From the foothills of the Southern Alps to the foreshore of the Pacific Ocean, the Alps to Ocean cycle trail delivers a spectacular variety of terrain.
Given the name “Alps to Ocean”, you’d be forgiven for assuming that New Zealand’s longest Great Ride is all downhill. It’s not. There are several testing climbs, the most challenging being a five-kilometre ascent on a narrow, organ-jumbling trail that leads to the ride’s loftiest point, the 900-metre-high summit of Tarnbrae Saddle.
From here, the trail heads southwest to Twizel and Omarama, before veering southeast to follow the Waitaki River towards Oamaru on the coast. Along the way, it skirts several large natural and artificial lakes, including Lake Pukaki, Lake Ohau, Lake Benmore and Lake Aviemore, which form the backbone of a complex system of hydroelectric dams and canals.
Each day we rendezvous with the vehicle at regular intervals, including morning and afternoon tea, which is served with an impressive assortment of fresh fruit and sweet treats. Lunches are normally a takeaway sandwich savoured in a scenic spot, occasionally accompanied by a breath-stealing dip in a glacial lake. Dinners are hearty regional feasts in a local restaurant with a glass or three of excellent local pinot.
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