7-Day North Island Trail Hunter MTB Tour

7-Day North Island Trail Hunter MTB Tour

Get ready for the MTB adventure of a lifetime! Trails like Redwoods and Bridge to Nowhere may seem unfamiliar to you now but we guarantee you will fall in love with them!

We meet at 7am for breakfast at our Auckland accommodation before making our way, bikes on the back, to kick off our first day of riding.

In the evenings on the tour you are welcome to relax at the accommodations, rest your legs and soak in the local hot tub(s), cook in, eat out, or have a beer.

As you build your tour online, you will see a few optional activities available – none of these are compulsory. Not sure which activities to choose? No problem. Once you’ve paid a deposit and secured your seat you can add activities anytime until 45 days prior to departure.

Activities can also be purchased on the road – just let your tour guide know, they’ll be more than happy to help. As the tour starts early in the morning you can opt to stay at our Auckland accommodation the night before the tour.

Itinerary

Day 1: Auckland to Rotorua

Stop At: Haka Hotel Newmarket, 9 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Kia ora, and welcome to New Zealand, where you’ll find some of the best mountain biking in the world!

We kick things off early, meeting at 7am in the lounge of our Auckland accommodation, where your guide will have set up continental breakfast. Over breakfast your guide will introduce everyone to the group and run through everything you need to know to maximise your time in New Zealand!

Duration: 12 hours

Stop At: Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, Long Mile Road The Redwoods, Rotorua 3046 New Zealand
When we're ready to go, we leave the hustle and bustle of Auckland behind us and head to Rotorua for some top-quality riding in the Whakarewarewa forest. With over 160 kilometres of trails, you’ll get a taste of what is to come for the rest of our time in this world famous corner of New Zealand.

Afterwards, head into town for the feed of your choice before settling down for the first of our two nights in Rotorua.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at YHA Rotorua

Day 2: Rotorua

Stop At: Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, Long Mile Road The Redwoods, Rotorua 3046 New Zealand
This is it; the place MTB dreams are made of. After waking in “Rotovegas” with the iconic geothermal sulphur aroma tingling your senses, you will be excited to start the finest riding New Zealand has to offer.

On a recent visit, Australian Mountain Bike (AMB) magazine declared these are the world’s best mountain bike trails. As locals, we can tell you they aren’t wrong, and today you get to see why!

With master crafted trails, unbeatable riding surfaces, well draining volcanic soils, varying topography and fantastic panoramic scenery, it’s no wonder Rotorua is renowned among mountain bikers as one of the world’s premier riding destinations. There is something to cater for all levels of rider, from beginners starting out through to experts looking for extreme action.

Using South Star Shuttles to get you from bottom to top is a leg-saver and is included in the tour, but we also highly recommend adding to your tour the famous MTB Skill Clinic, run by top NZ MTB pros, for those that would like to work on their form. If you’d like to do the MTB Skills Clinic you’ll need to book in advance, at least 45 days before your tour starts.

After an exhilarating day’s riding, you will be well fed and entertained with a Māori Cultural evening where you will experience our proud Māori heritage and fill your puku (stomach) with a traditional hāngī.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner: Traditionally cooked hangi
Accommodation included: YHA Rotorua

Day 3: Rotorua to Taupō

Stop At: Skyline Rotorua, 178 Fairy Springs Road, Fairy Springs, Rotorua 3015, New Zealand
Waking up bright and early, we head for our first gondola-accessed bike park, Skyline Rotorua. The park is used for the legendary Crankworx Slopestyle World Tour each year. There’s a fantastic range of tracks here – some of the most well-made you’ve ever seen.
Duration: 12 hours

Stop At: Lake Taupo, Taupo New Zealand
After all the gravity fun we hit the road for an hour-long drive to Taupō, stopping off at some natural hot pools to soak the legs. Once at Taupō you will have some free time to explore the town, or an optional activity; from bungy jumping and skydiving to hole-in-one golf; there's something for everyone!

