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| Southern Moonlight (14 days) | New Zealand Highlights (14 days) | Grand Deluxe (21 days) | Grand Standard (21 days) |
| Guided Tours | Rentals |
With the success of our once-in-a-lifetime tour with Ted Simon in 2010, we have introduced this new tour for 2011. New Zealand Highlights is designed for riders (and passengers) who are working to tight holiday allowances or budget, and is the best way to experience the highlights of what New Zealand has to offer. With its emphasis on New Zealand’s spectacular and varied coast and coastal communities, we think you’ll fall in love and want to return. But even if this is the only time you get to ride in New Zealand, we guarantee this ride will stay with you forever.
Highlights
- Coastal scenery, from sweeping bays to rugged cliffs
- Free day to explore Nelson and the South Island wine country
- Queenstown
- Fox / Franz Josef Glaciers
- West Coast wildlife
- Interislander ferry
- Food and drink
Itinerary
DAY 1 Arrive Auckland. Our shuttle service will transfer you to your hotel and after you’ve checked in there’s time to relax or, depending on how you feel after the long flight, why not take a walk around and see the sights of Auckland, the Harbour, the Skytower and Queens street. Barrycourt Hotel.
DAY 2 Auckland - Rotorua (300-350 km). Today your tour starts in earnest. Pick up your bike, and head for the empty roads of New Zealand. There are many routes to Rotorua but we think the nicest route is via the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. Ride south and then east towards Thames and the Coromandel. You can opt to visit Paeroa’s marine park with its fully restored PT boat, or a long scenic ride through the tropical forests of the Coromandel Ranges. Either way, you arrive at the Bay of Plenty, with white sand beaches and beautiful harbours. After Tauranga, visit Mount Maunganui, or Mauao, an extinct volcano which rises 232 m above the town. Shrouded in history and legend, the mountain is the dominant feature of the landscape, a climb to the summit offers amazing views. From here, you ride to Te Puke (the Kiwi Fruit capital), before swinging south to Rotorua. This evening it’s party time Maori style! You will be enthralled by the natural bush setting, with Maori warriors in traditional dress paddling a canoe down the river, and a memorable Hangi feast. Kingsgate Hotel.
DAY 3 Rotorua – Hawkes Bay (250 km). You are now in the midst of the North Island’s geothermal area, so don’t miss Wairakei, Waiotapu and Whakarewarewa. And do find the hidden valley of Orakei Korako and Huka Falls. Stop for coffee in Taupo and admire the views over the largest freshwater lake in Australasia, created by the world’s largest volcanic eruption in the last 5000 years! Onto Napier, our next stop after a lovely ride through forests and rolling hills. Just be sure to visit the colourful art deco centre, the beach and one of the local wineries before arriving to a warm Kiwi welcome. Farmstay
DAY 4 Hawkes Bay – Wellington (330 km). This morning we head across country to Wellington, with many sights to see on the way. There’s beautiful countryside, the impressive Manawatu Gorge, the Southward museum with an amazing collection of cars, motorcycles and other machinery, and Mt Featherston (555 m) for spectacular views. Museum Hotel.
DAY 5 Wellington - Nelson (110 km). After a stroll around Wellington, take the Interisland Ferry across Cook Strait to Picton (keep a lookout for passing whales and albatross). From Picton ride around Queen Charlotte Sound to Nelson, with time to stop at the Smith memorial Museum in Picton, tea rooms at Pelorus Bridge, wineries, a zoological park and the Old Whekenui Whaling Station. Delorenzo’s.
DAY 6 Nelson (free day). Today it’s a free day to ride and explore Nelson and surrounding areas. Golden Bay has some of the finest beaches in New Zealand and Nelson has more sunshine than any other part of the country. For those who like to continue riding, hop on your bike to discover Abel Tasman National Park, or take a 4-WD drive tour to Farewell Spit, the longest sand dune in New Zealand, and view a variety of sea birds and unique vegetation. And remember you are in one of New Zealand’s main wine producing areas. Delorenzo’s.
 DAY 7 Nelson - Punakaiki (310 km). The Northern West Coast experience - historic gold mines, scenic all the way. A mainly coastal ride takes us past the Coaltown Museum in Westport and Tauranga Bay seal colonies, as well as Spooner’s Range and the Buller River gorge. You can also take time out for some white-water rafting and jet boating or take a detour inland via Springs Junction and ride the stunning Lewis Pass, worth a ride in both directions!. Punakaiki Rocks Resort.
DAY 8 Punakaiki – Fox Glacier (260 km). Today is a ride along the west coast highway with awesome scenery and several side trips on offer: the sheepskin factory in Ross, a greenstone factory at Hokitika, the reconstructed gold-mining shanty town near Greymouth and the Glow Worm Dell in Fox. Glacier Country Hotel.
