FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK
|
||||
We ride for Fernworth Primary School in Invercargill
Featuring the Ride Holidays Fiordland Classic27 – 30 March 2025 (4 Days / 3 Nights)4 fantastic days in arguably New Zealand's most beautiful region - Fiordland National Park. Riding your bike for a good cause. Buying bikes for a local school in need. During Covid times, we fell in love with what was the Milford Mountain Classic. In our humble opinion - it’s the best ride in the world! The official event is no longer. Let’s organise our own fondo and call it the Ride Holidays Fiordland Classic. We’ll add a few bells and whistles (like donuts) to make it even more special. This is a unique opportunity for you to join a supported ride from Milford Sound to Te Anau. A once in a lifetime opportunity to ride this very special (but hilly) road as it journeys through the UNESCO Fiordland National Park. Ride Holidays will take the hassle out of this short holiday. We've included pretty much everything … transfers, guides, mechanics, meals and, of course, safety. The major difference to the previous MMC is that the Ride Holidays Fiordland Classic will start at 7.30am (rather than 1pm) which means that the road will be very quiet all the way to Te Anau. That requires us to spend the previous night on Milford Sound – Ahh Ok, let’s do that. We’ve booked a boat!! This mini break is 100% a charity venture. Recently, we visited Fernworth Primary School in Invercargill and there is no school in greater need for bikes. They’re building a pump track but very few of the kids own bicycles – it’s our job to fix that. Let’s get these kids riding!! To do that, we need you to ride one of the greatest roads on the planet. See you in Te Anau. |
|
|
|
|
|
Tour Details
|
Tour Inclusions & Highlights
The Tour Price Excludes
|
The Tour Cost
DEPOSITTerms and Conditions Deposit & balance terms and conditions. The initial deposit is $500.00 per person and the balance will be due 90 days prior to departure. We recommend having comprehensive travel insurance. |
|
|
|
|
Tour Itinerary |
Day 1 - Thursday 27 MarchQueenstown to Te AnauWelcome to Queenstown - New Zealand's premier year-round holiday destination. Thank you for booking the Ride Holidays Fiordland Classic trip. If you are arriving in Queenstown prior to the 27th, we recommend the Quest Queenstown which is located near the airport at Remarkables Park. Our staff will be staying there the night prior. It’s also managed by RH clients so very bike friendly. For those arriving today, we suggest you arrive mid-morning. We’ll have multiple midday transfers departing for Te Anau, both from the airport as well as Queenstown downtown. It’s a 2-hour drive to Te Anau. We will stop for coffee and a wee. (ideally you will have already had lunch) The plan is to arrive at about 3pm. That allows us plenty of time to put the bikes together and head out for a short spin this afternoon. Our Te Anau hotel is centrally located. This picturesque town is the main visitor base for the glacier-carved wilderness that is the UNESCO Fiordland National Park and the finish line for Saturday’s RH Fiordland Classic. Tonight, we've picked one of Te Anau's restaurants and it's important we start appropriately. We introduce the team and run through the plan for tomorrow. Fiordland National Park awaits. / Accommodation – Village Inn Te Anau
Ps, Team Mac? Non-riders are very welcome. We will work with you to make sure you have a great weekend. Re: Cycling itinerary - you can opt in or out as much as you like. We can easily organise guided walks or many day trips that this region offers. We are very good friends with a local company – Trips and Tramps. |
Day 2 - Friday 28 MarchMilford SoundIt's about a 2-hour drive (122km to be precise) to Milford Sound. Let’s not get on the bus. We see this as an ideal opportunity to ride your bike rather than drive. So, after breakfast we ride towards Fiordland National Park. Given that tomorrow is a big day, we won’t make you ride the whole way. How about a gentle 70km ride to Knobs Flat where a coffee cart and lunch will be waiting (and possibly the odd sandfly). We’ll then drive the last 50km. Located within 1.2 million hectares of UNESCO World Heritage-listed national park and at the end of the spectacular Milford Road, Milford Sound Piopiotahi is Fiordland’s jewel in the crown. This will be our start line for tomorrow’s RH Fiordland Classic. This afternoon and tonight, we have our very own boat. There’s room for 60 RH whanau. There is no better way to soak up the majesty of Milford Sound than to have your own set of wheels. Flexibility is the key. We’ll cruise, park up and cruise some more. Feel free to jump on the kayaks or go for a swim. The Eighth Wonder of the World will be all ours this evening. Let’s crack open some champagne. We sleep under the watchful eye of Rahotu / Mitre Peak. We were on this boat a couple of years ago and had to put up with pesky dolphins circling our vessel all night. We were also kept awake by the painfully bright stars that make this part of the world famous. I guess we’ll just have to deal with it. / Accommodation – Piopiotahi
