A spectacular journey exploring New Zealand's hidden gem, the Manawatu/Whanganui, a region with active volcanoes, 3 mighty rivers, rich farmland, vibrant forests and a fascinating history.
6 Days from
$
Moderate
23kg of CO2-e PP per day
(116kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)
Explore untouched hinterland and stunning back country rides on this remarkable tour exploring the Manawatu/Whanganui region in the Lower North Island. The region is dominated by the Volcanic Plateau, an active volcanic and thermal area including the North Island's 3 active peaks, Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. We'll also experience the 'spine' of mountain ranges running through the middle of the central North Island, with gentle rolling farmland on both sides coupled with mystical native forests and fast flowing rivers, which run from the Volcanic Plateau and Mountain spine out to the Tasman Sea.
Our journey begins in the shadow of the highest mountain in the North Island, Mt Ruapehu, following a delightful back country cycle route traversing quiet valleys and the Volcanic Plateau to the ski town of Ohakune on the slopes of the active volcano.
2 nights staying on the Volcanic Plateau provides opportunity to spend a full day adventuring in the Whanganui National Park, exploring the River by jet boat and canoe through gorges and amongst native bush. We follow our on-water adventure with a cycle alongside the River on a delightful back country road finishing in the coastal town of Whanganui.
From here we head into the hidden gem of the Manawatu region for 2 days to ride past soaring cliffs and lush farmland against the dramatic backdrop of the Ruahine Range.
Starting and finishing our trip in the town of Taupo, on the edge of the lake of the same name, provides opportunity to extend your holiday and spend a couple of days exploring New Zealand's largest lake and surrounding adventure playground.
Expand all | Collapse all
Meals: D
Show on map
Meals: B,L
Meals: B,D
Meals: B,L,D
Meals: B
5 scheduled departures between 31 Jan 2027 and 11 Apr 2028.
Our guides are one of our biggest assets and we pride ourselves on their level of quality and high standards. You will have two experienced members of our guiding team. You’ll know you’re in safe hands as all of our guides are certified in first aid and CPR and many of them are trained bike mechanics. They come from all walks of life but our guides have a common desire to give you the best possible experience, fun and lots of fond memories to take home with you.
North Island Cycling Adventures | Adventure South NZ
New Zealand is a beautiful country, especially when you can see it pedaling on two wheels. The transport on Adventure South was comfortable. The two guides were fantastic providing encouragement, snacks and fun facts along the way. My experience included gravel, mountain and road biking. The electric bike I opted for worked great . The restaurants selected offered plenty of great food!
We had an absolutely great time and were so well looked after by our experienced and enthusiastic guides with plenty of forward information and guidance, and all our every-minute needs well and truly met.
GUIDES
Our two guides were a great duo; they were cheerful, caring, supportive and encouraged us when needed (eg on challenging sections of rides) and importantly communicated with all of our team.
ITINERARY
The itinerary was well balanced with good cycling exercise and diversity of routes, along with well stationed “rest” times.
Trip details, organization, support, variety, guides and meals and scenery and quiet country roads were all outstanding!
Adventure South NZ was a great organization to work with coordinating a bicycle adventure in New Zealand. Their customer service is right on and the tour guides were exceptional with their knowledge of cycling, logistics and history of the islands, both North and South.
Extremely well organized and executed to perfection. Guides are as good as you will ever find professionalism. Helpfulness and knowledge of all things new zealand.
The guides were always attentive to our needs, helping those who needed an extra hand. The routes were just right, starting easy and increasing in challenge!
Often family run, the chosen motels for this trip are 3 stars and provide access to local living thanks to your hosts. The hospitality is generous and their local knowledge is invaluable. Where possible, we choose locations that add to your experience.
Makoura Lodge was built on the family farm by the McIntyres and features macrocarpa timber milled from the property and rocks from the nearby river for stonework.
Designed right here in Aotearoa New Zealand, our fleet of Sinch eBikes is made to handle the country’s trails with ease. These pedal-assist bikes take the edge off hills and longer rides thanks to smooth, reliable Shimano motor systems and a comfortable, upright riding position.
