Our Route

New Zealand - North Island
New Zealand Summary

New Zealand – North Island 
We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand a week before Christmas, to spend Christmas and New Year with Prue’s sister and brother-in-law, Peter, in Russell, before heading off to cycle the length of the North Island from Russell, in the Bay of Islands to Wellington. We planned to follow the Tour Aotearoa bike packing route, as much as possible but realised that since we were fully laden we will not be able to do all the cycle routes
The ones which we did were:-
Twin Coast Cycle Trail
Haruaki Rail Trail Waikato Cycle Trail – part of it only
Timber Trail
Temuraki Rail Trail
We cycled 1,169 km in 51 days. We were caught in 3 cyclones, had 26 of days of rain and one earthquake.
We did cross over to the South Island to do a 7 day loop from Picton as we were ahead of schedule but again we got caught in the ‘tale’ of a cyclone causing us to abandon the trip.
From Wellington we caught the train back to Auckland.

NZ - North Island Route - Itinerary

 

Day From To Distance
1 Russell Kaikohe 54 km
2 Kaikohe Horeke 43 km
3 Horeke Russell 10 km
4 Russell Auckland CAR
5 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
6 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
7 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
8 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
9 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
10 Auckland Rest Day  0 km
11 Auckland Orere Point  CAR +     30 km
12 Orere Point Miranda Hot Springs 38 km
13 Miranda Hot Springs Thames  38 km
14 Thames Paeroa 40 km
15 Paeroa Waihi -Paeroa 36 km
16 Paeroa Matamata  70 km
17 Matamata Rest day   0 km
18 Matamata Bulmar’s Landing  56 km
19 Bulmar’s Landing Mangakino  57 km
20 Mangakino Whakamaru 10 km
21 Whakamaru Nga Herenga Camp Site 28 km
22 Nga Herenga Piropiro 43 km
23 Piropiro Bennett Road 49 km
24 Bennett Road Taumanurui 28 km
25 Taumanurui Rest Day  0 km
26 Taumanurui Turangi 64 km
27 Turangi Rest Day 0 km
28 Turangi Rest Day  0 km
29 Turangi Rest Day  0 km
30 Turangi Rest Day  0 km
31 Turangi Palmerston North BUS +    11 km
32 Palmerston North Rest Day   0 km
33 Palmerston North Rest Day   0 km
34 Palmerston North Rest Day   0 km
35 Palmerston North Eketahuna 73 km
36 Eketahuna Masterton 47 km
37 Masterton Martinborough 54 km
38 Martinborough Upper Hutt 64 km
39 Upper Hutt Wellington 47 km
40 Wellington Picton FERRY +     9 km
41 Picton Pelorus Bridge 65 km
42 Pelorus Bridge Nelson 64 km
43 Nelson Wakefield 34 km
44 Wakefield Blenheim CAR +   60 km
45 Blenheim Rest Day  0 km
46 Blenheim Rest Day 0 km
47 Blenheim Rest Day 0 km
48 Blenheim Picton CAR +    3 km
49 Picton Wellington FERRY + 2 KM
50 Wellington Rest Day  0 km
51 Wellington Auckland TRAIN
TOTAL 1169 KM

 

 

New Zealand - Advice
  • Purchase the TA ( Tour Aotearoa) cycling book for both islands, great guide.
  • Be prepared for all weather.
  • Great cycling trails, but be wary, not all can be riden fully laden.
  • NZ is not heavily populated so expect large sections of isolation, eg no shops for large distances.
  • Be prepared to change your route due to unfavourable weather.
New Zealand Touring

We has planned to cycle from Russell to Wellington, picking up the TA route from Horeke.  We were aware that some sections we could not ride because we were fully laden.

We were expecting good weather as it was summer, ( January / February), but due to unusual weather with record flooding rain and 3 cyclones., we could not ride our intended route.  We were  forced to take transport (car + bus)  twice to escape the impending cyclones.

 

New Zealand Weather

 New Zealand

New Zealand Facts

Population: 5-1/4 million
Language: English
Capital:  Wellington


Route:  New Zealand – North Island

1) Distance Cycled: 1169 km
2) Days in NZ: 51 days
3) Days Cycled: 28
4) Average km/day: 42 km
5) Camping days: 17
6) Rest Days: 23
7) Rainy days: 26
8) Punctures:  2
9) Dog Attacks:  0
10) Ferry Crossings: 3
10) Other: Cracked phone screen: 1
                    Earthquake: 2
                    Cyclones: 3