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The Queenstown Cycle Trail
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The Queenstown Cycle Trail starts in Otago’s world renowned Wakatipu Basin.
Queenstown’s reputation as one of the world’s favourite adventure and cycling destinations is enhanced with the addition of this New Zealand Cycle Tour.
The new Queenstown Cycle Trail is part of the New Zealand Cycling Trails network and unveils stunning new vistas, hidden ruins, spectacular architecture and world-class food and wine.
The cycle trail meanders through some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking scenery, taking in the stunning landscapes of Lake Hayes, Frankton and Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston Valley, Clyde, Alexandra (Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail), Roxburgh (Clutha Gold Cycle Trail) and Wanaka and brings to you 5 days of spectacular cycling and local experiences.
For the first time ever, you can cycle across unspoilt private land.... over mighty suspension bridges, ride alongside six iconic rivers and six lakes... all set in dramatic landscapes, some used for the now famous Lord of the Rings films.
We integrate into this New Zealand cycling tour The Queenstown Cycle Trail -The Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail and the Clutha Gold Cycle Trail.
- Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail – Discover another world. This cycle trail offers a wilderness experience through the remote and stunning Roxburgh Gorge. Sit back and become immersed in the splendid isolation that is the Roxburgh Gorge.
- Clutha Gold Cycle Trail – A journey of discovery - Ride alongside the powerful Clutha Mata-au River, through a secluded valley and gorge network and into lush green farmland. It is an easy grade trail that is full of variety, from undulating to flat to meandering.
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Your fully guided Queenstown Cycle Trail journey starts and ends in the adventure capital of the southern hemisphere, Queenstown (or Christchurch), with transport available from Christchurch.
Cycle tour includes all accommodation, meals, and support vehicles and guide.
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The Queenstown Cycle Trail
was created as part of a government-led initiative:
Nga Harenga - The New Zealand Cycle Trail
, developing New Zealand's best cycle tracks.
Tuatara Tours
is an official partner.
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Roger the Kangaroo Crushes Metal Buckets with His Bare Paws
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Meet Roger, the alpha male at the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs, Australia. When he’s not too busy fighting off younger males for the title of supreme leader, Roger likes to show off his muscles and practice his kickboxing moves.
If you’re an aspiring bodybuilder desperate enough to accept tips from a kangaroo, you should know his favourite training exercise is crushing his metal feed bucket with his bare paws. Sure, it sounds extreme, but just look at Roger’s guns!
You can tell he knows he looks good, too. The way he flexes for the camera and stares menacingly into the lens, he’s a natural superstar.
According to Chris “Brolga” Barnes, manager of Kangaroo Sanctuary and Roger’s human “mum”, the gorgeous red kangaroo’s muscles are not just for show. He is trained in hand-to hand combat and can disembowel his opponent with a well-placed kick. Roger apparently likes to spend his days crushing buckets, practicing his kickboxing moves and protecting his females.
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Brolga himself knows that despite their long friendship, Roger’s instincts as a grown male tell him to fight, so he makes sure to keep his distance.
At 89kg, and 7ft. from top to tail, 9-year-old Roger is taller and heavier than the average human being, but with his genes and quality feed, he’s expected to grow even bigger.
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Book on any of the
following 4 tours and receive a
NZ$100 rebate
and a
FREE
Tuatara Tours
Backpack
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Queen Charlotte Walk
26 March 2017
NZ$100 rebate
and a
FREE
Tuatara Tours Backpack
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Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail
25 March 2017
NZ$100 rebate
and a
FREE
Tuatara Tours Backpack
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Otago Rail Trail
20 March 2017
NZ$100 rebate
and a
FREE
Tuatara Tours Backpack
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Queenstown Cycle Trail
27 March 2017
NZ$100 rebate
and a
FREE
Tuatara Tours Backpack
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Norwegian City’s Ingenious Bicycle Lift Makes Cycling Uphill a Breeze
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The city of Trondheim in Norway is the first and only one in the world to have a lift specially designed to help cyclists travel uphill. The contraption is called Trampe and it can get you up a very steep hill with practically no effort on your part.
Trampe was first opened in 1993, and quickly turned Trondheim into a very popular tourist destination for cyclists. Over 200,000 cyclists have used it to go up a 130-metre hill, with no accidents reported so far.
In 2012, the original lift was dismantled and replaced with a more industrialised version in 2013, called the CycloCable.
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The Akaroa Walk is an icon among New Zealand walking tours. At 39 km, it is a very achievable journey over 3 days of fantastic scenery, taking you from Christchurch, the Gateway to the South Island, to the charming historic settlement of Akaroa on Banks Peninsula.
This New Zealand walking tour offers spectacular panoramic views from the crest of the Godley Head and Crater Rim walkways, a stroll amongst ancient totara forest on the Otepatotu Reserve Track and a close-up view of the twin volcanic craters of the Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours and the many smaller bays and coves that surround them.
The Banks Peninsula region is also host to a large number of bird species that shelter amongst the pockets of native trees and shrubs, while a marine mammal sanctuary in Akaroa Harbour protects the rare Hectors Dolphin.
The Akaroa Walk incorporates some of the best historical walking tracks in Canterbury. Among these is the Bridle Path Track, the original route travelled by Christchurch’s first European settlers in their arduous journey from the port of Lyttelton to the settlement of Christchurch, carrying clothing, food, and all their earthly possessions. Now you can retrace their footsteps, albeit with only your day pack.
