“Serious ride for serious riders”
13 Days Kiwi Trails Self-Guided Motorcycle Tour on the North Island of New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Amazing Motorcycle Tour in New Zealand
Take part in this tour of the North Island of New Zealand which gives you a close-up view of beautiful scenery ranging from rolling pastures to white sandy beaches to rugged mountains. You will experience riding through old-growth sub-tropical forests, along sweeping coastal roads, through rugged hill country, and lush pasturelands while enjoying gentle sweeping corners mixed with twisty back roads. Picking up your bike and leaving the modern city of Auckland, you will ride through the rolling pasture land of the Waikato, before riding the coasts and back roads of this riders paradise.
Key information
- Terrain: asphalt
- Bike: rental bike (BMW, Honda, Suzuki, Triumph models)
- Mileage: 3350 kilometers / 2094 miles
- Daily rides: 30 - 420 kilometers / 50 - 263 miles
- Riding gear: not included: GPS, top box, and more
- Meals: Not included
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Auckland
- Visit one of the oldest forests in New Zealand
- Ride to the most northerly point of the North Island
- A visit to view the giant kauri tree, Tana Mahutu
- Visit some of the local historical sites
- 12 nights accommodation
- Rental bike included
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
10 days with instruction
Airport transfer included:
Auckland Airport
Accommodation
This amazing tour highlights some of the best that the North Island has to offer. This exciting tour includes accommodation ranging from modestly priced cabins to deluxe quality hotels and “farm stays”.
Program
Day 1: Arrival day
After arriving at the Auckland International Airport, you’ll be met at the airport and shuttled to your hotel to check-in and then to pick up your bike. Today is set aside to allow you to settle in and rest up before the adventure begins tomorrow. Visit some of the city sights.
Day 2 (256 kilometers / 152 miles route, approximately 7 hours riding)
Leaving your hotel and the city behind you, you will head out on lightly traveled country roads, through rolling countryside. Stopping along the way for breaks and lunch in small out-of-the way country towns combined with viewing the amazing scenery will have you pinching yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming. An overnight stay in an authentic Maori village in an active thermal area is a great end to the first day.
Day 3 (236 kilometers / 140 miles route, approximately 7 hours riding)
Today you will follow a lightly traveled road as it hugs the coast, taking you into a part of New Zealand that is a mix of rugged hills, inspirational coastal seascapes, and rich farmland. This combined with a small population makes for an easy riding day. A GoPro day.
Tonight’s stop is on a working sheep and beef farm where you’re treated like royalty, and one of the best meals you will experience. This will have you sleeping like a king/queen.
Day 4 (295 kilometers / 176 miles route, approximately 7 hours riding)
Today the road will take you along the coast, before turning inland to climb towards the center of the island. A mix of rugged hills, inspirational coastal seascapes, and rich farmland mixed with great roads with lots of corners ranging from easy to twisty make this a fun day. Have your GoPro ready. After a relaxing lakeside dinner, an optional soak in the natural hot pools will be the perfect end to the day.
Day 5 (388 kilometers / 231 miles route, approximately 8 hours riding)
After an early breakfast, you will ride around a fantastic lakeshore before heading towards the central mountain region. Today will have you riding alongside amazing mountains, white water rivers, and a rugged coastline, twisty canyons, and on more twisty roads crossing rivers and gorges. This is a GoPro day, have lots of batteries ready.
Day 6 (332 kilometers / 200 miles route, approximately 7 hours riding)
Heading north along the windswept coast before turning inland is a highlight of this tour; you will ride sweeping bends, rugged ranges, deep gorges, and along the tops of hills looking out over rich farmland and thick native forests while traveling alongside deep rivers and lakes. GoPro time.
Day 7: Rest day
Today is a rest day. It's all yours. Sleep in, ride the local roads, catch up on all those important things like sorting out photos, writing down all the key points and even getting that pesky laundry taken care of. Don’t forget to send postcards or letters to friends or family. Enjoy the local sights. Even take an optional Jet Boat Ride.
Day 8 (275 kilometers / 164 miles route, approximately 4 hours riding)
This will be a short ride day with lots of sightseeing. An optional treat for all “Lord of the Rings” fans, you will get to walk through Hobbiton and have a drink in “The Green Dragon” tavern. This location is surrounded by some great riding roads and is a fun day.
Followed by an optional trip to visit world-famous Glow Worm caves and an easy ride through native bush and waterfalls. On the way stop for an optional visit to see native wildlife.
Day 9 (420 kilometers / 263 miles route, approximately 8 hours riding)
You’re now heading into parts of New Zealand that are rich in history for both the native population and the European settlers that followed them. Today will take you from seaside to hilly elevations, through thick native bush.
Stopping for a break in the seaside town of Russell lets you walk in the footsteps of the early adventurers, while you live your own adventures. Crossing the bay on a ferry brings you to your stop for the night.
