Overview
A five day, self-guided adventure cycling in Hawke’s Bay, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated wine regions on the east coast of the North Island. As well as cycling to great wine spots such as Elephant Hill, Clearview Estate, Mission Estate, Trinity Hill and Oak Estate Winery, you have some of the region’s other beauty spots to imbibe en route. Highlights include the elegant, Art Deco and coastal city of Napier, where the tour starts and finishes, a woodland cycle along the Tukituki River and of course the green and luscious landscapes of one vineyard after another. Sinch Jaunt Easy On e-bikes are included as standard on this tour.
- Napier
- Gimblett Gravels
- Mission Estate Winery – New Zealand’s oldest winery
- Ahuriri Estuary
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Napier
Arrive in Napier and check in at your accommodation. Depending on arrival time wander around Napier exploring the fishing port or visit MTG Hawke’s Bay, Museum, Theatre and Gallery, home of the region’s taonga and other treasures.
- Accommodation: The Crown Hotel or similar in Napier
Day 2: Ahuriri Estuary Loop | 30-50km
Collect your e-bike and tour materials at the briefing with our local agent and cycle around flat trails around Ahuriri Estuary, via Bayview, visiting Crab Farm, Church Road and Mission Estate wineries. It is possible to pre-book lunch in advance at Church Road or Mission Estate wineries (lunch cost to be paid locally). Continue to Napier or cycle a bit further with a route up the river trails to the coast and through Art Deco Napier.
- Cycling for the day: 30-50km
- Accommodation: The Crown Hotel or similar in Napier
Day 3: Napier – Havelock North | 35-50km
Leave Napier and ride through Te Awanga, passing wineries including Elephant Hill, Clearview Estate and Te Awanga Estate. Lunch can be pre-booked at Clearview Estate (lunch cost to be paid locally). Continue with a 16km ride along the Tukituki River trails into Havelock North.
- Cycling for the day: 35-50km
- Accommodation: Porters Boutique Hotel & Conference Centre or similar in Havelock North
Day 4: Tukituki Loop | 35-55km
Cycle on back roads and trails around the Tukituki Loop, passing wineries including Black Barn, Te Mata and Askerne. Lunch can be pre-booked at Craggy Range, Elephant Hill or Clearview Estate (lunch cost to be paid locally). Return to Havelock North by bike, or take the shuttle from Te Awanga at 4pm back to your accommodation (included).
- Cycling for the day: 35-55km
- Accommodation: Porters Boutique Hotel & Conference Centre or similar in Havelock North
Day 5: Gimblett Gravels and departure | 35-55km
If travelling on a Sunday, visit Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market in the morning. Cycle through Hastings and continue across flat farmland to the Gimblett Gravels wine region. Visit cellar doors including Sileni Estates, Oak Estate and Trinity Hill, or stop at Roosters Craft Brewhouse. Continue to Pakowhai Regional Park, where a transfer is scheduled at 2pm to Napier.
- Cycling for the day: 35-55km
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in two comfortable, luxurious hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- The Crown Hotel (Napier)
- Porters Boutique Hotel & Conference Centre (Havelock North)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. Lunches at wineries can be pre-booked in advance and paid locally. Where no dinner is included, local restaurants are available in the area.
Difficulty and terrain
This trip is graded easy to moderate and includes cycling routes of 35-50km each day. The cycling trails follow off-road trails over mostly flat terrain. All participants should be able to read a map, follow directions and have a good sense of direction. (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available all year round.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, so you can start your holiday on any date in the season. Please note that supplements apply for tours that run over any New Zealand public holidays and long weekends. For more information, see our blog, Best time to go to New Zealand.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this holiday are Auckland (AKL) and Wellington (WLG), with a domestic flight to Hawke’s Bay Airport.
By train or bus
By car: direct motorway link from Auckland to Napier (5h) or from Wellington to Napier (4h).
By air: Hawke’s Bay Airport in Napier has regular domestic flights to/from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
By bus: There are direct bus services to/from Wellington (6h 15mins) and Auckland (7h 30mins); for rates and timetables check Intercity or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation in private en-suite rooms
- 4 breakfasts
- Luggage transfer between accommodations
- Shuttle drop-offs/pick-up
- Pre-tour briefing
- E-bike rental
- Route map
- 24/7 phone support by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
E-bike rental
Sinch Jaunt Easy On e-bikes are included as standard on this tour. All e-bikes are equipped with a padlock and key that must be used at all times when not riding the bike, a bag and a helmet.
Sample pictures shown above, please note that the exact models may differ depending on availability, but the standard will be the same.
