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Remutaka Rail Trail: Mountain Bike Journey Through Historic & Natural Beauty
4.8
22 Ratings
Wellington
Embark on a thrilling mountain biking adventure through the historic Remutaka Ranges. Explore rich rail history and immerse in natural beauty on this epic day trip suitable for all rider levels.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Wellington - We’ll pick you up at either 9.15am from Wellington Port (cruise ship guests only) or 9.30am from Wellington Station (main entrance) and shuttle you to the start of the trail at either Maymorn or Kaitoke (your choice)
- Maymorn - Optional start point for the 25-35km, slightly more challenging ride
- Remutaka Rail Trail - Kaitoke - Start point for the 18/28km ride, recommended for those less confident or wanting to cruise and take their time. On the trail, you’ll start by cycling through the native bird-filled Pakuratahi Forest. Follow an old railway line over bridges and through tunnels, while pausing, if you like, to check out information stations detailing the enormous task of constructing the “Fell” railway system - a first for New Zealand at the time, and one of only a few around the world. Once you reach the summit, you will stop for a picnic lunch on a large grassy plateau next to the remnants of a historic station. After lunch, enjoy an exhilarating (but easily controllable!) descent to Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, with views of some of New Zealand’s stunning farming heartland.
- Wairarapa - We’ll pick you up at Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, before we shuttle you back over the Remutaka ranges, down the Hutt Valley and back to Wellington Station (arriving approx. 3.30-3.45pm) or Wellington Port (cruise ship guests only, arriving approx. 3.45-4.00pm).
Please note: if you are on a cruise ship, we pick you up direct from the Port at 9.15am. We cannot wait for late arrivals - make sure you are there on time otherwise the shuttle will leave without you! We arrive back at Port between 3.45pm - 4pm. Please check that your sailing times allow for these timings, we will not be held responsible if you miss your boat!
What's Included
- Knowledgeable and friendly host, who will provide information regarding the trail and what to expect throughout the day.
- All food and water provided - Please let us know your dietary restrictions or if you eat anything!
- All transport - shuttles to and from Wellington
- All equipment - bikes, helmets and other safety gear, racks and a pannier bag for your personal effects.
- All taxes/fees are included in the headline price - no hidden extras.
What's Not Included
- Excludes on-trail guide - our friendly staff will brief you and answer any questions you may have, but the trail is really easy to follow and full of information stations, so a guide isn’t really necessary.
Additional Information
Discover the Remutaka Ranges’ rich rail history & natural beauty on a mountain bike. The flagship daytrip of the Remutaka Cycle Trail, this is suitable for riders of all levels, and can be lengthened or shortened to suit you. 18/35km of easy/moderate riding.
Cycle through native forest, over bridges and through tunnels while enjoying views of the landscape and the old railway system. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch at the Summit and embark on a fun descent to Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, home to some of New Zealand’s most scenic farmland.
You will be provided with everything for your adventure - transport to and from your cruise ship, mountain bike with trunk bags for your personal effects, and all food - so all you need to do is wear appropriate clothing and be ready to ride!
Please note this tour is for a Mountain Bike, if you would prefer to ride an eBike please select the day trip: ‘Remutaka Rail Trail eBike Explorer Cycle Tour’ instead.
- Please provide the following at time of booking, so we can make sure your day goes smoothly:
- Info regarding your dietary requirements - eg “no seafood please”, “gluten free”, “vegetarian”
- Your approximate height (for bike sizing) - inches or cm are fine.
- Trips are subject to favourable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund at your discretion.
- Please wear appropriate clothing for outdoor activity. During the warmer months, this means shorts and a t-shirt for riding, and a light jacket in reserve. During the colder months you may prefer long pants or tights (nothing baggy that may catch on the bike!), with a tshirt, fleece and light jacket in reserve. Closed shoes - running shoes are perfect - must be worn at all times.
