The Ultimate South Island Tour Our most popular guided tour, and for very good reason. Ride the best routes and see all of the attractions of the South Island. We're pretty sure this is the best tour of this incredible part of the world. You'll not only ride three of the best mountain passes in the whole of New Zealand but the scenery is unmatched. The Southern Alps, beautiful mirror lakes, raging rivers, glaciers, rainforests, plains, hills, winelands and waterways in 17 action-packed days. C'mon, we're waiting just for you! 17 day tour, 3400 kms - Variable pricing

Arrival Day: Christchurch
After collecting you from Christchurch International Airport, we’ll take you to your hotel. You can explore Christchurch at your leisure and relax to get over the worst of the jet lag. Your first night's accommodation is included in the tour price.

Day 1: Welcome Day and Christchurch local area
We’ll collect you from your hotel and take you to the the depot for a unique Kiwi welcome day. It starts with our Maori greeting, whereafter you'll be introduced to your fellow adventurers and tour leaders – and to your motorcycle. After a safety and tour briefing you'll have a chance for a familiarisation ride with rider training included if required. We'll ride out to Akaroa, a unique little town with a distinct French influence. The day ends with a great traditional Hangi dinner.

Day 2: Christchurch to Mt Cook
The first day's ride gets you in the mood for the brilliant roads to follow. It twists and turns over the mountain passes of the scenic Four Peaks Range and along turquoise lakes with snow-capped mountains in the background, offering countless photo opportunities. The mighty Mt Cook is the highest peak in Australasia and well worth a visit.

Day 3: Mt Cook to Dunedin
Today's ride via Lindis Pass and back to the East Coast brings diverse scenery and more great roads. The very Scottish city of Dunedin (meaning 'Edinburgh' in Celtic) is your stop for the night. It reputedly has the best night life on the South Island and we'll be happy to prove it to you!

Day 4: Dunedin local area
Today you'll have a chance to explore the South Island's second largest city. Dunedin has grand Victorian architecture and the steepest street in the world. A walk up Baldwin Street with its 1 in 1.266 gradient will have you ready for the next attraction, a tour of a local brewery with some free beer tasting! If that all sounds like too much hard work you can simply relax or go for a ride if you prefer - we'd be pleased to show you the best routes.

Day 5: Dunedin to Te Anau
The tour from Dunedin to the south end leads us on a twisty coast road through Catlins State Forest Park to Invercargill. If you ask nicely, we may even throw in a stop in the southernmost town on the South Island - the tiny town of Bluff is world-renowned for its oysters. We don't know if they really help with the libido (ahem!) but for many the destination for the night can't come soon enough...Before we get there though there's still the very unique scenery and a beautiful ride through the rolling green hills of Southland and the Clutha Valley.

Day 6: Te Anau to Milford Sound and return
There is only one road in to and out of Milford Sound but you won't mind riding it twice, it's as scenic as they come. At Milford Sound you'll have the opprtunity for a cruise on the sound, a highlight of this tour. The scenery is out of this world and if you don't believe me you'll just have to come and see for yourself! No matter how you say “steep ravines, deep fjords, blue shimmering crevasses, snow-covered Alps, blue seas and thundering waterfalls” the words just cannot do this area justice. Take a look at the pictures and you'll see what we mean!

Day 7: Te Anau to Queenstown
Today we partly retrace our steps and then head for a beuatiful ride through farm country and along the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown - the adrenalin capital of the world - is today's destination.

Day 8: Queenstown local area
This is the perfect place for both adventurers and leisure seekers - nothing is impossible here! There's plenty to keep you busy if you don't want to ride. Choose from bungy jumping, jet-boating, white-water rafting, river surfing, white-water sledging, paragliding, parachuting, canyoning, mountain biking and aerial sightseeing! Still not enough? Add fishing, water-skiing, windsurfing, yachting, horseback riding and rock climbing. I'm exhausted just reading all of that! For the not-so-active it has some of the best restaurants on the South Island in one of the most scenic spots in the world on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.

Day 9: Queenstown to Franz Josef
If Queenstown didn't provide enough adrenaline, the shortcut via Cardrona to Wanaka will! From there you'll ride over the Alps via the beautiful Haast Pass. The road winds along steep slopes with huge views over the glacier lakes Hawea and Wanaka and down to the town of Haast. After a great ride along the west coast you'll arrive at two of the most prolific glaciers in the world - Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier are tumbling rivers of ice streaking down the valleys towards the sea. There are plenty of great walks in the area but the best way to see the glaciers is via helicopter.

Day 10: Franz Josef to Punakaiki
Winding roads take us further up the West Coast to Punakaiki. The landscape is unique with the rough Tasman See on your left and the deep green bush and rainforest on your right. The Pancake Rocks and Blowholes are just a few minutes away from our destination and a distinctive place to visit.

Day 11: Punakaiki to Christchurch
Returning to Christchurch you’ll leave the west coast and ride one of the most beautiful roads in New Zealand. Arthur's Pass is the highest, most impressive and by far the twistiest highway over the Southern Alps! Thick rain forest, steep slopes, strange rock formations, snow-covered mountains, deep blue icy rivers, colossal valleys and flat plains are all within just 250 kilometres of each other.

Day 12: Christchurch local area
Also known as the 'Garden City', Christchurch is the most 'English' of NZ's cities and was designed to reflect ordered class structure instead of being just another shabby colonial outpost. Stroll through exquisite botanical gardens, punt on the Avon River, ride a tram, follow the walkways around Lyttelton Harbour or people-watch in Cathedral Square. For those who want to ride some more, why not head down to the Banks Peninsula? Summit Road is a beautiful drive along the edge of the crater and Akaroa is a picturesque village where the presence of its original Fench settlers still linger strongly.

Day 13: Christchurch to Blenheim
Today's ride takes us up the east coast to Kaikoura for some whale-spotting and you'll end the day in Blenheim (can you say 'Blenum'?) in the heart of the world famous Marlborough wine region. Take the opportunity to sample some of the best wines New Zealand has to offer while you reflect on another superb ride!

Day 14: Blenheim to Nelson
Today's ride via Queen Charlotte Drive along Marlborough Sound to Nelson will present countless photo opportunities. Convoluted waterways, delightful bays and islands and a beautifully surfaced, twisty, scenic coastal road - what more could you ask for? Sunshine, that's what. Nelson reputedly has the most sunshine hours of any city in New Zealand.

Day 15: Nelson local area
Today you'll have a chance to explore New Zealand's 'most liveable' city. Nelson has some beautiful Victorian houses and is an epicentre for alternative lifestylers. There are also superb beaches and national parks to visit further afield. The more adventurous might want to head for Motueka, Kaiteriteri and Abel Tasman National Park. Dotted with caves, potholes and limestone hills and with golden beaches washed by crystal blue waters this once-sleepy little coastline is now very popular with holidaymakers.

Day 16: Nelson to Hanmer Springs
More great roads are on the menu today. From Nelson we head for Murchison and then we get into the twisties! The road from the west coast to Hanmer Springs runs over Lewis Pass - another spectacular stretch with curvy roads and fascinating scenery. Hanmer Springs is the South Island's thermal resort town and what better way to end the day's ride than to relax in a hot pool?

Day 17: Hanmer Springs to Christchurch
You have a relatively short ride today through beautiful farm land down to Christchurch. Tonight we say haere ra (goodbye) to new friends and why not celebrate the end of this wonderful journey with a great dinner and a glass of New Zealand's finest!