A2O has always been a bucket-list item for me so when the Easter/Anzac Day public holidays came up & Melody Guo was planning her trip, I managed to convince (coerce?) 4 other BN-ers to tackle the famous off-road track with me.
In April the weather was fickle, but for the most part we avoided any heavy rain & wind and immersed ourselves in the wild beauty of the South Island, and the hospitality of our Kiwi neighbours.
Starting at Mount Cook/Aoraki with a helicopter ride over the Tasman River, Day 1 saw us cycle 75km through national park and farmlands, along a gravel trail alongside Lake Pukaki. It was a 360-degree views of snow-covered alps and glacial-blue lakes. Overcast skies added to the dramatic grand vistas and it was not hard to feel Hobbit-sized in this Lord of the Rings area.
A must-try was the local smoked salmon which was a few km's from the end of our day in Twizel.
The rain came that night but after a sleep-in and hearty brunch at The Musterers Hut, the rain abated, and Day 2 was a relatively short 35km to Lake Oahu Lodge. Originally a ski lodge on the lakeshore, it now welcomes cyclists and hikers in the off-season. No reception, no problem -we happily consumed a delicious 3-course meal after our soak in the hot tub.
The next day was the 300m climb to Tarnbrae High Point (elev. 900m), with Lake Oahu on our left, and Ben Oahu (the mountain) on our right and the Mackenzie Basin stretched out in front of us, partly obscured by misty rain and low clouds. Climbing through the lower slopes, crossing tumbling streams, and then crisscrossing the grassy lower slopes of the mountain range was challenging but not too hard due to the tough e-mountain bikes we had hired.
The descent to historic Quailburn Woolshed was exhilarating but the cold had set in (tops of 9 degrees!) and only one intrepid cyclist from our group, Trevor, took the 14km detour to view the Clay Cliffs near the end of the ride. That evening, we were very thankful to rest and relax in Omarama, where we had booked a soak in unique wood-fired hot tubs.
It is hard to pick, but 68km Day4 was probably the most scenic IMO. We followed the State Hwy for about 10km to Sailors Cutting, where the recently built track follows the twists and turns of Lake Benmore and the confluence of the Ahuriri and Waitaki Rivers to the massive Benmore Dam. This single track has been cut out of the slopes of untouched lands, opening
to magnificent lookouts over plunging grades and still waters below. Today we saw not one but three dams (Aviemore and Waitaki being the other 2) - all part of hydroelectric power network of the area. Quirky Kurow Motels was our stop for the night with its a rt deco pink flamingos, and a short walk to our organised dinner at Feliz & Sage Cafe (highly recommended).
Next, a short 30km day from Kurow to Duntroon, past wineries and following the expanding Waitaki River on its way to the sea. A brief stop at the Maori rock painting, a couple of creek crossings, and a meander through the wetlands before we arrived at The Holy Oaks accommodation, a cosy converted church hall with 4 rooms, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen, living room and a very welcome fireplace.
Our last cycling day was 54 km with 2 climbs of 150m and 100m. The sun finally came out as we were cycling through rolling dairy farmland. Here the landscape was moulded by limestone cliffs and formations - one called Elephant Rocks was like coming upon a herd of grey pachyderms frozen in time. We detoured around so that we were able to cycle through Rakis Railway Tunnel, part of a Victorian-era disused line, before rolling into Oamaru, our own end of the line and the waves of the South Pacific Ocean.
We organised our trip through Cycle Journeys but there are many other companies ranging from budget to luxury. Cycle Journeys provided the bikes & helmets, and organised our accommodation plus transported our bags between each stay. You could certainly bikepack A2O and organise your own lodgings as well. The trail is well sign-posted and there is mobile reception along most of the route.
More information can be found at the official A2O website: https://www.alps2ocean.com/