New Zealand Motorcycle Tour

The Kiwi Crusade is the ultimate one-way guided New Zealand Motorcycle tour. You will ride all the best bits of the country over 12 days, visit cultural and motorcycle attractions and do it all on Harley Davidsons, custom motorcycles, and unique cruisers. If you are a freedom seeker, adventurous spirit, and die-hard rider this the motorcycle trip for you!

Key information

Terrain: asphalt
Bike: rental bikes (Harley Davidson Street Glides, Harley 500, Triumph Bobber, Honda Fury and custom motorcycles)
Mileage: 2050 miles / 3209 kilometers
Daily rides: 23 to 290 miles / 38 to 467 kilometers)
Riding gear: not included, please bring your own gear (high-quality motorcycle jeans, leather jacket, gloves, helmet, wet weather gear)
Meals: breakfast

Highlights

Starts in Auckland, ends in Queenstown
Day cruise at the breath-taking Milford Sound
Enjoy a ride to Lake Taupo, Desert Road, and Mt Ruapehu
Experience a ride to the seal colony and 4x4 high-country adventure
Enjoy Maori cultural experience with native meals and dance performance
Visit Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and the Church of The Good Shepherd
Geothermal encounter: hot pools, geysers, and history
11 nights accommodation

Skill level

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Styles

12 riding days

Group size: Maximum of 12 participants

Airport transfer included: Auckland Airport

Program

Day 1: Auckland to Rotorua via Waihi Beach (168 miles / 271 kilometers)

Welcome to New Zealand! You will meet others at Planet Chopper's New Zealand HQ and go over the safety briefing. Planet Chopper will also hand out the tour booklet which outlines the exact itinerary including ride times, hotels, and interesting information about each destination.

Then it’s time to hit the road! You’ll be having lunch by a golden sand beach before heading to the cultural stronghold of New Zealand: Rotorua. The town was settled by our indigenous Maori in the 14th century and many of their traditions still thrive today. Rotorua also has the youngest geothermal system on the planet with many active geysers and hot pools.

You’ll have a private tour of a Maori Village to learn about local customs, eat a ‘hangi’ meal (food cooked from geothermal heat) and view the famous ‘grumpy old man’, a geyser that shoots blazing hot steam 40-feet into the air every 15 minutes. Afterward, you will experience the world-famous ‘haka’ war dance. Make sure your camera is charged!

Day 2: Rotorua to Wellington (290 miles / 467 kilometers)

Today you are riding to Wellington, the world’s southernmost capital. You’ll ride alongside Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s biggest lake with a surface area of 238 sq mi (616 sq km).

Then you’ll ride under trees that form a roof over the road for many miles, before blasting onto the expansive plains of the ‘Desert Road’. You also ride in view of Mt Ruapehu which sits at 10,000 ft and a huge 6,500 ft Volcano. You’ll rock into Wellington which has the best bar, music, and food scenes in the country. Get ready for a great night.

Day 3: Wellington to Blenheim via Cook Strait (23 miles / 38 kilometers)

You’ll have a free morning to explore Wellington before your afternoon ferry between the North and South Island. This boat trip offers amazing views over Wellington Harbour and on the other side, you will experience the unbelievably beautiful Marlborough Sounds.

Hundreds of inlets and tiny islands of rich, untouched native bush rise over crystal clear water: a sight to behold! Tonight we head to the coolest and most welcoming family-run vineyard in the world: Bladen Wines. Homemade buffet dinner in the middle of the vineyard awaits you, a fitting welcome to the breathtaking South Island.

Day 4: Blenheim to Methven via seal colony (247 miles / 398 kilometers)

On this ride, you’ll begin to realize why the South Island has such a reputation! You’ll ride along the rugged East Coast stopping to see a seal colony in their natural habitat. With luck, you may even spot an albatross with its 10 feet (3.3 meters) wingspan. Whales and dolphins also frequent these waters so keep your eyes peeled.

Traffic will lessen as you make your way further south. The hills turn into mountains and the vastness of the land and sky opens before you. The stunning turquoise color of the rivers and lakes is mesmerizing, it is created by finely ground rock particles from glaciers.

Day 5: Methven to Mount Cook (162 miles / 261 kilometers)

Every ride on this trip is Planet Chopper team's favorite but this one could be near the top. You ride alongside Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki, this route will provide postcard-perfect views between your handlebars. You’ll stop at the iconic Church of The Good Shepherd and will skirt New Zealand's largest hydro-power dam.

As you ride towards Mt Cook, the mountains and lakes will continue to grow in size, sometimes it’s hard to take it all in at once! Your accommodation is the Hermitage at the foot of Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak at 12,218 ft (3,724 m).

Day 6: Mount Cook to Naseby (193 miles / 311 kilometers)

This morning you will be able to view the mountains from your bed. If the lighting is right the sun will begin to paint the color on top of the ridges. It’s hard to imagine how this day could be better than the last but prepare to be mesmerized again.

You’re going to ride over Lindis Pass, arguably New Zealand’s most beautiful road, photos do no justice here: this place must be ridden to be believed. You will make a stop in Arrowtown. Gold was first found here in 1862 bringing an influx of European and Chinese hopefuls. The town looks like a movie set with buildings made out of old wood and riverbed rocks. Much like your place for the night, Naseby, a sleepy town nestled in the forest with 100 permanent residents.

