otago central rail trail

A group of friends biked the Rail Trail we had four nights and five days our ages ranged from 55 to 67 five days was too long the last days from Ranfurly to Middlemarch could have been biked in one day as the Hyde to Middlemarch leg is mostly down hill our bookings were done with Sandy from Trail Journeys I hired a bike through them and it was a great bike. Sandy did a great job of booking our accommodation we stayed in BB and two of them had spas which was great at the end of a day biking. The weather was mixed with hot days and rain. This is a great trip for people of all ages I thoroughly recommend this trip.

Would highly recommend the railtrail experience....our 5 family members had a great time. Couldnt fault the planning and support from Noel.....from 'Otago Railtrail Planner'. Will definitely do it again.....

Our family of three cycled the Otago Central Rail Trail over four days at the end of December 2014. It was a fantastic experience, challenging at times for our ten year old son and myself, but so rewarding and a huge sense of achievement at the end of it. It was incredibly hot some days (over 38 degrees) but there are fantastic little country cafes and pubs to stop at for breaks. We used SheBikesHeBikes to organise everything for us, and they were absolutely outstanding! The detailed information they gave us on all the places to stop, fill water bottles, go to the toilet etc was incredibly useful and we could easily have been caught short without this, as some days there are long stretches without shops/cafes etc.We highly recommend this experience and SheBikesHeBikes made it so easy!!!

We spent four days biking the Otago Central Rail Trail and loved every minute. SheBikesHeBikes coordinated our trip tending to each detail with unbelievable care and precision - it was fantastic! It is a fairly easy ride for anyone who has spent any time at all on a bike. The trail rolls through beautiful farmland, fabulous old train tunnels, past rivers you can swim in, and in and out of so many small towns where the trains used to stop. And best of all it would be pretty tough to get lost since you are following the rail trail! This let us just relax, pedal and take in the scenery. Each days itinerary left us with plenty of time to stop along the way to explore historical sites, towns, etc. All along the way we met incredibly friendly people - from the restaurants and cafés to the places we stayed we couldn't have felt more welcome and they are all REALLY supportive of rail trail riders who are giving the economy a boost in these small towns and rural areas. We also enjoyed meeting other riders at various stops along our journey from Canada, Australia, the US and beyond.The best advice I can give you is this:1. Book your trip through shebikeshebikes;2. Follow their advice to spend four days on the trail;3. Follow their advice on where to stay - I asked them to set up the itinerary as though they were doing it for themselves since they know all the options. Best thing ever! Each place we stayed was beautiful, unique, cozy, impeccably clean and offered every little amenity we could have asked for (including farm fresh eggs right out of the nest at one of them so we could cook up our own "brekky" in the morning).If anyone offers you the chance to stay at either "The Church Mouse" or "The Bakery" do it!!

Our family for four (two kids 12 and 13 years) rode two days of the rail trail and really enjoyed our experience. We were well looked after by shebikeshebikes and the comfort bikes we were given where in great condition. The trail is pretty rough with the large gravel so we did appreciate the comfort bikes.

