The Luxury Experience
Come join us on NZ’s premier Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Experience. This cycling culinary journey takes you on a gastronomical adventure from the Alps 2 Ocean, arguably NZ’s most spectacular cycle trail. From our highest mountains, past great lakes and rivers, down to the pacific ocean. If you love fine cuisine, beverages, while being active and indulging in some luxury, this cycle experience is for you. Ride through the incredible scenery, learn about the fascinating hydro power network, soak in hot tubs below the stars, all done in style with The Luxury Trail Co.
Your Adventure Includes:
- 6 nights luxury/very comfortable accommodation (twin share basis)
- 7 days modern e-bike hire with all accessories
- Spare e-bike and e-bike batteries on board
- 6 delicious evening meals
- Salmon farm visit with lunch
- Fresh fruit and healthy snacks
- Wine tasting at River T Winery
- Omarama hot tubs
- All Breakfasts throughout
- 5 packed / take away lunches for during the ride
- Helicopter transfer
- Daily baggage transfers (1 bag per person only plus a good day pack for riding)
- Fully supported private trip with Luxury Trail Co, private van and driver throughout
Itinerary
This is a taste of what your Luxury Gourmet Alps 2 Ocean experience will look like. There is a certain amount of flexibility built into our itineraries to ensure the best time possible while you are on the Trail. Take your time and enjoy the ride, we’ll take care of the rest.
9.00am departure from your hotel, then drive 4 hours to Mt Cook via the spectacular Lindis Pass. We’ll stop off in Twizel along the way for lunch and delicious fresh salmon at the local salmon farm.
Hotel check in then take a walk up the Hooker Valley or Sealy Tarns for spectacular views of Mt Cook.
Relax that evening and rest up for the ride ahead. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening in house at the Hermitage.
Morning briefing then get fitted out with the bikes and comfortable with our equipment for the week ahead. The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail starts at the White Horse Hill Campground, which is 2km north of Mt Cook Village.
From here a 8km off-road trail takes you to Mount Cook Airport, where we will need to make a short helicopter flight across the Tasman River to a spot called Rotten Tommy. From the helipad landing point at Rotten Tommy it’s 8.6km to the Jollie Carpark at the top of Hayman Rd. This track is rough in places and includes several creek crossings. On a clear day this section of trail offers views of Aoraki / Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak at 3,724 metres, which towers above a range of snow capped peaks in the Aoraki/ Mt Cook National Park. 40% of the national park is covered by glaciers with the Tasman Glacier being NZ’s largest (covering 100sq.km.) and the longest at about 24km long (but it is shrinking fast at up to 800 m/year). Nineteen of the country’s 20 peaks over 3,000 metres are also found in this national park.
From the Jollie Carpark, it’s 16.8km on gravel road to Braemar Road. The trail continues along a quiet country road that follows the eastern shore of Lake Pukaki, passing the Tekapo B power station. Riders will enjoy outstanding vistas across Lake Pukaki towards the Southern Alps. A wide range of native plants grow along the lake edge including kowhai and flax, as well as exotic species such as larch and pines.
The off-road trail starts at the bottom of Hayman Road and follows the Lake Pukaki shoreline Until Lake Stone Lodge. Settle in for the night at your luxurious lodgings and enjoy a delicious inhouse dinner.
With Aoraki/ Mt Cook as a backdrop, the trail passes over the Pukaki dam, taking you to the carpark at Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre.
You then cross the highway and follow the trail across Pukaki Flats – an expansive area of dry grasslands that are characteristic of the Mackenzie landscape. This takes you to the town of Twizel. Take care crossing the State Highway then take Glen Lyon Road.
Follow this until it crosses the canal bridge just past Loch Cameron. After crossing the bridge, stay on the two lane northern side of the canal road until reaching the edge of Lake Ohau. From there an off-road trail descends down to the lake foreshore, taking you to the Ohau Weir.
After the weir the trail skirts around the lake foreshore where it eventually meets up with the sealed Lake Ohau Road. Follow the road for the final 10km to Lake Ohau Lodge.
After a well deserved refreshment, we’ll transfer 40min back to Lake Stone Lodge.
Starting from the Lake Ohau Lodge driveway, the trail traverses the lower slopes of the Ruataniwha Conservation Park, with stunning views back across the basin to the Ben Ohau Range. 6km of easy cycling will take you to Freehold Creek, 600m above sea level.
From here the track narrows and it’s a steady climb to the high point on the trail at 900m. Please be aware that there are several ‘false summits’ where the trail appears to reach the high point, but instead keeps winding upward. There is plenty of clean drinking water available from the various streams that flow down from the mountains. Once at the high point it is a rolling descent to the historic woolshed at the top of Quailburn Road. Toilets are available here.