Day 7: Naseby to the Burt Munro Challenge (180 miles / 291 kilometers)

Rise and shine, you’re heading off on a 4x4 adventure into the mountains! You will have four expert guides with the group that will fill you in on the entire history of gold-mining in this region, including fascinating stories about the grit of the early settlers who travelled here to one of the most isolated parts of the world.

The combination of scenery, history, and 4x4 madness will blow your mind, this is a one-of-a-kind experience. Afterward, you ride to Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge! After checking into a hotel in the heart of the town you’ll head to watch the beach races. Then it’s time for the legendary Friday night concert. What a day!

Day 8: The Burt Munro Challenge

Today is a free day so it’s time to enjoy the event! You can also head to Hayes Hardware where Burt’s record-breaking Indian still resides. Planet Chopper recommends you go to the world-famous Motorcycle Mecca which features modern and classic motorcycles from over 60 manufacturers. Today’s events include drag racing, hill climbs, and track racing. Your pre-purchased rally pass allows you to go to all the activities and races, it’s up to you how you spend your time!

Day 9: Invercargill to Te Anau (98 miles / 159 kilometers)

This morning you’ll witness the famous street races through the middle of town where racers hit speeds of up to 160 mph (260 km/h). There are many classes to feed your adrenaline including supermoto, sidecar, and street bikes. You have two friends racing so you’ll get to go into the pits! After the races finish, you will take the short ride to Te Anau situated in the least inhabited region of New Zealand due to its incredibly dense forestry and bush.

Day 10: Te Anau to Queenstown via Milford Sound (406 miles / 252 kilometers)

How does this scenery keep getting better? That’s usually a question Planet Chopper team gets asked at this point in the trip. Today's ride on Milford Road is like something out of Jurassic Park, you are surrounded by thick native forestry but these huge trees look tiny compared to the massive mountains that rise above them. Have your cameras charged, especially on today’s ride!

After a short stint, You will arrive at Milford Sound. Be prepared – this spot is stunning — it’s coined as the eighth wonder of the world. You have a cruise booked to take you around the 10 miles (16 kilometers) fiord lined with vertical rock faces and dazzling waterfalls. Keep an eye out for native birds, dolphins and fur seals. Next stop, Queenstown, New Zealand's adventure capital.

Day 11: Queenstown, free day

There’s no better place in the world to have a free day than in Queenstown. When it comes to adventure and scenery this city has it all! Here are three of Planet Chopper's favorite excursions:

Bungee jumping from the exact location on the Shotover River where it was invented. Get ready for a 440 feet (134 meters) drop and 8 seconds of fall time
The Shotover Jet speeds through a river canyon within inches of the rock face at 52 mph (82 km/h).
The Skyline, take a ride on a gondola to be on-the-top of the bottom of the world! There are also hiking trails and a luge ride down.

Tonight you have a legendary farewell dinner, it’s an evening for you to laugh, reflect, and celebrate.

Day 12: Departure

You’ve just completed the ultimate New Zealand road trip! If you have spare time, Planet Chopper team recommends that you stay in Queenstown for a few days, otherwise there are plenty of flights back to Auckland from here. Flights out of Queenstown are beautiful, take in the mountain views. See you soon!

Skill level(s) required for this tour: beginner, intermediate, advanced

Beginner:

can ride for 2-3 hours
minimal riding experience
assistance required
comfortable with curves and leans
basic experience with unsurfaced roads
short distance ascents and descents

Intermediate:

can ride for 3-4 hours
average riding experience
little assistance required
comfortable with extreme curves and leans
average experience with unsurfaced roads
steep ascents and descents

Advanced:

can ride for 5-6 hours
extensive riding experience
assistance on demand (if required)
experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

Location

The journey starts in Auckland and heads to the Coromandel Peninsula, renowned for its golden sand beaches and curvy roads. Then you’re off to Rotorua to experience life in a Maori village. You will eat local food, see active geysers, and witness a live Haka performance. After that, you head to Wellington, the world’s southernmost capital and center for New Zealand food and cafes. The next day, you take the ferry from the North to South Island, offering stunning views all around.

Once in the South Island, you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, taking time to see the beaches, lakes, and rivers as well as a day cruise in the ‘seventh wonder of the world’: Milford Sound. Not to mention the 4x4 adventure you take to over 5000 feet in old gold mining territory.

After that, you’ll reach The Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill. A motorcycle-lovers dream with beach and street races, motorcycle mecca, and Transport World, you’ll even get to see Burt Munro’s record-breaking Indian motorcycle.

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Food

Daily breakfast is included in the price. You will eat amazing, locally-sourced food for the entire trip.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

Late-model motorcycle rental
11 nights quality hotel accommodation
12 full breakfasts
Special welcome and farewell dinners
Maori cultural experience
4x4 adventure and gold mining history
Entrance to Burt Munro Challenge and Motorcycle Mecca
Picton to Wellington Ferry
Milford Sound cruise
Planet Chopper t-shirt and cap
Airport / Hotel Pick up
Ride guide booklet / keepsake
Service of 2 local and experienced tour guides
Chase truck with luggage trailer to carry your belongings + spare motorcycle

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