New Zealand Bike Tour Reviews — 1 to 2 of 2

Overall, the tour was very pleasant, enjoyable, and I would recommend it. However, there are several aspects that could be improved to provide a more satisfying experience.

Communication regarding the difficulty of the tour:
The information provided by both the agency and the guide about the level of difficulty was insufficient and unclear. This led to some confusion and could have been handled better with a more detailed and accurate explanation.

Accommodations:
Some of the accommodations were too basic, particularly the bathrooms. Improving this aspect would make a big difference in the overall comfort of the trip.

Meals – Picnics:
While the picnics were well organized, certain details affected the overall quality—for example, the use of packaged and ultra-processed salad dressings instead of healthier and tastier options like good olive oil. The bread and coffee were also of poor quality, which detracted from the dining experience.

Conclusion:
By addressing these details—especially communication, accommodation quality, and food—the experience could be significantly enhanced. These are small but meaningful improvements that would have a great impact on customer satisfaction.

This trip and the tour guides exceeded all expectations! First, we never realized that "Alps 2 Ocean" is an actual designated trail with signs and directional markings at every turn. No need to worry about getting lost on this trail. The scenery is absolutely stunning, starting from the very beginning at the base of Mt. Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain. Our tour guide Lewis picked up our group in Christchurch and made the five-hour drive to the start of the ride. The only communication issue was Tripsite said we had to be picked up in Christchurch. During the drive, our guide said they could have picked us up in Queenstown, which would have left only a two-hour drive to the start. We had flown the previous day from Queenstown to Christchurch just to be picked up. Mark, the new owner of the tour company, will remedy this with Tripsite. Mark was with us the first two days and drove us back to the Christchurch airport after the completion of the trip. Super nice guy. This was only the second group since he purchased the Cycle Adventures company and it is obvious he is focused on making it an amazing customer experience for all. Lewis, was with us all week. Cannot praise him enough. First, he is just a wonderful and personable human being. Very funny and supportive and made everyone feel at ease with his description of each section of the route. Second, each afternoon he checked the bike to make sure they were tuned up and ready for the next day. Third, he is a gourmet chef. Every day, he would prepare the most amazing salads and lunches for us along the route. He always found breathtaking lunch and coffee stops that just continued the feeling that we were on vacation in a magical location. Lewis is a rockstar.
Accommodations were very special. The first night at Braemer Station had the most amazing views of the entire trip. It felt like we were in the Sound of Music. Every location was super clean, and the owners were so delightful and customer service focused. I never realized how good the food is in New Zealand. Thank goodness we were riding each day because we certainly ate well. Bottom-line, it was the trip of a lifetime and it exceeded every expection. Highly recommend.