New Zealand Tour NSZ2502
Hello everyone, the wait is finally over! We're welcoming our guests from Canada and the USA. It quickly becomes clear that this is going to be a fun tour. Everyone is in great spirits and excited about what's in store for them. We've heard and read so much, but now we're experiencing it live and in color. But first, everyone needs some information and, most importantly, a motorcycle. So we start with the welcome briefing and the handover of the motorcycles. Can't we leave right now? We'll need a little more patience. First, we have to stow everything away, and then there's a hearty dinner. Then it's off to bed. Faster! See you tomorrow morning, because that's when our big adventure finally begins!
Ka timata tā tātou haerenga. Good morning—our journey begins with a bang. We roll out of Christchurch and slip straight onto Summit Road. And you’re all probably thinking: “What on earth is she talking about? We can’t decide what to admire first!” The breathtaking views? Or the winding ribbon of road curling along the fjord? Well… see for yourselves what we saw. Gebbis Pass isn’t exactly towering, but it twists gracefully through a landscape that feels painted rather than grown. Our first big question of the day appears in the Raikia Gorge: How blue can water possibly be? A question still unanswered—because the water keeps outdoing itself. On we go, skirting the foothills of the Southern Alps, our jaws dropping lower with every snow-capped peak. The serpentine Burkes Pass carries us into Mackenzie Country. And then—speechlessness. My heart misses a beat or two. The sight of Lake Tekapo feels unreal. Everyone’s thinking: “Why isn’t our tour guide stopping? Stop! Look at that view!” Ah, but she knows the perfect spot. High above at 1000 meters, at Mt John Observatory, a 360-degree panorama opens up—Tekapo shimmering in the bluest blue imaginable. And the road up? A pure love letter to every motorcyclist. Did you know New Zealand has 775 lakes at least half a kilometre long? And today, we’re destined to meet another one. Lake Pukaki takes everything we’ve seen and raises it with a flourish. Blue, bluer, turquoise—with New Zealand’s highest peak, Mt Cook, watching majestically from the background. Could nature get any more dramatic? Any more cinematic? We stand there, absolutely stunned. After 369 kilometres, we roll into Twizel—overjoyed, dusty, and more than deserving of a cold beer. And the best part? This was only the beginning. Come back tomorrow!
Good morning in the morning! Are you ready for the jump?? Today we leave Twizel behind and follow road number 8 down south. After we passed the scenic Lindis pass we finally arrive at the Kawarau Gorge BUNGEE bridge! Nowhere else but right here commercial bungee jumping started almost 40 years ago in 1988! Today more than 200 000 adrenalin junkies fight their fears in New Zealand each year. Curtis, Glenn and Jeff are three of them! The rest of us watched intently as the three bravely plunged into the depths. On our way to lunch it starts raining and the angels do not plan to stop crying before we arrive soaking wet at our coffee stop in the afternoon. A warm cup of hot chocolate or flatwhite, great for the soul and cold fingers! The last part of the day is just stunning! The sun comes out again, the sky is decorated with dark as well as snow white clouds, the landscape around us just breathtaking. Almost dried from the wind we finally arrive at our todays destination: Te Anau. Looking forward to our visit to Milford Sound tomorrow! Sleep well.
Breakfast at 6:00 a.m. – really? Yes, our day starts very early. But we'll soon find out why, and believe me, it's worth getting up this early and sitting on the motorbike, even if it's a bit chilly. Today we're off to the world-famous Milford Sound. The eighth wonder of the world. And after a rainy day before, we'll enjoy it in all its glory. We start on a scenic road and enter the rainforest. Morning mist and dripping trees give everything a mystical look. We cross the Homer Tunnel to enter another world. Our boat is already waiting for us. For almost two hours, we'll have a fantastic view of cliffs rising over 500 meters and breathtaking waterfalls. Our boat heads towards Sterling Falls, and we stand right in the middle of the spray. Legend says it makes you ten years younger. We'll see. With our luggage overflowing with impressions, we set off for Queenstown. We enjoy the drive, which is considerably warmer than this morning. We reach our destination for the day, where we'll stay for two nights, traveling along Lake Wakatipu. We'll see what we get up to tomorrow, but in the adrenaline capital, finding something to do shouldn't be a problem. And it was worth getting up so early. Thank for the great ride Michaela
Rest day in Queenstown That doesn't mean we're doing nothing. First, a lie-in and a nice breakfast. Then different decisions are made: Some set off early to explore the area, others a little later. But everyone eventually got on their motorcycles. The route north along Wakatipu is my personal favorite. Up to Glenorchy, a small village at the end of the lake. The view is spectacular with the snow-capped mountains in the background, the blue sky, and the blue water. But the curves are the best part. I could ride up and down them all day. After a pleasant coffee break, we head back and on to Cornet Peak, home to the highest paved road at 1200 meters. The view is fantastic. the return trip is just as enjoyable. We stopped in Arrowtown for a quick bite to eat. Before we then head off to meet Todd and Scott at Arthur's Point. Because we can't do without an extra dose of adrenaline. A speedboat ride through the canyon really gets the blood pumping. And while you're in Queenstown, you should definitely try the legendary Fregburger. Oh, and there's always room for ice cream at Patagonia Chocolates. A day in Queenstown flies by. Tomorrow our adventure continues north, where the next highlight awaits us. So check back again soon.
