Adventure Riding in NZ

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ

Day 7 Thursday 12th February Otematata to Moana
Leaving Otematata rode Black Forest Track through to Halden Road. Turning left onto Mackenzie Pass Road, Waratah Road, Coal Pit Road, Mt Nessing and Rocky Gully Roads. Further zig zagging via Three Mile Bush, Monument and main Waitohi Roads to Wi******er Hanging Rock, Fletcher Road and Coleridge Road to Geraldine for fuel. From Geraldine it was a road bash up to Coleridge Road and inland to Homestead Road, Lyndon Roads passing Lake Coleridge and onto Arthurs Pass Village. After a refresh we again hit the tar seal over the pass to Inchbonnie and Lake Brunner Road around to Moana for the night.

Day 8 Friday 13th February Moana to Reefton
Leaving Moana we rode North over Nelson Creek Road to Highway 7 to Ahaura. Turning down Arahura Kopara Road we turned off at Orwell Creek Road to register for the Napoleon Hill track to come out at Ikamatua. From here we rode straight to Reefton to our accommodation. Some riders took this time to ride an in and out track Big River. Awesome single track to a gold mining battery and mine works.

Day 9 Saturday 14th February Reefton to Ferry
From Reefton rode West bank Road to Muruia Saddle Road up to Murchison. Murchison for lunch and over Porika Track to Saint Arnaud. A road bash to get to the ferry via Renwick and fuel.

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ

Day 6 Wednesday 11th February Alexandra to Otematata

Heading out from Alex we rode out to Crawford Hills Road (gravel racetrack, absolute bliss and fast. Track conditions are always so good here), Aston Road through to Old Dunstan Road passing the Poolburn Reservoir dropping down to Linburn Runs Road and onto Puketoi Runs Road (another gravel racetrack) Puketoi and Minototo Road and through to Naseby. From Naseby straight through to Kyeburn Diggings on the Danseys Pass. Just after Kyeburn diggings we turn left and take the grade 3 up Mount Kyeburn Track joining up to parts of the Awakino, Johnsons Creek tracks and Mount Buster and beyond via Walking Spur down to the main road to Otematata for the night.

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ

Day 5 Tuesday 10th February Alexandra to Alexandra loop

Hmmmm… key breaks off in fuel tank lock. I always carry a spare. So called for a road ride to Cromwell to a Locksmith. 2 hours later replacement key and cleared fuel tank lock. To catch up now. Shot back to Bannockburn via the Pylon Track (again), up Old school Road to Nevis Pass (again) down and through the Nevis Valley Road and down to Garston and a quick road ride to Lumsden to catch up with the crew. Because they were waiting for me, we really motored through a number of back roads heading North & West to Piano Flat Road Whitcoomb Road & Canton Road up to Potters Road. This incorporated climbing up the schist steps on the way to the top. Some of these steps were as high as the 21” front wheel. Easy done….pick your line and throttle bursts. Reaching Bains Block at the start of the Main Range. Travelled along the Main Range through to Symes Road and down to highway 8 and back to Alexandra.

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ

Day 4 Monday 9th February Otematata to Alexandra

Leaving Otematata we shot up Broken Hutt Road and over Omarama Saddle East and Manuherikia East Road to Hawkdun Runs Road to St Bathans. A quick break at St Bathans we then rode the Loop Road, Becks School Road & Glassford Road through to Thomsons Gorge Road. Over Thomsons Gorge to Lindis Crossing. From here a road ride to Cromwell for lunch.
From Cromwell over to Bannockburn and up School House Road to and up the Carricktown Track (challenging, mostly steep rocky terrain…. Pick your lines). Up to the top of the Nevis Pass and back down the Nevis Road to the Pylon Track down to Clyde and through to Alexandra for the night. The Nevis Valley is for another day.

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ

Day 3 Sunday 8th February Geraldine to Alexandra

Leaving Geraldine for Otematata we rode north to Orari River Road and onto the station via Middlemans, Flatman & Tripp Settlement Roads. Rode the Orari Gorge Loop track (through 2x stations ) around to Locabar Road passed lake Ophua and onto Monument Road to Kimbell. A quick road ride to Burkes Pass and left down Rollesby Valley Road ( a race track that did not disappoint) then onto McKenzie Pass Road to Haldon Road, heading north to Tekapo via Dog kennel Corner. (just about all gravel to this point). Leaving Tekapo and just out of Town we took the Tekapo River Track North (44km of river boulder track). We passed the Iron Bridge turn off this trip and kept going onto Boat Harbour Road through the camping ground and onto to Black Forest Station. (stopped at the gate here, to repair a puncture repair for one of the group) . Over Black Forest Station Road/ track (fantastic as usual, a must do), down over the Benmore Dam to Otematata for refreshments and accommodation.

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ
February 2026

Day 2 Saturday 7th February Hamner Springs to Geraldine
Main Road to Medley Road, Horsely Downes Road, Heathstock Road to Clarke Hall Road and McDonalds Station (well graded farm road). Onto Lees Valley Road (Okuku River was average to low flow) down to Oxford. From Oxford to Windwhistle to refuel, over Rakaia Gorge to Blackford Road and onto Double Hill Run Road Station (fantastic mountain views up Rakaia River valley). A decent river fan to cross). Through the station (several stream crossings and a decent river fan to cross) and around to Hakatere Heron Road to Mount Somers for refreshments via Ashburton Gorge Road. From here we travelled through Upper Downes Road to Hinds to Ealing Montalto Road to Geraldine for the night. (Majority gravel roads today).

9 Day Adventure Rideout South Island NZ
February 2026

Day 1 Friday 6th February Wellington to Hamner Springs
Ferry to Taylors Pass Road, Molesworth Muster Trail, Sedgemore to Rainbow Road. (all Gravel)
Darted up Edwards Pass to the hot pools. Difficult getting to, with 4 wheel drive damage to the track. Pool was well occupied so returned to Rainbow Road to Clarence Valley Road to Hamner springs for the night. (all Gravel).