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Golden beaches and native bush. Snowy peaks, mountain passes and glaciers. Fiords, turquoise rivers, clear lakes and geothermal pools. Winding coastal roads, and the towns and cities between them.
This is Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud, as our riders see it from the saddle. Scroll down for the photos.
Photos
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Under the old truss bridge
Parked up beneath an old steel truss bridge in the Aoraki / Mount Cook valley, with the peaks close on every side.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Last light at Mount Maunganui
A surfer crosses the dunes with a longboard as the sky behind Mauao turns to gold.
Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty
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Riverbed stop at Franz Josef
A clear West Coast day at Franz Josef, where the rainforest climbs almost to the snowline.
Franz Josef, West Coast
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Old road and new near Pūhoi
Heading north from Auckland, the new motorway and the old road run side by side through the hills near Pūhoi.
Pūhoi, Auckland
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Lake Wakatipu in winter
A clear winter afternoon above Lake Wakatipu, with fresh snow underfoot and on the Remarkables.
Queenstown, Otago
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Canal-side stop near Twizel
A pause beside one of the turquoise hydro canals near Twizel, the water nearly as blue as the sky.
Twizel, Canterbury
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Sunset over a river mouth
The last of the light settles over the ranges as a shallow river slides out across the stones to the sea.
Kaikōura, Canterbury
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Warming up by the fire
Panniers off and the fire lit at the end of a day in the North Canterbury hills.
near Waiau, Canterbury
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Red sky at dawn near Wellington
The first morning of winter opens with the clouds lit red, a little before the sun is up.
Wellington
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By the airfield at Aoraki / Mount Cook
Parked by the airfield, where the scenic flights head up over the glaciers of the Southern Alps.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Huka Falls
The Waikato River races through the narrow rock chute at Huka Falls, softened here by a long exposure.
Taupō, Waikato
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Over the Port Hills
Grey skies over Christchurch's coast from the Port Hills, the headlands where the South Island journey begins.
Lyttelton, Canterbury
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Auckland Harbour Bridge from the air
Sunset over the Waitematā Harbour from the air, with the Harbour Bridge and rows of moored yachts below.
Auckland
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Winter dusk on Lake Wakatipu
Lights coming on along the Queenstown waterfront on a still winter evening, with fresh snow on the peaks across Lake Wakatipu.
Queenstown, Otago
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The road into the mountains
Evening light on the peaks, an empty road and the route on the bike's screen near Aoraki / Mount Cook.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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All smiles in Wānaka
Big smiles on a sunny day in Wānaka.
Wānaka, Otago
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Log cabin lounge
Deep leather chairs, a wood burner and bush outside every window: a log cabin stay in North Canterbury.
near Waiau, Canterbury
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Mount Maunganui from the air
From a light aircraft over the Bay of Plenty, the long surf beach leads the eye straight to Mauao at the harbour mouth.
Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty
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Aoraki / Mount Cook over the tank
Wildflowers at the roadside, a Wandrith GS at rest, and Aoraki / Mount Cook clear all the way to the summit.
Glentanner, Canterbury
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The Waikato River racing toward Huka Falls
The Waikato River squeezing through its narrow chute just above Huka Falls, a short ride from Taupō.
Taupō, Waikato
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Pies in the warmer
A pie stop is part of any Kiwi road trip, and this bakery's bacon and egg wears a gold award.
Whangaparāoa, Auckland
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Golden grass near Ōmarama
Golden grass and low cloud around Ōmarama, the lunch stop on the run south from Aoraki / Mount Cook.
Ōmarama, Canterbury
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The Beehive at sunset
Parliament's Beehive against a burning late-autumn sky in Wellington, where the Ultimate NZ and Aotearoa Odyssey journeys stop for a rest day.
Wellington
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Glacial lake at dusk
Just after nine on a summer evening, the glacial lake lies still and silver between its moraine walls while the last light colours the clouds.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Pōhutukawa in bloom at Kawakawa Bay
Mid-December, with the pōhutukawa in full flower and the tide well out across the bay.
Kawakawa Bay, Auckland
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Arms wide at Lake Rotoiti
Arms wide at the end of the jetty in St Arnaud, looking down Lake Rotoiti into Nelson Lakes National Park.
St Arnaud, Tasman
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A long bridge near Haast
Clear skies and a long, straight crossing over one of the West Coast’s broad braided rivers.
Haast, West Coast
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Evening light on Great Barrier Island
Last light catching the bluffs on Aotea Great Barrier Island, out in the Hauraki Gulf.
Great Barrier Island, Auckland
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Aoraki / Mount Cook and lupins
Lupins, tussock and Aoraki / Mount Cook on a clear afternoon, on the road up from Lake Pūkaki.
