Mountains to Sea ride
What is the best time of the year to ride the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail?
- Mid November – April. Outside of these times, parts of the trail are very wet and muddy, and the jet boat operators run a very limited service to shuttle people from the Mangapurua landing to Pipiriki.
What is the minimum number of riders for this trip?
- Our minimum number is 2.
What is the maximum number of riders for this trip?
- Our maximum number is 12, however this depends on the make up of your group (12 single riders won’t work due to sleeping arrangements in the lodges).
Do you join separate groups together?
- No, we don’t join separate groups together or add single riders to existing groups.
Do you offer different programmes?
- Yes! There is a wide range of different programmes (2-5 days, budget versions as well as full packages, optional 2-hour canoe etc). To find all the options on our website, please click here.
How do I book?
- Once you’ve decided what programme you are after, please email us on info@mountainbikestation.co.nz to start the booking process. If you are looking at booking a large group or would like to discuss a few things, it might be easier to have a chat over the phone. Please call us on 0800 BIKING.
Do you require a deposit?
- Once all accommodation is reserved, we will require a non-refundable $500 per person deposit ($300pp for 2- and 3-day programmes). We will email a link to our deposit page when the time comes. Depending on your programme a second $500pp deposit (also non-refundable) may be payable 30 days prior to tour start. We will inform you about this when booking. The remaining cost is payable on day 1 of your programme (Visa or Mastercard , eftpos, cash).
What kind of accommodation will you book for us for this trip?
- There are a few different options available and accommodation depends on the programme you’ve chosen. The full package includes Lodge/Cottage style accommodation. Depending on the make up of your group and availability some accommodation may be shared, and all programmes include at least some stays with shared facilities. If you choose the budget or ‘Bare Bones’ option, accommodation will be backpacker/cabin/cottage style and may also be shared. Click here for more details.
How is the luggage transported and what are the luggage limits?
- The luggage is transported by van and must stand ready for pick-up by approx. 8 a.m. and will be at the next accommodation by approx. 4 p.m.
1 bag per person, no more than 15kg please.
NOTE:If staying at the Bridge to Nowhere Lodge, your luggage will be transported in the jet boat. If you've booked the full package with us, then we will provide 1 dry bag per person for this leg of the journey.
- Yes, there is the option of accommodation in separate rooms. However, this depends on availability and a $50 per person per night single room supplement applies.
What kind of food does the full package include?
- The full package includes dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch (except for stays in Ohakune if applicable to your group). The providers cook the meals, we don’t organise those. Some meals are shared and/or buffet style.
What if I’m allergic to certain foods?
- We will ask you about food allergies and if you are the organiser of a large group, please advise your fellow riders to forward food allergies to us as soon as possible. We then forward the information to the providers. Please note: Due to the remoteness of the providers they are limited in what they can offer. Below is a list of diets they can cater for (plus they can work around whatever allergy you may have, e.g. nut allergy):
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Pescetarian
- Gluten Free (coeliac)
- Dairy Free
- NORMAL
Can we hire bikes for this trip with you?
- Yes! We offer standard hardtail mountain bikes, Avanti E-Bikes, ‘fat’ E-Bikes (super wide tyres for extra traction/stability) as well as full suspension E-Bikes. Please click here to find the costing on our website.
Do we need to reserve bikes for this trip?
- If you are after standard hardtail mountain bikes you don’t need to reserve them (unless you are riding during busy times like Christmas or Easter or are unusually tall 😊). For all other bikes we will require your height to be able to reserve the correct size for you.
Can we ride with panniers?
- Given the nature of the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail, it’s very difficult to ride a bike fitted with panniers on certain parts of the trail (ie: Mangapurua track, due to the narrow swing bridges). It’s recommended not to carry panniers, if you must we recommend a bike rack with a very narrow profile dry bag on top instead.
What if the weather is horrible?
- Most parts of this ride can be ridden in any weather. The only track that can get dangerous during bad weather is the Bridge to Nowhere/Mangapurua track. We are usually able to come up with a plan b and swap days around to make it work for you. If the Mangapurua is not rideable or closed, there is also a work around for this. We will be in touch with you closer to your ride should the weather forecast be bad.
Will you provide us with maps or further details about this trip?
- Yes! Once your booking is confirmed we will email a pdf itinerary to you. On day 1 we start with a thorough 45-minute briefing and will also supply maps for every day. We will also give other detailed briefings most days for the section you are riding on that day.
Do you offer guided tours?
- No, all our Mountains to Sea programmes are self-guided.
Can we book only the shuttle to the start and pick up at the end through you and organise everything else ourselves?
- You can. However, you MUST have all accommodation, food (if not booked through accommodation provider) and jet boat transfer (unless booked through us) pre-organised. There is NO reception anywhere on this ride, neither will you find cafes. It is very advisable to carry an e-pirb (personal locator beacon) with you in case of an emergency. Shuttle services to start and finish only don’t include any maps or our knowledge of the ride (this is so we can keep shuttle costs low for you and to keep it fair for the riders that are paying for our packages), so you must pick them up from an i-Site before you leave. When organising this trip yourselves, it is CRUCIAL that you know exactly what you are getting yourselves into before you head off!! Please also be aware that weather conditions can change at any time and without warning, so be prepared! To find costing for our shuttle services please click here or if you require luggage transfers only between providers please click here.
Do we have reception on this trip?
- No! You will lose cell phone coverage as soon as you start heading into the valleys (not long after you leave Ohakune). Therefore, we will supply a GPS SPOT tracker (1 per group) to monitor your progress. The tracker also has an emergency function (medical emergencies only!!!!) and is included in the rates.
What is your Mountains to Sea cancellation policy?
- Because we have made bookings on your behalf, cancellation (full refund) is not possible. These remote lodges have a limited period during the year to conduct their business and are almost never able to re-book nights short notice. It is normally possible to move a booking to a different date if enough notice is given (30+ days). We require a $500pp deposit (or $300pp for 2- and 3-day programmes) to confirm the booking.
If the trip is cancelled 7-30 days prior to tour start, we will be unable to refund any deposit money.
If the trip is cancelled 0-6 days prior to tour start, the full cost of the tour is payable.
