Photo: JinHui CHEN ↗THE JOURNEY IN DETAIL
Empty roads at the bottom of the world.
A loop from Christchurch around the South Island: Arthur’s Pass, the wild West Coast with its glaciers, Haast Pass, Wanaka and Queenstown, the Crown Range, the Milford Road to the fiord and back through the Catlins, Dunedin and Mount Cook. Few roads, even fewer cars, and all of them beautifully surfaced. Twelve days for riders who want plenty of easy riding and a variety no other country packs into such short distances.
- The Crown Range at 1,076 m, the country’s highest sealed road
- The Milford Road and the Homer Tunnel
- Fox and Franz Josef glaciers seen from the road
- Lake Pukaki and Aoraki / Mount Cook at 3,724 m
With old friends or new ones
Join a group or arrange a separate departure for your own team. Before travelling, we get to know each other, discuss everyone's experience and find suitable dates. You can also prepare together.
DAY BY DAY
Your daily itinerary.
A provisional itinerary. Weather, group readiness and local conditions may change the order and length of the stages.
- DAY 1 · 160 km, riding on the left
Christchurch and Banks Peninsula
We meet in Christchurch, collect the bikes and take a shakedown ride onto Banks Peninsula: the Summit Road above the craters and French-flavoured Akaroa. About 160 km on the left.
Overnight: Hotel in Christchurch - DAY 2 · 250 km, pass at 920 m
Arthur’s Pass and the West Coast
SH73 across the Canterbury Plains and the Otira Gorge to Arthur’s Pass at 920 m, the Otira viaduct and the descent into the rainforest of the West Coast to Hokitika. About 250 km.
Overnight: Motel in Hokitika - DAY 3 · 150 km, glaciers
The glaciers
SH6 south along the coast to Franz Josef and Fox, where the glaciers reach almost to the forest. A short walk to the Franz Josef glacier snout. About 150 km.
Overnight: Lodge in Franz Josef - DAY 4 · 290 km, pass at 562 m
Haast Pass and Wanaka
The empty road to Haast, then inland over Haast Pass at 562 m and along the blue lakes of Wanaka and Hawea. About 290 km.
Overnight: Motel in Wanaka - DAY 5 · 170 km, pass at 1,076 m
The Crown Range and Queenstown
The Crown Range Road up to 1,076 m, the highest sealed road in New Zealand, and down into Arrowtown. Then the Kawarau Gorge and Queenstown; in the afternoon the loop to Glenorchy along Lake Wakatipu. About 170 km.
Overnight: Hotel in Queenstown - DAY 6 · 180 km, Fiordland
Te Anau
Along the southern shore of Wakatipu via Kingston and Mossburn to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland. An easy 180 km day with a stop at Lake Manapouri.
Overnight: Motel in Te Anau - DAY 7 · 240 km and a fiord cruise
The Milford Road and Milford Sound
SH94: 120 km through the Eglinton Valley, the Mirror Lakes, the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel and the Cleddau gorge to the fiord beneath Mitre Peak at 1,692 m. A Milford Sound cruise and back to Te Anau. About 240 km.
Overnight: Motel in Te Anau - DAY 8 · 300 km, the south coast
The Catlins
The south coast via Invercargill into the Catlins: Curio Bay with its fossil forest, Nugget Point and sea lions. Night in Owaka. About 300 km.
Overnight: Lodge in Owaka - DAY 9 · 150 km, albatrosses
Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula
Dunedin, Baldwin Street (the world’s steepest) and a loop of the Otago Peninsula to the albatross colony at Taiaroa Head. About 150 km.
Overnight: Hotel in Dunedin - DAY 10 · 330 km, Aoraki
Central Otago and Mount Cook
Via the Pigroot road and Ranfurly to Omarama, then Lake Pukaki and the 55 km dead-end road to Mount Cook village beneath Aoraki at 3,724 m. About 330 km.
Overnight: Lodge at Mount Cook - DAY 11 · 330 km, bikes returned
Tekapo and back to Christchurch
Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd, Burkes Pass at 709 m, Geraldine and the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch. Bikes returned and a farewell dinner. About 330 km.
Overnight: Hotel in Christchurch - DAY 12 · Departure
Departure from Christchurch
Breakfast and departures; the airport is 20 minutes away.
Overnight: —
Included in the estimated price
BMW R 1250 GS or Triumph Tiger 900 hire with panniers
11 nights in motels and lodges with breakfast
Lead rider and a support van carrying luggage
Milford Sound cruise
Motorcycle insurance with a capped excess
Three group dinners
Not included in the price
Flights to the meeting point
Personal travel insurance and visas
Personal equipment
Single-room supplements and personal expenses
Fuel (around 250 euros for the tour)
Lunches and remaining dinners
Single supplement
The NZeTA electronic travel authority
YOUR PREPARATION
Arrive ready for the route.
A category A licence and at least 5,000 km; traffic is on the left. Ivan runs an introduction to left-hand riding and to the one-lane bridges, of which the West Coast has dozens.
Prepare with IvanROUTE QUESTIONS
BEFORE WE MEET ON THE TRAIL
What to prepare in advance
- Full riding kit: helmet, protection, gloves and boots
- Rain gear and waterproof covers
- Documents and insurance for your chosen riding format
- Compact soft luggage without unnecessary weight
Once we choose a date, we agree on the equipment list, meeting point and transfer time. Please wait until the programme is confirmed before booking flights.