Glentanner, Canterbury
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Muriwai coast from the air
Under a heavy winter sky, Muriwai’s black-sand beach runs dead straight up the coast, dunes on one side and Tasman surf on the other.
Muriwai, Auckland
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Winter on Lake Wakatipu
A clear winter day on Lake Wakatipu, with snow on the peaks across the water and bare willows glowing gold along the Queenstown shore.
Queenstown, Otago
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Under the rafters near Waiau
Warm timber and soft light at the end of a day's ride in North Canterbury.
near Waiau, Canterbury
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Auckland from the air
Auckland's city centre, port and Waitematā Harbour from the air, the starting point for our North Island journeys.
Auckland
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Speargrass at dusk
Nearly nine at night and still light, with speargrass and tussock running out towards the mountains.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Huka Falls in full flow
Huka Falls in full flow, where the Waikato River drops out of its gorge just north of Taupō.
Taupō, Waikato
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Below the ice at Franz Josef
Where rainforest meets ice: the glacier valley at Franz Josef.
Franz Josef, West Coast
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Golden haze on a country road
Evening light turning a quiet back road gold, with the hills fading into haze beyond.
Kaikōura, Canterbury
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Lupins below the Southern Alps
Summer lupins on the road to Aoraki / Mount Cook, looking up the Tasman Valley to the snow-capped Southern Alps.
Glentanner, Canterbury
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Rangitoto across the Hauraki Gulf
Late-autumn light breaking under the cloud over the Hauraki Gulf, with Rangitoto sitting low on the horizon.
Whangaparāoa, Auckland
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Pannier on the jetty, Lake Rotoiti
A Wandrith pannier rests on the jetty at St Arnaud, the forested slopes of Nelson Lakes dropping straight into Lake Rotoiti under a grey sky.
St Arnaud, Tasman
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Macarons at Lake Tekapo
A sweet New Year's Day stop in Lake Tekapo.
Lake Tekapo, Canterbury
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Dressed for the gravel
Knobbly tyres, crash bars and a headlight guard: this one is dressed for the gravel.
Auckland
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Top box above the glacial valley
A Wandrith top box on the lookout wall above a milky glacial lake, a rushing river and a swing bridge, with snow on the tops beyond.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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The Riuwaka Resurgence
Moss-covered boulders and clear, cold-looking water at the Riuwaka Resurgence, near Tākaka Hill.
Riuwaka Resurgence, Nelson
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Ngāuruhoe from the air
Looking straight down into Ngāuruhoe’s summit crater, with the lava flows and ash fields of Tongariro National Park spread out below.
Whakapapa, Manawatū-Whanganui
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High road above the sea
Grey skies, golden tussock and a narrow ribbon of road high above the sea near Lyttelton.
Lyttelton, Canterbury
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Aoraki / Mount Cook over the panniers
Gloves off on the road to Aoraki / Mount Cook, with the country's highest peak filling the view.
Glentanner, Canterbury
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Sunset through the trees
The evening sun, caught in a tangle of branches, sinks towards the hills above an estuary on the Hibiscus Coast.
Hibiscus Coast, Auckland
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Sunrise from the Cook Strait ferry
An early crossing of Cook Strait as the sun breaks through. Ultimate NZ and the Aotearoa Odyssey include the crossing, on the Interislander or Bluebridge.
Wellington
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Lupins near Lake Tekapo
Early January in the Mackenzie high country, when the lupins are out along the tracks near Lake Tekapo.
Lake Tekapo, Canterbury
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Vineyard blocks from the air
Vines in their first flush of spring green, laid out in tidy blocks far below on a clear November afternoon.
Marlborough
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Driftwood at Hokitika beach
Hokitika’s beach is strewn with driftwood, and on a still, cloudless day the Tasman looks almost tame.
Hokitika, West Coast
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Pannier on a swing bridge
Swing bridges are part of the walking at Aoraki / Mount Cook, and this pannier made the crossing too.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Autumn on the Waikato River
Autumn colour, a clipped riverside lawn and the clear blue water of the Waikato River near Taupō.
Taupō, Waikato
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R 1250 GS Adventure by Lake Dunstan
A summer stop on the shore of Lake Dunstan, with dry golden grass underfoot and the Cromwell hills across the water.
Cromwell, Otago
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The road to Aoraki / Mount Cook
Everyone stops here, and with Aoraki sitting dead ahead at the end of the road it’s easy to see why.
Glentanner, Canterbury
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Golden hour near Waiwera
Late-afternoon sun through the coastal bush above the water near Waiwera.
Waiwera, Auckland
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Making a new friend in St Arnaud
Not every local in St Arnaud is chatty, but this one held still for a photo.
St Arnaud, Tasman
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High country in black and white
A New Year's Day stop in the high country around Lake Tekapo.