Day 10 (343 kilometers / 214 miles route, approximately 8 hours riding)
Leaving the seaside town of Paihia, you will ride to visit some of the local historical sites as you travel further north. The island is getting narrower from this point on and you are never far from either coast. The influence of the warmer weather is evident in the type of forest growth, parrots in the trees and the warm friendly people.
You will ride through to the most northerly point of the North Island and stop for a visit to the lighthouse located there. An area rich in history, this is a must-stop photo stop.
Day 11 (320 kilometers / 200 miles route, approximately 7 hours riding)
After a relaxing night you will ride south cruising through “old growth” forests, small towns and cross one of the many harbors by ferry. As you ride you will enter one of the oldest forests in New Zealand, home to some of the largest trees in the world. Here you can sense that time stands still. A stop to visit the largest tree in New Zealand is followed by a fantastic ride through to your stop for the night.
Day 12 (30 kilometers / 18 miles route, approximately 50 minutes riding)
After a typical New Zealand breakfast, and a short ride, you will drop off your bike and catch your shuttle to your hotel. If you want to stay on for additional nights that can be arranged.
Day 13: Departure
Your last day in New Zealand begins with a relaxing breakfast, and a short shuttle ride, to the airport. This shuttle ride is filled with talk about the adventure you’ve just had and the fun experiences.
About the tour
The roads in New Zealand are in good condition, with light traffic out of the cities. Other than road repairs you will not be required to ride on any unsealed roads. Please note that New Zealand drivers drive on the left-hand side of the road.
For this tour, you can use your own motorcycle or rent a motorcycle, which is licensed, safety inspected, and verified by the New Zealand government. A valid passport along with appropriate travel documents / approval is required for entry into New Zealand. A current driver's license from your country of residence is required for motorcycle rental.
Motorcycles available for this tour
Tour category A
- BMW R1250GSW
- BMW R1200GSW
- BMW R1200RTW
- BMW F850GS
Tour category B
- BMW F800GS
- BMW F700GS
- Suzuki GSF1250 Bandit
- Triumph Tiger 800
- Honda Shadow Aero 750
Tour category C
- BMW F700GS
- Honda CMX500 Rebel
- Suzuki SFV650 Gladius
- Suzuki DR650
- Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
Notes
- The renter can choose at the time of renting.
- The Insurance bond is held on a credit card but not charged unless needed.
- The daily damage waiver is a direct charge added to the daily rental rate.
- The daily damage waiver is not refunded if not used.
Category A
- Insurance bond: 3,750 NZD
- A daily damage waiver of 30 NZD reduces the bond to 950 NZD
- The daily damage waiver is the best deal. For example, 30 NZD x 12 days = *360 NZD. Therefore 360 NZD + 950 NZD = 1,310 NZD for insurance coverage plus bond in the event of a claim. The 950 NZD bond is only held and not charged unless a claim is made.
Category B
- Insurance bond: 3,000 NZD
- Daily damage waiver of 30 NZD reduces the bond to 950 NZD
Category C
- Insurance bond: 2,500 NZD
- Daily damage waiver of 30 NZD reduces the bond to 500 NZD
Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate, advanced
Intermediate:
- can ride for 3-4 hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
Advanced:
- can ride for 5-6 hours
- extensive riding experience
- assistance on demand (if required)
- experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
- comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions
Location
This tour takes place in New Zealand. Starting from Auckland, you will travel to many places in North Island and enjoy riding on various terrains.
Route
- Auckland
- Rotorua via. Coromandel
- Nuhaka via. Opotiki & Gisborne
- Taupo via. Napier
- New Plymouth via National Park & Whanganui
- Cambridge via Te Kuiti & Mangakino
- Cambridge - local rides
- Paihia via Whangarei & Russell
- Kaitaia via Cape Reinga
- Orewa via Dargaville & Maungaturoto
- Auckland
Food
Meals are not included in the package.
Things to do (optional)
The following are available with an extra cost:
- Access to a Maori Hangi
- Enjoy thermal hot pools
- A visit to Hobbiton, Glowworm caves, or a Kiwi preserve
What's included
- Printed daily ride guide
- Bike rental (excluding insurance or damage waiver or auxiliary equipment such as GPS or optional fittings)
- All accommodation on day 1 of the tour through to last night of the tour (extra nights before or after can be arranged)
- Shuttles (transfers) to and from hotel, airport and bike rental location
- Ferry fees
What's not included
- Airfare
- Insurance coverage and damage waivers (bonds) on rental bikes
- Optional equipment add-on’s to rental bikes
- Fuel
- All meals
- Special / optional events
- Access into various attractions such as museums and interpretive centers, various native bird displays, glowworm caves, and native bush tours, national and provincial parks, hot springs, and Hobbiton
- Incidentals and other costs once inside various attractions. i.e. rental of bathing suits or towels
How to get there
Recommended Airports
AKL
Auckland Airport
17 km
Transfer included
Once you exit the airport arrival lounge area, a representative from the shuttle service will meet you. He/she will be holding a sign identifying them. Note verify that they are the shuttle service identified in your tour package from PMT.
Airport: Auckland Airport
Airport transfer included: Auckland Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 40% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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