Who would have thought that the road to the glacier would lead us through the jungle? Past the wild West Coast? Anything is possible in New Zealand! We start our day with the wonderful Crown Range Road, the highest paved mountain pass in New Zealand. The views are spectacular. Just beyond the summit is New Zealand's oldest hotel. Refueled with delicious coffee and shortbread, we set off on a photo hunt. Our first stop: Bradrona, a long fence covered in bras—yes, you heard right. The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is behind this impressive project. We continue past Lake Hawea and Wanaka to the Haas Pass, which leads us through the jungle to the wild West Coast. The jungle smells like... well, like a jungle. And as we roll through the dark green, we see snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance. Incredible.
The Weather Yes, today we got to experience what New Zealand weather really means. But let's start from the beginning. Since the weather had unfortunately taken a turn for the worse the previous evening and our flight from Fox Glacier was canceled, we were hopeful that we would be able to fly this morning. So we had an early breakfast, packed everything, and went to check-in. We waited patiently, even a little longer than usual, but unfortunately, the clouds stayed in the mountains. No flight possible; safety first. So, we hopped on the motorbike and headed through the steamy rainforest. The roads began to dry, and it was mystical to wind our way through the forests. The sun came out, and we enjoyed our ride. We made a quick stop at the Wildlife Centre to see the extremely shy national bird, the kiwi. We continue northwards. In the briefing, I (Michaela) promised lunch at the beautiful Lake Mahinapua. And that was our surprise for today: one of our legendary picnics. See for yourselves what Julia conjured up. A little exercise is good, so we tried our hand at Frisbee. Where did that come from? As beautiful as the spot is, we have to move on. We tackle the most important pass in the Alps, Arthur's Pass. Dark clouds are gathering. But only a few drops catch us, as we stop for coffee here in good time. As quickly as the clouds came, they disappeared again. The last leg of the journey is meant to show us the power of wind and water. The rugged west coast is truly impressive. In Punakaiki, our destination for today, we are just a few steps away from the wild water. A long but wonderful day comes to an end
"This day was my best ride!", said Bob at dinner! But let´s start from the beginning. After a lovely breakfast at the hotel we jump on our bikes, just to get off 78 seconds later. The famous pancake rocks are just around the corner. We walk along the spectacular sight. The blowwhole is especially impressive today, with all the wind and waves. Back on the bike with the princess of rain the weather keeps it´s promise. Yet the surrounding is just beautiful. The rain makes it mysterious in a way. And it stops just in time, literally as we arrive at the carpark of Cape Foulwind! We walk up the beautiful pass and could probably have stayed forever watching the cute seal colony. The longer you look down to the rocks, the more seals you will find! And there´s this little smile that naturally comes up, when you see them waddle around. We continue our ride along the Buller River Gorge, a wonderful twisty ride along the impressive Gorge! After some good sandwiches, scones and coffee we head to our todays destination: Nelson. Michaela already awaits us with a big smile on her face. This wonderful day ends with a delicious dinner! "This was my best ride!" Bob says.
Today is a special day: We're taking the ferry from the South Island to the North Island. But to reach our ferry, we get to ride one of the most amazing roads in the world: the Queen Charlotte Drive. Our weather goddess (haha, I wonder who she is ;-)) has provided us with a brilliant blue sky that's almost blinding. So, let's get going, fire up our steel steeds, and hit the road. 80 km of fantastic hairpin bends with perfect asphalt make our motorcycling hearts beat faster. In Havelock, friendly owners await us at a nice café on the corner, offering us quick service. Refreshed, we turn onto the 40 km long Queen Charlotte Drive. A stunning landscape and what feels like 1000 curves await us. The bays of the Marlborough Sounds are a paradise.Which we can also enjoy from the ferry. We were lucky here too, because the Cook Strait is one of the most dangerous straits with fierce winds and strong currents. No one got seasick. :-) After 3.5 hours, we reached Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. We stayed for two nights.
