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Plains and Coast

4 Days: Typically: Tapawera - Wakefield - Mapua - Kaiteriteri - Nelson

This ride includes virtually all the off-road Great Taste Trail including the Spooners Tunnel - the bucket-list trip.

This popular off-road tour option begins with a shuttle up into the hills above Nelson, enabling you to follow the historic rail route and cycle through the iconic Spooners Tunnel, along rivers, through regenerating forest, vineyards and the historic towns of Wakefield and Brightwater. You’ll then head along the coastal section of the Great taste Trail with its many artisanal delights, ending your tour at the golden sands of sun drenched Kaiteriteri.

Quick Details:

DURATION: 4 days, but extra night in Mapua / Kaiteriteri recommended
DISTANCE COVERED: 112km
PRICE: From $1,245 dependent upon accommodation rates, season, duration and group size
SUITABLE FOR: People who want to experience a variety of landscapes, Spooner’s Railway Tunnel, historic towns and beautiful coastal trail
INCLUDES: Mixture of trails through a disused railway, forest, farms, vineyards and coast

*Winery tastings, brewery tour and guided options available

The Itinerary

Kohatu → Stoke → Mapua → Motueka → Kaiteriteri (114km)

Today starts with a shuttle transfer to Kohatu, where the cafe is a great place for a refreshment before the cycling trip begins. The route is virtually all downhill today and there are cafes sited at regular intervals along the way. The historic Spooners Tunnel is located 7km from Kohatu. The brick-lined tunnel is 1.4km long and completely dark, so lights are required. Emerging on the northern side, the rest of today’s ride is through an expansive, lush valley full of history. The villages of Wakefield and Brightwater both have some charming old buildings in the main street. The trail includes sections riding on the route of the original railway, plus riverside legs and hop garden views. The section between Brightwater and Stoke is home to several boutique, family-owned wineries and fresh fruit and veggies can be purchased at various stalls along the route. We recommend staying in Stoke or Richmond tonight for ease of navigation.

It’s a flat, easy riding day today. Before you depart, you may wish to visit Pics Peanut Butter factory (bookings are required for a free tour), the World of Wearablearts or McCashins Brewery, which are all located in Stoke. Once out on the Great Taste Trail Coastal Route it’s pleasant ride around the Waimea Estuary before heading towards Rabbit Island beach. This is a great place for a break, a swim or a picnic, before catching the ferry from Rabbit Island to the Mapua Wharf. The old wharf is a great place to relax at the end of the ride, with a great gallery, wine bar, brewery, and cafes.

ADD AN OPTION: Extra night in Mapua

We recommend you consider two nights in Mapua, allowing time enjoy this arty, foodie village. Take time to wander in the village, visiting the galleries, shops, wine bar, brewery and cafes. Or follow the locals to the estuary for a swim at high tide (or take your lead from the kids who prefer to jump off the wharf). There is plenty to fill a relaxing rest day here.

With two nights in Mapua, there is also time for an on-road day ride to the village of Upper Moutere. For those with an interest in art, wine or beer, this day in the Moutere area is a must.

Today you are riding from Mapua to Motueka. This intermediate grade leg has some hills but there are great views too. Leaving Mapua, the trail follows the coast before heading inland, with a steepish climb of approx. 1km up onto an elevated route above the coast. This is apple country, so look out for the orchard packing sheds and interesting little workers cottages tucked amongst the apple trees. Leaving the village of Tasman, expect a slow climb of around 3km up to the Moutere ridge. The next gravel section (4.5km) climbs and descends as you follow the ridge (elevation approximately 110m.) It’s not a long section so take it easy and enjoy the views. Approaching Motueka township, the trail passes Toad Hall Cafe & Townshend Brewery, a great place to relax with some food and beer under the big oak trees in the garden. The section of trail through Motueka avoids the town center and follows around the estuary waterfront, past gardens and grassy beach reserves. Motueka is bustling during the fruit-picking season and pretty sleepy the rest of the time.

It’s just a short ride to Kaiteriteri today and it’s flat – until the end. Following the wine cycling of previous days, today is “honesty box” cycling, so expect some fresh fruit (in season) including apples, pears, nashi, grapes, feijoas, citrus and melons. Leaving Motueka the trail heads to Riwaka, a cute little village which is home to a great cafe and a craft brewery, so plan to stop there! After Riwaka, there is a section that goes right through a kiwifruit orchard before the trail rejoins the coast. The trail then climbs and drops beside the road for a section before ducking into the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park. This last section of 3.1km is intermediate grade and takes the Easy Rider Trail through the bike park. The surface here is smooth and it is not technical, but you might want to take it very gently as there are some tight corners and some riders prefer to walk. As the trail winds down through the bush and pine trees you will soon get your first glimpse of your destination – the stunning golden shores of Kaiteriteri Beach. The beach here is the departure point for boats travelling into the Abel Tasman National Park. All our We Love Nelson packages include packages include door-to-door return transport from Kaiteriteri, bringing you and your bikes back to Nelson.

