New Zealand’s Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

New Zealand’s Alps-2-Ocean Cycle Trail

A guest post by Lettie Stratton (all photos are courtesy of the author)

Traveling to a new country always requires a leap of faith. I took such a leap when I quit my job to travel and work in New Zealand for a year and a half. Whenever I look back on my travels, one part of the trip stands out above the rest.

New Zealand’s Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail is a stunning and diverse trip through many different landscapes. The 185+ miles from scenic Mt. Cook to the coastal and historic town of Oamaru (the steampunk capital of the world) take you past glacial lakes, alpine peaks, and wildflower-covered fields in New Zealand’s South Island. Alps 2 Ocean is the longest continuous cycle trail in New Zealand, and is usually done in between four and eight days, depending on the rider’s preference and ability. Anyone with basic cycling abilities can do this trip, as it’s broken up into segments that can be done on their own or in succession. Cycling this trail is a great way to experience the benefits of exploring a new culture in a unique way. Not everyone gets to see a new country from the seat of a bike! Here’s a closer look at this epic journey:

Planning

Preparing for this trip was not as difficult as I expected. Since the Alps 2 Ocean trail is well known and well established, there’s a ton of great information that breaks down each leg of the journey. Much of the planning is already done for you. You just have to decide what works for you — how many miles you’ll bike per day, where you want to stop, and what you’re going to bring. Since New Zealand relies so heavily on the tourist economy (much of which is centered around outdoor pursuits), there are lots of easy ways to get outfitted for your Alps 2 Ocean trip. I found a cycle outfitter that brought bikes, helmets, front and rear panniers, handlebar bags, and repair kids right to my front door and even picked them up when I returned.

Packing

Packing was the hardest part. How does one fit everything they need for two weeks outside into two very small bags that they will then have to pedal over mountain passes? That last part makes good motivation to pack as lightly as possible. I packed quick-dry shorts and t-shirts, camp kitchen gear, a pump and fully stocked repair kit with extra tubes and a multitool, plenty of water bottles, trail maps in a waterproof case, and a tent and sleeping bag (I strapped these to my rear rack in a trash bag as an extra layer of security so they didn’t get wet and muddy). Even though my panniers were waterproof, this ended up being a good choice, as my first day on the trail was incredibly rainy. Pro tip: Turns out you can also wear a trash bag in the event that your waterproof jacket is not as waterproof as it was advertised to be. While not a great fashion statement, it’s very practical. When departure day arrived, I was more than ready to go pedal my brains out. I had just finished a month-long meditation retreat and had also been reading about how apparently sitting is the new smoking, so my legs were itching to go and my mind was quickly losing its hard-earned calmness due to being overly concerned about the effects of prolonged sitting. A 10-day long bike trip was just the ticket (I started my bike trip from the city of Christchurch instead of Mt. Cook, adding several days to the journey).

Adjusting

The first day on the bike took just a bit of wind out of my sails. If you haven’t done it before (I hadn’t), cycling with full panniers on your bike is a bit of an adjustment. Balancing is a different, and you need to be sure you’ve packed even weight on each side to make it easier for yourself. I experienced a rude awakening upon encountering my first hill with the panniers. I soon discovered that first gear was my best friend, and we remained close throughout the rest of the trip. Luckily, “heavy” quickly became the new normal and after the first day, I barely noticed my panniers weighing me down as I pedaled.

Enjoying

After the initial adjustment period, the real enjoyment set in. As soon as I met up with the official Alps 2 Ocean trail, I was greeted with an incredible view of Mt. Cook over the crystal blue water of Lake Pukaki. This is a great place to stop for a picnic and soak in the views. Be sure to budget plenty of time for sitting next to the many lakes you’ll pass and enjoying your surroundings. The trail doesn’t get any less spectacular the further you go. Lake Ohau Lodge was probably my second favorite spot from the trip and provides a welcome respite for the weary bikepacker.

The official breakdown of the trail segmentslooks like this:

Cook to Braemar Road (35km)
Braemar Road to Twizel (42km)
Twizel to Lake Ohau Lodge (38km)
Lake Ohau Lodge to Omarama (45km)
Omarama to Otematata (24km)
Otematata to Kurow (44km)
Kurow to Duntroon (28km)
Duntroon to Oamaru (54im)

If you ever visit New Zealand, doing at least a segment of this trail is a must. Now that I’m back stateside and busy myself hiking around Boise instead of traversing New Zealand by bicycle, I look back on the Alps 2 Ocean trail as one of my top three adventures.

Lettie Stratton is a writer and urban farmer in Boise, ID. A Vermont native, she is a lover of travel, tea, bicycles, plants, cooperative board games, and the outdoors. She’s still waiting for a letter from Hogwarts.