AYRES
ADVENTURES NEW ZEALAND
"TOP DOWN TOUR"
The 13-day Top Down Tour offers
the opportunity to experience some of the most popular New Zealand attractions
available on both islands. The Adventure begins on the North Island in
Auckland and ends in Christchurch on the south island, with a wealth of
unforgettable experiences in between. You’ll ride the stunning roads
of the Coromandel Peninsula, visit the North Island’s wine country,
cross the Cook Strait to the South Island and visit the Fox and Franz
Joseph Glaciers, and stop for a night at Mt. Cook before heading for Christchurch.
In addition to great riding and stunning landscapes, the quality of the
meals and lodging are in keeping with the high standards that have become
an integral part of all Ayres Adventures. Accommodations range from comfortable,
middle class hotels to luxury accommodations and “boutique”
establishments that are off the usual tourist path.
Arrival Day: Auckland.
After collecting you from Auckland's International Airport on New Zealand's north island, we'll escort you to your first hotel located on Auckland's beautiful waterfront. You'll feel the excitement of your Adventure begin to build from the moment you check in. You can relax and unwind from your flight or take in the view from the top of the famous Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the Southern Hemispehere. You'll get introduced to your fellow Adventurers and tour leaders - and to your motorcycle, attend a kick-off meeting and receive a briefing about the coming journey, and celebrate the beginning of the trip with dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Day 2: Coromandel. Your ride for the
first day takes you to the quaint little town of Coromandel, located on
the Coromandel Peninsula which juts out into the Pacific Ocean.
Less than an hour and a half after departing suburban Auckland, you'll
be riding the beautiful coastal road surrounding the Hauraki Gulf on your
way to the top of the peninsula. Your luggage will be waiting for
you in your room at a historic waterfront hotel, a short walk from the
town's delightful cafes, restaurants and shops.
Day
3: Rotorua. We'll ride the sinuous mountain
roads of the Coromandel peninsula, with stunning Pacific Ocean landscapes
to your left and the Coromandel Range to your right. The daily mileage
to Rotorua is modest, providing time for a side trip to Hot Water Beach,
where you can rent a shovel from a local café and dig your own natural
spa in the sand. The thermal waters located just a few feet below
the sand provide all the hot water you'll need.
Day
4: Martinborough. This delightful little town
is noted for its many vineyards – there are more than 30 of them
located in the immediate vicinity. The town is home to one of the most
magnificent little boutique hotels that you’ll experience during
the trip – the Martinborough Hotel. The hotel is located on the
town’s main square and includes a lively bar and an elegant dining
room.
Day 5: Nelson – On the
South Island. As if you will not have already ridden some
spectacular motorcycling roads, today should give you a real dose of sensory
overload - on the motorcycle and off. The day's ride begins with
an early morning trip across the Tararua Range to the ferry at Wellington,
where you'll ride your motorcycle into the "belly of the beast" and cross
the Cook Strait for Marlborough Sound and the South Island town of Picton.
Seeing
Marlborough Sound from the vantage point of the ferry will be an extraordinary
experience, but seeing it from the motorcycle as we take the twisting
and scenic Queen Charlotte drive is indescribable. You really have
to ride it to believe it. You'll want to stop repetitively for the
many photo opportunities at the scenic overlooks along the way.
Day 6: Nelson.
You'll have two nights in Nelson, so you can use your free day to relax
and enjoy the town's delightful collection of cafes and quaint old architecture,
or you may opt for still another day of breathtaking scenery and hairpin
turns on a ride to Collingwood on Golden Bay, near the northernmost point
of the South Island.
The pancake rocks and blowholes at the Punakaiki National Park, located adjacent to your beachfront hotel, are one of the areas most interesting spectacles, and will serve as the perfect high spot to end the day's beautiful ride.
Day
8: Franz Joseph. Leaving Punakaiki, you’ll
ride winding coastal roads through ancient rain forests punctuated by
stunning viewpoints and beautiful mountain vistas. You’ll ride through
“Glacier Country” – the term used to collectively describe
Whataroa, Franz Josef, Fox Glacier and Paringa.
When you arrive in the lovely little town of Franz Joseph you may wish
to take a diversion to see the famous glacier of the same name. You may
opt for a helicopter flight that will deposit you on the glacier for some
great photos, or take a leisurely scenic flight in a fixed-wing aircraft
that will show you a multitude of scenic attractions.
Day 9: Queenstown. Today's ride will take you to the southernmost crossing of the Southern Alps, as you return to the eastern side of the mountains. You'll ride the sinuous Haast Pass, situated alongside Mt. Aspiring National Park, in the heart of the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, a place declared by UNESCO to stand alongside the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Mt. Everest and other significant natural treasures around the world. Your destination is Queenstown - New Zealand's outdoor adventure capital located on Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by the breathtaking Remarkables and Eyre Mountains.
Day 10: Queenstown.
You’ll have a free day to spend in Queenstown – New
Zealand’s outdoor adventure capital located on Lake Wakatipu and
surrounded by the breathtaking Remarkables and Eyre Mountains. Take the
Skyline Gondola – a cable car ride to the summit of a nearby hill
– where there is a restaurant and some incredible views of Queenstown.
Or take a thrilling jet boat ride through the nearby Shotover River Canyons.
There is plenty to do from your base in Queenstown.
Although it isn’t a regular feature of this particular Adventure,
if you’re up for a relatively long day in the saddle, we’d
be happy to ride with you to Milford Sound so that you can take a cruise
of this incredible New Zealand attraction.
Day 11: Aoraki/Mt. Cook.
Shortly after leaving Queenstown you’ll have a choice of riding
from Frankton to Omarama via Cromwell and the Pisa Range, or you can opt
for the even more scenic twisty route through The Crown Range and to the
historic little villages of Cardrona and Wanaka. With either route, you’ll
enjoy the stunning Lindis Pass before arriving in Omarama and continuing
on to the beautiful glacial blue waters of Lake Tekapo. From Lake Tekapo
the ride offers stunning landscapes and innumerable photo opportunities.
At Mt. Cook, you’ll stay at The Hermitage – reputed to be
one of the most famous hotels in New Zealand.
You’ll have a great view of Mt. Cook (or Aoraki, in the native Maori
language), at 12,300 ft. altitude, New Zealand’s highest mountain.
You can capture a photo of yourself with a life-sized statue of Sir Edmund
Hillary, or catch a photo of you and your motorcycle bike with magnificent
Mt. Cook in the background.
Day 12: Christchurch. For your ride to Christchurch, we’ll head for the Scenic Southern Route and the Mackenzie Basin – the largest inter-montane (between mountains) basin in
New
Zealand. You’ll enjoy the stunning landscape and the beautiful glacial
blue waters of Lake Tekapo, the Four Peaks Range, and the many charming
little towns we’ll pass through on our way to Christchurch. In Christchurch, we’ll end our Top Down Adventure with a celebration dinner at a popular local restaurant.
Day 13: Departure. We’ll arrange to escort you to the airport for your flight home.
Note: The daily program described for this Adventure illustrates the intended itinerary. In some instances, it may be necessary to modify the itinerary based on availability of accommodations and other factors.
Map by Hans G. Andersson