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Discover the Great Rides of Otago

A practical guide to help plan your next cycling adventure.

Coffee break on the Queenstown Trails
Geoff Marks

1. Choosing the Right Trail

Otago is home to five of NZ’s best Great Rides and provides opportunities for half or full-day trips through to multiday adventures. However, not all trails are the same and it’s important to understand the grade (difficulty rating) of the different routes when planning your adventure.

Otago’s trails range from grade 1 (easiest) to grade 4 (advanced). They are all unpaved but very well-maintained trails with good quality, compacted gravel surfaces. Be sure to pick a trail that matches your fitness, riding ability, and experience.

The trails are all free to use, but they’re developed and maintained by not-for-profit Trusts which rely on donations to support the trail network. So, if you’ve ridden and enjoyed a trail then your support would be hugely appreciated. 

If you’re unsure about which trail is best for you, or if you’ve never planned a cycling holiday before, then have a chat to one of the friendly local bike tour companies who can provide great advice and offer a hassle-free solution for planning and booking a trip.

Click here for more information about how bike tour operators can make your adventure easy. 

Otago's Great Rides are all on unpaved, well-maintained gravel surfaces [Lake Dunstan Trail].

Pick a trail that suits your ability, e.g. the Roxburgh Gorge Trail includes trickier & uphill grade 3 sections.

Best Trail for Beginners 
The Otago Central Rail Trail is a gentle grade 1 trail and offers a scenic ride through historic gold mining towns and quiet rural villages. It’s the perfect trail for those seeking a relaxed pace through iconic Central Otago landscapes and is a popular option for intergenerational family groups. At 152km long, it can be ridden as a multi-day ride (usually over 3-5 days) or alternatively you can pick a short section to explore as a day ride.

Best Ride for Adventure Seekers
The Coronet Loop is part of the Queenstown Trails network and is an epic 50km-long day ride on backcountry single track for advanced mountain bikers. Or the Lake Dunstan Trail is another challenging (grade 2-3) 55km day ride through the dramatic Cromwell Gorge. Of course, Otago is also home to incredible mountain bike parks and offers some of the best gravel biking routes in New Zealand.

The Otago Central Rail Trail is perfect for beginners and is rated grade 1 (easiest).

Queenstown's Coronet Loop is an epic 50km backcountry loop for intermediate - advanced mountain bikers.

The Clutha Gold Trail is perfect for family picnics [photo: James Hustler]

The Roxburgh Gorge Trail is rich in history and a unique habitat for wildlife.

Best Family-Friendly Bike Rides: If ridden in its entirety the Clutha Gold Trail (grade 2) is 135km long, but biking short sections is a popular choice with families for easy half-day rides which can include picnics along the river with idyllic swimming spots in summer. In Queenstown, the Arrow River Bridges Trail or Frankton Track are ideal for families, as you’re never too far away from an ice cream! There are also lots of summer swimming spots along the way. The Smiths Way to Bannockburn section of the Lake Dunstan Trail is an accessible route for families and can culminate with a pizza on the lawn at Carrick Winery.

Best Biking for History and Nature Lovers: The Roxburgh Gorge Trail (grade 2-3) follows the Clutha River and then Lake Roxburgh through the rugged Roxburgh Gorge. It’s been referred to as New Zealand’s “Grand Canyon” and the dryland habitat is home to some unique flora and fauna. This incredible 1-day ride is also rich in gold mining history.

More Itineraries

Family fun on the grade 1 sections of the Lake Dunstan Trail.

Enjoying time and good food with friends on the Otago Central Rail Trail [photo: James Jubb]

Essential Gear for Your Ride

If you’re planning your first multiday adventure, it can be quite daunting trying to decide what to pack. But as a general rule, “less is more”!

Check out Trail Hub’s tips for beginners for more details.

A Bicycle
Firstly, you’re going to need a bike!

A multi-geared bike with medium to wide knobbly tyres is recommended, and a mountain bike is ideal for most trails. Suspension is not absolutely necessary on your bike for grade 1-3 trails, but it can make the ride more comfortable, especially on longer itineraries.

Your bike should also be well-maintained and it’s a good idea to check your ABC’s (air, brakes, chain) before every ride.

e-Bikes are permitted along the trails as long as the motor size does not exceed 300 watts. But be aware that whilst e-bikes are great at helping you up the hills, they are heavy and take some practice to master. Find out more about e-bikes.

Gravel bikes are becoming more popular amongst more experienced riders and are suitable for most trails, but as with e-Bikes, they generally travel faster than conventional mountain bikes so please ride courteously and respect other trail users.

Local bike shops and tour companies can recommend the style of bike best suited to each trail and will have a range of bikes available for hire.

Trail Etiquette Guide

Mountain bikes are well suited for the trails. [Lake Dunstan Trail].

Gravel bikes have become more popular but are generally suitable for more experienced riders or bikepacking.

e-Bikes are permitted on the trails (300watts max.) and come in various different styles. e-Bikes can be hired from most tour companies or bike shops.

