Today we have a short ride ahead of us this morning as we head east to the magnificent Bay of Islands, it is here this afternoon that you will have the opportunity to maybe take a cruise through these wonderful islands, swim with the dolphins or explore the grounds of Waitangi, the birth place of this wonderful nation.
Heading south along the eastern seaboard we make our way through Auckland and onto the Pacific Coast Highway for a splendid day of riding along this spectacular coastal highway to the seaside town of Tairua, on the Coromandel Peninsula.
An amazing ride through the winding roads of beautiful Mercury Bay and onto the Bay of Plenty as we reach Rotorua our destination tonight. After dinner why not sit back and relax in one of the many spa pools that surround this wonderful region.
The ride today is a bit longer as we wind our way around Lake Taupo and onto the central volcanic plateau of the
North Island, as we make our way south to Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand.
This morning we board the ferry for the 3 hour crossing to the South Island. From Picton we head through the scenic
Queen Charlotte Drive to Nelson for our first night in the South Island.
Today is free in Nelson. You may want to explore the Able Tasman National park, visit the golden beaches that surround
the area or maybe take a kayak tour the choice is yours.
The rugged West Coast is our destination today as we head through the Buller Gorge for Punakiki and the famous
Pancake Rocks.
An incredible day’s riding as we make our way along the west coast to Franz Joseph, with the mountainous forest region
on our left and the Tasman Sea to our right. This makes for some of the most breath-taking riding that you will encounter.
The Gates of Haast and the spectacular Haast Pass waits as we head across the Mount Aspiring National Park along the banks of Lake Wanaka through to the Cardrona Valley. Tonight we will be staying in the historic Cardrona Hotel established since 1863.
Having enjoyed our night at the Cardrona Hotel we ride through the Cardrona Valley road and over the Crown Range (the highest sealed road in New Zealand) to Arrowtown, where you will have the chance to explore this historic mining town. having explored this historic village we head to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world.
Tonight we take a cruise across magnificent Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak station for our evening meal.
Queenstown is yours for the day. The perfect place for you to enjoy all those adventure activities or maybe just sit back, relax and take in some of the most remarkable scenery that surrounds this amazing area of New Zealand.
Heading south through the gold fields of old as we follow the heritage trail through to Te Anau, the gateway to the famous Milford Sounds.
Today we ride through the Fiordland National Park and into Milford Sounds, it is here that you have the option of taking a boat cruise on these magnificent sounds. Back on dry land it is now time to ride back to Te Anau for the night.
Our ride today takes us north along the banks of Lake Dunstan through the grandure of the Lewis Pass as we make our way towards Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepard. This famous church has been looking out across this pristine lake for over one hundred years.
From Lake Tekapo we make our way through the Mount Cook / Aorakia National park, where we can view New Zealand’s
highest Mountain Mount Cook / Aoraki. Having taken in such beauty we now take the scenic route past Mt Hutt and through
the Rakaia Gorge into Christchurch, the garden city of New Zealand.
The East Coast is our destination as we head north to Picton for our return journey to the North Island. Stopping along the way at Kaikoura, where you may want to take in some whale watching if the weather permits.
Once again we board the Interisland ferry for the 3 hour crossing to the North Island. On land again we head up the
Eastern side of the North Island to Napier in the Hawkes Bay this region is well known for its fine Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. This region was razed to the ground by a powerful earthquake in1931 and has since rebuilt itself to be known as the Art Deco capital of New Zealand.
This morning we cross the ranges into Taupo on the banks of New Zealand largest Lake. Having stretched our legs it is know time to make our way through New Zealand’s largest dairy farming province as we head north through the farmlands of the Waikato and Hauraki Districts before arriving in Auckland
Tonight we can all sit back, relax and gather our thoughts, share stories and have a great time at Harley Tours New Zealand
farewell dinner.
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