21 Day North and South Island Self Ride Guided Value Tours

For Dates of this Tour and our other Motorcycle Tours of New Zealand please download our 2011_2012 Bularangi Motorbikes Tour Schedule Click to Download Reader

Value Tours:

Value Tours Inclusions:

For detailed list of inclusions click here.

Value Tours Exclusions:

For detailed list of exclusions click here.

Day 1 Christchurch to Lake Tekapo via Rakaia Gorge

256 kilometres / 160 miles

We hop on the Harleys and leave the Garden City of Christchurch behind us as we head off across the Canterbury Plains and through the stunning area of the Rakaia Gorge, as we head to the majestic might of Mount Cook and the blue of Lake Tekapo – you will be stunned as you see the awesome blue of the lake.

Day 2 Lake Tekapo to Dunedin

290 kilometres / 180 miles

This morning we head off on the Harleys leaving the Mount Aoraki National Park behind and heading further south on the South Island. We cut across to the coast coming out at Oamaru where we have time to visit the blue penquin colony, before heading on further south on the coast road to the Scottish like town of Dunedin where we will spend the night.

Day 3 Dunedin to Invercargill via the Caitlins

248 kilometres / 155 miles

Jump on the Harleys and today we further south towards the southernmost city of New Zealand, Invercargill. Our roadtrip by motorbike today takes us to on a beautiful ride through the stunning Caitlins region of Southland, a place of hidden waterfalls, river valleys and picturesque rocky bays where the Pacific Ocean bites into the land. We also make a visit to the Petrified Forest - 180 million years old, is revealed at low tide at Curio Bay, this Jurassic forest, of petrified tree stumps and logs is amazing! We then head on up to Invercargill for the night, once we arrive in Invercargill, we have the option of a further ride out to Bluff the southernmost point of New Zealand for those that wish. Also in this town is the Burt Munro museum which is definitely worth a visit!

Day 4 Invercargill to Te Anau

180 kilometres / 112 miles

We have a late start today to give everyone the chance of a lie in. Then we head off on the Southern Scenic Route heading away from the South Coast of the South Island back towards the Southern Alps in all their glory. Our ride will get us into the beautiful lakeside town of Te Anau at lunchtime, which gives you an afternoon to explore the town or perhaps a glow worm cave tour by boat across the lake. As we head to Milford Sound tomorrow we will in Te Anau for 2 nights.

Day 5 Te Anau to Milford Sounds and Return

240 kilometres / 150 miles

Today we head off to Milford Sound - it is the same road in and out including a one kilometre one way tunnel. The ride has stunning mountains, glaciers, native bush and snow clad mountain tips. Once at Milford Sound you take a 2 hour boat cruise out onto the Sound for those that wish, which is a truly spectacular cruise. We then head back for another night on the shores of the lake at Te Anau.

Day 6 Te Anau to Cardrona

203 kilometres / 127 miles

Heading off from our 2 night stay at Te Anau we are today heading up to the town of Queenstown for an afternoon or sightseeing around this “adventure capital” of New Zealand. For those that don't wish to have a sightsee can take a ride out to Glenorchy along the shores of Lake Wakatipu in the afternoon. Late afternoon we head off for our overnight stay at one of the oldest hotels in New Zealand, the Cardrona Hotel – on the highest sealed road in New Zealand.

Day 7 Cardrona to Fox Glacier

287 kilometres / 179 miles

Today we take the road further north, starting up the West Coast of New Zealand, renowned for its heavy rainfalls but also staggeringly beautiful, and one of the favourite rides of all our clients on our tours. We head through more dramatic scenery of dense native bush and glacier valleys as we ride through the Haast Pass, stopping for an eating experience at the Bushman's café that will not be forgotten! We then cruise on the Harleys into Fox Glacier for the night and if you wish should have time for a flight up the glaciers!

Day 8 Fox Glacier to Arthurs Pass

242 kilometres / 151 miles

Today we continue our ride up the stunning West Coast of the South Island, a beautiful coastal ride with high mountain ranges on your right and the ocean on your left. After Hokitika, famous for its green stone, we head inland to the Arthurs Pass and start the climb up into it, and tonight we stay in Arthurs Pass National Park.

Day 9 Arthurs Pass to Hanmer Springs

258 kilometres / 161 miles

The ride today takes us out of Arthurs Pass National Park - the majestic mountain pass is all about massive mountains and going up, up, up ...then down, down, down. You will appreciate this once you have driven your Harley through there. Then we head on up to the next mountain pass, the Lewis Pass, where we will spend the night at the start of the pass in the wonderful resort of Hanmer Springs with its awesome hot thermal pools, great for an evening soak after a day in the Harley saddle!

Day 10 Hanmer Springs to Punakaiki

261 kilometres / 163 miles

Today we start to zig zag across the South Island taking in the magnificent Southern Alp mountain passes that this country offers - we cruise through the Lewis Pass today. This is quite unlike the route through the Arthur Pass which we do in a couple of days time, Lewis Pass follows a meandering course along a succession of rivers so are almost constantly in a valley looking up.