When you return from your fun packed day, tuck into a Kiwi style BBQ before you hit the hay with a full stomach ready for tomorrow's trails.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner: Kiwi style BBQ
Accommodation included: Haka Lodge Taupō

Day 4: Taupō to Ohakuna

Stop At: Great Lake Trail, Taupo 3351 New Zealand
After yesterday’s rest you will be pumped to ride the beautiful, scenic and undulating terrain of the W2K and Headland Loop – part of the Great Lake Trail around Lake Taupō.

The Great Lake Trail is an epic journey to invigorate your senses. It follows the shores of beautiful Lake Taupō, and takes in the stunning views across the water to the majestic volcanic mountains beyond. Enjoy extensive native bush, dramatic scenery, serene lake views, powerful waterfalls, beautiful bird song, and some sweet, sweet purpose-built MTB tracks.

Before leaving Taupō we’ll grab some lunch in the township and take a look at the impressive Huka Falls - New Zealand’s most visited tourist attraction.

From here it’s a drive to Ohakune, our final stop for the evening. Ready your cameras - en route we’ll be passing through New Zealand's only desert and some stunning volcanic ranges.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Station Lodge

Day 5: Ohakune

Stop At: Bridge to Nowhere, Mangapurua Landing, Whanganui River, 3127 New Zealand
The mountains greet you this morning when you wake up in Ohakune and we grab a bite to eat before retracing our steps slightly north to what seems like the middle of the wilderness. Here, another one of New Zealand’s most iconic and incredible one-day adventure rides awaits!

Taking in the the Mangapurua Track, the ride along the Bridge to Nowhere trail is nothing short of amazing. This mountain bike ride boasts all the characteristics of a first-class adventure: amazing native bush, rivers, suspension bridges, intriguing history and a variety of tracks once used by pioneers.

At approximately 34 kilometres long, this breathtaking trail showcases the Bridge To Nowhere; an iconic symbol of the failed pioneering settlement of the Mangapurua Valley in the 1930s. The remoteness is outstanding – this is classic New Zealand backcountry at its finest. The ride starts with a slow climb on a 4WD track to the highest point of the trail then descends gradually for 5km to single-track in the incredible native bush - it’ll be tough to decide between your camera or your brake levers!

After riding through the bush for 4–5 hours to the Bridge to Nowhere, you will arrive at the bubbling Whanganui River. Rather than make you ride all the way back up the hills, you can sit back and relax (or not) as a jet-boat pickup is at your service. The scenic jet-boat trip will take you down the Whanganui river all the way to Pipiriki, where you will no doubt be nodding off in the bus on the return to Ohakune for a well-deserved rest.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at Station Lodge

Day 6: Ohakune to Wellington

Stop At: Old Coach Road Bike Trail, Matapuna Rd Horopito 4696, Manawatu-Wanganui 4696, New Zealand
This morning your guide has some scheduled rest time, and you’re more than welcome to take a break too! For those keen on another trail why not head along to the Old Coach Road for an early morning spin? Your guide can point you in the right direction and pick you up at the end.

Duration: 12 hours

Stop At: Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park: Saint Albans Ave Entrance, Saint Albans Avenue, Karori, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
Mid-morning we make a beeline south towards the capital – Wellington. But the fun doesn’t stop just because the bikes are in the trailer! En route to Wellington there are classic Kiwi-style stops and activities to get your competitive spirit up. Look out for the wild Kaimanawa horses... and maybe even a few hobbits searching for Mordor!

This evening there are lots of awesome places to grab dinner in wonderful and windy Wellington, known for its funky bars and eateries. If you have enough energy and are looking for a great night out, head to Courtenay Place and its array of bars for a night of fun.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: YHA Wellington

Day 7: Wellington

Stop At: Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park, 116/122 S Karori Road Karori, Wellington 6012 New Zealand
We try and beat the sun up this morning for a trip to the local MTB park at Makara, where a steady climb takes us to over 40km of perfectly made, flowing trails with a backdrop of the country’s coolest city.

The tour ends in the afternoon and you are free to experience Wellington’s many attractions at your leisure (Te Papa Museum is a great way to experience New Zealand’s history)

If you’d like to extend your stay in Wellington you are more than welcome to book an additional night’s accommodation with us - just let us know.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Extend your stay at the YHA - contact for more info