ADD AN OPTION: Extra night in Kaiteriteri

Why not enjoy a relaxing stay in Kaiteriteri at the end of your trip. There is a range of accommodation in Kaiteriteri including an Eco Resort, with vegetarian restaurant, spa, massage and pool facilities.

ADD AN OPTION: Abel Tasman National Park Day

Staying the night in Kaiteriteri makes it easy to use the following day for a trip in the Abel Tasman National Park. In the morning, it’s an easy walk to the beachfront where your Park Day begins. Wilsons Abel Tasman offer a range of single day trips in the park (standard retail prices apply). For a flexible full day walking trip option, we recommend the Open Day Pass. There is also a range of full day kayak trips available. When we book your Park Day as part of your cycling trip, we will ensure your whole itinerary fits together seamlessly.

More Information

Personalised trip route notes with tasty places to visit (sent on receipt of full payment)

Door-to-door transport from Nelson / airport to our base on the first day

Personalised pre-ride briefing

Our exclusive Good Things Maps – topographic style maps

24 speed comfort trail bike, helmet, lock & toolkit (e-bike upgrade available at $50 per bike per day)

Accommodation for 3 nights (typically)

Mapua Ferry tickets

Daily luggage transfers (by 3pm)

Bad weather and emergency support

Passenger and bike transfer, Kaiteriteri to Nelson on the final day

Door-to-door transport from our base to Nelson / airport on the final day

Prices are $NZD and include GST of 15%

Please view our terms & conditions at https://www.gentlecycling.co.nz/terms-and-conditions

Our self-guided package price includes accommodation and we have been out and about along the trail to find the best accommodation in each village. It includes motels, B&B’s en-suite cabins in holiday parks, and simple country pubs. These are all close to the trail, and close to cafes for meals.

The starting price for our these packages uses simple en suite accommodation in holiday parks or simple country pubs.

We can also price your package using upgraded accommodation, staying in B&B’s or motels. The total additional price for this upgrade is likely to be between $50pp and $100pp.

The Gentle Cycling Good Things Maps are included in our packages. These are waterproof, topographic-style maps. They illustrate our exclusive recommendations for detours off the trail to visit all our favourite places. For the adults, we provide tips for the best local food, wine, craft beer, art, history and landscape. And for the kids, we’ve thought of fun things along the trail that will add something special every day. So everyone can enjoy the journey.

Our itineraries are designed to make it easy for you to add a day trip in the Abel Tasman National Park. Boats travelling into the park depart from the beachfront at Kaiteriteri. By staying a night in Kaiteriteri, you will be within easy walking distance of the beachfront. And if your cycling trip finished in Kaiteriteri, we will arrange your transport from Kaiteriteri back to Nelson, or to the airport, after your Park Day. Book your Wilsons Abel Tasman trip with us and you pay the same price as when you book it yourselves and we will ensure your whole itinerary fits together seamlessly.

Due to health and safety concerns, the maximum bag weight for our luggage transfers is 15kg. We can provide secure storage for extra luggage at our base.

We have plenty of free, off-street parking for your vehicles at our base.

Interactive Map

Explore the Plains and Coast ride with the interactive map below. Use the + and – to enlarge and reduce. Click on the orange symbols and the coloured route lines for more information.