They come with front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and air-sprung dropper seat posts to help fine-tune your comfort on the go. The smaller sizes (XS, S, M) feature step-through frames and swept-back handlebars for a relaxed touring posture, while large and XL frames are also available in a step-through option on request.
Whether you’re riding through the Mackenzie Basin, tracing the path of the Molesworth muster, or rolling past vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, the Sinch eBike is built to help you enjoy the ride.
Tap the arrows left and right to explore the other bikes on offer for this tour.
They come with front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and air-sprung dropper seat posts to help fine-tune your comfort on the go. Large and XL frames are also available in a step-through option on request.
Our custom Avanti Discovery bikes are built for real-world Aotearoa New Zealand trails — simple, solid, and comfortable. Fast-rolling tyres and upgraded suspension forks keep things smooth over mixed terrain, while the 1x10 drivetrain makes gear changes easy and intuitive.
Hydraulic disc brakes give you reliable stopping power, and the rear rack fitted with one of our rack bags (included in hire) is ideal for stashing your layers, lunch or camera. With a relaxed upright riding position, this is a great choice for those who want a traditional, pedal-powered ride without sacrificing comfort.
Whether you’re cruising through the Roxburgh Gorge, flying across the Shotover Bridge, or pedalling beside the wild surf of the Taranaki coast, the Avanti Discovery is a dependable trail mate.
This bike is also available in a low-step model on request!
Tap the arrows left and right to explore the other bikes available to rent for this tour.
The Avanti Gran-Durance 3 is our go-to do it all drop bar bike — stable, responsive, and ready for the kind of North island riding we love to share. Built with a lightweight aluminium frame and fork, it’s designed for long days in the saddle, with relaxed geometry that takes the edge off the climbs and keeps you feeling confident on the descents.
It’s the perfect match for the kind of riding we love to share.
Most of these roads are quiet back-roads with no shoulder. Cyclists need to be aware of the road rules and able to cope with small amounts of traffic.
This surface is manageable for most, however cyclists need to be comfortable riding on rougher gravel surfaces including graded roads and deeper gravel.
Every departure date advises whether the date is confirmed, and roughly how full it is. Here is what each one means.
If a date shows Guaranteed to go, it runs regardless of further bookings.
It means two travellers are enough to confirm the departure. It could be 2 more to add to the group, or the date only needs 2 people to run. Either way, if you book for two people, the date will become guaranteed to run.
You will know the status before you book. Every date on this page is labelled, and dates marked “Guaranteed to go” are running regardless of further bookings. Where a date has not reached its minimum we either offer a surcharge to operate for a smaller group size so it can still run, or we cancel it. We contact you directly either way.
If we cancel a departure due to not meeting minimum trip numbers, you receive a full refund of everything you have paid us less any non recoverable costs, where insurance may cover you. We cannot refund money committed elsewhere – additional non refundable deposits advised at the time of booking, flights, visas, vaccinations, gear - which is why it is worth waiting for “Guaranteed to go” before booking other arrangements around this trip date. Please read our Booking Terms and Conditions before you book.
Each trip closes online a set time before departure. Permits, internal flights and hut or campsite bookings all have to be arranged before we take payment. Call or enquire as it might still be possible to organise last minute places.
Cancellations happen and places do open up on closed dates, so it is worth being on our list. We can also tell you which nearby date on the same trip has space, which is usually the faster route.
Yes, as a private departure. We can run this trip on a date you choose, for your own group - family, friends, a club, or in many cases, just for the two of you. Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming, and we will build it around that.
Carbon Footprint
So what does 100 kg of carbon look like? Here is a rough guide to help put it into perspective:
Discover how we're working to cut carbon emissions from our adventures by exploring the Climate Action page within our Responsible Travel hub.
Please note trip footprints do not include flights to and from the tour.
Search Filters
Ask a real person
All fields are required except mobile number.
Save or retrieve your favourites
Enter your email to save or retrieve your favourite trips.
Welcome! Please tell us your first name.
Enter verification code
Enter the 6-digit code we sent to .
Your Favourite Trips
Remove All Favourite Trips?
Are you sure you want to remove all your favourite trips?
This action cannot be undone.
The following errors occured
