7 Mountain Bike Tours in New Zealand Worth Booking

1.Half-Day Self-Guided Mountain Bike Journey through Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · from $34Our pick

Start near Rotorua’s Redwood Forest visitor center, where Mountain Bike Rotorua staff fit you with a Giant mountain bike and helmet, then suggest a route for your ability. You get about four hours to explore 160 km of marked forest trails on your own. Bring water and gloves, and confirm the meeting point before setting out.

“Pickup procedure was super easy and directions were clear. The folks who fitted us for our bike even gave some recommendations on paths to take. Overall the mountain biking was scenic/good, but we did have one issue as the chain of one of our bikes fell off about halfRead more”

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2.Remutaka Rail Trail Mountain Bike Explorer Cycle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · from $124

Ride 28 km from Kaitoke through Pakuratahi Forest and across the Remutaka Range to Cross Creek. You get a pedal mountain bike, helmet, lights, pannier, lunch, water, and return transport from Wellington. Staff brief you before setting off, but you ride without an on-trail guide. Isaac is often part of the helpful support team.

“This was one of my favorite excursions I did on the north island. The trail was absolutely beautiful! Even though it is recommended for all, there are a few more challenging portions of the trail, so keep in mind. Would highly recommend this trip!”

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3.Wanaka: Self-Guided Regular MTB – Lake Hawea to Lake Wanaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 40 reviews · 150 minutes - 3 hours · from $71

Meet the Wanaka Bike Tours team in central Wanaka, collect a modern mountain bike, and take a 30-minute shuttle to Lake Hawea. Ride 30km at your own pace via the Hawea River, Albert Town, the Clutha River, and Lake Wanaka. Staff provide maps, photos, safety advice, and technical support, with Stu known for helpful check-ins.

“A very enjoyable experience.Our guide was very friendly,accomodating,professional and has a wealth of knowlege about the area and history.We recommend it to all.Thanks heaps.”

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4.Arrowtown Mountain Bike Hire

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · from $52

Pick up a mountain bike in central Arrowtown between 9am and 5pm, then choose a short town ride or a full day on nearby trails. Helmets, panniers, maps, drink bottles, trail support, and return shuttles are available, making this a flexible choice for families and independent riders.

“The bike hire was great, the store front was located conveniently near the trails and the team were super helpful! We hired plain old mountain bikes and did the arrow rivers bridges trail which was an easy bike ride with picturesque views. Read more”

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5.Lava Loop- Guided electric mountain bike tour in Akaroa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $192

Meet Greville and the Akaroa Ebike Safaris team at The Common Cafe & Garden Bar for a guided ride up Akaroa’s extinct volcanic terrain. Scott pedal-assist mountain bikes help with long climbs, while the route follows mostly sealed roads to harbour views and the crater rim. Allow about three hours, with a 3:30 pm start.

“The tour was great. We were met by Greville and he set us up for the ride through the hills. The E-bikes made the ride very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.”

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6.Guided Electric Mountain Bike & Sea Kayak Tour in Akaroa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $192

Spend five and a half active hours around Akaroa, riding an electric mountain bike from sea level to the crater summit, then paddling the turquoise water with a nature guide. Joey may lead the kayaking portion, where you can look for penguins, dolphins, and sea caves. The small group has a maximum of 10 people.

“Enjoying the peaceful and beautiful blue waters, kayaking into a cave…very cool! Then biking up and down 10-15%grade with absolute ease with the turbo feature on the e-bikes!”

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7.Akaroa: Guided Electric Mountain Bike Tour-Lava Loop

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $104

Join a small guided group for a three-hour electric mountain bike ride from Akaroa to the crater rim. You’ll tackle steep sealed roads on a Scott or Trek e-bike, with guides such as Max and Lourn sharing local stories and taking photos. Moderate fitness and ordinary mountain-bike experience are required.

“Exhilarating! High intensity ride that paid big dividends in terms of views and sense of achievement. My guide, Lourn, guide was great. Kept me safe and shared heaps of local knowledge - history, culture, flora and fauna.”

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