Making a plan
Look at you getting ready to have a great time!!
Now - Where to start?
When you decide to take a trip – understanding what’s available to you really is the first step. It can be overwhelming with all the information out there – so we have put together everything we think would be helpful to know all in our website!
However, sometimes you just want someone who’s ‘been there and done that’ to give you the cheats guide—to take the guesswork out of planning. So here are our top recommendations for the most frequently asked questions.
Questions that you should ask yourself while making your plans:
- How experienced/cycle fit are you?
- Travelling in a group? Plan around the rider with the least experience
- Are you on an e-bike? or mountain bike?
- Is the point of your journey to complete the trail? Or do you want to explore the trail?
- Are you traveling with children/teenagers?
- How much time to you want to spend cycling?
- How much time do you have for this trip?
Where is the best place to base myself?
- Kaikohe is the highest point of the trail, so the trail is downhill in both directions.
- Kaikohe is the halfway location for the cycle trail.
- Kaikohe has a number of accommodation options
- Kaikohe has a large supermarket and several eateries
- Kaikohe has two bike hire and shuttle operators
How long does it take to cycle the trail?
Some enthusiastic riders can do the whole trail in two days, but we wouldn’t recommend this. We want you to enjoy the trail, explore, and adventure! We think shorter multi-one-day rides is the way to go to get the best experience!
The better question is – what on the trail would you like to see most? – and plan from there.
- 4.5km Ōpua to Te Akeake to catch the train
- 3.5km Kawakawa to Taumārere Station
- 4km Kawakawa to Moerewa
- 14km Kawakawa to Kawiti bridges
- 5km Kaikohe to Kaikohe Aerodrome
- 3km Ōkaihau to Macadamia farm
- 5km Ōkaihau to Snow’s farm
I only have one day – what sections do you recommend?
- Arguably the prettiest half of our trail
- These sections have the most diverse landscapes – Farmland/Lake/Tunnel/River/Bush/Coast
- Adventurous switchbacks from Ōkaihau down to Utakura Valley
- Please note – there is no food/water purchasing options after you leave Ōkaihau
I’m doing the full trail, based in Kaikohe. What is the best way to cycle it?
- Kaikohe – Kawakawa – Ōpua
- Kaikohe – Ōkaihau – Hōreke