JUST THE TIP: Bikepacking and A Scenic Tease of South Island, New Zealand
What started as “just a ride” turned into something else entirely — a 1,400.3 km solo mission around the top of New Zealand’s South Island. It was equal parts dirt, doubt, awe, and dodgy pies. I didn’t write this to be a how-to. I wrote it because the land, the people, and the head noise that comes with riding alone for nearly a month felt worth sharing. This is for the curious, the gravel nerds, the dreamers, and anyone who’s ever wondered what might happen if you packed light and just started pedalling. Call it bikepacking, call it escape — this is what it looked like for me.
Yeah, well, you also could call it:
26-day experimental food experience by bike
26-day lawless adventure on two wheels
26-day tiny living
…call it what you want, this is it!
A spin-off of New Zealand’s Top of the South (TOTS) Bikepacking Route
Route Overview:
A 1,400.3 km scenic loop around the top of New Zealand’s South Island, tackled counter-clockwise over three weeks. It combines yee-haw singletrack, mountain bike trails, gravel, and road. Expect dense West Coast rainforests, alpine lakes, high-country stations, and dozens of cheeky hills (obviously — it’s NZ).
West Coast: Remote, wet, wild.
East/Central: Big skies, sheep stations, and open plains.
Trails: Everything from technical descents to Sunday cruise gravel.
Roads: Trucks won’t give you space, ride with authority.
You visual-humans will love what I’ve done for you ⬇️
(awww-yeah, am I right?)
Map Legend:
Red lines = Road
Red/white = gravel
Red/white in national parks = Generally single track
And yes, that little rip down the east coast you’re asking about. A lack of judgement? No. Bike-packing to a friends wedding. Check ✅
High on the Old Ghost Road
I didn’t set out on this ride thinking about history — I was chasing some kind of motion, an excuse to eat non-stop and see what happened. But the land speaks when you give it time. Parts of this route cross through Māori whenua (land), areas still deeply connected to iwi — tribal communities that have lived here for centuries. These are more than trails; they’re ancestral highways, once used for trade, food gathering, and spiritual connection. Riding through, you feel it — especially near the West Coast where pounamu (greenstone) was collected and carried inland. And then there’s the Old Ghost Road — a mining trail from the 1880s that never got finished until, over a century later, bikepackers gave it a second life. It’s remote, raw, and honestly, one of the most emotionally charged stretches I’ve ever ridden. I started a few of the many side-quests of the Old Ghost Road and will need to come back for them.
Then there’s Molesworth Station — New Zealand’s biggest sheep station and a place that somehow still feels like the middle of nowhere. You’re riding through vast high-country that once echoed with the sounds of drovers and now hosts the occasional gravel freak like me. Murderers Rock shows up with zero chill — site of an 1866 gold heist and, yeah, actual murder. And if that wasn’t enough time-travel vibes, the Queen Charlotte Track kicks off with a boat ride to Ship Cove — where Captain Cook anchored and made early contact with Māori. The whole ride just folds in layers of human stories, both beautiful and brutal. Turns out, it wasn’t just a bike trip — it was a full-on journey through the guts of the South Island. Much of which I have still barely scraped the surface on.
Keep pedalling, I told myself.
Wow!
Pictured: The serene Queen Charlotte Track
Notable Towns and Destinations:
Hanmer Springs: Known for its natural hot springs and mountain biking. Known by me as my drop point; thanks dad!
Picton: A scenic little port town that most get off the ferry and keep rolling. I had coffee with a stranger I met, literally ran into a friend, and stayed at a cosy hostel (The Villa)
Nelson: A mountain biking mecca with fantastic trails, laid-back vibes, and all the beaches. I was taken in by two locals, lay by their pool, had pizza / wine, and restocked supplies.
Takaka: A hippy happy haven with stunning beaches, creative culture, farmers markets, art, and a climbing Mecca if you’re into hanging off rock walls.
Side-quest:
Woolshed Café, Canaan Downs: At the top of the 15km Takaka Hill. Caffeine, petting zoo, delicious cinnamon buns, & I managed to get lost in a massive picture book. Cosy as fick, bro. Link here.
