Otago Rail Trail

 

Rail Trail Cycling Adventure

  •  
    Biking
  •  
    Touring
  •  
    Multi-day Hiking
  •  
    Kayaking
  •  
    Rafting
  •  
    Caving
  •  
    Skiing
  •  
    Scuba Diving
Start: Christchurch, 7:00am or Clyde (Queenstown option NZ$25)
Finish: Christchurch 6.00pm (approx.), or Dunedin option available
Length: 5 days
Grade:
B (Cycling up to 59 km per day - all cycling optional)
Accom: Lodges
Price: NZ$1,250
Extra Costs: Some meals, personal spending, cycle hire
Departs: Two to four times monthly. October to April - see see departures
Highlights: Steeped in history, the Otago Central Rail Trail follows the old Maniototo rail line from Clyde to Middlemarch. Discover the many small towns, abandoned gold diggings, and meet some interesting locals. End the tour with one of the world's great train rides on the spectacular Taieri Gorge Railway to Dunedin.

Day 1: Meet Christchurch. Cycle sections of central South Island.

Day 2: Cycle Chatto Creek to Omakau. Visit Ophir, arrive Lauder.

Day 3: Cycle through tunnels and bridges to Oturehua, on to Ranfurly then Waipiata and Naseby. Try your hand at curling.

Day 4: Cycle from Waipiata to Taieri Gorge, downhill to Hyde, then onto Middlemarch. Ride Taieri Gorge Train.

Day 5: Cycle coastal roads between Dunedin and Oamaru. Cross Canterbury Plains and return to Christchurch.

 
Map
click for a detailed map
It was a fantastic feeling completing the 150km Rail Trail Ride. Thanks for a well-organised trip - we will see you again!

Jill Stenhouse

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Did you know?

The blue colour of Blue Lake is due to the mineral content of the surrounding cliffs. The lake is a 69m deep hole, the deepest mining hole in the Southern Hemisphere. The Blue Lake is also the site of the deepest hydraulic elevator in the world at 68.8m.

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