Great Taste Trail – Point-to-Point
Looping through the Tasman Bay towns of Nelson, Wakefield, Richmond, Motueka and Kaiteriteri, in the north of New Zealand’s South Island, the Great Taste Trail is a terrific way to tour the attractions of this popular holiday destination.
This is a highly-customizable 4-day 3-night point-to-point cycling tour with an option to add extra days.
Description
Looping through the Tasman Bay towns of Nelson, Wakefield, Richmond, Motueka and Kaiteriteri, in the north of New Zealand’s South Island, the Great Taste Trail is a terrific way to tour the attractions of this popular holiday destination.
Its mix of rural, urban, coastal and riverside scenery is a fabulous feast for the eyes. Natural beauty, however, is only part of the appeal, with this trail serving up a tantalising array of tasty attractions – from art galleries and boutique shopping, to fruit stalls, cafes, craft beer pubs and winery restaurants.
The village of Mapua is on the Great Taste Trail and it offers several great coffee options, a craft brewery, wine bar with a huge selection of beers and wines, several good restaurants, a local craft beer pub. The pleasant wharf and village areas are all within short walking distances of your accommodation.
Kaiteriteri is a great place to either relax by the beach or catch a boat from here into Abel Tasman National Park. Day trip for boat/walk or kayaking (or all three) can be booked in advance or even on the day. Little Kaiteriteri is a 10 min walk from the restaurants at Kaiteriteri and is quieter than the centre of Kaiteriteri ( especially in the height of summer) with a lovely beach also safe for swimming, which you can see from the B&B ( 5 min stroll for a refreshing dip!!)
We can offer suggestions for the best options if you want to explore Abel Tasman National Park, cruise, walk kayaking options all available. We can arrange for you to be collected from your accommodation too, with some of the day trips starting closer to the park than Kaiteriteri.
Itinerary
An example itinerary:
- Mapua village – Cycle from central Nelson to Mapua via Rabbit Island 35kms (Grade 1 mostly flat). If day 1 is a Saturday, browse the Nelson market before you start your bike ride. Along the way cafes, a brewery and a winery are close to the trail as well as other possible places to explore including the and Nelson Collectable Car Museum. Before catching the little the ferry to Mapua, stop off by the long sandy beach of Rabbit Island and go for a swim. When you arrive at Mapua wharf you will instantly see many of the eateries and shops that make this a popular destination with locals and visitors alike. Your accommodation will be a short distance from here.
- Optional day A: Cycle to and from your accommodation in Mapua and explore the hidden gems of the Moutere. If you want to sample some of the best flavours of the region, this is a ‘must do’. A 35 km circuit offers unique coffee stops, fine food, boutique award-wining wineries (including the most scenic winery in the Nelson region), craft beers (The Moutere Inn, NZ’s oldest pub) and studios of acclaimed artists. This is not on the trail and uses back roads and local cycle/walk paths.
- Kaiteriteri/ Little Kaiteriteri – Cycle Mapua to Kaiteriteri. This is one of the most popular and diverse segments of the trail. Countryside and coastal sections get you to places that only cyclists will go. Several craft breweries, great coffee, and food options along the way. Our notes and maps will also help you find some local gems that you wouldn’t find directly on the trail. 43kms. Grade 2 & two segments of Grade 3 2.5km long and 4km long (this one can be avoided if you ride on the road for 1.5km)
- Optional day B: Explore Abel Tasman National Park or relax and enjoy a swim off one of the local beaches or leisurely walks around the local tracks of Kaiteriteri. There are lots of options and we can help you choose a cruise, walk and/or kayak on a full or half day trip. See link below. Cycling is not permitted in the park, but if you want to do some cycling, a 20km round trip following the coastal road (narrow in places but great views along the way) to Marahau is also an option.
- Tapawera/Kohatu – Cycle from Kaiteriteri (or a selected start point if you want a shorter ride) to Tapawera 74km. Vehicle transfer at the start of the ride if you don’t want to cycle the full 74kms from Kaiteriteri (and avoid the mountain bike section when you leave Kaiteriteri). It is possible to cycle between 35 to 75kms on this section and you don’t need to decide until the day before. Today’s ride includes Grade 2 & 3. Grade 3 is on a quiet little road following the river for approximately 33kms, which is also quite flat. Stunning scenery, different to all the other days. Follow the majestic Motueka river for most of the way with Kahurangi National Park as the background scenery. Due to the rural nature of this ride, only a couple of coffee stops today! There are also access points to the river for safe swimming or picnic locations. Arrive at your accommodation and explore the local area or go for a swim. Dinner is included at some accommodation locations, so you don’t have to make any plans, it’s all taken care of. If it isn’t included, it’s because there are dining options very close by. We carefully select accommodation so once you have finished cycling, the rest of the day is easy too.
- Nelson – Cycle from your accommodation along the cycle trial and through Spooners Tunnel. Stop off along the way the historical villages of Wakefield and Brightwater. You can choose to finish your ride at Richmond, or you can follow the railway reserve route for part of the return leg to Nelson.53-68km Grades 1 & 2 from (mostly flat or downhill!).
Your Bike
The bikes for our New Zealand tours are comfort trail bikes and flat bar gravel adventure bikes. Included with bike hire are a helmet, pannier bag, spare inner tube kit, tour pack with route notes and maps specific to your tour, discount vouchers for local cafes and wine bars and a premium goody welcome bag.
The trail bike offers a more upright riding position and provides a comfortable ride. They are designed to cope equally well with road and trail surfaces.
Our gravel adventure bikes have a more sporty riding position, with narrower saddles.
The trail bikes are also available as electric bikes with top of the range pedal assist Bosch motors and long-lasting batteries.
