The South Island Straggle 

Taste the excitement of discovering a new destination! A tour of New Zealand may be as sedate or as exciting as you wish. The scenery is hugely varied. Seashore? Yes. Pounding surf? Of course - there is a lot of ocean between here and anyplace. Mountains & passes? Naturally! We are motorcyclists, after all.  The roads are never boring and rarely straight.  Rolling fields of grain? Certainly! Sprawling forests? For sure. Quaint, interesting towns? Check. Vistas and expansive views? Not quite everywhere, but close!

That is the normal (sedate) portion of this adventure.

For the exciting side of it, have you ever considered a 400' bungee jump? Bouncing down a raging river in a jet boat? Helicoptering over stunning mountains? Getting up close to a whale? On the South Island Straggle, just do it!

Christchurch

Christchurch is our introduction to Te Waipounamu, as the South Island is known in Maori. In 2011 a major earthquake damaged 80% of the city beyond repair, and the resilient residents are still in the process of rebuilding. Thus, this is a city in transition.

Gone, unfortunately, are many heritage buildings. Yet the new Christchurch is inviting and vibrant. Raising one by one in a pragmatic Kiwi way, the modern civic buildings are inviting and unique.

A walk along the Avon river imprints memories far different than one would have had pre-earthquake, but all are positive and indelible.

Our double-overnight allows a bit of time to wrestle with jet-lag, and to become acquainted with riding on the left side of the road. A delightful ride to Banks Peninsula begins with a visit to the charming town of Akaroa and ends with a ride along the Summit Road to enjoy breathtaking views from up high.

Mount Cook dominates the sky over large parts of the South Island

Mount Cook

Natural beauty is New Zealand. The ride to Mount Cook is one of the world's most impressive. Enjoy the sunset over the towering southern Alps on the way in, and anticipate many stops to look over your shoulder on the way out.

The inland ride from Mount Cook to the east coast descends from towering Alps to a broad, sweeping bay. Unlike Christchurch, Oamaru's Victorian buildings were undamaged by the 2011 quake. The city's small historical center is quite picturesque.

Dunedin

The next coastal stop is the charming port of Dunedin. A Scottish settlement founded in 1848, today's Dunedin is a young, vibrant city. Our double-overnight stay allows time for a walking tour of the city, and a very special cruise along the Otago Peninsula.

This excursion brings us close to the only colony of Royal Albatross on an inhabited mainland. These magnificent birds are serious travelers, ranging as many as 190,000 km. per year! We may also be able to see seals and yellow-eyed penguins.

From Dunedin a genuinely amusing ride through the Catlins Forest leads to the motor-head mecca of Invercargill. Here, in a marvelous motor museum are a slew of Brough Superiors, and just around the corner in a little hardware store sits Burt Munro’s Indian.

Cruise Magnificent Milford Sound

Sparse population sums up the southern end of the South Island. From Invercargill to Te Anau, the next double-overnight stop, the ride is through open country with large sheep and cattle stations. The little town of Te Anau is the gateway to Fiordland, one of the most dramatic and beautiful parts of New Zealand.

The ride to Mount Cook was impressive. The ride to Milford challenges it. Tussock grass bending to the wind in the Eglington Valley, with rugged mountains as a backdrop, or those same mountains reflected in the Mirror Lakes, are views you will not forget. Near the end of the road, exiting Homer Tunnel, the vista of Milford Sound simply shocks the senses.

A sunny day at this fiord will keep your camera busy. If it is raining (yes, it does rain on the west coast—over 350 inches a year!) the multitude of waterfalls will capture your imagination. Finally, there is the ride back to Te Anau. Enjoy all the great views from a different direction, with different light. Ahh, New Zealand!

Queenstown

Dubbed "the Adventure Capital of New Zealand", Qtown, as it is known by locals, is the home of bungee jumping, a center for paragliding, a base for a variety of hikes, and just a lovely (and busy) place to stay. Another double-overnight allows time to pursue mild to wild activities, and to enjoy a cruise on the coal-fired steamer TSS Earnslaw. We cross Lake Wakatipu to Walter's Peak Farm, enjoy a BBQ, and return to Qtown.

The West Coast

Water is the constant on the West Coast

The island's west coast is a world away from everything on the eastern side of the Southern Alps. (Did we throw enough compass points into that sentence to give you clarity?)

The climate is sub-tropical rain forest, the population hovers close to none, the towns few and far between. As always, the scenery is varied and magnificent. Ease into this other world with an overnight in Wanaka, perfectly situated on the shore of Lake Wanaka.

Haast Pass cuts through the Alpine mountains to the coast, and the flora and climatic changes along the way ensure that this is one of two truly unforgettable New Zealand passes.

Weather permitting, a helicopter flight will take us high over the Fox and, possibly, the Franz Joseph glaciers. To stand at the face of Fox, see it from the air, and land on top is quite an experience.

It is a short hop up the coast to the next stop, Hokitika. This gives more flexibility to ensure that we can get into the air over the glaciers. Now a town of artisans, Hokitika was, during the gold rush, the country's busiest port.

Across the Island

Playing around on one of the great gravel options on the South Island

Cross Lewis pass on the way to Hanmer Springs, and turn north. Route choices to Nelson are coastal, inland, or gravel! Each has a special bit of magic to it, making for tough decisions.

A free day in Nelson provides a variety of options to spend the day as you please; riding, relaxing, or exploring. The roads nearby promise great motorcycling, and there are plenty of ways to "put your feet up" for those who prefer to spend time off the bike.

Across the Island—again!

Departing from a rejuvenating stay in Nelson the pulse quickens as we ride the impressive Buller Gorge on the way to Punakaiki. Surf crashing along the shoreline of the Tasman sea will lull you to sleep on our last overnight on the wild west coast!

Turning back inland we cross Arthurs Pass, the second unforgettable New Zealand pass road. Here, three weeks into the journey, the sheer majesty of nature will, once again, take your breath away. It begins in a wet, wild ecosystem and ends with a ride across grassy plains. The last leg to Christchurch, with the Southern Alps in your mirrors, gives time to reflect on what an amazing place this is.

New Zealand seems to have been created especially for the motorcyclist. No place on earth offers such a combination of scenery, great roads, and old fashioned, down home hospitality. Take it all in—enjoy a straggle around the South Island!