What our adventurers say

Chris was very thorough explaining our cycling options and we had a grand adventure planned for the day. We had a mishap part way into our ride and lost our wallet and car rental key. With the help of Cris and a kind person, all our possessions were recovered. Chris went above and beyond helping us!
Great service, great communication friendly staff
Had an amazing day on the bikes with a family of 9😍 Berny was very helpful and friendly. Amazing route with good recommend stops.Thankyouuu! Dankjewel en groetjes uit Hollandia
Don’t bother trying anyone else! Chris could not have been more helpful and the electric bikes we hired for the day were new. Good selection of bikes for tall, short and every one in between.
Even do I didn't ride with them, GCC shuttle me after a long overseas flight from the airport to my hotel. Bernie was on top of my flights and always checking on me all the time.Always nice to be picked up on time in a new country, when your hands are tight up with a big bike bag and luggage. Thanks
We had a great 2 day experience on the Great Taste Tour.We had to cancel our planned booking at the last minute, and Bernie organized a replacement tour for us at a very busy time of the year.Although it was short notice, the accommodation and communication was excellent, and we enjoyed a 2 day ride from Motueka to Nelson.Thank you Bernie and Chris for your professional yet friendly attention to detail.
What an incredible day! Chris was very prompt for our morning collection. He shared very insightful thoughts and information about the tour and the region as we drove. He gave great instruction on how the day would go and then introduced us to our guides for the morning paddle. Our waka paddle tour guides Thomas and Harold did an excellent job of introducing the activity and generously inviting us into their culture and traditions. They encouraged us to join in as much or as little as we felt comfortable. They also did a great job closing the activity and sending us off for the rest of our day.The cycle adventure was absolutely beautiful and the amount of challenge was perfect for us. Chris’s instructions were thorough enough that we never got lost even though there were many opportunities to do so. His suggestion of stopping at Toad Hall was also very welcome and we are glad we did. Thank you Chris and Bernie for an amazing day of adventure!
Our recent experience with The Gentle Cycling Co. exceeded our expectations; from the initial planning communications and accommodation bookings with Bernie and then advice and options as we set off. We highly recommend The Great Taste Trail for a mix of scenic riding and incredible choices around hospitality and galleries showcasing NZ's art! Chris shared local knowledge of the region as we returned to base. Thanks so much for making our holiday memorable!
Gentle Cycling did a phenomenal job helping us set up a one week bike trip on the ‘Great Taste Trail’ out of Nelson NZ. We are based in Boston (USA) and found Gentle Cycling through Roar Adventures, a booking agency. Gentle Cycling created a bike trip was customized specifically for us. There is a standard Great Taste Trail trip, but we made requests about distances, accomodations, extra day trips along the way and other things, and Gentle Cycling came through in every respect. Between the beautiful rides, the wine tastings, the amazing Abel Tasman national park, and the great accomodations it was a spectacular trip. We’d love to do it again!
Fantastic service Available for advice at all times Great company.
Family of 8 and we had the best time! Chris gave us amazing tour map and we had such a great day, we rented the E-Bikes which were definitely worth it and enjoyed the beautiful vineyards. There was something for everyone and was so easy to communicate with Chris pick up and drop off points. We will definitely be back for another tour next time we are in Nelson! Loved it!
Chris & Bernie were very helpful. We took their e-bikes and shuttle to Spooner's Tunnel. We had an amazing time!
Fantastic company to deal with! Both Bernie and Chris made the whole process so easy....I was booking for a group of 21 and they assisted with picking a route that was suitable for all of us, and were even on call on the day to pick up the bikes from our destination whenever it suited us. Nothing was too much trouble. Awesome comfortabke bikes too! Would definately use again and would recommend them 100%.
Great fun. Track is pretty easy, some slightly tougher off road bits. We didn't get eBikes but assume it would have been a breeze if we did.Seifried was lovely, we ate there as well.We had a quick dip at the beach at Rabbit Island. Beautiful warm water.On our day (busy, summer, great weather) the ferry to Mapua went more often than once an hour. Mapua is so nice.Pick up at 4.30 from Chris was bang on time and we were dropped back at our hotel.One of my favourite things I did on the whole trip to NZ.
Wir haben am Abend kurzfristig beschlossen, am nächsten Morgen mit Fahrrädern die Stadt Nelson zu entdecken (2 Bikes inkl. Kindersitz). Es hat alles wunderbar geklappt und war wohl einer der besten Services, den wir bis jetzt in Neuseeland hatten: die Bikes wurden auf unseren Campingplatz geliefert, 4 Helme, Fahrradschloss, super Einführung inkl. Routentipps usw. wirklich Klasse!!!Vielen Dank für den grossartigen Service!
Chris is awesome and the service is fab. A bit of a workout without E-bikes but worth it. Super smooth logistics, thanks!
Had such a great experience with the Gentle Cycling Company! All of the equipment was well maintained and they gave a great explanation on using the e-bikes before sending us off. Everyone was incredibly friendly, responsive and helpful. We had a fantastic time on our winery bike tour and would recommend!