Another walking trail surveyed as a traveller’s road but never constructed is the Summit Road Walkway, used by turn-of-the-century farmers and landowners as they journeyed from bay to bay on Banks Peninsula. In the spirit of the early pioneers and accompanied by one of our informative local walking guides, you will learn about the forces of nature that shaped this stunning landscape and the people that came to tame it, the legacy of the early Maori inhabitants and the influence of the French and English colonists still evident today.
Akaroa is a delightful place to spend a few days after your walking tour, consider extending your stay and enjoy a few days exploring the village at leisure, with its many fine galleries, craft shops and cafes. Your Akaroa Walk experience includes return transport to Christchurch at the end of your journey as well as all meals on tour, portage of luggage so you only need walk with a day pack and accommodation each night in locally owned and operated Lodges and motels
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Ultra-Resistant Kevlar Socks Make Your Feet Hobbit Tough
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They are called Swiss Protection Socks, and they’re part of a new range from the Swiss Barefoot Company. But it’s not just the toes that make these socks unique, it’s the fact that they don’t need to be worn with shoes. Yep, you simply put them on and go for a stroll, a run or even hike up a mountain.
The Swiss Protection Socks are being marketed by the Swiss Barefoot Company as the best way to get the complete barefoot experience. Apparently, there are people who love being barefoot, but can’t always do that due to the possibility of injuries.
With these socks however, your feet stay well protected without the need for shoes. The special socks are made of 50% Kevlar, 32% polyester, 8% spandex, and 10% cotton. Eco friendly PVC is also used, and it provides resistance to cuts.
But the big question is, are the socks puncture resistant? I seriously doubt they’d offer protection against something as sharp as broken glass.
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The Tongariro Crossing Walk
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A Life-Changing Experience
The Tongariro Crossing Walk is recommended as a 'life-changing experience' by the Lonely Planet travel guide.
This guided walk features a variety of trips in the iconic Tongariro National Park in the North Island of New Zealand.
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These include the world-famous
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
, stark volcanic landscapes, and awe-inspiring views over the central North Island.
You'll walk through native beech forests and traverse alpine fields.
You'll see a host of sparkling (and sometimes steaming) crater lakes, including the well-known lake at the top of volcanic Mt Ruapehu.
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Breathtaking Photo Almost Cost the Photographer His Life
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When Pakistani photographer Atif Saeed set out for a drive through a safari park in Lahore in 2012, little did he know that he would end up risking his life for what is possibly the best photograph of his career – a close-up shot of a charging lion!
It all started during the drive, when Saeed spotted a lion a short distance away. “It was an adult male lion, and what I liked most about him was the beautiful, dark hair on his neck,” the 38-year-old later recalled.
He got out of the car, left the door open, and crouched in the grass to take pictures with his 500mm telephoto lens. He did realise at the time that it could be a foolish move, but he told himself that it was the only way to get a natural photograph.
Saeed got his opportunity within seconds – the sound of the shutter apparently irritated the lion, and it turned around to charge at him. The lion’s expression at that moment was ferocious enough to send even the bravest of huntsmen into a state of shock. But Saeed managed to quickly gather his wits. He clicked a picture at lightning speed before leaping into his car and slamming the door shut, missing the aggressive beast by centimetres!
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Meet this year’s DOC Blake Ambassadors
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The next generation of Blake Ambassadors are already contributing to DOC’s work this summer.
This year the Sir Peter Blake Trust, in partnership with Antarctica NZ, the Antarctic Heritage Trust, NIWA, Tara Expeditions and DOC are offering 12 placements, five of these with the Department.
The Blake Ambassadors, aged 18-25 will be working alongside leading scientists, conservators and rangers, developing relationships and gaining field experience in their chosen area of study.
Shelly Campbell, CEO of the Sir Peter Blake Trust, says the programme is “designed to be a life changing experience. It provides unique hands-on experience in the field with an element of adventure”
Last year seven young people worked alongside our rangers to bring their unique skills and a lot of enthusiasm to a wide range of work; from surveying lizards on Maud Island, assisting with island maintenance on Kapiti, supporting a landscape scale restoration project in Hawke’s Bay through to stoat control in a whio project in Kahurangi.
This year’s line-up of DOC Blake Ambassadors includes:
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Jemma Welch
Jemma has a Master of Science from the University of Auckland and has been studying and working with seabirds for four years. Her masters focused on the breeding biology for grey-faced petrels.
She is going to be monitoring black petrels on Aotea/Great Barrier, including monitoring for breeding success, foraging behaviour and longevity.
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Bokyong Mun
Bokyong is a second year Law and Science student at the University of Otago
She is also heavily involved in volunteering as the Otago Regional President for the United Nations Youth New Zealand. Amongst other work she was involved in the ‘Plastic Bottle Kayak Expedition’ in 2015.
Bokyong will join Jemma in the monitoring work for petrels.
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Juliet O’Connell
Juliet has just completed a Master of Conservation Biology at Victoria University, exploring the processes of conservation, ecology, restoration and biodiversity alongside experimental design, collection and analysis of data.
Juliet is going to contribute to the 5000 hectare Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project at Nelson Lakes National Park
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Sophie Ross
Sophie is entering her second year at the University of Otago studying a BA major in Politics and the first year Law Course. She is interested in the interactions between politics, law and our environment. In particular, how these interactions can be used to value and protect native species and ecosystems.
She will assist with monitoring seabirds and kiwi populations on Motutapu Island.
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Sam West
Sam is studying towards a Master of Science (Ecology) at Otago and his thesis looks at climate change impact on spatial variation on snow cover in the Pisa Range and how this impacts on alpine vegetation.
Sam will join Sophie in the work on Motutapu Island.
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Tuatara Tours is a major concessionaire to the Department of Conservation and contributes to the funding of ongoing research in conservation.
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