About this tour
Ride from Queenstown to Auckland and cross the Southern Alps via Haast Pass and Lewis Pass. Discover the wild West Coast, explore volcanic peaks and lakes of the Central Plateau, and soak in the serene beauty of the Marlborough Sounds.
New Dates for Nov 2026 and Jan 2027 are now available! Now is the perfect time to secure your next adventure.
Our 10-Day Twin Island Discovery Tour begins in Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, and finishes in Auckland, the iconic City of Sails. Over 10 incredible days, you’ll ride some of the country’s best motorcycling roads while experiencing the dramatic landscapes of both islands.
In the South Island, enjoy the wild beauty of the rugged West Coast and the thrill of riding over Haast Pass and Lewis Pass. Crossing the Marlborough Sounds, we head north into the North Island, where volcanic peaks, alpine plateaus, and sparkling lakes await. Ride through the dramatic landscapes of Tongariro National Park and alongside the vast waters of Lake Taupo before continuing your journey north.
Each night, unwind in carefully selected hotels where comfort meets character, enjoy warm Kiwi hospitality, and savour delicious Pacific Rim cuisine. This is the perfect blend of exhilarating riding, breathtaking scenery, and first-class relaxation.
🏍️ Daily riding distance: 250–350 km
🛣️ Roads: 100% sealed for smooth, confidence-inspiring riding
Travelling with a non-riding partner? No problem. Our support vehicle offers a comfortable alternative, so they can still be part of the experience — just select the pillion option when booking and let us know what suits.
If you're a local rider and keen to "Bring your own Bike" or you want a self-guided option, no problem, drop us a line at hello@openroad.nz.
We can also arrange accommodation before or after your tour. Just let us know.
Included in your tour
- 10 Nights in in superb four-star quality hotels or comfortable mountain lodges
- All breakfasts to kickstart your day
- 9 Delicious Gourmet Group Dinners (excluding your rest day in Napier)
- Your choice of Motorcycle from our fleet of modern well maintained machines with top box
- 2 Experienced local guides to show you the way
- Support van for luggage, souvenir purchases, one or two passengers & backup motorcycle
- Inter-Island Ferry Crossing
- Comprehensive motor vehicle insurance
- Airport/hotel transfers pre/post tour
- Tour Map
- Puncture repair kit included (tyre replacement is not)
- All roads tried and tested by the team
Highlights
- Lake Taupo, Huka Falls
- Art Deco Napier, Gentle Annie Range Rd
- Marlborough Sounds
- Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
- Buller Gorge & West Coast wilderness Haast Pass, Lake Wanaka
- Crown Range Rd
- Lewis Pass & Hanmer Springs
- Tongariro National Park & Desert Rd
Not included
- Air tickets, personal travel insurance, lunches, drinks, dinner on 1 rest day, fuel & personal spending not stated above
Day by day
Where each day takes you. Open a day for the roads, the stops and its map.
Day 1 of 10
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand. Today is about settling in and getting ready for the journey ahead. Spend time exploring Queenstown or relaxing after your travels. In the afternoon we will meet up to get you familiar with your bike and introduce you to your fellow riders, followed by a relaxed welcome dinner overlooking the harbour.
Queenstown to Franz Josef
Today marks the start of our journey north, and this morning we start our day with an exhilarating ride along the spectacular Crown Range, NZ’s highest sealed road, offering tight corners and wide views across Central Otago. The ride past Lakes Wānaka and Hāwea flows beautifully before we cross Haast Pass into rainforest and glacier country. The contrast between dry inland landscapes and lush coastal forest is striking. Tonight we stay in Franz Josef in the heart of Glacier Country.
Franz Josef to Punakaiki
We follow the West Coast north with the Tasman Sea on one side and the Southern Alps on the other. The road delivers smooth coastal sweepers, river crossings and changing light as clouds drift in from the sea. It's a beautiful ride through small coastal towns, rich in gold mining & greenstone history. At Punakaiki, the Pancake Rocks and blowholes showcase the power of the ocean against limestone cliffs.
Punakaiki to Maruia Springs
Today's adventure takes us from the untamed beauty of the West Coast and leads us deep inland, crossing the majestic Southern Alps once more - this time via the Lewis Pass. The road winds through beech forest and alongside clear mountain rivers, with cooler temperatures and alpine views along the way. At Maruia Springs, natural hot pools provide the perfect way to unwind after a rewarding mountain ride.
Maruia Springs to Blenheim
We descend from the mountains toward the coast and ride north along the Kaikōura shoreline. The road hugs the cliffs above the ocean, passing seal colonies resting on the rocks below. Marlborough’s vineyards signal our arrival into one of New Zealand’s premier wine regions.
Blenheim to Martinborough
Another scenic ferry crossing takes us back through the Marlborough Sounds to the North Island. From Wellington, we climb and descend the Rimutaka Range once more before reaching Martinborough. Vineyards and quiet country roads surround this small wine village.
A relaxed day to explore the Wairarapa. Options include a 4WD journey to Cape Palliser and the fishing village of Ngawi or wine tasting at nearby vineyards. The mix of rugged coastline and refined wine country makes this region surprisingly diverse.