We decided to rent a bike at 10am in the morning and an hour later we were already on bikes exploring the Nelson region. Chris is a very friendly and proud owner of thi family company. The bikes were in great shape, we got helmets and locks for Free and even a gel foam Seat if you like. Chris also recommended some family friendly routes.In all a great day out for me and my 3 children are 6,8 And 11.
Amazing personalised service - accomodating my specific needs. Highly recommend this organisation
Great and friendly service. We thoroughly enjoyed biking the Great Taste Trail with our e-bikes.
Great service and bikes, would strongly recommend to explore the beautiful network of trails nearby
We felt so lucky to find Chris & Bernie and their fleet of e-bikes. Their e-bikes are easy to use and come with side packs or carrying box and locks.They provided maps and detailed directions and helped us find somewhere fabulous to eat on a holiday. If you think you don’t need an e-bike, think again, they make the trip so much more pleasant for a family with differing skill levels. We can highly recommend Gentle Bikes! Thanks for a great day!
Highly recommend Gentle Cycling! Bernie provided door to door transportation for our Biking and Brews day. She gave us great suggestions, supplied us with comprehensive directions and maps as well! We had a wonderful day!
Bernie provided concierge service from the start to end of our ride - Thanks!
Amazing experience! My wife and I are on our honeymoon. Chris setup an e-bike for my wife, picked us up and brought us to the coastal access point of the Great Taste trail. We cycled all day. Chris then picked us up once we’d gone as far as we could go on the trail and brought us back. One of the best experiences ever on a bike from someone that rides nearly every day of the year back in the states. 10 / 10 recommend
An amazing and hassle-free experience from start to finish.Our group of five varied in age from 2 to 70 years old. Before our ride Bernie advised the parts of the great taste trail that could best suit our group which was a huge help as we didn’t want to do the full 60kms and weren’t familiar with the trail.On the day of our ride the weather started off a bit rough so Chris tailored our day even further to account for the bad weather and having met the group and assessing our abilities. He drove us further up the trail to skip the more hilly and exposed parts. We stopped at the Jester House Cafe, where Chris was kind enough to have booked us a table ahead of time.Our family had a wonderful day, enjoyed Chris’s company and made lifelong memories! Thanks so much for an amazing experience! We highly recommend The Gentle Cycling Company!
Great customer service. Very easy to deal with A+++
Nice folks, pretty good bikes, all good.
Bernie and Chris were really helpful and provided a fantastic service
Bernie was so helpful to us on our self guided cycle of the great tast trail last weekend (Nov 3-6th 2023).We hadn’t booked anything through the Gentle Cycle Co but needed a shuttle for 4 of us + bikes from Nelson to Tapawerea as the weather was awful on our first day. Bernie turned up in 10 mins and took us all out to Tapawera in no time at all and was really friendly and informative on the area and trails.She checked in on us via text the next day and then picked us up on the last day and delivered us in time for our flight on Monday midday.We cant recommend Bernie & the Gentle Cycle Company enough, really super helpful & responsive and with all the shuttle equipment and knowledge about the trail, the people and the area!Thanks so much for helping us out Bernie, we’ll be back down for more!
Amazing, very friendly and flexible team who has gone beyond the extra mile to make our cycling experience the best possible.Chris and Bernie and genuine and very experienced people with great quality bikes both electric and push bikes.They also had a good selection of quality kid seats for multiple ages, sizes including trailers etc.Shuttle was on time and entertaining .Thank you Team!! We will be back!
Fantastic company who went above & beyond to ensure we had a great day out cycling. Great communication, super helpful, very friendly & awesome bikes. I highly recommend to anyone looking to hire a bike while in the Nelson region. Thanks so much Bernie & Chris for everything, you guys rock.
Chris and Bernie were so lovely and very helpful and checked in on us during our trip to make sure everything was going well. I’d definitely recommend booking a cycling trip with them!
Chris and Bernie were great hosts so friendly…helping us with planning our cycle tour along the track from Kōhatu through the Spooners tunnel to Tāhunanui Great advice for some good stops bakery and beer 👍They organised everything great bikes ,lights ,detailed maps even gel seats!!Thank you for a great day I would highly recommend this family company
Rented a bike for 2 days. Chris explained all the Interesting areas, the route, explained the ferry timeline on Mapua, major land marks, gave me a couple of paper maps, and and ensured I had everything I needed for the bike ride. He was kind enough to let me ride along with his family to Mapua the next day. The bikes were in excellent condition and have a basket or saddle. I would highly recommend and rent bikes from them again without a second thought.
We just finished the Great Taste Trail and that was an awesome experience. We chose to do the trail carrying our own food and gear (tent, sleeping bags). Bernie told us so many tips along the road, which was very kind. At the end, Chris advised us lots of places to go to carry on our holidays 👍5 stars to the Gentle Cycling company for their warm welcome. Moreover, bicycles are good 😊🚴
Helped me out with a bike at very short notice. Friendly and helpful service. Bike was solid and well equipped.
