Tour Aotearoa route MASTER 2025-12-04.kmz

Tour Aotearoa route MASTER 2025-12-04

0 Photo control stops

P01 Cape Reinga - distance signs

P02 Ninety Mile Beach - anything anywhere on the beach

P03 Tane Mahuta - big tree

P04 Poutu Point

P04Alt Matakohe Post and Telegraph Office

P05 Mt Eden - summit

P06 Between Thames and Te Aroha - a cow

P07 Lake Karapiro

P08 Centre of North Island

P09 Ongarue Spiral

P10 Bridge to Nowhere

P11 Drury Hill

P12 Manawatu River
From the big new Hwy3 bridge

P13 The giant kiwi in Ekatahuna

P14 Rimutaka Summit Tunnel

P15 Cook Strait Ferry - anything, anywhere from the ferry

P16 Maungatapu Saddle

P17 Lake Rotoroa - from the jetty

P18 Maruia Saddle - the beech forest

P19 Waiuta Track boardwalk [It's around-about here]

P20 Greymouth Bar

P21 Hokitika Clock Tower

P22 Lake Ianthe

P23 Fox Glacier - from the glacier lookout

P24 Knights Point Lookout

P25 Haast Pass saddle

P26 Hawea Walkway Bridge

P27Alt Duffers Saddle

P27 Queenstown

P28 Between Mossburn and Invercargill - a random Southland local

P29 Bluff distance signs

1 Cape Reinga to Auckland

1.1 Cape Reinga to Rangiora Ferry Terminal

1.2 Ferry Rangiora Ferry Terminal to Rawene boat trip

1.3 Rawene to Dargaville

1.4 Dargaville to Pouto Point (boat pickup)

1.4A Option bypass around Kaipara Harbour

1.5 Charter boat down Kaipara Harbour

1.6 Parakai to Mt Eden Summit

1.6A Option into Helensville

2 Auckland to Taumaranui

2.1 Mt Eden Summit to Clevedon

2.1A Option Auckland Airport short improvement

2.1B Option Mt Eden Summit to Ferry Terminal

2.1C Option Ferry Auckland to Pine Harbour

2.1D Option Pine Harbour to Clevedon via coast 001

2.2 Clevedon to Kaiaua via coast

2.2A Option Clevedon to Kaiaua via Hunua Traverse

2.3 Kaiaua to Taumaranui

2.3A Option to Ongarue Store

3 Taumaranui to Wellington and Picton

3.1 Taumaranui to Mangaparua Landing

3.2 Whanganui jetboat trip

3.2A Option Mangapurua Track to Pikipriki via Raetihi

3.3 Pipiriki to Wellington Ferry Terminal

3.3A Option bypass around Durie Hill elevator
If the elevator is closed you'll need to ride up the hill.

3.4 Cook Strait boat trip

3.5 Option extension to Bluebridge Ferry Terminal
For those taking the Bluebridge ferry.

4 Picton to Greymouth

4.1 Picton to Greymouth

4.1A Option Bluebridge Ferry start
For those gettign off the Bluebridge Ferry Terminal

4.1B Option MTB bypass into Ngakuta Bay
A lovely mountain bike option. This trail is slowly being extended westward, in different segments.

4.1C Option touring bypass via Rai Valley
If you have an overlaiden cycle touring bike you may choose this option. It has too much heavy traffic to be enjoyable.

4.1D Option touring bypass on Hwy 7
Use this bypass only if Big River is in flood. Check with DOC in Reefton for river conditions.

5 Greymouth to Queenstown or near Lumsden

5.1 Greymouth to Cromwell

5.1A Option flood bypass
Use this only if it has been raining heavily for the last day or more, i.e., if the Wainihinihi Creek is likely to be in flood.

5.1B Option to Queenstown via Crown Range
Since the Crown Range Road was sealed a few years ago, traffic on it has increased steadily - to the poiint that now it is busier than Highway 6 (between Wanaka and Cromwell).
Also - there are several good cycle trails over to Cromwell now. And the Kawerau Gorge Trail is due to be completed mid-2026.
So there are a lot of benefits to shifting away from the Crown Range.
But if you reach this piont before the Kawerau Gorge trail is open then the Cromwell route will force you to also ride the Nevis Valley - which is a bit intimidating (big climb and very isolated)... so you might choose to brave the Crown Range Road dispite the traffic.
We recommend you start at dawn to hopefully avoid the worst of the morning rush hour.

5.2 Nevis Valley (Cromwell to near Lumsden)
Before the Kawerau Gorge Trail is completed (mid-2026) the best way south from Cromwell is over the Nevis Valley.
It's a big climb and you'll miss out on Queenstown - but it's way better than Highway 6 between Cromwell and Queenstown (which is narrow, with zero shoulder and very high traffic including lots of heavy trucks - don't do it!).

6 Queenstown to Bluff

6.1 Ferry Earnslaw

6.2 Option Walter Peak to near Lumsden

6.3 Near Lumsden to Bluff