New Zealand: The South Island




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Overview
Highlights
- Prepare to be dazzled by the staggering beauty of the South Island’s glittering lakes, lush forests, fertile farmlands, and alpine peaks.
- Hike up a valley carved by the retreating ice of Franz Josef Glacier.
- Spend a day at a wilderness resort, enjoying kayaking, canoeing, hiking—and perhaps strolling to a colony of glowworms.
- Experience life on a working ranch and savor a home-cooked meal during a visit to a sheep and cattle station.
- Sample local vintages during a wine tasting at a local estate.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Min Group Size
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- Custom VBT Bike and Helmet
- Two Local, Bilingual Trip Leaders
- Support Vehicle
- Luggage Transportation
- Ride with GPS and Daily Route Notes
- Welcome Reception
- Facilitated Cultural Experiences
- Your Choice of VBT Branded Gear for Your Adventure
Itinerary

Please plan to arrive at your Christchurch hotel by 9:00 a.m. for a safety clinic and bike-fitting session. If you are unable to arrive before 9:00 a.m., please contact the hotel so the staff may advise your trip leaders.
Trip leaders will be wearing VBT staff ...
After an early breakfast, shuttle with your trip leaders to the Christchurch train station to board the 8:15 a.m. TranzAlpine for one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys. Your train takes you through the vast Canterbury Plains and traverses the scenic gorges and ...
Today, you will enjoy the best of the West Coast Wilderness Trail on an enchanting ride that leads you from the hills above Hokitika to the shores of the Tasman Sea. After breakfast, shuttle a short distance to Lake Kaniere and hop on the West Coast Wilderness Trail, ...
This is New Zealand’s Glacier Country, and if the weather allows, your morning walk presents an opportunity to witness their majesty up close and learn a bit about glaciology along the way. After breakfast, walk up the valley carved by the retreating ice of the Franz ...
Begin the day with a short shuttle to the Fox Glacier area, where you may walk around Lake Matheson, the pristine body of water left behind during Fox’s retreat millennia ago and an important food-gathering place for the Maori. The lake’s excellent mirror-like reflect...
Set your own pace today as you take advantage of the lodge’s many outdoor activities. Several complimentary 60- to 90-minute excursions are available for you to choose from. Perhaps you will join a rainforest walk, learn about the inhabitants of the Moeraki River with...
After breakfast, board a two-hour shuttle (the longest drive of the trip) to Hawea, on the southern shore of Lake Hawea. En route, you’ll stop for a short but memorable walk to witness the amazing water of the Blue Pools and stop again at a classic roadside café for l...
Experience the very best of Wanaka and New Zealand’s famed Otago region today, marveling at sweeping wilderness views and visiting with locals at their charming ranch. After breakfast, lace up your hiking boots and walk directly from the resort, following the winding ...
After an included breakfast, shuttle to nearby Arrowtown, a quaint “wild west”-style village with a rich gold-mining past. There’ll be time here to walk along the banks of the Arrow River, getting a picture of life in the days of the pioneers who settled here during t...
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with VBT Bicycling Vacations.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

VBT Bicycling Vacations Reviews & Ratings
New Zealand's adventure - a Rousing Success
Unexpected wildlife and plant growth, and land features constantly, with breathtaking beauty, and with an air of untouched freshness. Oh, and the cycling was excitin...
Wonderful and Varied Adventure
This is an excellent trip with a great variety of activities and adventure. A train into the mountains, biking, hiking, kayaking, glaciers, ocean, rainforest, and po...
Wonderful and Varied Adventure
This is an excellent trip with a great variety of activities and adventure. A train into the mountains, biking, hiking, kayaking, glaciers, ocean, rainforest, and po...
New Zealand
Guides were terrific and NZ is beautiful. The biking on t...
Really fun trip
New Zealand is a beautiful country with really fun and interesting people. But the trip leaders made this an exceptional experience. The trip was well organized and ...
Other VBT Bicycling Vacations Reviews
The best vacation ever
This was the first organized tour my husband and I have ever joined, so we were not sure what to expect , but it turned out to be the best vacation we've ever had. T...
Spectacular, Cycling the Dolomite Valleys
This trip is unbelievably fantastic. Two of the best rides of my life, were on this tour. The guides were very good and this was just the start, when we met them, at...
Absolutely stunning scenery with relatively easy cycling.
This tour was one of our favorites. The tour leaders (Claudio and Tiziana) were great. The Dolomites and Italian Alps were breathtaking and the bike paths and towns ...
Tour Operator
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Logistics
Accommodation
8 nights in comfortable lodgings
18 meals: 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
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