Wilderness, Coastlines & Vines
A 10-night guided e-bike tour from the wild West Coast to Kaikōura, Christchurch to Christchurch.
Guided e-bike
10 nights
Christchurch return
Grades 1 to 2, some Grade 3, easy to intermediate
Riding days 35 to 58 km
From $6,499 per person
Wilderness, Coastlines & Vines is our newest guided tour: ten nights from Christchurch, riding the top of the South Island from the rainforest of the West Coast to the whale coast at Kaikōura. Along the way you ride the West Coast Wilderness Trail, the Kawatiri Coastal Trail, the Tasman Great Taste Trail, the Marlborough Wine Trail and the newly opened Whale Trail, cruise into Abel Tasman National Park by water taxi, and finish across the big backroads of North Canterbury.
You travel as a small group of twelve at most, with an experienced guide riding with you on the trails and a support driver keeping the vehicle close by when needed. The riding sits mostly at Grades 1 to 2 with some Grade 3 sections, so it suits confident riders, and the e-bikes keep every honest climb honest rather than hard. Evenings are for the good stuff: Kaikōura seafood, Marlborough tables, and two nights that bookend the trip with a welcome dinner and a farewell one.
Day 1: Christchurch. No cycling.
Settle into the hotel and meet the group in the afternoon. Time and weather permitting, there is a short introductory spin through the local wetlands to get comfortable on the bikes, and a trip up the Port Hills to the Sign of the Kiwi for views across the city and the Canterbury Plains. Bike fittings happen today, so everything is dialled in before the journey begins.
Stay: Quest Cathedral Junction, Christchurch. Meals: welcome dinner.
Day 2: Christchurch to Hokitika. The West Coast Wilderness Trail. 37 km, Grades 1 to 3.
West across the Southern Alps on one of New Zealand's great drives, with a stop among the limestone tors of Castle Hill and the climb through Arthur's Pass. Lunch in the old gold town of Kumara, then the first ride: the West Coast Wilderness Trail from Kumara to Milltown, winding beside rivers, over swing bridges and through deep native bush. Want more? There is an optional 22.5 kilometre drop-off ride from Lake Kaniere down the historic Water Race into Hokitika.
Stay: Beachfront Hotel or Stations Inn, Hokitika. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +431 m.
Day 3: Hokitika to Westport. The Kawatiri Coastal Trail. 42 km, Grade 2.
North to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks for a short walk among the blowholes, then one of the great coastal rides: from Charleston along the Kawatiri Coastal Trail, threading the clifftops and native bush with the Tasman Sea never far from your handlebars, finishing in Westport at the mouth of the Buller.
Stay: ASURE Chelsea Gateway, Westport. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +339 m.
Day 4: Westport to Motueka or Kaiteriteri. The Tasman Great Taste Trail. 56 km over two rides, Grades 1 to 3.
Leaving the wild coast for the sunshine of Tasman. Ride Belgrove to Tapawera through Spooners Tunnel, the longest decommissioned rail tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere, then after lunch a second ride from Woodstock through the orchards, vineyards and river valleys of the Motueka toward the seaside.
Stay: Kimi Ora Eco Lodge, Kaiteriteri, or ASURE Nautilus Lodge, Motueka. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +491 m.
Day 5: Abel Tasman National Park. No cycling.
A day off the saddle and onto the water. The water taxi cruises the park's golden shoreline and drops you into a sheltered bay, and the day is yours: walk a stretch of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, swim, or simply claim a beach. Optional kayaking can be arranged for a closer look at those turquoise coves at an additional cost.
Stay: as last night. Meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 6: Motueka to Nelson. The Tasman Great Taste Trail. 58 km, Grades 1 & 2.
The longest ride of the tour, and one of the easiest: cycle trails, estuary boardwalks and quiet lanes through New Zealand's sunniest region, with the little ferry hop across to Rabbit Island before rolling into Nelson.
Stay: The Tides, Nelson. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +433 m.
Day 7: Nelson to Blenheim. The Marlborough Wine Trail. 35 km, Grades 1 to 3.
East into Marlborough, and a flat, sociable ride on quiet roads and cycle paths weaving between the vineyards. Cellar doors punctuate the route, the tastings happen at the table, and lunch is a long one set among the vines. The day winds up in Blenheim with the evening free.
Stay: Scenic Hotel Marlborough, Blenheim. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +437 m.
Day 8: Blenheim to Kaikōura. The Whale Trail. 54 km, Grades 1 to 3.
South on a scenic section of the newly opened Whale Trail, rolling through open farmland toward Ward as the coastline gathers drama, then the transfer into Kaikōura, where the mountains rise straight out of the sea. The afternoon offers an optional whale-watching flight or a wildlife walk around the peninsula, and after dark there is an optional zipline and stargazing experience: Kaikōura holds Dark Sky Sanctuary status, one of only a handful of places in the world with skies that pristine. The evening belongs to Kaikōura seafood.
Stay: Anchor Inn, Kaikōura. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +352 m.
Day 9: Kaikōura to Hanmer Springs. The Kaikōura Trail. 47 km, Grades 1 to 3.
A morning ride along the peninsula and the coast, seals on the rocks and the ocean flexing beside you, with the on-road stretches at Grade 3. Then inland through the Waiau Valley as the scenery trades surf for mountains, arriving in the alpine village of Hanmer Springs with time for the famous thermal pools or a forest stroll.
Stay: The Edit, Hanmer Springs. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Climb: +211 m.
Day 10: Hanmer Springs to Christchurch. Culverden to Cheviot backroads. 48 km, Grade 3.
The farewell ride is pure North Canterbury: gravel and sealed backroads through big farmland and the Hurunui basin, gently rolling, wonderfully remote, with just enough in the legs to feel earned. It is the tour's biggest climbing day at +858 metres, and the e-bikes make it a pleasure rather than a test. Then the vehicle carries you back to Christchurch for a celebratory farewell dinner.
