Summer season journey: Prime suggestions for biking holidays and e-biking adventures round NZ

Must work off the Christmas feasting? How about getting in your bike? Listed below are a few of the greatest spots and high suggestions for a wheely good vacation.

Excellent for households

Auckland

Get the household collectively and journey from Ōkahu Bay to St Heliers, or so far as your youngest (or oldest) member of the family can cope. There’s a devoted cycle lane on the footpath to make it simpler and the views of Auckland’s harbour and beautiful Rangitoto definitely add to the enchantment.

Rotorua

In among the many well-known redwoods in Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Forest is the Mokopuna Path, an amazing introduction to off-road driving because it’s a clean, hard-packed gravel floor, that’s simple for everybody to journey on. Go by way of stands of Douglas fir, larch and redwood as you benefit from the tranquillity of the forest.

Taupō

Voted New Zealand’s Favorite City Journey in 2017, the 10km Nice Lake Pathway in Taupō is completely suited to households and gives spectacular views throughout the lake to Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. Seize the map and work out which bit your loved ones fancies tackling.

Ōhakune

The Mangawhero River Path is a well-maintained scenic 2km riverside stroll and cycleway that takes you from the Junction finish of Ōhakune to the city itself, following the pure move of the Mangawhero River. The swing bridge halfway provides you the choice to chop the journey shorter if little legs can’t cope.

New Plymouth

The New Plymouth Coastal Walkway is ideal for all ages and talents. Proper on the sea edge, it’s an exquisite promenade that households simply love. To be truthful, that west coast surroundings is fairly exhausting to beat. Cycle as a lot or as little of this 13km observe as your newbies can deal with, then flip round and head again.

Marlborough

The Taylor River Path close to State Freeway 1 stretches alongside the river and proper as much as the Taylor Dam Reserve. It’s a 5km return however with littlies you possibly can pack a picnic and simply do a small chunk. There are many river spots to paddle in.

Christchurch

Hagley Park has so many paths simply good to get small cyclists’ legs used to driving with the household. There’s a enormous array of pathways to check out, sealed and unsealed, all safely away from site visitors.

Queenstown

The Kelvin Heights Sculpture Path is 3.5km and fairly flat because it circles the Kelvin Heights golf course on the finish of the peninsula. The sculptures make for some fascinating stops alongside the best way, if little legs and quick consideration spans are concerned.

Invercargill

Stroll or cycle the banks of the Waihopai River from the Stead St Bridge to the Waihopai Dam. It’s 15km in whole however a map will simply present you the multitude of entrances so you possibly can discover whichever half fits the skills of your whānau.

E-biking suggestions

Strive before you purchase

Going for an e-bike journey whereas on vacation is a good way to present it a whirl. Cities alongside the 23 Nice Rides and different common trails often have bike rent or a tour firm close by. They’ll provide the proper sort of e-bike and present the way to journey it. It’s not that it’s notably tough; you simply must get used to how the heavier bike handles earlier than you begin gunning it.

Search for a path graded 1–2, as these can be flat, vast and clean. Most New Zealand bike trails at the moment are graded in accordance with this technique (grades 1–5, simple to skilled), making it easy to decide on one suited to your talents.

Quick circuits round wine nation

Wine-touring is a superb entry-level possibility for brand new e-bikers, however the necessity to apply the brakes on the tasting desk.

Luckily, New Zealand’s wine areas are effectively into the e-biking buzz. The Hawke’s Bay Trails definitely is, with a bunch of native biking corporations able to launch you on to the devoted Wineries Journey.

Different picturesque biking wine excursions embody the vine-lined Gibbston valley on the Queenstown Trails, dwelling to a clutch of cellar doorways and a few pubs. Rent a motorcycle from Arrowtown to benefit from the wonderful Arrow River Bridges Journey on the best way there.

Marlborough has a sizeable cluster of cellar doorways round Renwick, higher explored by e-bike than by some other transport mode. The rent depot on the Vines Village is an efficient place to set off.

Go the space

Ever dreamed of doing a long-distance, multi-day journey however don’t assume you’re match sufficient? Say whats up to an e-biking journey, the place success is only a energy socket away.

The Otago Central Rail Path leads the cost right here. An 150km journey taking 3–4 days, it’s actually slightly leisurely on an e-bike. Longstanding native tour corporations and different bike-friendly companies can kind all of the logistics, so you possibly can journey simple and benefit from the cruise by way of big-sky nation.

Simply up nation, the 300km Alps to Ocean is double the space with a few barely greater hills, but it surely’s nonetheless achievable by fairly match riders with some e-biking below their belt. Once more, a bunch of bike-friendly native enterprise can set you as much as get pleasure from this epic journey by way of wonderful landscapes across the Southern Alps, Mackenzie Nation and Waitaki Valley.

That is an amended model of beforehand revealed tales by Alexia Santamaria and Sarah Bennett from Herald Journey. For extra nice journey inspiration, go to nzherald.co.nz/journey