Check this page on a regular basis as we will add special deals on here whenever we can. Special deals are only available for specific numbers and dates stated
We will use this page as a way of filling up tours and seats in our vans or for larger groups. This will enable us to offer reduced prices as well as minimising our impact upon the environment. More people = more efficiency
You’ll need to call to book most of these deals as pricing and dates are specific and may be withdrawn at any time
Paddle & Pedal Combo
Kayak or SUP paddling and full day bike hire at the great price of *$70
We’ve teamed up with our mates at Paddle Nelson to offer a Paddle and Pedal combo you’ll love!
Collect your bike from Tahuna Holiday Park and ride to the beach for your 1 hour kayak or SUP experience in the tranquil morning sea. You’ll love cruising around the flat water on a stand-up paddle board or kayak.
Bring togs and jump in for a swim if you’re keen! Then shower off at the public showers right next to the beach.
Enjoy a coffee or brunch at Raglan Roast, then continue by bike into Nelson to explore, shop eat and drink. Alternatively, take our beer tour map and have an afternoon of off-road riding to Nelson’s best breweries and bars.
This is great fun for couples, friends and families and at a very competitive combo price. Book now and plan your next adventure!
Rabbit Island Picnic Tour
45km+ flat & easy cycling - Group discount for 5 or more = *$99pp Standard Trail Bike or $149pp E-bike
Take a delightful round trip from our Nelson base to the golden sands of Rabbit Island and enjoy tasty treats at your own pace. Cruising along the coast, you’ll enjoy a flat, easy ride with expansive sea views and boardwalks so you’re up close to the abundant natural delights of the Waimea Inlet.
Turning inland for a short detour to an iconic Nelson café, you can grab a coffee whilst collecting your freshly prepared picnic box, made with fresh food and a drink from the Nelson region. Onwards past orchards and fields, glide over a swing bridge and through farmland before turning on to Rabbit Island.
Explore the expansive beach for a place to eat or enjoy one of the many picnic spots dotted around in wooded clearings. Simply relax, explore or make time to add to the wooden creations and have a refreshing swim. On the way home there may be time for a short detour to a winery, arty establishment or brewery… Happy Days in Nelson Bays!
Fine Taste Tour Series
Part guided tour with fine tastes included along the trail
This new tour has recently been created. Discounted price available for first five bookings saving $50 per person
Whether you’re a local looking to discover hidden gems in your own backyard or a visitor seeking an authentic Kiwi experience, these tours promise a day filled with unforgettable moments and a deeper appreciation for Nelson’s vibrant culture and stunning landscapes. Choose from:
1. Fine Tastes of Waimea Reduced from $295 to *$245pp (min 2)
Your tour will begin with a visit to a local hop farm in the heart of Waimea plains. Cycling alongside ambling rivers, farms and through historic towns, you’ll get to eat and drink local produce including fresh fruit drinks, smoothies and wholesome culinary treats.
Onwards to Nelson and the heart of craft beer brewing. Your tour will end with a refreshing beer tasting, featuring some of the hop varieties you’ve seen along the trail.
Inclusions: E-bike, helmet, map & briefing, transportation, local fruit drink, hop farm tour, lunch voucher, beer tasting, shuttle home.
2. Fine Tastes of Tasman Reduced from $395 to *$345pp (min 2)
You’ll be introduced to an innovative local artist who is proud to share his inspirational story and artistic journey. His creations are truly unique and combine ancient knowledge and modern ideas in a rustic rural setting.
Continue through quaint villages and rolling farmland to the picture perfect Mapua wharf. You will sample diverse New Zealand wines by the coast before boarding a short ferry ride to Rabbit Island and on to Nelson. The tour ends with a beer tasting at a local craft brewery with a great range of delicious beers.
Inclusions: E-bike, helmet, map & briefing, transportation, guided art tour, coffee / fresh fruit ice cream, wine tasting, ferry ticket, local fruit drink, craft beer tasting & shuttle home.