Harwood’s Hole: NZ deepest vertical rock shaft, 183m
Pōhara: 110 people per km2; warm. safe. sandy. stunning.
Farewell Spit / Wharariki: Headwind from every direction. Beached whales. Rugged and stunning, see pics.
Old Ghost Road: Trip highlight. Nothing less than blown away the entire ride: the history, the dense bush, the incredible cabins, and barely anyone on the track. Tū meke. Link.
Punakaiki River: As my godmother describes it. “Marlon, it’s like landing in Jurassic Park! Rent a kayak, get lost in the bush, and get a whitebait fritter!”
Murderer’s Rock: Across Maungatapu mountain and down into Nelson, NZ. A historical site tied to a 1866 gold heist and murders—rich in history and dramatic landscapes.
Queen Charlotte Track: Busy yet still breath-taking. Boat to Ship Cove, then enjoy beautiful mountain biking along the coastline. Expect to hike-a-bike, get attacked by wekas, and maybe even screamed at by possums if you, like me, forget to stash your scroggin.
Side-quests:
Mistletoe bay: Best. Day. Ever. E-foiled with dolphins, bioluminescence, glow worms, and seeing a great friend.
James Vogel Track:
Molesworth Muster Route: Ride through New Zealand’s largest working sheep station, now managed by the Department of Conservation. Honestly, bored at first I was quickly captivated and my first night I met 13 rafters who fed me tacos, so it was a treat.
Rugged; Kēkerengū, east coast, NZ — Salt. Wind. Wild.
Don’t Miss
Best Fish n Chips: Red Snapper, Christchurch
Best Drink: Big Fizz, Feijoa (There was a contender, I’ve forgotten)
Worst Pie: The $.20 one’s that gave me diarrhea
Best Restaurant: Dante’s, Auckland - Pizza, what else? (Cheers Jakey)
Best Ginger Beer: Bundaburg, shoot - you can’t beat a cult classic.
Best Chocolate: Whittakers - Wellington Roasted Coffee Supreme
Best Swim Spot: Tadmor River - there was something about the adventure to this spot
Best Camp Spot: Knocking on someone’s door with two French bikepackers asking to camp on their lawn. Warm showers, apple trees, bliss.
Wharariki: wind slaps you in the face to say, kia ora: be well, have life.
At this exact point I had rode my biggest day ~100km entirely headwind, in both directions, while trying to call the bank in Canada, met by Markus (a German on a fold-up-bike) with perfect posture, and an incredible attitude. So be it.
Embrace the challenges—your phone may get stolen & you may not have access to money for 7-days. But hell, they’ll give you $.20 pies after 8pm, and most people want to help. In fact people are generally begging for connection.
Route Difficulty:
Technical difficulty: 6
Most Technical Aspects:
Old Ghost Road / Queen Charlotte Track / Maungatapu saddle
Physical demand: 5
Resupply logistics: 4 (plenty of chocky milk & ice cream stops)
If you’re considering riding New Zealand, check out:
FB Group: Bikepacking NZ
Global Bikepacker Community: Warm Showers
My Favourite trail: Old Ghost Road
This took way too long to put out into the world. My excuse is I submitted this to Bikepacking.com & didn’t hear back. I forgive them for not being up with new-age alt-double-exposed-not-really-in-focus film photography.
A niche I’ll keep building on.
Homage to my artsy-er readers. Dub-exposures, luck, and lens lust.
Lastly, I am endlessly grateful for the privilege to explore the world on two wheels — to move freely, sleep under the stars, and pass through lands that carry stories far older than me. It’s not something I take lightly. This kind of access, this kind of freedom — it’s built on generations before me who didn’t get the same chance. I ride with that in mind. Big love to Mum and Dad — for the support, the values, the everything. You rock. Thanks to DOC NZ, NZ Cycle Trails, and everyone along the way. You beauty!
Brush up on your kiwi here and get yourself to NZ to go for a spin.
With a snicker and smirk,
We out,
Marlon 😘
p.s. bonus phone assets below before she was stolen. Can’t wait for my lite phone to arrive anyway. End.