|
Day 3 - Saturday 29 MarchRide Holidays Fiordland ClassicWell, today is that day. Very exciting. It is without doubt one of the most scenic bike rides in the world. Can't wait to get back there. We encourage as many of you as possible to ride all the way from Milford Sound to Te Anau - 122km and 1760VM. However, if you prefer not to ride the Milford Mountain then we will run you up to the Homer tunnel and that will leave you 100km and about 900VM. Plan C is for you to ride from Knobs Flat to Te Anau (65km and relatively flat). It is a holiday and there is no pressure … Pick the distance that is right for you. But remember You only live once. Give it a go. Let's talk you through the day. We will be moored reasonably close to where we start riding. It’s literally a case of rolling out of bed, having breakfast, jump on your bike and start riding. (uphill) In previous years, the Milford Mountain Classic didn’t start until 1pm. To avoid traffic, we want to get rolling by 7.30am which will mean that we don’t see any of the Te Anau day-trippers. Our goal is for everyone to be through the tunnel by 9.30am. Here's a pretty good description of what you can expect. The 122km ride starts at sea level and for the first 5km it is not much more than a false flat (climbing about 100m) before the road rises sharply. Over the next 14km you climb constantly to about 900m above sea level followed by a 12km decent to the foot of the Divide. The Divide is about a 200VM climb over 2km. The remaining 85-90km is mainly flat or a gentle decent. Ride Holidays will be at the halfway point with a full selection of fuel, epo and anything else you require. This evening, we've booked a local restaurant. Actually, it is kind of a restaurant. It’s the mighty Moose Tavern and fully part of your Kiwi experience. Big Al looks after us. He’s a local legend. Don’t mess with big Al. We've also employed a professional to put together a short video on today's festival of cycling. We'll play it on the big screen while the RH gang has a few beers or a glass of wine together. / Accommodation – Village Inn Te Anau
|
Day 4 - Sunday 30 MarchOPTIONS, OPTIONS….We are expecting a few of our Australian whanau to join us for this. Some of you may like to stay in Te Anau for an extra couple of days. Here are some options… DOUTBFUL SOUNDCruise across beautiful Lake Manapouri and over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove where you will board our catamaran for a three-hour cruise taking in the dramatic scenery of Doubtful Sound. An exceptional day trip and thoroughly recommended. $380.00 per person. KEPLER WALK AND JET BOATAt 10am we'll be guiding a 5-hour jet boat, 6km walk on the Kepler. It's the perfect opportunity to relax, have a coffee and then tick off something constructive. Approx $300.00 per person. LOCAL CAFÉ RIDEA gentle coffee ride after breakfast down Lake Manapouri. Maximum mileage is 60km. You then have the remainder of the day to rest up. Approx $6.00 for a Flat White. BORLAND ROADFor those wanting another full day of cycling. There is a magnificent gravel ride on offer. The Lake Monowai and Borland Road area offers access into a different and very handsome part of Fiordland National Park. Yes, you’ll need a gravel bike or MTB which we’ll hire for you. It’s a full day trip. We ride one way and return via 4X4. You will climb about 1000m but the views are spectacular. The riding is challenging but not technical (it is a gravel road but a steep, rocky one) Including bike hire, guides, and lunch transport the cost will be approx. $450.00 per person. (plus an extra night in Te Anau) HOME JAMES?After breakfast, we'll take you back to Queenstown Airport. Feel free to stay for a few nights. We’ll drop you off wherever you need to be. For those booking flights, please make the departure time no earlier than 2pm. Lastly – thank you. Remember that this whole project is to get kids riding bikes. We’ll keep you posted with photos of Fernworth Primary School when the pump track is up and running. Kids laughing, doing skids, pulling wheelies. Because of you. Safe travels home, Karl & the RH team |
|
|
|
|