Spectacular New Zealand Motorcycle Adventure
12-26 November, 2021 – 15 days
PACKAGE PRICE (GST INCLUSIVE)
$13,890* AUD
$9,250 USD
PACKAGE PRICE
$13,690 AUD
$9,100 USD
Unparalleled scenic beauty and traffic free twisty roads are the order of the (every)day.
It is no accident that New Zealand has been voted the best country on earth, seven years in a row (Telegraph Travel Awards 2019). With its remarkable scenery, world renowned food and wine, unique wildlife, and action-packed cities and towns, this is the country that has it all.
Pair all this with the fact that NZ has the lowest population compared to land mass in the world, with spectacular winding roads from town to town, New Zealand guarantees the most remarkable, congestion free, motorcycle riding holiday you’ll ever experience.
Read on for a summary of the itinerary, and discover why this bespoke 15 day adventure offers some of the best scenery and riding roads through both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
South Island – Days 1 to 8
After flying in to Christchurch and picking up our ‘steel horse’ we’ll explore this beautiful (but earthquake ravished) city. Perhaps we’ll have an evening ride out to Akaroa or a private visit to Mike Pero’s Motorcycle Gallery with commentary from the man himself, before heading south the next morning.
On day two we set off via the best pie shop in NZ, inland via Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Lake Dunstan to Omarama and on to Alexandra for our first night out of the city.
From there we’re off to Invercargill, NZ’s most southern town and the final resting place of ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’. Spend the afternoon here relaxing, or exploring Bill Richardson’s Transport World Museum before getting together for a great feast at dinner. Followed by a hearty breakfast the morning after.
From Invercargill we’ll ride along roads the like you’ve never ridden before, along Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound where we ‘board’ our accommodation for a night on the ‘Sound’. This most certainly will take your breath away… it truly is the most spectacular and dramatic scenery you’ll ever see!
“Fjordland, a vast tract of mountainous terrain that occupies the south-west corner of South Island, New Zealand, is one of the most astounding pieces of land anywhere on God’s earth, and one’s first impulse, standing on a cliff top surveying it all, is simply to burst into spontaneous applause. It is, magnificent” – Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See.
After disembarking the following morning, we’ll head back through the Homer Tunnel to Queenstown, New Zealand’s premier ski resort area. On the way we’ll pass through Kingston (home of the Kingston Flyer), Devil’s Staircase, and ride along the magnificent Lake Wakatipu for almost 40 kilometres. There’s so much to see and do in Queenstown, we’ll need to have things pre-booked and be well organised to fit it all in.
From Queenstown, we travel to the west coast past (and over as well if you take an optional helicopter flight) Fox and Frans Josef Glaciers. We won’t even try to describe the scenery and the roads you’ll ride as it’s hard to do them justice… you will have to discover it all for yourself.
From Franz Josef the following day we’ll divert into Arthurs Pass, which is simply stunning and not to be missed. Tonight’s rest is in Carters Beach close to Cape Foulwind, a windy little town on the west coast.
The following day takes us north-east to Picton to catch the Cook Straight Ferry to Wellington. This leg of our tour has arguably the best riding roads anywhere in New Zealand.
Come day 9 and we’re starting a whole new adventure, this time on the North Island…
North Island – Days 9 to 15
After an overnight stay in Wellington we head to Fielding where we visit our second Harley dealership of the trip. From there we’ll head north to the resort town of Lake Taupo, where some say the lake is so deep, they still haven’t found the bottom of it.
After a relaxing night in Taupo (yeah, sure) and a late start, we head on an adventure to Napier for lunch, NZ’s premier wine growing region. The rest of the day here is free to kick back, or explore this beautiful Art Deco town. (Have we mentioned how incredible food and wine in NZ is? Fresh, delicious and moreish. Every. Single. Day.)
From Napier we roll on towards Hicks Bay, riding the scenic coastal roads of the east coast to the Bay of Plenty. The next morning, from a vantage point along the way, we’ll reflect as we look out to White Island, the very island that so tragically claimed the lives of 21 people in December 2019.
Getting back on the road again, we’ll take more excellent winding roads to ‘smelly’ Rotorua. It’s here you can practically see that the earth really is deeper than just the ‘crust’ we are living on. From hot thermal pools, boiling mud and geysers, not to mention the smoked food and the magnificent Maori culture, it’s all here to explore. Again, we’ll need to be well organised so you can experience it all, in the time we have available.
Leaving Rotorua and its distinctive fragrance, we head to Coromandel, another of the most scenic and beautiful rides you’ll ever do! That night we’ll be in Auckland, NZ’s ‘second’ capital city. Trust us, try the seafood… muscles, crabs, lobsters, oysters, paua, chowder… it’s a seafood lovers paradise here!
On our second last day we head to the Bay of Islands to experience what some say is one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand. But you’ll be able to judge this for yourself, you’ll have seen it all by now. Sadly, this will be our last night together with friends old and new… we’ll make the most of it by having a great slap-up Indian and Thai feast at Green’s Paihia. Google it if you must… or just keep the surprise!
After a big night, with full bellies and a tinge of sadness in our hearts, we’ll ride back to Auckland to return our ‘steel horse’ before boarding an evening flight back home.
This really is the trip of a lifetime, one you’ll surely remember forever. Now is your opportunity to join us on this 15 day motorcycle adventure of the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
Oh…bring your wet weather gear, just in case it rains. Haha.
