were so good. I wasn't disappointed. Right from my first contact with LV they were easy to talk to and although I dithered (my first cycling trip abroad) they didn't press me. When I eventually confirmed my booking they took care of everything.
Read full reviewStephen
Everything about Love Velo has been faultless. From the initial notification of them teaming up with Le Col and to the pricing being unbelievable and then the customer service, top class. James, if all the staff are as attentive to every detail as you are then everyone will be as lucky as I have been. 100% at some point, hopefully in the near future I will be booking again with you guys. Thank you again
Read full reviewIan
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