This popular tour covers much of the South Island of New Zealand including the fabulous Southern Alps. Without a doubt you'll ride the best of New Zealand's roads during this real 'Southern Kiwi experience'. This tour really gives you time to explore and do all the amazing activities available such as cruising Milford Sound and to a remote sheep-station, bungy jumping, jet-boating, spotting albatross and penguins, landing by helicopter on the glaciers, and soaking away any aches and pains in our open-air-thermal hot springs.
Visit all the awesome 'hot spots' along the way - mighty Mount Cook, historic Dunedin, Burt Munro's "World's Fastest Indian", Milford Sound, Queenstown, and the famous Punakaiki Blow-holes on the rugged West Coast.
Riding times:4-5 hours in the saddle daily + breaks
Distance:3000 kms (1500 miles) approximately, option to do more on 'Rest or Ride' days
Rest or Ride:Queenstown, Te Anau (Milford)
Rider Competence:For experienced riders with safe motorcycle control in all situations
Route Grade:100% asphalt, some challenging sections, multiple mountain pass switchbacks/hair-pins
Support Vehicle Info:Complimentary itinerary with Tour Route Google Link and accommodation list provided (support vehicle & booking service not provided on self-guide tours)
Day 1
Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (270km, 3-4hrs + breaks)
Enjoy fabulous care-free riding across the sheep-filled plains and over the mountain pass towards Mount Cook National Park. Check out quaint country villages and local craft galleries along the way. At Lake Tekapo there's the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd, hot springs, big skies for stargazing. Overnight Lake Tekapo
Day 2
Lake Tekapo to Oamaru (210km, 3-4hrs + breaks)
Pure enjoyment is riding along-side pristine lakes from Mount Cook National Park
today then there’s the awesome sweeps and bends on traffic-free roads that take
you through Mackenzie sheep country, along-side hydro-lakes and dams, through
limestone foundations all the way to Oamaru.
Overnight Oamaru
Day 3
Oamaru to Dunedin (176km, 3-4hrs + breaks)
Amazing biking lanes today through ancient limestone landscapes that lead you to
the Pacific Ocean where you can explore the beach with its 65 million year old
boulders. From here it’s a leisurely ride to Dunedin City and the Otago Peninsula.,
home to the Royal Albatross, penguin and other sea creatures. Overnight Dunedin
Day 4
Dunedin to Invercargill (244km, 3-4hrs +breaks)
The Southern Scenic Route skirts white sand beaches of the deserted Catlins Coastline for mile upon mile. We’ll be stopping at quirky locations befitting this isolated area. Then it’s time for a photo-shoot and fresh oysters at Bluff, NZ’s most southerly point, before arriving at Invercargill. Check out the real Indian motorcycle that won the land-speed world record at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967, ridden by Invercargill eccentric Burt Munro at the amazing Motorworks Collection. Overnight Invercargill
Day 5
Invercargill to Fiordland National Park (191km, 2-3hrs + breaks)
We've allowed time this morning to check out out Kiwi legend Burt Munro's World's Fastest Indian and the southern hemisphere's largest collection of classic bikes including Brough, Rudge, Matchless, & Henderson. Then enjoy more traffic free biking roads all the way to Lake Te Anau, your gateway to the awe-inspiring Fiordland National Park. Overnight Te Anau
Day 6
Milford Magic (121km. 2hrs each way + breaks)
Combine one of the world’s finest scenic highways with one of the world’s best motorcycling roads and you have the Milford Road. Golden grasslands and mirror lakes give way to rainforest, majestic waterfalls, raging rivers, and mile-high mountains. Emerge from a dark tunnel into another forgotten world and descend down deep into the valley, until in front of you stands the iconic Mitre Peak towering 1692 metres from the sea floor. Overnight Te Anau
Day 7
Fiordland to Queenstown Region (213km, 3-4hrs +breaks)
This glorious five star ride snakes its way between Lake Wakatipu and the world’s most photographed ‘Remarkables’ mountain range. You’ll soon find yourself in The Lord of the Rings country, where there’s time for bungy jumping, wine tasting, jet-boating and panning for gold, before arriving into the ‘Adventure Capital of the Southern Hemisphere’! Overnight Queenstown Region
Day 8
Queenstown Region 'Rest or Ride'
Known as the Adventure Capital of the Southern Hemisphere, Queenstown provides the perfect opportunity to do all those once-in-a-lifetime activities - a magical steam-boat-cruise across Lake Wakatipu to an isolated working sheep-farm, a gondola ride to the mountain top, white-water rafting, and the legendary bike ride
to Glenorchy - to name just a few!