Lake Tekapo, Canterbury
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The Rakaia River from the air
Seen from above, the Rakaia threads turquoise channels through its gravel bed, between green farmland and pale river cliffs.
Rakaia River, Canterbury
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Pouto lighthouse among the dunes
The old Pouto lighthouse stands alone in a sea of wind-shaped dunes at the northern head of the Kaipara Harbour.
Pouto, Northland
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Aoraki / Mount Cook across Lake Pūkaki
Midday on the Pūkaki shore, lupins in the verge and Aoraki standing clear at the head of the lake.
Lake Pūkaki, Canterbury
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Pine forest track near Taupō
A quiet track tunnels through the pines near Taupō.
Taupō, Waikato
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Evening on the riverbed at Franz Josef
Evening sun on the wide gravel riverbed at Franz Josef, with bush-clad hills and the snowy Southern Alps close behind.
Franz Josef, West Coast
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The Wandrith luggage set
The full Wandrith luggage set, two panniers and a top box, unloaded on the deck at a stop near Methven.
near Methven, Canterbury
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Wild coast on the edge of Wellington
Rugged coastline a short ride from Wellington's city centre, a good loop for a rest day.
Wellington
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Taking a breather below the ice
Out of the riding gear for an evening below the glaciers of Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Sunset from the hilltop
Evening light pours across the bay and the long grass of the hilltop as the sun goes down north of Auckland.
Hibiscus Coast, Auckland
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Lake Tekapo and the Church of the Good Shepherd
A pause on the Tekapo shore, with the little stone Church of the Good Shepherd just across the water.
Lake Tekapo, Canterbury
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Winter road near Mosgiel
A long, straight country road and bare winter trees on the farmland near Mosgiel.
Mosgiel, Otago
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Above Lake Wakatipu
Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu from the Crown Range Road, the South Island journey's way into Queenstown.
Gibbston, Otago
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The humble bacon butty
Spotted on a wall in Matakana: a short lesson in what the rest of the world calls a bacon butty.
Matakana, Auckland
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Snow-streaked ridge from the air
Spring snow still clinging to a high ridge, seen from the air.
Kaikōura Ranges
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Swing bridge near Punakaiki
A sunny riverbed stop near Punakaiki, a short ride from the Pancake Rocks.
Punakaiki, West Coast
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Old gate in the beech forest
An old iron gate slowly giving way to the forest near St Arnaud, high in the mountains at the top of the South Island.
St Arnaud, Tasman
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Aoraki from the window
Some rooms come with Aoraki / Mount Cook in the window.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Golden light on the Tasman Sea
An autumn sun slips out under the cloud and lays a long golden path across the sea.
Waiuku, Auckland
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R 1250 GS Adventure at a high-country gate
Parked at a farm gate in the Mackenzie high country near Tekapo, with cloud spilling over the ranges behind.
Lake Tekapo, Canterbury
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The Waikato River near Taupō
Near Taupō the Waikato River runs clear and vivid blue between steep, scrub-covered banks.
Taupō, Waikato
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Fishing boats on a still harbour
A still winter’s day on the harbour near Dunedin, the fishing boats tied up and a lone kayaker gliding through their reflections.
Dunedin, Otago
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Top box and helmet under the peaks
Gear off for the day, under the rock and snow of the mountains around Aoraki / Mount Cook.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
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Rider’s view near Waimauku
Blue skies and a quiet road near Waimauku, not far from the black sand at Muriwai. Keep an eye out for logging trucks.
Waimauku, Auckland
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Caramel slice in Reefton
Lunch in Reefton, and a cabinet of chocolate caramel slice making a strong case for dessert.
Reefton, West Coast
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Beech forest track near St Arnaud
An easy evening walk through the beech forest, still bright at eight o’clock on a summer night.
St Arnaud, Tasman
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Wind on Lake Wakatipu
A gusty afternoon on Lake Wakatipu, whitecaps rolling in under cloud-capped peaks.
Queenstown, Otago
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Morning fog over Waikato hills
Morning fog fills the valleys of the Waikato hill country.
Waikato
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A room with a mountain view
Helmet on the floor, curtains open, and snow-capped peaks filling the window.
Lake Pūkaki, Canterbury
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On the riverbed near Punakaiki
A pause on the stones of a West Coast river near Punakaiki, with a swing bridge strung across the valley and bush-clad bluffs above.
Punakaiki, West Coast
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Golden hour on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula
Early autumn evening light over farmland and the Hauraki Gulf on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula.
Whangaparāoa, Auckland
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R1250GS Adventure at Aoraki / Mount Cook
One of our BMW R1250GS Adventures, packed and parked beneath the scree slopes at Aoraki / Mount Cook.
Aoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