I highly recommend The Gentle Cycling company! I recently took the “Coastal Classic” trip and worked closely with Bernie, the co-owner, to plan and book everything. Bernie was exceptionally kind and communicative and was willing to tailor the experience to fit my budget and make the most of the experience within the time frame I had. As a young solo female traveler, I really appreciated the lengths Bernie went to to make sure I felt safe and cared for: she checked in at the end of each day to make sure I had reached my destination and thoughtfully picked out my lodging. The accommodation was comfortable and in convenient locations. Also, the bike was comfortable and well-maintained. The points of interest Bernie suggested were also very worthwhile. You can really tell that there is a lot of care put into this family business.
Rented e-bikes off of Chris and Bernie yesterday. From start to finish they could not have been more helpful, super friendly and welcoming. They gave us handy maps, loads of advice on where to go/ what to do and were so so nice. The ride through the trails to the winery was beautiful. Would highly recommend. 🤩🤩
Accommodated some whingey kids to a great family day out, thanks team
die tour war perfekt vorbereitet und geplant, man fühlt sich sicher und sehr persönlich betreut. die unterkünfte sind sehr einfach aber sauber und die tour ist sehr abwächslungsreich.
Great bike hire company. Lisa was really helpful sorting out the right ebikes for us, advice on routes to take and tips on places to visit. My wife and I hadn't cycled for several years but managed a 40K+ trip to Rabbit Island. Thanks Lisa
What a fantastic few days doing the Great Taste Trail. Bernie organised the whole trip and provided us with a great itinerary. She went the extra mile collecting us from the airport and kept in touch each day. We had awesome accommodation in Mapua and Kaiteriteri. 2 of us used e-bikes and 2 standard bikes. Panniers and handle bar bags were provided. The mountain bike track on the last day was so much fun as none of us have done this before. I would highly recommend The Gentle Cycling Company for bike hire and organising Cycling trips.
We had an excellent experience with The Gentle Cycling Company. Bernie and Chris, the owners, went out of their way to help us construct the exact biking itinerary we wanted and were both lovely and friendly and efficient at all times.Our group of three chose to ride from their location in Stoke up to Mapua. We had intended to bike further but we simply enjoyed the ride, stopped too often, and had a leisurely lunch in Mapua. Chris came and picked us up, along with the bikes, and brought us back to our car.The bikes were new, or really close to it, as were the helmets and panniers. We had no issue with any of the equipment.This is truly a family-owned and operated business and it shows in all the best ways. I strongly recommend them if you're planning on biking any part of (or all) of Great Taste Trail in Nelson.
Such a great day. We couldn’t believe how far we cycled as well as managing to cram in a great coffee stop, two wine tastings, loads of photo ops etc. Excellent e bikes and instruction from Chris and Bernie who really take time to make you comfortable with the route etc. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you!
Chris and Bernie were fantastic to deal with super helpful super friendly and provided great support turning up to fix flat tyres doing special pick up and drop off nothing was too much trouble and their recommendations on what to see and where to eat were spot on. If you want to do a supported self guided stress free cycling trip let the Gentle Cycling Co wrap their arms around you!
Great experience cycling and renting bikes! Bernie took great care of us, so helpful providing us with info and maps before we went! Would definitely recommend!
We hired two touring bikes to cycle around Nelson and enjoy some of the craft beer breweries. It was a fantastic experience, the cycleways in Nelson are amazing where you can cycle mainly the entire way off the road.Chris was very helpful getting us setup on our bikes and giving us some tips for the day.The bikes were in excellent condition and well maintained.Would highly recommend.
We had an amazing day! The bikes were great quality. We got a bit lost and Bernie and Chris were so helpful. They went out of their way to get us and even gave us a lift back to our hostel! 10/10 would recommend
I would recommend these guys to anyone thinking of doing the great taste trail or hiring bikes for smaller day trips. Chris & Bernie made our cycle on the great taste trail a breeze! From organising ferry transfers, accommodation and transferring our luggage between accommodation, writing lists of recommended food and leisure stops, to offering extras like gel seat pads and a bike tray to carry our day stuff. They were so friendly and such a pleasure to talk to and quickly responded to any queries.
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Tahuna Holiday Park
70 Beach Road, Tāhunanui
Nelson, New Zealand

Postal address:
59 Beach Road, Tāhunanui
Nelson, New Zealand

Phone: 0800 932 453
International: +64 3 929 5652
Email: info@gentlecycling.co.nz

Google Rating
4.9
Based on 158 reviews
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We are evolving and adapting to minimise our impact on this wonderful planet we call Te Ao / Earth. Choosing to offset 120% of the carbon emitted by our vehicles and electricity consumption, the wonderful people at Ekos are rewilding Mohua, an indigenous forest in Golden Bay. We’re proud to support this and other great initiatives to improve the biodiversity and resilience of our natural habitats.

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