New Zealand Westland & Tasman Off Road 2027

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW
The South Island of New Zealand is one of the most amazing places to ride your bicycle and I think the best ways to enjoy this cycling is by using dedicated bike trails, gravel roads and quiet paved country roads. This tour is designed to showcase the best off-road cycling on the West Coast and upper region (Tasman) of the South Island including two new trails for the 2027 tour.

After a short shuttle from Christchurch to Hilltop on the Banks Peninsula, we ride along the crater rim of the caldera formed by the Akaroa volcano 9 million years ago. Here we descend down to Okains bay with a gravel road climb back to the crater rim before descending down to Akaroa. We shuttle back to Hilltop to the Little River Trail and then across the Canterbury Plains to ride up the foothills of the Southern Alps. We shuttle down to Moana where the next day we will ride the brand new Lake Brunner Trail on our way to Kumara. 

We then make our way to the fabulous Western Wilderness Trail where you ride through the West Coast’s lush rainforest, pristine rivers, tranquil lakes and rugged beaches, with the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps as a truly sublime backdrop. The trail retraces old packhorse tracks, tramlines, railways, water races and historic bridges.

We have a rest day in Hokitika with many optional activities including a visit to the pounamu /Jade studios, taking scenic flights, a treetop walk, eco rafting or the Hokitika Gorge Walk.

We will shuttle up to Punakaiki to enjoy the Punangairi Visitor Centre and Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes before cycling the brand new Kawatiri Coastal Trail. The ride then heads north east on a combination of quiet paved & gravel roads including traversing through the wonderful dense beech forests of the Matakitaki Valley in the Buller River region. We then continue north to join the Tasman’s Great Taste Trail where we have the opportunity to ride through the historic Spooners railway tunnel on our way to our destination overlooking the golden sand beach of Kaiteriteri on the edge of Abel Tasman National Park. We have a rest day in Kaiteriteri, you may choose to spend the day cycling or on one of the excellent hiking, kayaking and water taxi options in the park area.

From there we continue on the Tasman’s Great Taste Trail to the stunning coastline around Tasman Bay with fruit orchards & vineyards leading to our final destination of Stoke/Nelson.

To give you a better idea of the stunning scenery on the tour I’ve created a short photo/video compilation from a previous visit.

This tour can be combined with the New Zealand Canterbury & Otago Off Road 2027 for those wanting to do back-to-back tours in NZ.

SHUTTLING
To avoid busy roads we have an initial shuttle of 60 minutes and short shuttles (30-40 min) at the start of day 3 and 12 and 90 minutes at the start of day 9 & 10.  We also have a 90-minute shuttle at the end of day 3 and an optional 5 min shuttle in the middle of day 11.

RIDE RATING
The ride is rated 2B* with 11 required riding days with an average mileage of 38 and 2100 feet of climbing. It includes 2 days above the 2B rating, day 4 (3B) with 46 miles & 3200 feet and day 11 (3B) with 41 miles & 3000 feet,

The cycling will be on purpose built Grade 1 & 2 (37%) cycle trails and  a small amount of Grade 3 trails (2%), gravel roads (13%) and paved roads with light traffic (48%). There are road or shuttle options available for those who prefer not to do the Grade 3 trails. A day-by-day itinerary with RWGPS links, daily mileage, elevation, mix of surface and type of cycle paths is available by contacting the Ride Coordinator.

While NZ Bicycle Tours will transfer luggage and be available for emergency support due to injury, illness or mechanical problems, it is expected that riders be willing to cycle the entire ride, except for group transfers or Grade 3 trails. On a number of days there will be portions of the trail that cannot be accessed by the support van. Rental bikes will be supplied with flat repair kits.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

WEATHER
The temperatures in early March, at the end of NZ summer, are typically 55 – 70°F during the day and cooler at night but may be higher inland and lower near the coast. The weather is unpredictable in New Zealand including rain in the summer, so you will need clothing for a wide range of conditions including warm and water-proof clothing for cycling and walking.

BIKES
If you bring your own bike, we recommend it be equipped with wider tires (min 42mm, 45+mm recommended) due to the off-road nature of the tour as well as sub 1:1 gearing as there are some sections with steeper grades. Your bike boxes will be stored in Christchurch at no additional cost. E-Bikes are allowed on a case-by-case basis - contact the ride leader prior to signing up for the ride. Gravel E-bikes are a great option and have been used on this route with the participants noting that it made the tour feel one level easier. This ride is not suitable for Tandems due to the nature of the off-road route.

Bike rentals are available through NZBicycletours (bicycletours@xtra.co.nz). NZBicycletours offers Specialized Roll Elite (230 NZD), Specialized Diverge (700 NZD), Norco Scene e-bike (750 NZD) and Specialized Creo e-bike (1000 NZD) E-bike (NZD $1000).

LODGING & MEALS
Accommodation is on a double room basis, with private facilities and are typically 3-4 star quality. Included in the tour price are 14 hotel nights, 14 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners, as well as a daily happy hour with snacks and drinks featuring NZ wines & craft beers and non-alcoholic drinks.  Note there is no happy hour on the rest day in Hokitika and Kaiteriteri.. 

LOGISTICS
The tour begins Friday late afternoon, March 7th at the Rydges Latimer in central Christchurch with introductions, and a safety & tour briefing. There are numerous transportation options from the airport to the hotel including public transit buses, Uber, taxi or Super Shuttle. The tour ends after breakfast on March 21th in Stoke (Saxton Lodge) with free transfers to Nelson Airport or downtown Christchurch. 

Most participants (i.e. from the USA/Canada) will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).  Travelers can submit the eTA application online (23 NZD) or via the NZeTA app which is available for free from both the Apple App store and Google Play (17 NZD). At the time you pay for the NZeTA you will be required to pay for the International VIsitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of 100 NZD. Once the application is approved, travelers receive their eTA confirmation electronically which is then linked to a passport and valid for up to 2 years. 

COST & ADMINISTRATION
The tour cost is $5430 per person based on a currency exchange rate of $1 USD equals 1.56 NZD. Depending on currency exchange rates, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment.  In addition to the lodging and meal costs previously described, the tour price covers entry to the to the Punangairi Visitor Experience, vans to transport luggage and provide shuttles when required, bike box storage, cycling snacks, drinks and water, RWGPS routes (FIT, TCX, GPX, Cue Sheets, Maps) and happy hour expenses featuring NZ wines and craft beers. 

The price does not include airfare to Christchurch or any other flights, entry fees to any additional optional activities, all beverages at included dinners or everyday gratuities. Guide gratuities are at participant discretion but a standard range would be $100 to $150 USD for the tour. At the end of the tour, riders will receive a refund of any remaining money in the budget.  Tour Deposit is $2400 and the final payment of $3030 is due on Nov 1, 2026.

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY
There are a very limited number of solo supplements available at $1670 based on the currency exchange rate of $1 USD equals 1.56 NZD. Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office by Nov 1, 2026. The solo supplement payment can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

•  In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org
•  Initiate a payment
•  In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

We encourage single riders who are willing to share a room to sign up. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Singles will be asked to stay on the pending list until they find a roommate.

CANCELLATION POLICY
The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions. 

INSURANCE STATEMENTS
Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. 

SIGN-UP
To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is an $85.00 domestic ride fee and $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.