Stay: Quest Cathedral Junction, Christchurch. Meals: breakfast, lunch, farewell dinner. Climb: +858 m.
Day 11: Departure day.
Time to head home after ten days across the top of the South. Airport transfers can be arranged at additional cost, so tell us when you book.
Meals: none included today.
Is this tour right for me?
Honest answer: this is the more gentle of our two guided tours. Most of the riding sits at Grades 1 to 2, and several days carry Grade 3 sections, including on-road riding near Kaikōura and the backroads finale, so it suits confident riders who are comfortable on gravel and happy with the odd stretch that asks a bit more.
The safety net still rides with you. The support vehicle is close by on most days, so you can hop in and skip any section you would rather not ride. Your guide is first aid trained and carries a personal locator beacon for the stretches beyond mobile coverage, and gives you an honest read on the day ahead every evening. A full rest day off the bike in the Abel Tasman breaks the riding up nicely.
The e-bikes level the playing field on the climbs, including the big final-day one. Ten days is still ten days, so time on a bike before the tour, ideally on gravel, is the best preparation there is.
More on fitness, confidence and what our trail grades mean >
The bikes
You ride a top-of-the-range Merida e-bike, fitted to you on day one and yours for the whole tour. The fleet covers a full range of sizes, with a limited number of step-through frames, so tell us when you book if that is your preference. A free gel seat is there for the asking, and every bike carries a pannier, drink bottle, multi tool, tyre levers and a spare tube. The motor takes the drama out of the hills, and there is even a walking mode that powers the bike along beside you at walking pace. A helmet is included, or bring your own. Helmets are required by law in New Zealand.
What's included
Included:
Ten nights of accommodation, mostly 4 to 5 star. Pre- and post-tour nights can be arranged on request at additional cost. They are the hotels we stay in ourselves when we go on holidays.
Nine breakfasts, nine lunches, two dinners (the welcome and the farewell), and daily snacks.
An experienced guide riding with you and a support driver keeping the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Sprinter close by, with your luggage aboard during every cycling stage.
The Abel Tasman day cruise and optional walk. Kayaking can be arranged on request at additional cost.
The Rabbit Island ferry crossing.
Top-of-the-range Merida e-bike hire, with pannier, drink bottle, helmet, multi tool, tyre levers, spare tube and repair kit.
A Pacific Cycle Tours t-shirt and drink bottle to keep.
All Department of Conservation and trail fees.
Not included:
Meals and food not listed in the itinerary.
Airfares and travel to and from Christchurch. Airport transfers can be arranged on request at additional cost.
Optional activities: the whale-watching flight, the zipline and stargazing, and kayaking at Abel Tasman.
Drinks, except water during the cycling, and telephone and mini-bar costs.
Personal expenses such as laundry.
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend.
2027 departures · $6,499 per person twin share · single supplement $1,599:
4 to 14 April 2027 · sold out
21 to 31 October 2027
17 to 27 November 2027
2028 departures · $6,649 per person twin share · single supplement $1,649:
15 to 25 January 2028 · three places left
21 February to 2 March 2028 · sold out
11 to 21 March 2028
1 to 11 April 2028
19 to 28 October 2028
15 to 25 November 2028
All prices in New Zealand dollars. Minimum 6 and maximum 12 guests per tour. A 10% deposit per person secures your place.
Travelling alone? Tell us at booking if you are happy to share and we will try to pair you with another solo rider where possible, which saves the single supplement.
How hard is the riding, honestly?
Most of the tour is Grade 1 and 2 riding on well-formed cycle trails, making it enjoyable for anyone with a reasonable level of cycling experience. There are also some Grade 3 sections on quiet backcountry roads, where you'll be sharing the road with occasional traffic and tackling a few more challenging climbs and descents.
Day one is the most challenging riding day of the tour, with more sustained climbing than the rest of the itinerary, with some gentle switchbacks. While the e-bikes make the hills much more manageable, you'll still need a reasonable level of fitness and confidence on a bike.
This tour is designed for comfortable, capable riders who enjoy taking in spectacular scenery while still appreciating a rewarding day's ride. If you're looking for a more leisurely ride, this is the one for you out of our guided tours.
If you're unsure whether this tour is right for you, please get in touch > We'll happily discuss your cycling experience and give you an honest recommendation.
How far do we ride each day?
Riding days run 35 to 58 kilometres, with exact distances and climbs for every day in the itinerary above. Day one is a very short warm-up ride, and one day is entirely out of the saddle: the Abel Tasman day.
I haven't ridden in years. Will I keep up?
The e-bikes do a lot of levelling. They take the sting out of the hills and the headwinds, and they have a walking mode that powers the bike along beside you on anything you would rather walk. Confidence on gravel matters more than fitness here, so get some practice rides in before the tour if you can.
What are the hotels like?
Really nice. Mostly four to five star, from a beachfront hotel in Hokitika to an eco lodge above Kaiteriteri, and all of them places we would happily stay ourselves. Preferred lodging is subject to availability, and we tell you at booking if anything changes.
What happens on the Abel Tasman day?
A full day off the bikes. The water taxi cruises you along the park's coastline and drops you in a sheltered bay, and from there the day is yours: walk a section of the Coast Track, swim, or do nothing much on a golden beach. Kayaking can be arranged at additional cost if you want it.
Can you cater for my dietary requirements?
Yes. As long as we know in advance, we let all the hotels and restaurants know and keep the right snacks in the van. For anything specialised, we may ask your guidance on the best brands to buy.
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Where to next
Alps, Valleys & Lakes, guided
West Coast Wilderness Trail map