Please note that this is the toughest section of the trail and rated grade 3 with tight turns, large rocks on the trail and very rough in sections. You must take great care on the downhill descent. Take your time end enjoy the views.
Where Quailburn Road meets the highway, take the off-road trail which leads through the Ahuriri Campground. Exit the campground and cross over the Ahuriri River using the road bridge. A short off-road trail then takes you to Omarama.
Please note that now due to the new section around Lake Benmore, we will continue 14km on to Sailors Cutting to shorten the next days ride to Kurow.
Leaving Omarama you ride east down the Waitaki Valley, following the off-road trail to the top of the Chain Hills. From here you descend beside State Highway 83, then follow the edge of Lake Benmore to Pumpkin Point. Continue beside the lake to Sailors Cutting.
Transfer 15 min back to Omarama. Enjoy a nice soak the local hot tubs this afternoon and casual dining this evening.
The new section from Sailors Cutting to Benmore Dam is now open to the public which means that there is no longer a requirement to ride on SH83 over the Otematata Saddle from Sailors Cutting.
This new 19km purpose built off-road cycle Trail is mix of Grade 2 (Easy) and some narrower and steeper Grade 3 (Intermediate) parts. The scenery this new Trail opens up is amazing. Please take care as this section of the trail is tricky in parts and a tougher ride.
At Benmore Dam cycle down the Te Akatarawara Rd on the north side of Lake Aviemore and back across the Aviemore Dam. After crossing the Aviemore Dam you are back on the Grade 2 off-road Trail which follows alongside State Highway 83 passing through the ghost town of Wharekuri on the way to Lake Waitaki and the Waitaki Dam, 1km after the Awakino River Trail bridge, turn right onto the off-road Trail that links to Kurow. The off-road Trail starts at the eastern end of Kurow between the museum sheds. A gravel track takes you across to the Waitaki River which you follow down the valley. You cross Kurow Creek then ride up and alongside the highway until River T Winery where will park the bikes for the night and enjoy some local wines and a delicious platter from the Waitaki Valley.
Transfer 10 minutes for a unique glamping experience at Valley Views Glamping.
From the winery ride back towards the Waitaki River and follow the Waitaki Haul Road, crossing the Otiake River and the Otekaieke River.
Then the trail follows the highway to the Takiroa Maori rock art site which is across the road from the trail. After visiting the rock art site, retrace your steps and continue on the trail that heads back down to the Waitaki River and through to Harris St. Halfway up Harris St you turn right and ride through the Duntroon Wetlands before emerging in the centre of Duntroon.
From Duntroon head south-east along the footpath and over the Maerewhenua bridge, then follow the off-road Trail through several farms to the unique rock formations known as Elephant Rocks. Ride through to Prydes Gully Rd, then continue off-road through Island Cliff which is surrounded by limestone escarpments. Ride up the track beside Karara Creek to Cants Rd which takes you to the high point of the section. Drop down Peaks Rd then Tunnel Rd to the Rakis Railway Tunnel where there is a toilet and picnic spot. The Tunnel is over 100m long and bends in the middle – as a result natural lighting is extremely poor. Please remember to take a bike light or headlight, otherwise please walk your bike through. There is a camber to the tunnel’s Trail surface which is also rough in places. Follow the old railway line to Windsor then the off-road trail takes you through to Enfield.
We generally regroup at the Enfield Tavern for a refreshment then continue onto Weston where you rejoin the old railway line for a flat run to Saleyards Rd. Follow the sealed cycle way downhill to the beautiful Oamaru Gardens. Bike through the gardens, take care crossing SH1, then through the park to the main street (Thames Street). Turn right into the far lane and ride south past the Visitor Centre, turning left on Itchen St, right onto Tyne, then left onto Harbour St. Go through the Victorian Historic Precinct to the Oamaru Harbour where the Trail ends at Friendly Bay and the Pacific Ocean
Congratulations – You’ve Done It!
Free morning for a look around the historic precinct of Oamaru then a approximate 11am transfer back to Queenstown.
Helpful information
We’re all about giving you the best experience possible, here are some notes that you might find helpful.
Yes, return transfers to and from Queenstown. And you will be fully supported privately with The Luxury Trail Co, with private van and driver throughout. Daily baggage transfers (1 bag per person only plus a good day pack for riding).
- Drinks and alcoholic beverages
- Single supplement
We supply a fleet of excellent, comfortable e-bikes with high spec components. Along with all the accessories you might need like gel seats, panniers and more to ensure a comfortable ride.
Itineraries can be subject to small changes due to weather conditions and/or other factors outside our control. We’ll always discuss the day’s plan with you ahead of time and reconfirm all the details so you know exactly what’s going on. There is a certain amount of flexibility built into our itineraries to ensure the best time possible while you are on the Trail. Take your time and enjoy the ride, we’ll take care of the rest.
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