See the route Te Waipounamu — The Waters of Greenstone
A loop from Christchurch, over the Lewis, Lindis, Haast and Arthur’s passes. Alpine passes, glacier-fed lakes and the West Coast.
Journeys run from November to April.
14 days from Christchurch and back, over the Lewis, Lindis, Haast and Arthur’s passes. On the way: the Kaikōura coast, Queen Charlotte Drive, Lake Tekapo and Aoraki / Mount Cook, Queenstown, Glenorchy and Paradise, and the rainforest and glaciers of the West Coast. The rest days are in Nelson and Greymouth.
This is our base route, the starting point for your journey. We shape it around what you’d like to see and where there’s room to stay: many of the special places we use take only one booking at a time, so your nights may change, and the route with them.
Roads on this route: Queen Charlotte Drive · Lewis Pass · Lindis Pass · Crown Range · Haast Pass · Arthur’s Pass
Southern seas and whale songs
Day 1 starts in Christchurch with a warm-up ride around the headlands of Lyttelton Harbour and Godley Head. Then the road follows the Pacific coast north, where farmland runs out to the sea cliffs, to Kaikōura: whale watching, snow on the mountains behind the town, and crayfish on the waterfront.
Winding roads and coastal curves
Day 2 follows the coast north from Kaikōura and crosses Marlborough to Picton, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. From there Queen Charlotte Drive winds above the Marlborough Sounds to Havelock in tight, technical corners, then on to Nelson for two nights.
Rest and rejuvenation
Day 3 is a rest day in Nelson: the galleries and the waterfront, or a day ride over Tākaka Hill to Golden Bay, with a stop at the Riwaka Resurgence on the way.
Through the heart of the mountains
Day 4, the longest day, leaves the coast for the mountains: through the alpine village of St Arnaud, then over the Lewis Pass between forested ridges to Hanmer Springs and its thermal pools. A longer way round, by Reefton, a gold-mining town, is an option. The day ends at Mount Lyford, in the hills on the inland road to Kaikōura, and the road in has a short stretch of gravel.
High country horizons
Day 5 leaves Mount Lyford on the same short stretch of gravel, then runs south across the Canterbury Plains, along the foothills of the Southern Alps, and climbs towards Mount Hutt and the high country. Depending on where you stay, the day may end with a 300 m gravel driveway.
Lakes and light
Day 6 runs on into the high country to the aquamarine water of Lake Tekapo. Lake Coleridge, up the braided Rakaia River, and Lake Heron, at the end of a gravel road, are detours if you want them. In the evening there are Tekapo’s hot pools, or the night sky from the Mount John Observatory.
Into the shadow of the giant
Day 7 is a short ride along Lake Pūkaki, with Aoraki / Mount Cook at the head of the lake. The afternoon is for the alpine walks, a scenic flight over the glaciers, or the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.
Alpine roads to goldfields
Day 8 drops through the golden hills of the Mackenzie Basin to Ōmarama for lunch, with the Clay Cliffs nearby as an optional detour, partly on gravel, then crosses the Lindis Pass to the Cardrona Valley. The Cardrona Access Road, a gravel ski-field road, is an optional climb for the view. The Crown Range Road brings you down to Arrowtown, a gold-rush town, and on to Queenstown.
Journey to Paradise
Day 9 is a light day, out along Lake Wakatipu and past Glenorchy to Paradise: beech forest and rivers. The last stretch to Paradise is gravel, so turn back at Glenorchy if you’d rather stay on the seal. Then you’re back in Queenstown for a second night, with the rest of the day for a walk up Queenstown Hill, the Skippers Canyon Road (narrow and gravel), the Shotover River, a bungy jump, or the switchbacks of The Remarkables Access Road (gravel near the top).
Lakes and orchards
Day 10 is an easy ride east through the orchards of Cromwell and along Lake Dunstan, with a swim on the way if it’s warm, to Wānaka: restaurants and shops on the lakefront, and That Wānaka Tree. The afternoon is free for the willows on the shore or the National Transport and Toy Museum.
Into the wild west
Day 11 crosses the Haast Pass through Mount Aspiring National Park to Haast, on the West Coast, then runs north past Fox Glacier. The night is at Franz Josef, where the ice comes down to the rainforest.
Rainforest roads and coastal towns
Day 12 runs north up the coast to Hokitika, known for its greenstone carving and crafts, and on to Greymouth, the West Coast’s largest town, for two nights, with walks along the river.
