Heartland Rides

Stretching between the small west coast towns of Rawene and Dargaville, this touring route offers a chance to delve into the rich human and natural history of Northland’s ‘kauri coast’.

This journey from Dargaville to central Auckland includes a boat trip across the beautiful Kaipara Harbour, pretty Helensville village and a gentle cruise through pretty countryside.

The highly memorable Forgotten World Highway is a classic New Zealand road trip between Taumarunui, on the Central Plateau, and coastal New Plymouth city in the shadow of mighty Mt Taranaki.

Go off-the-beaten track through the heart of rural Manawatu. See soaring mudstone cliffs, leafy reserves, heritage sites and other surprises, and enjoy local hospitality in peaceful settlements.

Winding through pretty hill country, this is a pleasant cycle link from the Motu Trails in the Eastern Bay of Plenty through to Gisborne.

Linking the town of Cambridge with the Waikato River Trail, this route includes a section of another popular local cycleway, Te Awa River Ride.

A challenging journey across remote hills between the central North Island and the East Coast, this ride's sights include high country sheep stations, rugged river valleys, and vineyards.

This connector ride links Taumarunui with the Kaiwhakauka Track section of the Mountains to Sea Cyle Trail via a series of quiet country roads.

Known as the 'OTT", this route ranges from quiet backroads and busy highway to link the Mountain to Sea Cycle Trail in the Ruapehu region and the Gentle Annie Heartland Ride starting in Taihape.

This route between Waipukurau and Masterton passes through a series of small, country towns dotted across rolling farm country.

Connecting to Route 52 and heading south through the Wairarapa, this is a challenging ride over the Tararaua Ranges with some pretty big views along the way.

Undulating through hilly farming country, this quiet backroad is a useful link between the southern end of the Timber Trail and the trail’s main service town, Taumarunui.

Following backroads between Masterton and the junction with the Remutaka Cycle Trail, this ride serves up grand Wairarapa views, world-class wineries and charming country towns.

Often high and winding, this view-filled road links Picton and Havelock – the twin towns of the magnificent Marlborough Sounds.

This surprising and unforgettable journey from Blenheim to Hanmer Springs passes through the largest and most remote working farm in New Zealand.

Following the original stock route between Marlborough and Canterbury, this richly rewarding adventure boasts craggy mountains, beech forest, open tussock lands plus backcountry camping and huts.

This scenic touring route between Kaikoura and Christchurch takes in a diverse range of landscapes – from the rocky Pacific Coast to mountain ranges, tussock lands, pastoral farms and wine country.

This trail links Nelson Lakes National Park with the Tasman’s Great Taste Trail at the inland town of Wakefield.

This short road ride provides an easy and reasonably scenic link between Westport, the Old Ghost Road and the even more epic Roundabout loop.

This combines the aptly named Charming Creek with the not very short ‘Denniston Shortcut’ to form what the legendary Kennett Brothers call ‘one of the best multi-day loops on the planet’.

The stupendous scenery just keeps coming on this major road-touring route along the South Island’s West Coast.