NEW ZEALAND MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES
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Self Guided 31 Day North And South Island Tour

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Start Auckland
Finish Auckland
Minimum length 31 days/30 nights
Approximate distance 4413 miles/7062 km

converter kilometers to miles
N.B.  Riding times are approximate times only.
They don't include food breaks or fuel stops. 
You can choose which direction you would like to go.

BOOK THE FERRY BEFORE YOU SAIL
www.bluebridge.co.nz  OR  www.interislander.co.nz
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         LONDON TIME

    NEW ZEALAND TIME

North Island

Day 1 Auckland

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Auckland
Arrive in Auckland. You will be picked up from your accommodation on the morning of (Day 2) and taken to your bike, then its off to the New Zealand vehicle testing station (VTNZ) for a temporary registration and WOF (warrant of fitness inspection).  Then you will be on your way. 

Day 2 Auckland to Coopers Beach  203 miles/325 km

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Coopers Beach
Ride 47 miles/76 km (1 hour) to Warkworth.  
Then ride 28 miles/46 km (40 minutes) to Mangawhai Heads.
Then ride 126 mile/203 km (2 hours 40 minutes) to Coopers Beach. 
Stay the night. 

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Day 3 Coopers Beach to Opononi 205 miles/330 km

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Cape Reinga
Ride 75 miles/120 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Cape Reinga light house.  This is at the top of New Zealand and then ride 130 miles/210 km (3 hours) back down past Kaitaia to Opononi.  
Stay the night.


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Day 4 Opononi to Helensville 150 miles/241 km

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Tane Mahuta
Ride  14 miles/23 km (20 minutes) to Tane Mahuta in the Waipoua Forest.  This has two of the largest living kauri trees in the world.  
Then ride 136 miles/218 km (3 hours) to Helensville stay the night.

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Day 5 Helensville to Hot Water Beach 181 miles/290 km

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Coromandel
Ride 132 miles/212 km (2 hours 45 minutes) to the Coromandel.   Have lunch.  Then ride 26 miles/43 km (45 minutes) to the Lost Springs.  Relax in the amazing hot pools and then ride 21 miles/34 km (30 minutes) to Hot Water Beach.  Stay the night. 
See
www.hotwaterbeachholidaypark.com or the surrounding area.
See
www.thecoromandel.com 
Don't forget to visit the lost springs for a relaxing soak in the hot pools.
See
www.thelostspring.co.nz

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Day 6 Hot Water Beach to Ohope Beach 153 miles/246 km

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Ohope Beach
Ride 108 miles/173 km (2 hours 30 minutes) to Te Puke. 
Then ride 45 miles/72 km (1 hour) to Ohope Beach.
Stay the night

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Day 7 Ohope Beach to Napier 245 miles/393 km

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Napier
Ride 111 miles/178 km (2 hours) to Gisborne via Opotoki. 
Then ride 134 miles/215 km (2 hours 50 minutes) to Napier 
and stay the night.
See
www.artdeconapier.com

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Day 8 Napier to Wellington 198 miles/317 km

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Wellington
Ride 198 miles/317 km (4 hours 30 minutes) to Wellington. 
Visit Te Papa museum.  Stay the night.
See
www.tepapa.govt.nz

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South Island

Day 9 Wellington to Picton to Motueka  100 miles/161 km

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Queen Charlotte Sound
Get on the ferry (3 hours 30 minutes) to Picton.  
Then ride 64 miles/107 km (1 hours 40 minutes) to Nelson via Queen Charlotte Sound and stop for lunch. Then ride 34 miles/60 km to Motueka via Tahuna beach and don't forget to check out Rabbit Island on your way. Stay the night when you get to Motueka.
 

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Day 10 Motueka region 25 miles/41 km return

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Abel Tasman National park
Ride 8 miles/13 km (20 minutes) to Kaiteriteri.  Stop for a beer and walk on the beach.  Then ride 5 miles/8 km (10 minutes) to Marahau and the Abel Tasman for some sea kayaking.  Spend a half or full day exploring.  See www.abeltasmankayaks.co.nz Ride back to Motueka 11 miles/18 km
(25 minutes) via Marahau hill .  Stay the night.

