Reuthers Harley-Davidson
Motorcycle Tours New Zealand
Discover - 12 Days - Route
Route:
Auckland - Whitianga - Rotorua - Wellington -
Nelson - Franz Josef - Queenstown - Lake Tekapo -
Christchurch - Wellington - Napier - Auckland
Sunday, Day 1
Auckland
We start our trip in Auckland, the ‘City of Sails’. Meet your fellow travellers for the motorcycle tour and be our guest at our Welcome Dinner.
Monday, Day 2
Auckland - Whitianga
After breakfast and the daily briefing we pick up our Harley-Davidson Motorcycles from the rental office. Following a final safety brief, we ride the Pacific Coast Highway around the Coromandel region. We spend the night in Whitianga.
Tuesday, Day 3
Whitianga - Rotorua
We travel south, stopping at Cathedral Cove. Well worth the 40-minute strenuous walk to reach it, this is a natural rock cave located in one of New Zealand’s beautiful marine reserves. We continue along the coast to Rotorua. Before we even reach the city you will be able to smell the sulfur and see hot pools along the side of the road. In the evening you will have the opportunity to learn about Maori culture and attend a spectacular Maori show in the Tamaki Maori Village. This is followed by a traditional Maori feast.
Wednesday, Day 4
Rotorua - Wellington
We spend the morning in Rotorua visiting the hot pools and geysers at Te Puia. You will also have the chance to visit a bird house and see a kiwi. We continue our journey south, travelling alongside beautiful Lake Taupo and through spectacular scenery. One of the highlights is a view of Mount Ruapehu, the highest peak on the North Island, which stands nearly 2797 m (9175 feet) tall. We continue your journey by Dessert Road to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.
Thursday, Day 5
Wellington - Nelson
Before we leave the North Island we visit Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand. In the afternoon we leave for the South Island, travelling to Picton on the Interislander ferry. There is plenty of opportunity to take pictures on the journey, especially as we pass through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. Once on the South Island we travel around the Tasman Bay to Nelson. Nelson and its surrounding region receive more hours of sunshine than any other city in New Zealand – perfect for motorcyclists!
Friday, Day 6
Nelson - Franz Josef
Our trip takes us south along the Buller Gorge Road to Westport, where we meet the Tasman Sea and there are beaches crowded with sea lions. We cross Cape Foulwind and head south again to Pancake Rocks, where we get a close-up view of blowholes created by the sea. We pass Greymouth and the old gold mining town of Ross. The scenery is breathtaking, with the Tasman Sea on the right and mountains and lush green rain forest on the left. We spend the night below Franz Josef Glacier. If you wish, you can take a helicopter flight to the glacier or walk to its base.
Saturday, Day 7
Franz Josef - Queenstown
Passing Fox Glacier, another majestic glacier, we leave the coast and head east over Haast Pass to beautiful Lake Wanaka and the town of Wanaka itself before travelling on to Queenstown, justly famous as the adventure capital of the world. We will be given a short tour of a typical New Zealand working farm before the evening meal at the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant on the Walter Peak High Country Sheep Farm. The farm is reached by a scenic cruise on Lake Wakatipu on the oldest steamship in New Zealand, the TSS Earnslaw.
Sunday, Day 8
Queenstown - Lake Tekapo
On Day 8 we travel to the foothills of Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain at a height of 3754 m (13,316 feet). We stop for coffee and a spectacular view of the snow-covered mountain at the famous Hermitage Hotel, a truly special place with unmistakeable charm. We end the day riding along back Lake Pukaki and visiting the Church of the Good Sheppard before spending the night at our hotel at Lake Tekapo.
Monday, Day 9
Lake Tekapo - Christchurch
We travel across the South Island on the Inland Scenic Route to Christchurch. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore Christchurch, the biggest city on the south island of New Zealand.
Tuesday, Day 10
Christchurch - Wellington
We ride the Pacific Alpine Triangle around the coast. The scenery is stunning, with the Pacific Ocean on the right and mountains on your left. We pass through the Marlborough wine-growing area and arrive in Picton, where we take the ferry back to the North Island of New Zealand.
Wednesday, Day 11
Wellington - Napier
Our destination is Napier, which was almost entirely rebuilt in the Art Deco style after the 1931 earthquake. You will be able to visit museums, art galleries, and a kiwi house if you wish. We spend the night in an original Art Deco hotel near the beach.
Thursday, Day 12
Napier - Auckland