Our second rest day is upon us. Today we're in Wellington, the vibrant capital of New Zealand. But true to the saying "use it or lose it," we're already on our bikes at 8:30 a.m. Our destination for today: the Southward Car Museum! Over 400 beautiful cars, motorcycles, and other fun vehicles are on display here. We continue on a road that's like a roller coaster. Narrow and winding, as if it can't quite decide which way to go. During our lunch stop at the wildlife park, we're entertained by a cheerful peacock. Back in Wellington, we have the whole afternoon to explore the city and visit the fascinating Te Papa Museum. Fish and chips for dinner! What a wonderful day, without having to pack any suitcases! That's on the agenda again tomorrow morning, when we head to the beautiful Art Deco city of Napier.
After our restday in Wellington we are ready to discover the north island! In the morning we enjoy the ride up to Remutaka Hill. This pass is especially famous for all the soldiers who waled across it from their training center to the harbor in Wellington. Their final challenge before they started their career. Half an hour later we arrive in Martinborough, a wine paradise and weekend trip location for the Wellingtonians. We enjoy a lovely cup of coffee before we continue our ride to Pongaroa, where Michaela surprises us with a delicious picnic! The landscape in the morning reminds of Tuscany in Italy. Instead of the rocky, snow covered mountains we ride through beautiful green rolling hills, wine yards, apple farms. The road again reminds of a rollercoaster. What a beautiful riding day! With more than 400km of fun roads! In the late afternoon we arrive in Napier, famous for its Art Deco style. After our arrival we enjoy pints of beet in the bar and share all our impressions of the day!
Today we're heading from Napier, where we saw the first rays of sunshine of the day anywhere in the world, to Rotorua. Unfortunately, that was the end of the sunshine. Nature needs the rain. So we took the most direct and safest route to our hotel for the night. Therefore, I didn't take too many photos today. Our guests then enjoyed the lovely, warm thermal pool. We're in a very active geothermal area here. There are more than a dozen of them between Taupo and Rotorua. Wai-o-tapu – the holy water. It definitely smells strongly of sulfur, but you get used to it. Tomorrow we'll visit the nearby Maori village of Whakarewarewa.
Today we’re heading on, way up north – which, here in New Zealand, confusingly lies *closer to the equator* than back home. Naturally, it’s getting hotter and hotter. Perfect weather to take a spontaneous plunge into the ocean. But wait! Before we even fire up the engines, one of the day’s highlights is already waiting for us! We’re visiting the Māori village! Faya, a young Māori woman, tells us all about her tribe’s culture and shows us how the power of nature and the hot springs are used. She even explains how, back in the day, people could predict the weather just by observing the hot pools. Nowadays, she says, Māori also rely on regular weather apps or simply turn on the radio. To top off our tour, we get to watch the geyser erupt. And now—onto the bikes! Our lunch stop at the wonderful Flatwhite Café is right on Waihi Beach! Before long, three of us are seated on the beach terrace with soaking-wet swim shorts. After a delicious meal, we continue along beautiful roads up toward the Coromandel. Some decide on a relaxed afternoon at the hotel—a truly gorgeous place nestled deep in the rainforest. The rest of us ride together to visit Hot Water Beach. The day ends with a lovely dinner and great conversations. We share the best moments of our tour. Hard to believe how fast these two weeks have flown by! But we’ve still got one day left—heading all the way up to Auckland! We’re looking forward to it!
For some, today is a sad day, as it's their last in New Zealand. Before that, however, we'll be riding along the stunning roads of the Coromandel Peninsula. On the map, the peninsula looks like a finger and offers us a 50 km long, winding route that runs so close to the water you could almost touch it. In the town of the same name, which was a center for gold and copper mining in the 19th century, we stop for a coffee. Today, the town's income comes from tourism. We turn off to reach Kawakawa Bay along the Firth of Thames. One last ice cream stop, then Auckland traffic swallows us up. This city of 1.5 million inhabitants is the final destination for some of our group. It was a fantastic last day of riding, which I (Michaela) was able to share with you. Thank you for the great teamwork. We hand over the motorcycles with heavy hearts. We're reminiscing and feeling thrilled. But our farewell dinner is meant to be one last highlight. From the very top, 326 meters up in the Sky Tower, we have a fantastic view and our dinner is delicious. The next morning it's time to say goodbye. Our guests have many different plans for their journey home. Our Northland group continues with a 5-day extension. Check out the new blog again soon Your tour guides Julia and Michaela Thank you for the fantastic 14 days. We had so much fun, even more laughter, and a wonderful group dynamic. After the tour is before the tour – see you again!