Day Tripper Cycle Tour.
A Day Tripper Tour could be any of the following.
Option 1
Lauder to Oturehua:
Price starting at $369.50pp (Minimum of 4 people)
Price includes- Regular Rail Trail bicycle (ebike-add $45), Helmet, Pannier, Gel Seat, Bike light, Morning tea, Transport from and back to Queenstown.
Riding Distance- 22.5km
The day starts with being picked up from your accommodation in Queenstown and being transported to Lauder to start your ride. This would be around 10am.
From Lauder, you ride the Otago Central Rail Trail through one of the most spectacular sections, the Poolburn Gorge. This sees you crossing the Manuherikia River over the trails second longest bridge (110.6m), followed by the trails longest tunnel (229m). You will then pass through a second tunnel (201m), followed by the highest viaduct on the trail (108m long and 37m high). These bridges and viaducts have to be seen to truly appreciate the hard manual labour that was involved in constructing the railway line.
After crossing from the Manuherikia Valley through the gorge you emerge in the Ida Valley at Auripo for a morning tea stop. From here you descend the Ruggedy Range to Oturehua. Oturehua is home to the Idaburn dam, which is used for skating in the winter and occasionally, if cold enough, the call will go out for a bonspiel, when "good keen curlers" from around the district and New Zealand, descend on the dam for 2 days of outdoor curling .
Oturehua is also home to Hayes Engineering Works, where, in the late 1800's and early 1900's Ernest Hayes invented and manufactured farming tools, such as the Hayes wire strainer, many of which are still in use today .(Extra cost is involved to take a tour of the Engineering Works). There is a great little Cafe here for lunch or if you prefer, the Oturehua Railway Hotel is just down the road. It's also well worth a look in the Gilchrist's store, New Zealands oldest continually operating general store.
After lunch, and maybe a tour of the works you will then be driven back to your accomodation in Queenstown.
Arrival in Queenstown- 5-6pm
Option 2
Waipiata to Hyde Memorial:
Starting at $324.50pp (Minimum of 4 people)
Price included- Regular Rail Trail bike (ebike-add $45), Helmet, Pannier, Gel Seat, Bike light, Transport from and back to Dunedin.
Riding Distance-32km
The day starts with being picked up at your accommodation in Dunedin or at the Momona Airport and being transported to Waipiata, where you can kick start your ride with a coffee and one(or two!!) of Waipiata Country Hotels "famous" pies.
From Waipiata, you will take a leisurely ride along the Otago Central Rail Trail following the Taieri river. You will pass the site of the now long gone Tairei Lake and the site where the "Kokonga Stone" was quarried for the Dunedin Railway Station building. (One of New Zealands most photographed buildings).
After crossing the road at Daisybank you will ride through the Tiroiti Gorge. For many, the best bit of the trail. The gorge includes the historic Capburn bridge, the Prices Creek viaduct (91m long and 32m high), and the Prices Creek tunnel (151m). Once again, these bridges and viaducts have to be seen to appreciate the hard manual work that went into the construction of the railway.
After reaching Hyde, you will ride a little further to reach the Hyde Railway Station. This station has been left as it was when it was operating. There is a great display inside the station, and an information board telling the story of the Hyde rail disaster, where 21 people were killed in New Zealands second worst rail disaster.
From the station another 5km down the line is the site of the crash and around the corner from there, is the memorial where you will be picked up and transported to Middlemarch for lunch. After a late lunch you will then be transported back to your acccommodation or the Mamona Airport.
Arrival in Dunedin- 4-5pm
Option 3
Start in Ranfurly....
Price starting at $105 (depending on options. Accommodation and extra travel cost may apply)
Price includes regular Rail Trail bike (ebike-add $45),Helmet, Gel Seat, Pannier, Bike light.
Riding Distance- From 32.5km to 48km
Arrive in the morning, or if you choose to stay the night in Ranfurly at our accommodation, "Railway Cottage and Retreat", you will then be picked and transported to -
Lauder to start your ride, where you can either be picked up at Oturehua, (see Option 1 for the description of this ride) or ride right through to Ranfurly.
Or, ride from Ranfurly and be picked up at Hyde, (see Option 2 for the description of this ride) or Middlemarch.
There are a number of options to or from Ranfurly. Please get in contact for a quote.
Option 4
Stay tuned for upcoming developments!!
Other one and two day packages available by arrangement.
Please contact us for a package to meet your needs and budget.