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Day 11 Motueka region 103 miles/166 km return

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Farewell Spit
Ride 51 miles/83 km (1 hour 15 minutes) to Collingwood via the marble 
mountain (Takaka Hill).  Take a Farewell Spit lighthouse tour. 
See
www.farewellspit.com
Then back to Motueka.  Stay the night.

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Day 12 Motueka to Franz Joseph 305 miles/488 km

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Punakaiki
Ride 81 miles/131 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Murchison.  Fill up with fuel.  Then ride 87 miles/141 km (1 hour 40 minutes) to Punakaiki.  Stop for lunch.  Have a look at the Pancake Rocks and sea blow holes.  
Ride 134 miles/216 km (2 hours 40 minutes) to Franz Joseph Glacier. 
Soak in the hot pools after a long day.  
See www.glacierhotpools.co.nz   
Stay the night.

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Day 13 Franz Joseph to Queenstown 220 miles/353 km

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Wanaka
Visit the glacier in the morning.  Then ride 177 miles/285 km (3 hours 15 minutes) to Wanaka. 
​Have dinner by the lake front. 
Either stay the night or ride over the Crown range 42 miles/68 km (1 hour) to Queenstown and stay there the night instead. 
You decide.


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Day 14 Queenstown area 

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Queenstown
Take a ride on a jet boat or try a bungy jump or take your pick of exciting things to do. Stay another night in Queenstown or Wanaka.  See the following links:
www.everythingqueenstown.com/category/jetboating-and-boat-tours
www.everythingqueenstown.com/category/bungy-and-canyon-swing
www.everythingqueenstown.com

Day 15 Queenstown to Te Anau and Milford Sound then back to Te Anau 253 miles/408 km 

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Milford Sound
Ride 106 miles/172 km (2 hours 10 minutes) to Te Anau.  Organise accommodation for the night.  Ride 73 miles/118 km (1 hour 30 minutes) into Milford Sound for a boat cruise. 
See www.southerndiscoveries.co.nz
Then back to Te Anau.  Stay the night.

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Day 16 Te Anau to Invercargill 119 miles/191 km

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Manapouri Power Station
Ride 14 miles/22 km (30 minutes) to Manapouri. 
See www.realjourneys.co.nz 
Then ride 60 miles/99 km (1 hour 15 minutes) to Orepuki then ride 
17 miles/28 km (23 minutes) to Riverton.  
Then ride 25 miles/40 km (40 minutes) to Invercargill.  Stay the night.
Visit Hayes Hardware Store and Bike Museum.  
"Burt Munro Fastest Indian in the world"
Hayes and Sons, 168 Dee Street. 
See 
www.ehayes.co.nz

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Day 17 Invercargill to Curio Bay 88 miles/142 km

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Waipapa Beach light house
Ride 19 miles/31 km (30 minutes) to Bluff.  This is at the bottom tip of the South Island.  Closest to the South Pole.  Then ride 51 miles/82 km (1 hour 15 minutes) to Waipapa Beach light house.  
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Then ride 16 miles/26 km (45 minutes) to Curio Bay while riding through the Catlands for more spectacular scenery.  Stay the night.  Book before you get there if you can.
See
www.curiobay.co.nz  or try  www.holidayhouses.co.nz/Curio-Bay

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Day 18 Curio Bay to Cromwell  169 miles/274 km

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Cromwell
Ride 156 miles/252 km (3 hours 15 minutes) to Clyde Dam.
Then ride 13 miles/22 km (20 minutes) to Cromwell. 
Stay the night.

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Day 19 Cromwell to Mount Cook to Lake Tekapo 191 miles/307 km

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Lake Tekapo
Ride 126 miles/203 km (2 hours 30 minutes) to Mount Cook.
Stop for lunch and admire the view.  Ride 66 miles/106 km
(1 hour 15 minutes) to
Lake Tekapo. 
Be sure to get a photo or two at the 
church on the lake edge.  Stay the night.


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Day 20 Lake Tekapo to Moana 231 miles/371 km

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Moana
Ride 230 miles/370 km (4 hours 30 minutes) to Moana via Geraldine and Springfield.  Stay the night.