Waka & Wheels Tour
Cultural Waka experience, bike ride to Mapua & shuttle home. This new tour has recently been created. Discounted prices available for first five bookings. Discount of $50 = *$245pp, minimum 4
Early shuttle to Kaiteriteri, 3 hour waka paddle then 40km cycling to Mapua including some hilly sections and flat coastal trails
This full day tour begins with a shuttle along the coast to Kaiteriteri. Enjoy a cultural Waka paddle experience designed for all ages and abilities.
You’ll be immersed in Māori culture, learning about the rich history of some of the seafarers who settled and thrived in this stunning area. You’ll be treated to informative and insightful kōrero (stories & knowledge) in a safe sea-based experience.
Exploring the stunning Abel Tasman National Park, you’ll get a different perspective of its sheltered sandy bays and islands. Seals and penguins breed here, orca and dolphins are seen from time to time.
After you’ve learnt about the tasty history of this area, you can choose to eat right by Kaiteriteri’s golden sands or cycle on the Great Taste Trail to Motueka.
With a diverse range of delicious culinary styles to choose from, this fruity town has something for everybody. Along the trail you can buy local fresh fruit from a farm stall or cool off with a tasty fresh fruit ice cream next to paddocks of berries.
Continue on to picturesque Mapua and its wharf adorned with boutique tasty places to delight the taste buds. A shuttle home from Mapua means that you can celebrate the day’s achievements in the coastal wine bar or craft beer brewery situated right on the wharf.
This cultural and culinary experience creates lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for the region’s rich history, produce and environment.
Spooner's Tunnel Tour
Includes standard trail bike, helmet, map & shuttle to Flat Rock cafe, Kohatu *$100 per person. Own bike *$40pp
*Only available November 15th & December 31st. Call 0800 932 453 to book*
The Spooner’s Tunnel trip is a marvellous day ride which takes you on a downhill adventure through forest, farms and along a meandering river. We will transfer you from our base up into the hills above Nelson to the Flat Rock Café at Kohatu to start the ride. From here it’s a beautiful 50 km off-road trail back to Nelson loosely following the old railway line. The route is very scenic, and you will ride through some of the prettiest rural landscapes in Nelson. The Spooner’s Tunnel is a disused rail tunnel 1.4 km long so good lights are required. The villages of Wakefield and Brightwater both have cafes or make a detour to visit a winery or two. To finish, Eddyline and McCashin’s breweries are both close to our base in Stoke, perfectly located for a celebration drink after a wonderful day touring on two wheels.
'Tuscany of NZ' E-bike wine Tour
Includes E-bike & shuttle back to Nelson, usually $175 per person, group discount of *20% for 5 or more people
Flat coastal cycling for 30km then rolling hills through wineries and orchards for 15km+
Cycle along the glorious coastal section of the Great Taste Trail. Glide along the shoreline, boardwalks and enjoy expansive views of the Waimea inlet on your way to Rabbit Island where your ferry awaits. It’s a short hop over to the waterfront hub of Mapua where you can enjoy art, coffee and tasty treats before heading inland to the fruit laden hills of the Moutere.
Gravity, Heaphy and Neudorf are all historic wineries and perfect places to enjoy fine wine, tasty platters and stunning locations.