The prospect of heading off on a 152km cycle trip over four days, in the knowledge that the first 2 days would require you to push those pedals and climb a 618m summit is more than a little daunting for we non-Tour de France riders. But that’s what Anne and I, and our very close friends, Mary-Ann and Lawrence did, and our smiles could not be broader.The Otago Rail Trail has not disappointed us, in part due to the wonderful organisation and communication with Sandra and the team at Trail Journeys, based at the start of the trail in Clyde, and also in part to our own preparation. Trail Journeys sorted all the logistics, from collecting us in Queenstown, providing our bikes, booking our accommodation and moving our luggage each day. All that was left for us was push the pedals and enjoy the experience.Day one saw us cover 37km and climb 294m from Clyde to Omakau, and it was during day one that we enjoyed some of the juiciest, reddest strawberries I’ve ever tasted. We weren’t too far from Galloway when we spotted Berry Station, a small road side fruit stand, containing nothing but a cooler box stacked with punnets of fresh plump strawberries and an honesty box for us to deposit our payment of $5. I love that about travelling in the country. They give you trust and respect with the expectation that you will return them and others the favour.10km’s past Galloway was Chatto Creek, and it was here, in the pub’s back paddock, where we met Henry and Honkey, the gluten free donkeys. As a coeliac, I never expected to share the trail with a pair of gluten free donkeys. In fact, I never realised that animals suffered the same affliction.Arriving at Tiger Hill Lodge, our spacious and immaculate B&B accommodation for the evening in Omakau, was a welcome relief. We’d had a long day in the saddle and very little sleep the night before. To arrive at your accommodation and have your bags waiting at the door, a king size bedroom with ensuite, an open fire ready to light and a pre-heated spa was a thrill! It took us no time at all to be rid of the clothes, into our swimmers and enjoying the 38.5 degree temperature and jets of the spa. Not a bad finish to day one.Day two was 6 February and New Zealand’s Waitangi Day. The day celebrates the signing of the treaty of Waitangi in 1840 (175 year ago), New Zealand’s founding document. The treaty made New Zealand part of the British Empire, guaranteed Maori’s rights to their land, and gave them the rights of British subjects.The day saw us wake to summer snow, with a beautiful dusting across the peaks of the surrounding mountains. Who’d have thought that we would experience snow in February? I was thankful for the open fire still burning. Ahead of us lay a 43.5km ride through to Wedderburn, with a climb to the summit of the Otago Rail Trail, a height of 618m above sea level. It was on with the warm layers of clothing, and out into the elements, and although extremely chilly outside, at least the morning was dry.A Ukulele Festival was the furthest thing from my mind, but as we were finishing our morning latte in Lauder, the unforgettable sound of a ukulele and country singing drew us to a tented field across the road. Although it was just a sound check, Lauder’s Ukulele Festival was starting to attract a crowd, The main event was not due to kick off for another hour, but we enjoyed the surprise of local music, and the community spirit it exuded.A further 10km along the road was the Poolburn Gorge Tunnels, and it was here we met “Men-Oh-Pause”, a group of amazing women doing extraordinary things. Amongst their number was a team travelling on a tandem – a bicycle built for two. The lady on the rear seat dismounted the bike in a rather awkward manner and struggled to climb the stairs to the look-out, but she smiled and persevered. After speaking with them, we discovered that this woman had suffered a severe stoke seven years ago and had to re-learn to walk and talk. Her obvious joy in being on the Otago Rail Trail, on a bike, and sharing the experience with a very special group of caring friends was a privilege to witness……WOW.Not far beyond the tunnels, we pedalled our cycles through the Ida Valley, and on to Oturehua Pub for lunch, resting in front of an open fire, sharing the lounge with Buck, the resident cat, and a young German backpacking couple. We all took turns to sit in front of the fire to thaw ourselves out.The afternoon saw us conquer the 618m summit, and glide down the hill to Wedderburn Cottages, for another very welcome overnight stay. Before pulling the blinds on day two, we enjoyed a very hearty meal at the Local pub – I chose the Big Southern Roast Hogget, washed down with a delightful Otago Central Trail Rider Pinot Noir.You can see more at our blog www.notforgotten.tv

We and our friends decided we wanted to cycle the Otago rail trail in style. We weren’t sure whether that was possible but Grant at Central Otago First Class assured us it was. None of us had been on a bike for years so comfortable bikes were essential and we wanted to stay in accommodation with big beds, great breakfasts and friendly hosts. We got it all! We also had a personalised itinerary which gave us all the information we wanted as we cycled along the trail. The landscape in Central Otago is unique and there is so much to do and see each day. Central Otago First Class organised everything from our transfer through to Clyde from Queenstown, what was needed on the rail trail and then our train ride to Dunedin from Middlemarch. We got everything that we were promised especially the luxury!

We were a group of 3 couples who were all fairly competitive so we made our own fun on the trail. It's not an easy ride for occaisional cyclists as there are plenty of uphill sections. Whilst the hills were not steep they were relentless. It's hard riding on the stony surface but nevertheless enjoyable. The scenery is lovely but mostly the same during the whole trail. The whole setup is good with good accommodation and places to eat. We organized our trip through Shebikeshebikes who were great to deal with.

This trail is a great idea in theory but to be honest I don't really recommend it. The trail is quiet rough and frankly often boring. It is exposed with little tree coverage and the scenery can be quite barren. There is long distances between towns and places of interest.

