🇳🇿 ITINERARY ~ New Zealand – DEC/JAN 2023

This is the 4 day trip we did along the bike trails

I recommend if you do this to get e-bikes as the trails are hilly also you can do more and reach the end as some of the days we rode 40km and 48kms

This was one of the expensive portions of the trip but it was worth it as we did the trail on our own but the company would pick up and drop off our bags to the next days accommodation, all planned and easy to travel

They organise all accommodation for you as well

Early start as shuttle collects us at 7.45am – they will ring prior and we will meet them outside.

Shuttle to Cromwell to collect our bikes Trail Journeys HQ and do the first day riding – Cromwell to Clyde

They provide helmets but I am taking my own.

They transport our luggage – note bag limit of 16 kg (but they didn’t really end up weighing them or worrying about them, ours were heavier then that!)

CLYDE:

Olivers Restaurant 7.30pm as it may be busy and it only a small town – book dinner

www.olivers.co.nz

www.trailjourneys.co.nz

Booking Summary

Trip: 4 Day Dunstan, Roxburgh & Clutha Trails

https://www.trailjourneys.co.nz/south-island/cycling/self-guided/lake-dunstan-roxburgh-and-clutha-trails

CYCLE ~ 49km – Lake Dunstan Trail – Cromwell -> Clyde, Otago

QUEENSTOWN

Queenstown ~ New Zealand

Don’t miss:

Going up the cable cars – its expensive at $46 return but the view up there is worth it

There are luges at the top which we didn’t do but could be fun for kids – that’s additional $$

There is a restaurant up there as well which you can prebook – also a bar and café area

ZIPLINING:

We used Glenorchy “paradise ziplining” which was awesome! – 021 1744 256 – $189 pp – 8 ziplines

Bus is booked up to Glenorchy (leaves at 8am , 37 Shotover St, returns at 3pm) www.infotrack.co.nz – $58pp return trip

Suggested clothing is long pants and top with long sleeves – protection from harnesses and sandflies – decent enclosed hiking shoes

Ziplining in Glenorchy

MILFORD SOUND:

You can either do a 3hr one way coach ride OR we booked flights down which included, expensive though, was around $550-600 pp, but seriously SO worth it! The views are just amazinggggg – https://www.milfordflights.co.nz/ they picked us up from our accom and drove us to QT airport and 45min to Milford 2hr boat cruise then 45min back

NOTE: (some feedback from those who did the coach, they said it can be a long day as you are in the bus for 5-6 hrs most of the day then 2 hrs on a cruise)

FLIGHT ~ Milford Sound Scenic Flight & Cruise

RESTAURANTS

p.s. we booked everything as they were saying no to ppl showing up on the spot – bookings seem to be essential in queenstown

All good – all recommended! All awesome!

Blue Kanu, 16 Church St, Queenstown
Margo’s ( Mexican) – 7.30pm , 26 Ballarat Street, The Mall
Madam Woo, 5 Lower Ballarat St, The Mall

BIKE RIDING “Bike the Basin

www.aroundthebasin.co.nz

This is a pretty good trail – my friends got an e-bike I had a normal bike and 48kms later I found it really difficult as the trail is mostly gravel and there are a lot of hills

Meet at 9 Duke Street

$135 e-bike – normal bike $85

BUNGY JUMPING: You ride past Kawerau Bungy – if this is something you guys want to do it would be awesome to do it off this bridge! The water is so aqua blue and you can then continue on biking after jumping

LUNCH – GIBBSTON WINERY: we rode to the winery for lunch (make sure you book) and had lunch here before riding back to Queenstown

NOTE: Can be a long day – bikes need to be back by 5pm but our lunch was late and I was slower on the muscle bike so we got back at 5:30 just as they were closing

CYCLE ~ Bike the Queenstown Basin

ARROWTOWN

A short drive away if you can get there to take a look around its worth it

It’s a small gold mining town – Provisions café there is awesome for breakfast

QUEENSTOWN ACCOM:

I would suggest to look up accom right in the town centre.

Our accommodation was Lakeside 2 bedroom Apartment, 525 Frankton Rd

We stayed a bit outside Queenstown at this accomm as everything was booked out in the town centre and we had to catch the bus and ubers into town

Some other things can do from Queenstown: (we didn’t do any of these)

Shotover jet boat ride

winery ie Amisfield or Ararua for lunch or Boat Shed at Marina

Onsen Hot Pools

day up on the Otago Rail Trail

There is a ferry which goes from Queenstown (or the Marina) which takes over to Kelvin Heights on other side of the bay – Hilton Hotel there and lunch golf course at the very end – might be worth considering – www.queenstownferries.co.nz

ROADTRIP

DAY 1 & 2

AFTER TRAIL JOURNEYS BIKE RIDE:

We hired a car from Queenstown airport – trail journeys shuttle dropped us off at Queenstown Airport

Shuttle to Queenstown Airport, collect rental car from Mode Rentals – 121 Glenda Drive, Frankton (they will collect us if shuttle won’t drop us off, phone 03 974 4340)

Pay balance owing of $250 on pick up (weekly rate) + $40 for a/h collection as they close at 5pm.

QUEENSTOWN -> WANAKA – 2 x nights WANAKA

ROADTRIP ~ Queenstown -> Wanaka / Cardrona Pub & Brewery / Rippon Winery / Muttonbird

Drive over Crown Range stopping at Cardrona Pub for dinner

ACCOM: We stayed at a really bad motel! (Fairmont Motel) DON’T stay there – go on booking,com and find another accom 🙂

ROYS PEAK:

If you want to do a proper hike / climb – Roys Peak (5-6 hours return) – you will need to take packed lunch and lots water, best to leave early. View is AMAZING

Swim in lake at Glendhu Bay

RIPPON WINERY:

MUST BOOK! Wine tasting FANTASTIC VIEWS from here

RESTAURANT in WANAKA:

Muttonbird, Post Office Lane, 33 Ardmore St

DAY 3 & 4

WANAKA -> TEKAPO – 2 x nights TEKAPO

ROADTRIP ~ Wanaka -> Tekapo ~ Clay cliffs – Hot springs – rolling mountains – turquoise lakes!

FAMOUS CUSTARD SLICES – have Breakfast here:

Pembroke Bakery, Albert Town

CLAY CLIFFS: – must see!

Drive via Lindis Pass into the McKenzie Country stopping to see Clay Cliffs at Omarama and on to Tekapo via the lakes.

This is where we will see the amazing flowering lupins which should still be in bloom.

ACCOM:

Roto View Apartment (2 bedroom plus sofa bed) 20 Erebus Place, Tekapo – booked via Air BnB (room for 6 ppl)

TEKAPO HOT SPRINGS – DON’T MISS!

Tekapo Springs (hot pools overlooking lake) www.tekaposprings.co.nz – closes at 7pm also has a spa experience if you want.

We did the night sky gazing where we lay in the hot tub and searched for shooting stars and satellites it was awesome! Starts at 11:45pm thought and goes for 2hrs $120 ppl but it was SO awesome!

Tekapo is a UNESCO night sky reserve

GOOD COFFEE!

Greedy Cow Cafe, 16 Rapuwai Lane

HOOKER VALLEY HIKE – easy:

This is an awesome easy walk/hike! – 10km return

Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park day trip