Ride South Island NZ – Reflections from 1,548 Kilometres

1,548 kilometres

93 hours 54 minutes riding

11,722 metres of climbing

Average speed: 16.7 km/h

Looking back, those numbers tell part of the story.

But not all of it.

The Journey

The ride took us across the full range of what New Zealand’s South Island has to offer.

From the wide, open Canterbury Plains, into the foothills and on to the high country of the Mackenzie Basin. Over the passes — Burke’s, Lindis, Haast and the Crown Range — and into the lakes around Queenstown and Wānaka.

Then across to the West Coast, where the landscape changes completely. Temperate rainforest, wild coastline, waterfalls after heavy rain, and long stretches of road that feel a long way from anywhere.

From there we turned inland again through river valleys and farmland, before finishing in the sheltered waters of the Marlborough Sounds.

Every day felt different.

The Conditions

We were lucky.

Very lucky.

Finishing a week ahead of schedule and averaging 16.7 km/h says more about the conditions than it does about us.

The West Coast in particular was kind. Yes, we had rain — and one memorable night of it — but more often than not the days cleared into calm, warm riding conditions.

For a place known for wild weather, we got a very good run.

The Rhythm of Touring

After a few days, the routine takes over.

Pack up. Ride. Eat. Repeat.

We settled into a simple formula:

6 hours riding, 6 hours on the peripherals, 12 hours sleeping.

No road too long. No hill too steep.

Loaded bikes that felt heavy on Day 1 became normal by Day 5.

By the end, we were just getting on with it.

The Hard Days

Not every day was easy.

The Crown Range was the toughest climb — no question.

Long, steep, and demanding.

Then there were the days when the weather turned:

Cold rain, slippery roads, and logging trucks moving faster than you’d like.

Those were the days where it was simply:

Head down. Stay left. Get it done.

And they’re the days you remember just as much.

The People

One of the best parts of the trip was the people we met along the way.

  • Paul, riding around New Zealand to “find himself”… and deciding he preferred walking
  • Rebecca, hiking the country cataloguing weeds
  • Graham, nearly 70, riding across Europe and not yet old enough for an e-bike
  • The German couple taking three months to do it properly — easily the best conversation of the trip at Lake Kaniere
  • Campground conversations with travellers from all over the world

And of course, the highlight of the trip — riding into Picton with the kids, our “super domestiques”, carrying the lollies and giving it everything they had.

That was special.

The Touring Life

There’s something about cycle touring that’s hard to explain until you’ve done it.

Life becomes very simple:

  • You eat when you’re hungry
  • You sleep when you’re tired
  • You ride until you arrive

You spend your days outdoors, moving through landscapes slowly enough to take it all in.

And at the end of each day, a hot meal, a dry place to sleep, or even just a cold beer feels like a reward.

Best Of

A few highlights along the way:

  • Best pie: Sheffield Bakery
  • Best fish and chips: Haast
  • Best burger: Historic Empire Hotel, Ross
  • Best chips: Kohatu Flat Rock Café
  • Best campsite: Waimakariri Gorge (rained all night — tents didn’t leak)
  • Best cycling: West Coast Wilderness Trail, and the Slipper Tunnel
  • Best descent: Lindis Pass — fast and flowing
  • Best scenery: Queen Charlotte Sound
  • Best conversation: The two Germans at Lake Kaniere
  • Best unexpected moment: Rakaia Gorge — particularly the ride back out
  • Best day overall: Crown Range into Wānaka
  • Toughest climb: Crown Range (by a long way)
  • Best moment: Riding the final day with the kids

And a special mention to:

  • American hotdogs (which aren’t)
  • Possums (far too many of them)
  • And the ongoing absence of a proper chicken schnitzel anywhere in New Zealand

The Finish

As the ride came to an end, the feelings were mixed.

Looking forward to:

  • sleeping in our own beds
  • not packing and unpacking every day

But also knowing we’ll miss:

  • the rhythm
  • the simplicity
  • and the freedom of life on the bike

What’s Next

It doesn’t take long before your mind starts to wander.

Where to next?

Because once you’ve done a trip like this, you know one thing for certain:

There will be another one.

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