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Cycling New Zealand
Wheel Life column - 15 January, 2000
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

We can suggest an ideal respite from British Columbia winter, a Kiwi bike tour. New Zealand has everything cyclists want: exotic and spectacular landscapes, hospitable natives, temperate climate, and good roads with low traffic. Being south of the equator, New Zealand's seasons are opposite ours, making it the perfect place to be right now.

New Zealand consists of two large islands. The North Island is warm, hilly and relatively urbanized. The South Island is cooler, mountainous, and largely rural. Both islands are covered with small farms (like an old English countryside), and unique forests that look like a Jurassic Park movie set, with unique plants and animals, such as giant fern trees and strange marsupials.

Off the main highways many roads are unpaved, so you'll want a sturdy bike. Although there are some relatively flat valleys and shorelines, much of New Zealand's terrain is steep and the roads narrow. It has a maritime climate, much like our own, which means that the weather can be windy and rainy, even in summer.

There are many ways to organize your bike adventure. You can fly to Auckland, rent a bike, purchase a bike tour book, and choose your route as you go. You can plan your itinerary ahead of time and make reservations for accommodations. Or you can book a trip with one of the many commercial bicycle tours that take care of all details.

We suggest that you choose an easy route for your first New Zealand bike tour and leave plenty of time for off-bike adventures. It's a good idea to schedule a day or two in Auckland when you first arrive to learn about the country's history and geography at the Auckland Museum. You may want to tour nearby attractions like the Tongariro World Heritage Area, the Rotorua Volcano, Waitomo Caves, or the tropical North Cape.

New Zealand is a popular destination for adventure tourists. You'll find abundant choices for accommodations, including fancy hotels, resorts, bed-and-breakfasts, "backpacker hotels" (basic services and low prices, especially if you share a dormitory room), and campgrounds. You can even arrange a "farmstay", which means living and working on a farm or ranch.

Kiwis are civilized and friendly. They speak an interesting dialect which you'll need to learn: a small shop is a "dairy," a holiday cottage is a "bach" (short for "bachelor pad" i.e., a messy place), and "afternoon tea" means dinner. As in Britain, vehicles drive on the left. Helmets are required by law. New Zealand has its own dollar, which is worth somewhat less than our own.

Traveling within New Zealand is relatively inexpensive, but flying there costs more than a thousand dollars and takes about 24 hours, so it's not worth visiting for less than about ten days. A month is even better.

Bike touring guides include "Pedallers' Paradise; New Zealand Cycle Touring Guide Books" by Nigel Rushton, "Cycle Touring in New Zealand" by Bruce Ringer, published by The Mountaineers; and "Cycle Touring in the South Island" by Helen Crabb, published by the Canterbury Cyclists' Association in Christchurch.

Several bike touring companies have websites, including Budget Travel - New Zealand (http://www.budgettravel.com/zealand.htm), 1WD Mountain Bike Tours (http://www.1wheeldrive.co.nz), and Active New Zealand Adventure Touring (http://www.nzcentre.co.nz/adventure/itineraries.shtml).

For more information contact the New Zealand Tourism Board (http://www.purenz.com, telephone: 800-888-5494) or the New Zealand information website ENZED (http://www.enzed.com). For information on mountain biking activities visit http://www.mountainbike.co.nz.

For an amusing read see Scott Ellington's "1999 New Zealand Bicycle Tour" posted at http://danenet.wicip.org/bcp/touring/nz99. This describes a month-long cycling adventure on the South Island, complete with photos and maps.