Details
Pick your touring dates, between November and March
Beginning and ending in the English style city of Christchurch; after picking up your bike you will ride through the rugged mountains of the Southern Alps running the length of the Sth Island, riding along beautiful sweeping coastal roads, through old growth forests, and rugged hill country. While enjoying gentle sweeping corners mixed with twisty back roads.
The roads in Aotearoa/NZ are in good condition, with light traffic outside the cities. Aside from encountering roads under repair, you will not be required to ride on any unsealed roads.
This tour is suitable for Intermediate or Advanced riders. Note: New Zealanders drive on the left-hand side of the road and so must you.
Accommodations range from deluxe quality hotels and modern cabins to authentic “turn-of-the-century” hotels.
Tour Highlights: (*Optional on Self-Guided tours)
- Visit the world-famous Milford Sounds,
- Enjoy thermal hot pools, *
- Enjoy a gondola ride to view Queenstown from above*
- Fly above the trees while Zip Lining, *
- Thrill to a white water, jet boat river ride, *
- Green Stone shopping,
- View the “World's Fastest Indian” display,
- Ride to the world-famous Milford Sounds,
- Visit amazing Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks)
Use your own motorcycle or rent one of our touring motorcycles, which are licensed, safety inspected and verified by the Aotearoa/NZ government.
A valid Passport along with appropriate pre-approval is required for entry into Aotearoa/New Zealand.
A current Driver's License with motorcycle endorsement from your country of residence is required for motorcycle rental.
Tour Itinerary
Day #1 Shuttle to Hotel
You will be met at Christchurch International Airport and shuttled first to your hotel to check in, and then to pick up your bike.
The rest of the day is set aside to allow you to settle in and rest up before the adventure begins tomorrow—or you can visit some of the city sights.
Day #2 Christchurch to Blackball 250 km / 155 mi route (Approx. 3:50 hrs. riding)
Leaving the old English-style city, you will find that getting comfortable with your bike will be easy as you head across the plains before beginning the twisting climb into the Southern Alps. Stopping near the top to watch the native Kea parrots is a great photo opportunity.
Continuing down from the pass and through scattered native bush brings you to your stop for the night. This 200-year-old hotel is full of history and maybe a ghost or two. It’s also home to the best chef we’ve come across in the South Island.
Day #3 Blackball to Kaikoura 325 km / 205 mi route (Approx. 5:10 hrs. riding)
After a relaxing breakfast, hit the road and cruise between rich farmlands and patches of thick native bush on meandering well-maintained roads.
Today will take you back through the Southern Alps. Stop for an optional swim in hot pools along the way. As you leave this picturesque location, you’ll ride along the base of the coastal mountain range to your stop for the night in a peaceful seaside town.
Day #4 Kaikoura to Nelson 280 km / 175 mi route (Approx. 4:25 hrs. riding)
Picturesque seascapes, winding roads, native bush, changing elevations, and numerous photo stops are the highlights of today’s ride. This is a GoPro day. (Make sure your GoPro is ready with plenty of back up batteries.) Stopping at any of the small local restaurants to sample fresh seafood—along with some optional zip-lining, if you like—makes this a fun day.
Day #5 Nelson to Westport 265 km / 165 mi route (Approx. 4:00 hrs. riding)
Heading towards the coast through bush-covered hill leads you to some excellent gorge riding. With fantastic cornering and great scenery, this is another GoPro day (there will be lots more on this tour). Have those batteries charged and ready.
Day #6 Westport to Fox Glacier 305 km / 190 mi route (Approx. 4:40 hrs. riding)
Today’s ride takes you along the world-famous coastal highway, sweeping through fantastic corners, racing past rocky outcrops, and cheering at the top of your lungs all the way. Mix this with some fantastic stops for unique scenery, and you have a ride location that is simply amazing.
Day #7 Fox Glacier to Queenstown 330 km / 205 mi route (Approx. 5:15 hrs. riding)
If you love waterfall’s, wild bush, misty mountains, rugged lake shores and easy sweepers then today is your day. The road will take you alongside lakes, rivers, and great photo opportunities. Also, another great GoPro day.
Lunch at a quaint country pub/hotel before some amazing cornering that will bring you to your stop for the night.
Day #8 Queenstown Loop 110 km / 70 mi route (Approx. 2:00 hrs. riding)
Today is a treat for all adventure junkies—an optional jet boat ride, a gondola ride, zip-lining, or a more relaxed steamer cruise on the lake, enjoying some optional easy riding before an optional gondola ride to dinner overlooking beautiful Queenstown.
Day #9 Queenstown - Rest Day 0 km / 0 mi route (Approx. 0:00 hrs. riding)
Today is a rest day, you can enjoy some optional zip lining or a more relaxed steamer cruise on the lake, enjoy some easy riding, or you could catch up on all those important things like sorting out photos, writing down all the key points of the tour so far, sending postcards home to friends and even dealing with that pesky laundry thing.
Day #10 Queenstown to Te Anau including Milford Sound 415 km / 260 mi route (Approx. 5:50 hrs. riding)
After breakfast, you’ll follow the sweeping lake shore south to Te Anau where you’ll check into your accommodations. If you want, you can then ride out to Milford Sounds before returning for the night.
Day #11 Te Anau to Fairlie 485 km / 300 mi route (Approx. 6:30 hrs. riding)
Today takes you back through Queenstown before heading inland. Taking a loop through the foothills lets you view the mountains from up close, while you lose yourself in the ride. Great roads, with little traffic makes this a fun day.
Day #12 Fairlie to Christchurch via. Akaroa 315 km / 195 mi route (Approx. 5:00 hrs. riding)
After breakfast head out on an easy ride towards the coast, before returning to Christchurch to drop off your bike and catch your shuttle to the hotel, for that final sorting and packing.
Day #13 Christchurch hotel to airport
After a typical NZ breakfast, you will catch your shuttle to the airport. This shuttle ride is filled with talk about the adventure you’ve just had and the fun experienced.
Now is the time to start planning your next Pohutukawa Motorcycle Tour in New Zealand or North America.
If you want to stay on for additional nights that can be arranged.
Included in your Tour Package
(Incidentals & options are not included unless listed or prearranged)
- Printed Tour Guidebook including maps.
- Bike rental including comprehensive motorcycle insurance. (Excluding Damage Waiver or Auxiliary Equipment such as GPS or optional fittings)
- Hard bags on all motorcycles.
- All accommodation. Day 1 of tour through to last night of tour. Extra nights before or after can be arranged.
- Shuttles (transfers) to & from hotel & airport.
- Interisland Ferry.
Not Included in your Tour Package
(Rider / Pillion responsibility)
- Airfare.
- Damage Waivers (Bonds) on rental bikes.
- Optional equipment add-ons to rental bikes.
- Fuel.
- All meals.
- Ferry fees. [excluding interisland ferries]
- Special/optional events.
- Access into various attractions such as:
- Museums & Interpretive Centers.
- Various native wild-life displays, glowworm caves and native bush tours.
- National & Provincial Parks, Hot Springs, and Hobbiton.
- Incidentals and other costs once inside various attractions. i.e. rental of bathing suits or towels.
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