Rest Day in Napier
Today we leave the vineyards of Martinborough behind & make our way towards another great wine growing area - the Hawkes Bay. We ride north today through rolling farmland and native forest along back country roads to the Art Deco town of Napier. Napier’s Art Deco buildings and wide streets reflect its rebuilding after the 1931 earthquake and give the town a unique character. Our hotel tonight is a wonderful example of this and you'll love the luxury & old world styling.
Napier to Taupo
Today combines two standout North Island roads: the flowing bends of the Gentle Annie across the Ruahine Ranges and the wide open Desert Road beneath Mt Ruapehu. Long sightlines, volcanic scenery and big skies make this a day that feels distinctly different from anywhere else on the tour.
Lake Taupo to Auckland
Today maybe our last day on the road together but it doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun. Our ride back to Auckland - the City of Sails, will take us back through the rolling Waikato countryside. Riding the back roads we can enjoy the lack of traffic & the verdant landscape. Arriving back in the city this afternoon we’ll have our last group meal together and relive our action packed journey around NZ.
Photos from this tour
Taken on the road by us and by riders on this route.
Departure dates
Sending a booking request is free. We confirm your dates and bikes before any deposit.
- 25 Nov – 4 Dec 2026Few left10 days · from NZ$14,080Book 10 Day Twin Island Discovery, 25 Nov – 4 Dec 2026
- 26 Jan – 4 Feb 2027Few left10 days · from NZ$14,080Book 10 Day Twin Island Discovery, 26 Jan – 4 Feb 2027
What riders say about this tour
5.0 average from 3 reviews
“From booking to riding, to the hotels and the food, Open Road Motorcycle Tours NZ knocked it out of the park. Lance and Sally run a great operation. The ride was fantastic and was over all to soon! Highly recommend if you're considering a ride in NZ to choose this outfit!”
Michael · USA “My wife & I have just returned from a great 10 day ride with Open Road in NZ. It was from Queenstown to Auckland. I have done 5 tours in Europe & this was the best. Great routes, exceptional service from Sally & Lance and, their best kept secret, fabulous hotels and dinners - included. See pic for the one in Martinborough. Beautifully restored hotel with a "one hat" restaurant. Can highly recommend this family company. Stef & Tony James, Sydney, Australia.”
Stef & Tony · Aus “If you're trying to decide on a motorcycle tour (either guided or self guided) and have found this review, do yourself a favor and send Lance and Sally at Open Road NZ an email asking if they have any availability on one of their fantastic tours across New Zealand. You wont regret it! Imagine spending 3-5 hours a day riding a motorcycle across open highways, stopping to take in the sights and the ice cream or cappuccinos that seems to appear at every stop. Lance guides you across NZ with the riders following and your luggage and spare bikes follow after in the Open Road Van and trailer driven by Sally. You find a small village and stop for lunch, walk around a bit and finish off with an ice cream or coffee again. Back on the bikes, you continue the journey until you reach your hotel for the evening. Sally arrives with the van and your luggage, so you can pretend to be a civilized non biker for dinner ( yea right...). You get a text with a time to meet for happy hour and when and where to meet for dinner. After a long day of riding a well maintained motorcycle across open and fun roads, you get to your hotel ready to eat and drink. The hosts, Lance and Sally do the hard part of finding incredible hidden gems and ordering dishes for dinner that are shared, making it so much easier to relax and not worry about where or what to eat when you're exhausted. They find really neat hotels to stay in; we stayed in an old bank vault one night, next to a glacier in a rainforest hotel, and on the beach where you can watch your motorcycle with the waves in the background. The bikes provided are in fantastic shape, spotless fairings and well maintained engines, chains, oil etc. The tires had fantastic traction and had me feeling totally comfortable when the rain picked. Being short, my greatest fear occurred and I dropped my bike and was pleasantly surprised at how cheap the charge for the repair was, far cheaper than anything I could imagine. Everyone was very supportive in making sure I didnt feel too bad about it. Ages ranged from 30s-70s, and experience ranging from a few years to decades. I would recommend having familiarity with twisty roads and feel somewhat comfortable riding when it's wet out so you can really enjoy the ride regardless of the conditions you encounter. If you havent started an email to Lance and Sally yet, you should probably start now and begin planning your vacation to New Zealand. (I receive nothing for this review other than knowing that I may have helped sway someone to take their most incredible vacation yet.)”
Gabrielle · USA
Rather ride it on your own dates?
We can set this route up self-guided. You choose the dates and the pace; we book the beds, pre-load the route and stay on the phone around the clock.
Looked after off the bike too
We take you to corners of New Zealand most visitors drive past, and the evenings are part of the tour: hotels we choose ourselves, Pacific Rim cooking and good local wine and beer to go with it.
Questions before you book?
Seat heights, pillions, which island in February. Write to us, call, or send a WhatsApp and we'll get back to you.
Thanks,
Lance & Sally
Open Road Motorcycle Tours