- Which pickup location would you like to be picked up from? Choose from either 9.15 Wellington Port (cruise ship guests only) or 9.30 Wellington Station (main entrance)
Location
CentrePort Wellington
Fryatt Quay
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(22 Ratings)
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Danielle_s
May 31, 2024
Great ride - I ended up being the only one on the trip so I rode solo throughout and I really enjoyed the quiet of the trail and mountains. The views were great, I got to see so many birds and listen to the water in the creeks. I chose a regular bike over an electric one and made it just fine. There are parts where an e-bike would have been beneficial, but with around 3 hours to complete the trail, I made it in 2 hours with plenty of stops for pictures along the way. Overall I had a great time and recommend it to people of all fitness levels
Review provided by Viator
James_e
Apr 2, 2024
Remutaka Mountain Bike - Wonderful 18 km mountain bike ride on an old railroad grade. Easy , slight uphill to the summit where there is a large grassy area and picnic tables to have lunch. The downhill side is a long coast with magnificent views, tunnels and a long suspension bridge.
Review provided by Viator
Matthewru7105ws
Mar 19, 2024
A rail of a good time - Thanks so much for the most incredible experience.. right from pick up to drop off, Cooper was so accommodating, knowledgeable & excited to please .. there was a mix up with mountain bikes however he was able to assist us by finding some e bikes to ensure we were happy & prepared .. Riding through the mountains was very spectacular through the different terrain & different levels .. we were impressed with our lunch including the gorgeous view we had to enjoy it .. the mountain bike trail towards the end at Featherstone was fun as well as the ride to our final destination where we had fun getting the speed up .. we absolutely loved the Royal hotel at the end with all the quirkiness of it …Thanks for providing an enjoyable way to create fun memories at this spectacular location.. we most certainly recommend this to others who love adventure & experiencing life the fun way
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wc9828
Mar 7, 2024
Exciting rail trail biking - The Remutaka Rail Trail is just outside Upper Hutt, north of Wellington on New Zealand's North Island. This was our third rail trail outing in the country and they were all wonderful. The trail is 20km round trip, slightly less if you just ride to the summit. There are three tunnels and a suspension bridge on the way. We rented ebikes from Wildfinder (located at the start of the trail) and they came in handy with the steeper parts of the route. Had lunch at the summit and continued to the end, the suspension bridge over the gorge.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel_b
Mar 5, 2024
SO much fun - It rained the entire time we did this the experience, but it could not have been more memorable! We stupidly didn’t bring rain gear and so the guide lent us his. I could not recommend this company enough.
Review provided by Viator
Denise_d
Mar 2, 2024
Great adventure! - Everything was on schedule, the lunch was great and the staff was very friendly! The trail was beautiful and not difficult. You did have to be careful at the end, it was a bit tricky for someone who doesn't ride often. I would definitely recommend it to friends!
Review provided by Viator
764delwynb
Feb 25, 2024
The Best Cycle Company We Have Ever Dealt With - This is a must-do ride. Wildfinder were excellent to deal with right from the initial time of booking right through to them collecting our bikes on the other side. Isaac is a top guy - explained everything clearly to us, patiently explained how to use the bikes and set us off in the right direction. He was there to meet us at Featherston and was genuinely interested in how our ride went.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U872gtamyt
Jan 29, 2024
We had a great time! - Very fun trip and not too tough. All in all we cycled for 3 hours. The first half was pretty flat and easy, the second half downhill and a little more technical single track. Great lunch, too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H9667jrhelenc
Jan 3, 2024
6 day Remutaka trail - We rode the 6day/5 night Remutaka trail through Wildfinder. Their service was excellent from great accommodation, good food provided and information on routes and highlights of tour. Staff were fantastic and made the tour run smoothly. The bike ride was beautiful with plenty to see enroute. We saw seals and dolphins.
Would highly recommend anyone wanting to ride this tour to use Wildfinder.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Touringmatt
Apr 16, 2024
Nightmare on 2 wheels - Don’t do their 5 days tour!!!
First 1.5 days of the 5 day tour are everything you would imagine. Lovely peaceful shared used paths and cycle trails. The remaining 3.5 days are a complete nightmare for someone not used to riding on 100kph county highways and roads.
My wife tried to communicate her concerns for her safety with the owner. Who basically flipped it back on her by defending his use of the term “quiet country roads”, and said it was “unfortunate too we were not made aware that your top priority was to stay off road” .
Well we’re on a nice vacation we would have thought it was blatantly obvious we didn’t what do predominantly road riding on this type of tour.
I would have put this review against their 5 day tour, but for SOME reason the owners choose not to advertise the 5 day tour on a platform like trip advisor where people will review it….
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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