Two of our self-guided motorcycle tours cross Cook Strait: Ultimate NZ and Aotearoa Odyssey take the Cook Strait ferry (Interislander or Bluebridge) from Wellington to Picton, a crossing of about 3.5 hours with the bike on board. The ferry tickets are included, the motorcycle’s, yours and any pillion’s, and if your journey crosses, we send you a detailed guide to the crossing before you go.
The crossing
Cook Strait separates the North Island from the South Island. We book you on the Interislander or the Bluebridge ferry, depending on availability and your dates; both run several crossings a day between Wellington and Picton, at the head of the Marlborough Sounds.
| Journey | In Wellington | Ferry to Picton |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate NZ | Day 8, a rest day | Day 9 |
| Aotearoa Odyssey | Day 11, a rest day | Day 12 |
Both journeys spend a rest day in Wellington first, with time for Te Papa, the national museum, or a ride around the Miramar Peninsula, and cross the next day.
Boarding with the bike
Motorcycles are generally first on and first off, so you are among the first on board. You secure the bike for the crossing with the tie-down kit we provide, and the guide we send before the journey covers the crossing in detail.
Tying the bike down
Take care on the vehicle deck: it can be slippery, underfoot and under your tyres. You’ll find the tie-down kit with the bike, so you have everything you need.
- Ride nose first into the ferry’s front-wheel chock and put the bike on its side stand. Never use the centre stand: as the ship moves, the bike will roll off it.
- Set the ferry’s chock behind the rear wheel.
- Strap the bike down by its crash bars, never the handlebars: at least two straps, one on each side, high on the crash bars. If the crossing looks very rough, add a third over the rear wheel.
- Pull each strap tight enough to compress the suspension, so the bike can’t shift.
- Lock your panniers before you head up to the lounge.
Never run a strap over the seat, even with gloves underneath as padding: it damages the heating elements in the seat.
On board
Where it’s available, your tickets include the Premium Lounge for you and any pillion, with more comfortable seating and complimentary food and drink, depending on the vessel. Lounges have a minimum age of 16 or 18, depending on the operator, so tell us if your pillion is younger. The crossing takes about 3.5 hours, the last part through the Marlborough Sounds.
If a sailing is cancelled
The crossing depends on a third party, and Cook Strait sailings carry a high risk of cancellation in bad weather. If your sailing is delayed or cancelled, we help you in good faith and change the journey to fit, if that is reasonably possible. Delays and cancellations are outside our control, so travel insurance that covers them is essential.
Included: the tickets on the Interislander or Bluebridge for the motorcycle, you and any pillion, and the Premium Lounge for you and any pillion where available. Our terms set out what happens when third-party transport is delayed or cancelled. The Aotearoa Odyssey’s harbour ferries in Northland, the Hokianga ferry and the ferry to Russell, aren’t included: each is a small fare, paid on the spot.
After the crossing
From Picton both journeys ride Queen Charlotte Drive, tight corners above the Marlborough Sounds, then past Nelson to the Riwaka Resurgence, and climb to St Arnaud, in the mountains, for the night. The roads guide has more on the road.
The journeys that cross
- Ultimate NZ: 21 days, Auckland to Christchurch, about 4,041 km. Up to NZ$35,999 per bike, including GST.
- Aotearoa Odyssey: 28 days, Auckland to Christchurch, about 5,377 km. Up to NZ$47,999 per bike, including GST.