Pancake Rocks and time to breathe
Day 13 is a rest day in Greymouth. The Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki are a short ride up the coast, and Shantytown Heritage Park, with its steam trains and gold-mining history, is just south of town. There are sea caves and coves to walk to along the Tasman coast.
Over the Southern Alps
The last day climbs the Otira Gorge to Arthur’s Pass, through the heart of the Southern Alps, then drops to the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch.
Rooms on this route are limited in prime and peak season. A refundable 20% deposit secures your booking, and we book your accommodation straight away. Talk it through first, or reserve your dates.
The road into the mountainsAoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
Aoraki / Mount Cook and lupinsGlentanner, Canterbury
Glacial lake at duskAoraki / Mount Cook, Canterbury
A long bridge near HaastHaast, West Coast
Driftwood at Hokitika beachHokitika, West Coast
Swing bridge near PunakaikiPunakaiki, West Coast
Pillions ride free · No surprises pricing
An incredible hotel, an apartment with sweeping views, or a remote cabin in the Dark Sky Reserve: every night is chosen for the stay itself or for the setting, The Hermitage at Aoraki / Mount Cook among them. We book them all as soon as your deposit is paid. Breakfast is included where offered, and your pillion (passenger) rides free.
About 60 days before you start, your whole journey lands in the Wandrith Journey App on your phone or tablet: each day’s route, your stays and notes to help you prepare. On the road, connect your phone to the bike for turn-by-turn directions on its screen, along with all the usual things like your music. Then make each day your own, with optional side quests and alternate routes, and the fuel stops, cafés and restaurants we’d stop at ourselves along the way.
Booked by model, not by class: the exact R1300GS Adventure, R1250GS Adventure, F900GS Adventure or Himalayan you choose, low-kilometre and set up the way an owner would: aluminium panniers and top box, a CarPlay and Android Auto screen, a phone mount with a case to fit your phone, action camera mounts, a satellite beacon, and first aid and tyre repair kits. Low seats are available for most models, and every bike has roadside assistance. We own every bike in the fleet.
All prices include GST. No card surcharges, and nothing is added to your journey price later, apart from any activities you add. Your price is locked when you pay the deposit.
On your phone or tablet, and on the bike’s own screen. About 60 days before you ride, your journey arrives in it, day by day.
| Motorcycle | Prime season1 February to 15 March | Peak seasonDecember, January and 16–31 March | Shoulder seasonNovember and April |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW R1300GS Adventure ASA | US$15,200 | US$14,100 | US$12,400 |
| BMW R1250GS Adventure | US$15,200 | US$14,100 | US$12,400 |
| BMW F900GS Adventure | US$14,500 | US$13,400 | US$11,800 |
| Royal Enfield Himalayan | US$13,700 | US$12,700 | US$11,200 |
“The Wandrith app is brilliant, it is very intuitive...”
Transport Service Licence · Certificates of Fitness on every bike · Member of TIA, ATTA and GSTC · Listed with Tourism New Zealand
A mix of hotels and serviced apartments, with the occasional speciality stay. Somewhere special every night, for the stay itself or for the setting.
Read the full answer on the FAQ pageFull answerStill have a question? Talk it through with us.
Book a discovery callA little. Our routes are almost all sealed, with a few short stretches of gravel, and the gravel side quests in the app are optional.
Read the full answer on the FAQ pageFull answerStill have a question? Talk it through with us.
Book a discovery callMost days, you ride through it, so bring layers and a good waterproof riding jacket. If the weather stops you reaching the night’s stay, contact us straight away, and we’ll do our best to make other arrangements.
Read the full answer on the FAQ pageFull answerStill have a question? Talk it through with us.
Book a discovery callTurn by turn, on the bike’s own screen. Each day’s route is loaded in advance in the Wandrith Journey App.
Read the full answer on the FAQ pageFull answerStill have a question? Talk it through with us.
Book a discovery callYes. Pillions ride free: two people on one bike pay the price of the bike and share the room.
Read the full answer on the FAQ pageFull answerStill have a question? Talk it through with us.
Book a discovery call
21 days from Auckland to Christchurch, across both islands by the Cook Strait ferry: about 2,511 miles, 99% sealed, five rest days. Nights include Rotorua, Wellington, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Queenstown.
Up to US$20,300 per bike, including GST
28 days from Auckland to Christchurch, from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island to Milford Sound: about 3,341 miles, 99% sealed, seven rest days. Nights include Rotorua, Wellington, Te Anau and Wānaka.
Up to US$27,100 per bike, including GST
