Howdy! I'll be on NZ/Aotearoa's South Island for the first time… in 6 weeks. And I could use some input on my route. I'm looking for advice/feedback on what I've got cooking up. Would love to hear from locals and folks that have been.
I'm traveling from California to Queenstown. I'll be there late November to early December for a total of 14 days on the ground. I plan for 10 of those days on the saddle with the rest for buffer and R&R.
I booked airfare ages ago before realized "The Adventure Capital of the World" isn’t the ideal starting point for a majority of vetted bikepacking routes. Oh well. I researched a bunch of routes on reddit, bikepacking.com, the Kennett Brothers, Youtube travel vlogs and random routes on ridewithgps. From there, I cobbled together 5 routes. Most incorporate parts of the Sound to Sounds route.
You can toggle each route layer on/off in the left panel at the link below.
I uploaded the GPX files for each onto this Caltopo map. You can toggle through each one to get a precise look:
- Aotearoa 1: Clockwise loop from QueenstownHaast Passwest coast NoBOArthur's Passconnecting with S2S route>>Queenstown.
- 1,303.9 km/810 mi, 13,415 m/44,014 ft
- Aotearoa 2: 3 routes into 1: Nevis & the Old Man, Omarama Saddle—Danseys Pass and Alps 2 Hakataramea Loop. I opted for Black Forest 4WD Track instead of Hakataramea Valley Rd to avoid backtracking.
- 990.31 km/615 mi, 13,169 m/43,206 ft
- Aoetearoa 3: QueenstownWānakaLake Pukaki/Tasman RiverTwizelBlack Forest 4WD TrackOmarama SaddleCromwellMilford Soundshuttle to Queenstown
- 1,014.62 km/629.7 mi, 11,949 m/39,203 ft
- Aotearoa 4: Counter(anti)-clockwise route deviating from S2S. QueenstownArthur's Passwest coast SoBoHaast PassWānaka>>Queenstown
- 1217.24 km/755.55 mi, 12,127 m/39,787 ft
- Aotearoa 5: Similar to Aotearoa 1, but in two legs. Leg A: QueenstownS2S NoBoChristchurch x TranzAlpine train. Leg B: Greymouth train stationwest coast SoBoQueenstown. Assuming this is doable, it removes ~130 km/80 mi and ~2595 m/8513 ft… effectively a day's worth of biking.
- 1,183 km/735 mi, 11,097 m/36407 ft
Please roast/pick apart these routes. I appreciate any and all feedback. I know I'd do the same for someone visiting California for the first time.
Some questions/comments:
- I read it’s best to travel north-to-south, especially in November/December, due to headwinds. Does that apply to the west coast as well as inland?
- I’m curious to see the west coast. But is SH6 worth it to bike? I imagine it's like PCH/Highway 1 in California. Beautiful and breathtaking, but competing with cars for non-existent shoulders? I saw enough of a heatmap on Strava to encourage me to include it, and I haven't read/found much reporting on the Tour of Aotearoa along that coast has me wonder if I avoid that, it would help me shave miles (ideally I’d like to average 50-60 miles a day). It would be nice to see some coast/rainforests/alps/glaciers all in one spot though…
- Is the Tuatara 1000 route at the southern tip of the island something worth checking out?
- I've heard the Omarama Saddle climb is a bruiser. Thoughts on bypassing it?
- Some info about me so you know who's asking:
- I'll be on my rigid gravel bike with 42mm tires (pictured below)
- I ride to be self-supported with all equipment/tools, hydration filters, first aid, etc.
- Seeking a junk mile-free ratio of mixed terrain (tarmac, fire roads, some singletrack)
- Looking to camp most of the time and stay in motels/bike hostels every few days for showers.
- I've done ~a dozen bikepacking trips in the last 5 or so years. All stateside, mostly in the west and California. Ranging from overnighters to a 2 week-long trip through the Colorado-New Mexico section of the Great Divide.
- I'd say I'm fit enough to undertake big days (but would rather stop for hot springs, breweries, wine, cheese and meat pies).
TL;DR I'll be on NZ's South Island to bikepack for 2 weeks, starting and ending in Queenstown. It's my first time. I made a few routes hoping for some feedback from people who have been there/done that.
by hapanen