DAY 9 Fox Glacier - Queenstown (265 km). With an early start, there’s time to walk on the glaciers, take a helicopter ride or a heli-hike. Riding south from Fox along the west coast highway, you ride through subtropical rainforest to Haast Pass, in the heart of Westland. Turning inland you head into the mountains of Mount Aspiring National Park before riding along the shores of beautiful lakes Wanaka and Hawea towards the adventure playground of New Zealand, Queenstown. St Moritz Hotel.
DAY 10 Queenstown (free day). An opportunity to sample some of the many activities in the ‘playground of the South’, such as jet boating on the Shotover River, tandem skydiving, fly fishing, a vintage steam cruise and of course bunjee jumping. And too many more to mention! Then it’s time to relax in the Gondola restaurant or the Motor Museum, or go for a ride to Arthur’s Point lookout and Coronet Peak.St Moritz.
 DAY 11 Queenstown - Dunedin (320 km). Say goodbye to the big lakes and mountain peaks and head for the deep blue Pacific Ocean. There is a choice of routes but our favorite is via the gold mining region of Central Otago and the Victorian gold rush town of Cromwell. Continue along the mighty Clutha River to Alexandra, reputed to be the hottest town in New Zealand and a centre for wine and fruit production. Leave “Alex” and visit the historic gold-mining town of St Bathan’s, with time for a drink at the famous Vulcan Hotel. Then follow the gold trail to Ranfurly and Middlemarch, passing through small rural settlements before reaching Dunedin, with its Scottish heritage and the Otago Peninsula. Larnach Castle.
DAY 12 Dunedin – Mt Cook (340 km). Today’s route takes you north from Dunedin along the Pacific Coast, with time to stop at a seal colony and to see the famous Moeraki Boulders. The seaside town of Oamaru is a good lunch stop before heading up the Waitaki River valley and back to the lakes and mountains. Look out for Maori rock art at Duntroon. Back in the mountains you reach the towns of Omarama and Twizel before following the shore of the glacier fed Lake Pukaki and the unusual Tasman River to Mount Cook. The Hermitage.
DAY 13 Mt Cook - Christchurch (350 km). Today, it’s back down from the mountains again, this time passing scenic Lake Tekapo and over the Burke Pass, around the Four Peaks Range and past Mt Hutt before heading across the flat farmland of the Canterbury Plain to Christchurch. There are numerous different routes to take, so just explore. Chateau on the Park.
DAY 14 Depart Christchurch. Sadly, it’s time to return the bikes, and head for home; with all those memories …Was it worth flying around the world for? I think so! But before you go, if there’s time why not visit the famous Botanical Gardens, the Antarctic Museum, or Hagley Park.
Total distance c. 3000 km
Ready to book? Please click here
Price includes: 13 nights’ accommodation in superior tourist hotels including 1 night farmstay, 1 breakfast, 1 dinner, Maori concert and banquet, Interislander ferry, 13 days motorcycle hire including luggage and unlimited mileage, motorcycle insurance (excluding optional CDR), tourbook, maps, 24-hr support.
Price excludes: Flights, travel insurance, pre-/post-tour accommodation (all of these may be arranged through H-C Travel), petrol, meals not stated above, riding gear, personal items and expenses, luggage transfers (available locally).
Please refer to our rental pages for more information on the motorcycles available
Any questions? Please click here
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New Zealand Highlights self-guided tour
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Daily departures
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Honda VLX600 Kawa EX500 Honda VT750 Suzuki SV650 Suzuki DL650 Yamaha FZ6
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BMW F650GS BMW F650Twin Honda VT1100 Honda VFR800 Suzuki GSF1250 Suzuki DL1000
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BMW R1200R BMW R1200GS (older) BMW R1200RT (older) Honda ST1300
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BMW R1200GS BMW R1200RT Ducati ST3S Duc Multistrada
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Passenger
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Sgl rm suppl.
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16 Mar-14 Dec 2010
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£1,775
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£1,995
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£2,295
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£2,575
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£995
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£995
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15 Dec 2010-15 Mar 2011
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£1,895
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£2,095
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£2,495
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£2,775
|
£995
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£995
|
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16 Mar-14 Dec 2011
|
£1,775
|
£1,995
|
£2,295
|
£2,575
|
£995
|
£995
|
|
15 Dec 2011-15 Mar 2012
|
£1,895
|
£2,095
|
£2,495
|
£2,775
|
£995
|
£995
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| Southern Moonlight (14 days) | New Zealand Highlights (14 days) | Grand Deluxe (21 days) | Grand Standard (21 days) |
| Guided Tours | Rentals |
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