Clothing
Most importantly, a high-quality helmet is essential. In New Zealand, it’s a legal requirement to wear a helmet, and this rule applies to all types of riding both on-road and off-road.

Find out more about fitting your helmet here.

Padded cycling shorts are essential. Good shorts improve the comfort of your ride, and they also stop rubbing and chaffing. If you’re planning a multi-day ride, then taking two pairs of bike shorts is a good idea so that you can alternate and have a fresh set each day.

Weather-appropriate clothing from New Zealand’s ever-changing conditions should be packed for every ride. Taking a lightweight rain jacket and a warm polypropylene or merino wool layer in your bag is recommended at any time of year, and a quick-drying / moisture-wicking base layer is ideal. As counterintuitive as it might sound, long sleeves in the height of summer are a good idea as they provide the best sun protection.

Cycle gloves are a good idea and can protect you in the event of a fall, but also help shield the top of your hands from the sun.

Other Gear
If you’ve booked a multiday trip with a bike tour company then your luggage will probably be transferred for you each day, but a small day pack or pannier is essential to carry everything else you need for a day on the trails. Many of the trails include remote sections, and so you’ll need to be self-sufficient in the case of changing weather, an accident or mechanical issue with your bike like a puncture.

For independent multi-day rides, then you’ll need a more comprehensive bikepacking set up. 

  • Water bottles / hydration bladder. Some people prefer to ride with a hydration bladder in their backpack as they find it easier and safer to drink regularly from the hose, rather than taking their hands off the handlebars to reach for a drink bottle.
  • Toolkit including spare tubes, tyre levers, pump, chain lube and multi-tool. Make sure that you - or someone in your group - can make basic repairs such as fixing a puncture.
  • Basic first aid kit including any specific medications you or your group might require.
  • Communication device. Cell phone coverage can be patchy across the more remote trails, so consider a personal locator beacon or a device like a Garmin inReach for emergencies if you know phone coverage will be limited.
  • Food and snacks. One of the joys of Otago’s trails is the proliferation of great cafes, wineries or country pubs which you’ll find at regular intervals along the way. However, it’s always good to carry some extra fuel with you, especially on routes where there’s a longer distance between trail towns.

Comprehensive List of What to Pack

Check out the Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails website for a more detailed guide about what to pack, and how to pack it! 

What to Pack

Where to Stay and Where to Eat

Accommodation 
Across the trails there are options to suit every budget and style of holiday, from boutique lodges, holiday parks, campsites, farm cottages, country pubs or family-run B&Bs. All with one thing in common – that they understand and cater to the needs of cyclists. Most accommodation along the trails will offer secure bike storage and somewhere to recharge your e-bike battery.

The trail websites all have accommodation listings to help with planning, or if you book with a bike tour company, then they’ll take care of everything for you. What’s more, if you book a multi-day ride through a tour operator, then your luggage can be transported each day between your accommodation, meaning you can ride with just the essential items in your day bag.

Dining 
If there’s one thing that unites all cyclists, then its coffee and food. Plus, on a cycle holiday you can eat and drink almost anything you like without feeling guilty!  

Across the Otago trail network, you’ll find gastronomic delights from the humble cheese scone at a country cafe, to a perfect pie from a trail town bakery, freshly picked fruit from a local orchard to fine dining in Queenstown at one of New Zealand’s top restaurants. Of course, Otago is renowned for its world-class wineries and now also has a burgeoning craft brewery scene (some even refer to the Rail Trail as the ‘Ale Trail’ due to the number of pubs along the way).

Chances are that you’ll find some of the best coffee shops on the planet too!

During peak season along the trails (November – April) it pays to book ahead for dinner and during off peak time (May – October) check opening times as some places may vary their hours of operation, particularly in more remote or rural areas.

An Otago based cycling holiday is not complete without sampling the world famous pinot noir.

Brew with a view... Altitude Brewing on the Frankton Track in Queenstown.

Arrowtown is a key hub on the Queenstown Trails, with great dining options such as The Dishery (pictured).

You're never too far from great coffee on the trails, like 103 The Store in Roxburgh.

Tips for a safe and enjoyable ride

  • Hydrate Often: Carry plenty of water and refill at stops along the way. Plan your route carefully and carry extra water in summer or if there are long sections without access to potable water. Always treat any water collected from creeks, rivers or lakes.
  • Be Sun-Safe: Slip, slap, slop… wear high protection sunscreen, sunglasses, and cover up. Be aware that trails may have limited shade or shelter. Check out Trail Hub's tips for summer riding.
  • Take Breaks: Stop frequently to rest, take photos, and enjoy the scenery. Check out all the great off-trail experiences from adventure activities in Queenstown, to wine tasting or stargazing in Central Otago and visiting goldrush heritage sites in Clutha.
  • Know your limits and plan your ride. Talk to locals, bike shops or tour operators to understand what to expect and to plan properly for your ride.
  • Be a safe and courteous rider. Follow the outdoors safety code and respect other trail users.

The Otago Trails offer some of the best bike riding in the world. [Lake Dunstan Trail].

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