You could also choose to peruse a historic settlers cottage, art galleries or a Buddhist temple before enjoying a marvelous meal at New Zealand’s oldest pub, the Moutere Inn, or fine dining at Forsters restaurant at Moutere Hills Winery before your shuttle back to sunny Nelson with a few bottles of your favourite tipple
Great Taste Beer Tour (circuit)
23km flat & easy off-road cycling - *$99 per person for groups of 6 or more
Includes: door to door transport, trail bike & beer/cider tasting at McCashin's Brewery ($50 E-bike upgrade)
Visit some of Nelson’s oldest, newest and best breweries whilst cycling this nice and easy, flat circuit. You’ll hardly work up a sweat whilst riding a few kilometers between each stop; a coastal country pub, McCashin’s Tap Room (the home of Stoke beer & Rochdale Cider), Speights Ale House and the innovative Eddyline craft brewery. With added options including Pic’s Peanut Butter World, the Classic Car Museum, beach / swim / park detour, there’s something for everybody. You will be provided with a beer / cider tasting paddle as part of your tour and be able to watch the beautiful beers being made in the same building whilst you taste and discuss which drink is your favourite
Great Taste Beer Tour (town)
20-30km mostly off-road cycling - *$99per person for groups of 6 or more
Includes: Some on road cycling, collection from town / accommodation, Trail bike and beer tasting at The Free House. E-bike upgrade $50
After collecting you from your accommodation, we’ll kit you out at our base and send you off on your tour which ends in Nelson CBD with a shuttle bus home if required. You may choose to start the day with a visit to Pic’s Peanut Butter World or dive straight into a brewery with a range of seasonal beers (and cider) on tap and in cans if you would like to stock up for another day. You’ll then make your way along the coast to an old British style pub by the sea, where you can enjoy a delicious drink whilst looking out over the coast. From here there’s a variety of places you can visit as you head to your final destination at the iconic pub The Free House, where you’ll be treated to a selection of fresh brews on tap as part of your tour. You may choose to stay for the evening and have a peek inside the working microbrewery, or catch the shuttle to your accommodation when we collect the bikes.
Great Taste Goose Chase
16km+ flat & easy cycling - $65 Standard Trail Bike, E-bike $115
Great fun for small or large groups, download the GooseChase app, get on one of our bikes and get your creative juices flowing whilst completing a series of challenges. The app records your hilarious attempts to innovate and complete the various weird and wonderful challenges so you can keep score and compare with other groups as the day progresses
Family Fun Loop
Standard Trail Bikes, E-bikes, child bikes, kiddie trailer, tag-along bike & child seats available - prices on request depending upon the length of time you require
Follow our easy off-road route and take in coastal views, cafe’s, bars, beach and playground. Take a tour of Pic’s Peanut Butter World (booking required), the Classic Car Museum or compete in a fun family GooseChase game using the app on your phones. There are many options to choose from!
Multi Day Tours
Guided / Unguided
If you are wanting to extend your adventure out for more than a day, check out our unguided and guided multi-day trip packages, that include bike hire (or you can bring your own), accommodation, transfers and more. Our guided multi-day trips on the Great Taste Trail are designed to enable you to ride the trail in a supported group, safe in the knowledge that you will see all the best things along the way.
What our adventurers say
Our tours are perfect for groups too...
Hi Bernie and Chris,
When it comes to customer service and communication l can’t thank you enough for ALL of your support and l can say we had nothing but fun in the sun.
From your preparation and very interactive care factor on day 1 we felt well looked after.
Contacting us daily and ensuring we knew what we were doing came as a blessing because my dad, 78 years old and I’m certainly not the most in shape cyclist, we certainly had a well-rounded, organised and fun filled ride with each other thanks to you and your Team.Memories that will last a lifetime.
Accommodation and scenery on our journey was well and truly past my expectations.We both cannot thank you enough and still talk about how well we were treated.
Bernie, if only l had 30 more staff members of your passion and commitment in my business. Truly inspiring and such a pleasure to have met you.Epic!!! Such a life changing experience to have done this with my father but could not thank you enough for your efforts.Chur/ThanksAaron and Doug
The highlight for the Mt. Pirongia Papier Mache Club’s long weekend in Nelson, was the bike tour. Superbly hosted and organised by The Gentle Cycling Company, we enjoyed the hospitality of the different venues, and the scenery offered by the great bike trails. We give thanks.
We have just finished our 5 day guided Cycle Tour with Chris & Bernie from Gentle Cycling. There were 16 in our Group & we have had the most amazing time with Chris as our guide. Once introduced to Chris & Bernie they never forgot a name & everything was 100% perfect!! Our accommodation was all split up due to the size of our group & we were all thrilled with our accommodation!! We would thoroughly recommend Gentle Cycling!!
