Explore the top of the South Island in all its glory!
Bike tour Marlborough as part of this wonderful guided trip
You'll stay in this pristine part of the world for a few days and explore by foot and by water
Enjoy some coastal riding along much of the journey
Spend some time discovering this beautiful spot
As part of the trip, you'll visit some wineries and enjoy the local produce
Find your sea legs and view the land from a different perspective

Great Taste Trail & Beyond - Bike, Hike & Sail

Duration
7 days
Site savings
$25
From
$2,429 USD

Explore the best of Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough at the top of the South Island on the ultimate bike, walk and sailing holiday. This region is famed for its stunning natural landscapes, with long golden beaches, untouched forests and rugged mountains, it also boasts being the sunniest part of the country. Cycle along Nelson’s Great Taste Trail, sail a catamaran in the famous Abel Tasman National Park and walk through lush native forest on the Queen Charlotte track. Discover the magic of the Marlborough Sounds as you spend 2 nights at a remote oceanfront lodge, accessed only by boat, kayak or foot. Visit galleries, craft breweries, boutique stores and wineries in a region renowned for its creative artisan culture.

  • Category
    Multi-Activity
  • Type
    Fully Guided
  • Duration
    7 days
  • Culture Level
    Familiar
  • Skill Level
    2 - Novice
  • Activity Level
    2 - Moderate
  • Elevation
    2 - Moderate
  • Terrain
    Coastal
  • Distance
    153.5 miles
  • Avg. Daily Distance
    30.4 miles
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  • Where does the tour start and end?

    The tour starts in Nelson at the top of the South Island. Nelson has a small airport (NSN) and several flights come in/out every day from all over NZ.

    Another option is to travel by NZ's extensive coach network: https://www.intercity.co.nz

    If you're on the North Island, you could come across on the wonderful Interislander ferry service, which takes you across the Cook strait, through the majestic Marlborough Sounds and into Picton.  You can then take the coach, or rent a car from there to Nelson (about a 2 hour journey).

    The tour ends in Blenheim.  There is a small airport (BHE) in Blenheim, or you may want to take the wonderful Coastal Pacific train to Christchurch: https://www.greatjourneysnz.com/scenic-trains/coastal-pacific-train/

  • How long is the tour? How many cycling days?

    The tour is 7 days long with 5 days being cycling days (with some hiking on one of the days on the Queen Charlotte track), 1 day hiking and sailing in Abel Tasman National Park, and 1 day being a free day in Marlborough Sounds with plenty of optional activities on offer for those who prefer to stay active.

  • What's the tour like?

    This tour is graded introductory, you will mainly be cycling on quiet rural roads & easy dedicated cycle paths, and walking on well formed trails. There is one section over the Baton Saddle to the Baton River Valley that is introductory to moderate as it involves a climb and novice riders can ride in the support vehicle. You will need a reasonable level of fitness and the operator suggests 2 hours of aerobic type exercise, (either cycling or hiking) twice per week for the three months leading up to your trip. You will need to be able to walk for 3-4 hours at a time on undulating paths. They recommend training on compacted gravel trails, and completing a multi-day ride prior to your trip to get used to being in the saddle for long periods of time.

  • Who will lead the group?

    The guides are one of the biggest assets of the tour operator and they have pride for their level of quality and high standards. Once the trip reaches 8 people,  two expert guides will join to maximise your enjoyment and overall experience. You’ll know you’re in safe hands as all of the guides are certified in first aid and CPR and many of them are trained bike mechanics. They come from all walks of life but the guides have a common desire to give you the best possible experience, fun and lots of fond memories to take home with you.

Overall Rating:
5.0/5
Nelson W
(Review obtained from Tour Operator)

Well planed and executed trip. There was a great variety of activities and still enough downtime in between. The guides were outstanding, engaging, encouraging and adapting the trip to the participants and the weather. I appreciate the focus on waste minimization including one of the guides even providing re-usable bags for snacks or keeping phones dry. The walk / sail in Able Tasman had the best weather so that was a standout, the visit to Nelson and WOW was much better than expected, really enjoyed that and the hostess at Villa Maria was really excellent.


Lee S
(Review obtained from Tour Operator)

I loved the combination of activities on this trip. Our guides Marcus and Peter adjusted the itinerary as needed based on weather, abilities and other factors.


Dave T
(Review obtained from Tour Operator)

Fiona and Will were our hosts for the trip. Fiona is the experienced one and Will was the new guy on the block. Fiona is a wealth of info about NZ and its history. Will was learning as we went along and I think it was his first trip, but I didn't know that right away. He jumped right in and seemed like an experienced trip leader from the start. I would personally like to thank both of them for the whole experience! One thing I like about the trip is the diversity of activities. I'm a cyclist, so I wanted to do this for that reason and the wine tastings intrigued me also. The tracks and boat rides mixed in made this go from a good experience to a great experience. I will recommend this to all of my friends...well done and thought out! The idea of doing other things besides riding is great. I'm talking about the hiking on the tracks and on our own, the boat ride and wine tasting also. During these activities, people talked to us about NZ history or other things they thought would be interesting for us to know about the country and its history. One thing does need attention, coming from a guys who builds and maintains his own bikes, are your bikes or at least the bike I had. My chain was bone dry...no lubricate and the shifters where very hard to actuate. I think the cables and casing need replacing to reduce the friction.