Tasman's Great Taste Trail

This website was created by Wheelie Fantastic Cycle Tours because we (Nicky & Lisa, the owners) live in the area, are keen cyclists and we want to share with visitors what the cycle trail and the region has to offer.

What is The Great Taste Trail?

The Great Taste Trail is a gateway to exploring and sampling what makes this region extraordinary – great people, great scenery, great weather, great art, great food, great wine, great beer, great coffee and of course, great cycling (on and off the cycle trail). All of these components come together to give you a ‘taste’ of the region. It is one of the Great Rides of New Zealand, of which there are currently 23.

The Trail is not completed yet, but it has many Kms that are finished and for several years now, people have been enjoying multi-day tours using the trail. As locals we are able to quickly design routes as the trail develops, and we never offer routes that we wouldn’t be happy to ride on ourselves.

What is the best way to ride The Great Taste Trail?

Answer: The trail offers such a range of options that there is no one ‘best way’!

The Trail can be ridden over a number of days, typically four to cover the main sections (this will change as the trail develops) – but why just see these (lovely as they are), when there is so much more close by? The Abel Tasman National Park is the obvious addition to a cycle tour. Cycling is not permitted in the park, so a day or more off the bike allows for walking, kayaking, cruising, exploring and relaxing in this spectacular location. As well as the National Park, there are other locations that justify leaving the trail. It is hard to say you would have experienced all that is great about the region if you stay only on the trail. Locations that are a short distance away from the trail are well worth exploring. Upper Moutere and the Mahana areas are such places – but there again we live there so maybe we are a bit biased!

The Trail at a glance

View an insider’s guide to the Trail HERE.

What type of cyclist will enjoy this area?

Answer: Any cyclist – whatever their preferred discipline – can find a day ride or a multi day tour to suit their needs.

Leisure trail cyclists, road cyclists, gravel adventurers, mountain bikers, even super-speedy track cyclists can all expect a great experience in the Nelson Tasman area. That’s why we live here ourselves – being avid cyclists, we enjoy all of this type of cycling ( well maybe not so much of the mountain biking…)

That’s the quick answer. The reality is that the area offers everything from an easy day’s ride on The Great Taste Trail to four or more days with trail, quiet country back roads, gravel roads, local paths.

On the Trail, hybrid bikes prevail and rides are punctuated with stops at local cafés, galleries, breweries, wineries, honesty stalls or just a lovely view. Off the Trail, the countryside can also be explored at leisure and this is where some hidden gems can be found. If you stay entirely on the Trail, you will never get to the oldest pub in New Zealand, or taste wine at some of the region’s best wineries.

As well as the Trail, what other types of cycling

are available?

Road cycling is also popular in this area as there are quiet country roads with low traffic volume. There is a healthy road race scene and the local club has past and present members who are Olympians and pro-cyclists.

Gravel adventures – We are currently enjoying our new gravel bikes and we are finding lots of new routes with a nice mix of road, gravel and cycle trail. Suitable for hybrid, gravel or mountain bikes, nothing technical, just a bit more off the beaten path, but not too far from a coffee!

Track cycling – a lovely new outdoor velodrome has just opened near Richmond.

Mountain biking – Nelson is a world class mountain biking area. Dun Mountain is another ‘Great Ride of New Zealand’. We are not passionate mountain bikers, so we don’t offer advice on that type of cycling, however there are several local mountain bike companies that do.

In general this area offers lots of civilized adventures. There are many great accommodation providers to suit most budgets. Our idea of a great bike trip is to enjoy good (or very good) accommodation and lovely food, so we tend to design itineraries around our customers requests, but with the benchmark of what we would like and expect if someone organised a tour for us.

Wheelie Fantastic Cycle Tours offer a great range of cycling options for tours along The Great Taste Trail and around the beautiful Nelson Tasman Region. Let us show you what our part of New Zealand has to offer – from wineries to galleries, from the coast to the mountains, along the trail, beside the sea or rivers, on quiet back roads and gravel adventures.

CLICK HERE to visit our full selection of
Tours on the Wheelie Fantastic Cycle Tours website.