I did the rail trail with shebikeshebikes. They are very well organized, have good bikes, friendly and helpful stuff and a lot of service and information to offer!The Railtrail has a nice scenery and a lot of informational sights about the history, but don't expect mountain biking, it's easy tour biking.

I biked the rail trail this February using Off The Rails (see separate review). I throughly enjoyed the experience. We started at Clyde and biked to Middlemarch over a period of 3 1/2 days. Between Clyde & Ranfurly there is a couple of long climbs (at a gentle gradient). Between Ranfurly & Middlemarch is mainly downhill easy riding. I believe all the organised tour operators start at Clyde, as it's slightly easier going in that direction because of the prevailing winds & slopes. On the whole the scenery is great and there's a few historic places of interest to stop (not a lot though). On the down side there is a few very long dead straight sections that rather boring. The other thing to prepared for is the weather. This is high country Otago and the weather can vary to either extreme. When i did it there was a cold southerly snap (luckily no rain !) for half the time & about 30 deg on the last day. The temperature can get up to 35 deg, so make sure you have water & drink often. Don't let people kid you this is a easy ride and you don't need to be at all fit. There were people in our party that were unfit and hadn't been on a bike since they were kids and they really struggled, especially through to Ranfurly. I recommend that you put a bit of training in (if you haven't done any exercise for a while) and you'll enjoy the experience so much more.

Have done the Otago Rail Trail in full twice now and parts of it (day rides) on four occasions . Never tire of this ride. Great for all experience and fitness levels. The social atmosphere and the infrastructure (accom & food) set up round the trail fantastic. Would thoroughly recommend to those wanting a unique outdoor experience. Easy three days for the fit - spread over four days for others.

We loved the ride - through beautiful country and lovely old towns. We started in Omakau and rode 42km the first day and stopped at Ida Valley Farm Stay at Wedderburn (a great, comfortable house right on the track) Although I thought 42km would be reasonably easy to ride, we found it to be too long for us and a bit tough going. The path is pretty rocky (not as smooth as I had thought it would be) and the uphill stretch from Ida Valley to Wedderburn was really hard. We enjoyed morning tea at Lauder Stationside Cafe (fantastic cafe) and lunch at Ida Valley Kitchen (highly recommended) The next day we only rode 20km to Ranfurly which was is a lovely old town well worth a few hours visit. If you are like us and not expert bike riders, I would urge you to still do this ride - but only do a day trip. Starting from Omakau and finishing at Ida Valley (which is about 30km) is still going to test you, but the scenery is wonderful and you will get to see the lovely train tunnels and bridges along this route. You will also have some nice places to stop for morning tea and lunch and you will miss out on the long uphill stretch from Ida Valley to Wedderburn.

We did the Otago Rail Trail in November 2014 and Shebikeshebikes organised the holiday for us - bike rental, information on the trail, organising accommodation and bag transfers each day between hotels. Definitely well worth it! It was fantastic to just sit back on our bikes and enjoy the trail and not worry about where to stay or what to do if anything went wrong. The support from Shebikeshebikes was great and allowed us to really enjoy our time. Thanks, Shebikeshebikes!

Fantastic. We rode January and had hot sunny days but was ok as riding you don't feel the heat.We did the cycle ride over 4 days which was pretty easy for me and Tiger hill is nothing but a gentle slope. I'm 61yrs but do ride about 20ks every 2 or 3 days. My husband 69yrs with a sore knee found it a bit harder but he did the whole trail. We started with the Clutha River Cruise well worth it and the guide was very informative about the gold miniing and we even walked in the hills and he took good care of a person in our group with a walking stick and someone with a back problem. The screnery was summertime picturest. Accommodation and meals booked through railtrail.co.nz was excellent and everyone is so so friendly and helpful. Rail Trail took good care of delivering our luggage to our next stop and also arranged shuttles at beginning and end of ride. Our hired bikes (comfort bikes) from Cycle Surgery Bike Hire were top notch. Easy gear change, comffy seats (though we also had our own sheepskin covers as well - they good) and upright handlebars. Rail Trail made our trip hassle free. Many thank you's to Rail Trail.co.nz. Also when I thought about booking this trip in November (which was late for booking in Januray) with NZ Rail Trail it was all booked and finalised within a week. Excellent service all round.