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Day 21 Moana to Hanmer Springs 140 miles/224 km

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Hanmer Springs
Ride 140 miles/224 km (2 hours 45 minutes) to Hanmer Springs via Reefton and Springs Junction.  Stop in Springs Junction for lunch. 
Once in Hanmer, have a dip in the hot pools and relax.  Stay the night.
See
www.hanmersprings.co.nz



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Day 22 Hanmer Springs to Kaikoura  81 miles/131 km

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Kaikoura
Ride 43 miles/69 km (1 hour) to Mount Lyford Lodge and stop for lunch then ride 38 miles/61 km (55 minutes) on to Kaikoura.  Go whale watching.  Book in advance for this if you can.  Cruising time on the water is 2.5 - 3.5 hours.  Booking times 12.45 pm,  1.15 pm and 3.30 pm. 
See www.whalewatch.co.nz stay the night.


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Day 23 Kaikoura to Masterton 157 miles/252 km

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Picton
Ride 97 miles/157 km (2 hours) to Picton.  Then take a (3 hours 30 minutes) sailing on the Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry or Interislander ferry to Wellington and then ride 60 miles/97 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Masterton to stay the night. You have two options for ferries as follows:
www.bluebridge.co.nz  OR  www.interislander.co.nz
Wings over Wairarapa www.wings.org.nz

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Back up the North Island

Day 24 Masterton to Whanganui  112 miles/180 km

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Wanganui Cemetery races
Ride 84 miles/135 km (1 hours 40 minutes) to Bulls. 
Then ride 28 miles/45 km (35 minutes) to Whanganui home to the world famous Cemetery Circuit street race.  Stay the night.
Note the famous race is on the 26th December each year.
See
www.cemeterycircuit.co.nz

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Day 25 Whanganui to Ohakune 216 miles/346 km

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Ohakune
Ride 75 miles/119 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Stratford and then ride
141 miles/227 km (2 hours 45 minutes) to Ohakune via Taumaranui. 
Stop off at the Whangamomona hotel along the way for lunch and a beer and then onto Ohakune.  S
tay the night.

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Day 26 Ohakune to Taupo 86 miles/139 km

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Hukka Falls
Ride 17 miles/28 km (20 minutes) to Waiouru.  Then ride 69 miles/111 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Taupo through the Desert Road.  Relax in hot pools/thermal springs or visit Hukka Falls and go jet boating.  Stay the night. 
See
www.hukafallsjet.com

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Day 27 Taupo to Rotorua 50 miles/81 km

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Rotorua
Ride 50 miles/81 km (1 hour 10 minutes) to Rotorua. 
Visit Hells Gate Geothermal Wonderland.  Go white water rafting. 
Stay the night.
See
www.hellsgate.co.nz

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Day 28 Rotorua to Waitomo Caves 106 miles/171 km

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Waitomo Caves
Ride 45 miles/72 km (1 hour) to Matamata and go on a hobbit tour.  Then ride 64 miles/104 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Waitomo Caves.  
Stay the night.
See
www.waitomo.com

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HOBBITON

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Day 29 Waitomo Caves to Raglan 95 miles/149 km

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Raglan
Ride 95 miles/149 km (3 hours 7 minutes ) to Raglan.
Go surfing on Raglan beach.
Stay the night.


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Day 30 Raglan to Auckland  90 miles/144km 

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Auckland Airport
Ride 60 miles/96 km (1 hour 30 minutes) to Tuakau.  Then ride 29 miles/48 km (50 minutes) to Auckland airport via Pukekohe.
Put your bike into storage ready for the return March shipment back to the UK then relax for another nights sleep back in Auckland before your onward plane journey leaves New Zealand the following Day 31.

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You might choose to:                                                                               
Take an excursion on your way to NZ via Melbourne Australia for the Phillip Island Moto GP.
See
www.motogp.com.au
Or take 3-4 days to Melbourne/Phillip Island for the 2022 World Superbike rounds. 
See
 www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Do some shopping in Melbourne for the day.
Transalpine Train Ride for a relaxing day from Christchurch to Greymouth return.
See
www.tranzscenic.co.nz/tranzalpine
Remember to take out Health and Travel Insurance
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