Overnight Queenstown Region
Day 9
Queenstown to Franz Josef Glacier Village (351km, 5hrs + breaks)
Today you’ll be riding over the highest tar-sealed road in New Zealand through mountain passes and lush rainforest. You’ll experience beautiful lakes, rivers, and waterfalls on your way to the Tasman Sea, not to mention the legendary Haast Pass and Mt. Aspiring National Park. At Franz Josef village there’s time to visit the glaciers, hunt for glow-worms, or soak away your aches in hot pools surrounded
by rain forest.
Overnight Franz Josef Glacier Village
Day 10
Franz Josef Glacier to Punakaiki (217km, 3-4hrs + breaks)
Snake your way through Jurassic rainforest and alongside the dramatic rugged coastline of the Tasman Sea, still so close to the mountains. A stop at the West Coast township of Hokitika allows you to sample local arts and crafts, continue along the magnificent coast-line to the Paparoa National Park for a visit to see the
amazing Punakaiki Rocks and blowholes.
Overnight Punakaiki
Day 11
Punakaiki to Hanmer Springs Village (257km, 4HRS + breaks)
Starting with one of the best coastal rides in the world, meander your way via the traffic-free roads to peaceful Hanmer Springs village via the mighty Buller River and the legendary Lewis Pass. Celebrate this most amazing ride with a hot soak in the open-air thermal spring pools or a massage.
Overnight Hanmer Springs Village
Day 12
Hanmer Springs Village to Christchurch (128km, 2-3hrs + breaks)
Time to explore, relax, shop for quality souvenirs, or do some of the amazing activities on offer before heading back to Christchurch via more mind-blowing scenery, Empty ribbon-roads follow the river from the Alps down to the tranquil Canterbury Plains via interesting limestone rock formations and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards and South Pacific Motorcycle Tours Base where it’s time
to return your bike.
12 Day South Island GPS Motorcycle Tour |
Day |
Route |
1 |
Christchurch to Lake Tekapo |
2 |
Lake Tekapo to Oamaru (with Mount Cook Village option) |
3 |
Oamaru to Dunedin |
4 |
Dunedin to Invercargill |
5 |
Invercargill to Te Anau (2 nights) |
6 |
Te Anau - Milford Sound - Te Anau |
7 |
Te Anau to Queenstown (2 nights) |
8 |
Queenstown Rest or Ride |
9 |
Queenstown to Glacier Country, West Coast |
10 |
Glacier Country to Punakaiki, West Coast |
11 |
Punakaiki to Hanmer Springs |
12 |
Hanmer Springs to Christchurch |
Tour Highlights:-
- Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo
- Aoraki Mount Cook - the 'Cloud Piercer'
- Moeraki Boulders
- Invercargill Motorcycle Mecca
- Burt Munro's Fastest Indian & Motorworks Collection
- Magical Milford Sound & Fiordland National Park
- Queenstown - Adventure Capital of the Southern Hemisphere
- Ride New Zealand's highest sealed road
- Haast Pass, Mount Aspiring National Park
- The West Coast Rainforests & Glaciers
- Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
- Cape Foulwind Seal Colony
- The amazing Buller Gorge
- Lewis Pass
Recommended extra activities:-
- Oamaru Penguin Colony (Oamaru)
- Steampunk HQ, Oamaru
- Speights Brewery Tour (Dunedin)
- Larnach Caste (Dunedin)
- Classic Motorcycle Mecca (Invercargill)
- E Hayes Motorworks Collection (Invercargill)
- Real NZ Glow-worm Caves (Te Anau)
- Southern Discoveries Day Trips & Boat Cruises (Milford Sound)
- Shotover Jet (Queenstown)
- Queenstown Wine Trails (Queenstown)
- Real NZ TSS Earnslaw Cruises (Queenstown)
- The Helicopter Line Glacier Helicopter Rides (Fox or Franz Josef)
- Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools
The 12 day Motorcycle Rental rate includes the following:-
- Itinerary with Google Maps Route Link (provided before arrival)
- Recommended Accommodation List (provided before arrival)
- 12 Days Motorcycle Hire
- Transfers to & from the SPMT Christchurch Base
- Full luggage including liners & top box
- Packing tables
- Secure luggage storage
- Secure car-park
- Garden seating area
- Tea/coffee/water on tap
- Safety briefing
- Motorcycle orientation instruction
- 24-hour Roadside Assist
- 24-hour On-call support
- Full insurance
- All NZ Government taxes
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