Day 11 Punakaiki to Nelson

266 kilometres / 166 miles

We start the day with viewing the magnificent splendour of the Punakaiki Rocks and then it is on the motorbikes to continue our tour. Today the ride takes us through the Buller Gorge - this is a wonderful ride of many more twists and turns as you follow the Buller River through the Gorge. We then come out of the gorge at spend the night in Nelson, gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park.

Day 12 Nelson (Free Day)

We have a 2 night stay in Nelson so today if a free day to sightsee the local area of Nelson with its azure skies and wide open spaces, beaches and lakes, spectacular national parks and unique landforms, vineyards and gourmet cafes, artists and galleries, entrepreneurs and boutique shopping experiences. If you wish to do a day of riding instead then there is a wonderful ride up to the stunning Abel Tasman Park - approximate 200 kms ride.

Day 13 Nelson to Picton then Ferry crossing

108 kilometres / 68 miles

Today we start off with the shortest motorbike ride of the tour, with the challenging twists and turns of the Queen Charlotte Drive between Nelson and Picton- a truly magnificent ride with amazing views, beaches and native bush. We then board the ferry to the North Island and take the 3 hour ferry ride from the north to south island - the first half of the ferry crossing brings us in through the natural stunning beauty of the Queen Charlotte Sound, which is wonderful.

Day 14 Wellington to Taupo

370 kilometres / 231 miles

A long day of riding today and we get on the Harleys and head north towards the Central Plateau of the North Island, the first half of the day is spent cruising on relatively straight roads through the farmlands of the bottom half of the North Island, with its rolling countryside. We then hit the desert road and have stunning views across to the 3 volcanoes of the Tongario National Park, before dropping into Taupo for our 2 night stay.

Day 15 Lake Taupo (Free Day)

Today you have an opportunity to rest and experience what Taupo has to offer with the Huka Falls, Geothermal Parks, Boat Trips, Sky Dives, Bungee Jumps to name but a few. However if you prefer to have a day of riding then there are wonderful day rides around Lake Taupo itself that can be done easily in an day of riding.

Photo from hukafallsjet.com

Day 16 Lake Taupo to Gisborne

328 kilometres / 205 miles

Onto the Harleys and across a remote New Zealand road to Napier – a beautiful ride that takes us out the east coast of the North Island. We then continue on a coastal ride through the wine growing region of Hawkes Bay as we follow the road along up the coast, through the vineyards and into Gisborne for the night. For those that wish that evening we take in a Kapa Haka maori show, high above Gisborne, in the natural outdoors.

Day 17 Gisborne to Waihi via the Waioweka Gorge

339 kilometres / 211 miles

Today we head off towards the East Cape of New Zealand - first through the kiwi fruit growing area of Katikati and we then head down the stunning coastal ride of the Bay of Plenty coastline, before cutting inland to end the day riding through the endless twists and turns of the Waiweka Gorge with its amazing range of native bush. For those that wish that evening we take in a Kapa Haka maori show, high above Gisborne, in the natural outdoors.

Day 18 Waihi to Waihi via the Coromandel Loop

260 kilometres / 162 miles

Today is asplendid day of cruising the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway around the volcanic Coromandel peninsula, offering one the the most stunning motorbike rides in New Zealand. The road hugs the coastline for a great deal fo the ride giving you fantastic ocean views with golden beaches and on your other side volcanic mountains rising up clad in dense native bush - stunning!

We visiting idyllic Coromandel Township and stop here for lunch before heading on around the Peninsula for a well earned stop at the iconic Kiwi Coromandel Tavern and Hot Water Beach before heading back to base in Waihi.

Day 19 Waihi to Omapere

424 kilometres / 265 miles

A big day of riding today as we head off on State Highway one for Auckland and Auckland traffic. Once we are through the city, we are off cruising again on the Harleys via Helensville, and then onto the Twin Coast Discovery Highway where we stop at the well known Matakohe Kauri museum. We take our lunch here and you can discover some of the local history through this wonderful museum. After lunch we carry on through the grandeur of the Waipoua Forest to Tane Mahuta the oldest and largest surviving native Kauri tree in New Zealand. We then follow the western coastline along to Omapere where we will be staying tonight on the edge of the beautiful Hokianga Harbour, overlooking the massive sand dunes on the other side of the harbour.

Day 20 Omapere to Paihia via Cape Reinga

440 kilometres / 275 miles

A big day of riding today, this morning we catch the ferry across the Hokianga Harbour and head north following the Twin Coast Discovery Trail through the wonderful forests of Northland and we then head up to Cape Reinga to see the northern most point of New Zealand and where the might of two great oceans meet. We then make our way back down towards Paihia in the magnificent Bay of Islands.

Day 21 Speed boat ride through Bay of Islands then Paihia to Auckland

260 kilometres / 163 miles

Start the day with a high speed boat trip out to see the famous hole in the Rock and enjoy the beauty of the Bay of Islands. Once we are back on dry land its time to head off on the Harley Davidsons on a leisurely afternoon cruise back to City of Sails, Auckland stopping in at Waipu Cove and the Puhoi Cheese Factory on the way back for our last night of the tour.