A2O Express Tours

The A2O Express offers you the same great service and hospitality as our fully inclusive 7-day tour, but allows you to experience the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle trail in just 4 or 5 days. This means you can either ride further each day or we can drive sections of the track - saving your legs for the very best the A2O has to offer! Our A2O Express can be modified to suit the length of time you have. Please enquire and we will design it to suit your requirements; we can arrange dates to suit you.

Tour includes:

  • (3 Nights 4 days) (4 Nights 5 days) (5 Nights 6 days)
  • Pick-up and drop-off to your hotel in Christchurch / Queenstown and all transport on the tour.
  • All accommodation staying in lodges, Motels, Bed and breakfasts, Farmstays and Homesteads
  • Evening meal day 1, to breakfast/lunch on last day
  • Mountain Bike, helmet, trunk bag
  • Helicopter flight across the Tasman River
  • Vehicle supported with a local experienced tour guide
  • Luggage transfer
  • Omarama Hot Tub
  • A private wine tasting with an award-winning local producer in Kurow.

Optional extras

  • E-bike is an extra $250 4 days, $300 5 days, $350 6 days, $400 7 days
  • Mountain bike riding
  • Gel seat cover.
Bookings / Enquire Now >

Tour costs 2024-2025:

From $2,950

- 4-day A2O Express
From $2,950 4 Day A2O Express $2,950, 5-day A2O Express $3,550 / 6 Day A2O Express $4,150

Tour dates 2024 / 2025

  • 23rd- 27th April Book Now
  • Got a group of 4 or more and want an Express date? Book Now
  • 20th-25th March sold out
  • sold out

Have a question about our services?enquire now >

  • "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. " - Edwin (Wynn) W. (Part 1)

  • "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." - Edwin (Wynn) W. (Part 2)

  • "The Alps2Ocean was such a fantastic journey and Cycle Ventures were just the best hosts you could wish for - the food, the accommodation, the facilities, the local knowledge was all amazing. I loved that everything was taken care of and we just had to concentrate on riding and taking in the wonderful scenery. If you are thinking about riding the Alps2Ocean JUST DO IT and go with Cycle Ventures, you won’t regret it." - Kerrie Jarman

  • "This turned out to be the highlight of our entire NZ trip! Mark and Lewis were great - equipment was in great shape and they took super good care of us along the way. The food and lodging was perfect for the trip and lots of fun. The trail is phenomenal - the best way to get to know New Zealand. Well done Cycle Ventures!!!!" - Tom Walsh

  • "Kerrie and I rode the Alps to Ocean with Mark and a great group of fellow riders. The ride was challenging as we rode non e-bikes but we thoroughly enjoyed it. We had great support and were rewarded each evening with great accommodation and food. The ride offered a combination of different riding surfaces adding to the challenge but gave us a sense of achievement at the end of the day. Fantastic scenery at every turn kept us going throughout the ride. We would definitely recommend this ride and we will definitely be coming back for more. - Kevin and Kerrie Jarman" - Kevin Jarman

  • "Cycle Ventures were fantastic. Lewis, our guide arrived right on time at my Christchurch hotel and off we went to Mt Cook collecting our crew as we went. Everything went to plan and was well organised. Accommodation and food exceeded expectations and our guide was a great communicator and all round good chap! The Norco bikes provided were comfortable and well serviced and Lewis was an expert at tuning them up for the day ahead. Highly recommend Mark and his team at Cycle Ventures" - Phillip Baker

  • "We had the best time with Mark and Lewis. Fantastic trip. It wasn't until we got back and compared our trip with the neighbours (who had done A2O with another tour company) that we realized how lucky we were to be with Cycle Ventures -small group, roll-in, roll-out venues with awesome comfortable accommodation, fantastic meals, personal service, and friendly people. So many little touches that just made the trip an all-time highlight. Trip of a lifetime." - LeAnne Blakelock

  • "There is a saying out there, underpromise and overdeliver. This company did just that. We didn't do much research about them before we signed up but the trip was fantastic. Lewis was a chef, in addition to being an all around great guy and cyclist. Every meal was amazing. The bikes were fitted to us, and tinkered with if they didn't work the way we wanted. Every accommodation was one of a kind and glorious. We rode the Alps 2 Ocean. This is not an easy ride, but it eBikes make it possible for any level of rider. It ended up being a life memory. Every day held another adventure. We spent a month in NZ and this was the capstone at the end. I cannot recommend Mark and Lewis and Cycle Ventures enough." - Peter Parnegg

  • "I had an absolutely fantastic week on the Alps2Ocean with Mark at Cycling Ventures. Great food, great company, great accommodation and stunning scenery. Mark was the perfect host/guide and really looked after us. Highly recommended." - Stuart Paterson

EXAMPLE  ITINERARY

  1. We need depart Christchurch by 8.00 am for the drive to Mt Cook. We arrive at the start of the trail in the early afternoon.  A short ride to the airport allows you to test the bikes out before you fly by helicopter over to the remote part of the section and ride along Lake Pukaki and to Braemar Station.
  2. Following the turquoise blue Lake Pukaki along gravel roads and a smooth cycle trail, you head away from Aoraki, Mt Cook. Stop to soak up the magnificence of the scenery around you. Once you leave the lake you head directly to Twizel across the Pukaki Flats. After lunch, you depart from Twizel on the sealed roads to Ohau Canal below Ben Ohau to join Lake Ohau. The cycle trail around the Lake is stunning and smooth. Be careful not to leave the trail as the local native Matagouri will relish making holes in your tires! Head up to the side of Lake Ohau to the Lodge for the evening.
  3. After breakfast you will ride to the highest point of the trail, Tambrae Point. The gentle gradient takes you 900m and gives amazing vistas over the Mackenzie basin. The expression goes ‘what goes up must come down’, but please be careful with your speed as you whizz down to Quailburn. Once you are there a quiet gravel road and cycle trail take you to Omarama, halfway at 152km. From Omarama, the scenery changes and brings to light how the region and its water catchment were used for the Waitaki Hydro-Electric Scheme. The evening is at a private Luxury holiday home in Otematata.  Whilst we whisk you off to recover at Omarama Hot Tubs our private chef will whip you up a fantastic meal for your return.
  4. Heading for your next stop at Kurow you cycle past Lakes Aviemore and Waitaki. The trail varies from smooth shingles to sealed roads.  Departing from Kurow toward Duntroon you get a few glances of the mighty Waitaki River as you ride. This part of the trail goes through some wetlands, a planting collaboration between local farmers and the community. You exit into the small settlement of Duntroon and head on to quiet roads and cycle trail past Elephant Rocks and through The Rakis Tunnel. Your evening stop is at the historic Burnside Homestead or before at Tokarahi huts.
  5. Today after your stay at The old school or Tokarahi huts you ride to Oamaru (47k from Tokarahi). Cycling through the town you will see many Victorian buildings and get a feel for its history. Ride to the end of the trail to the harbor and celebrate the end of your journey with a classic photo opportunity provided by the enormous photo frame! Go back 300m to find the Brewery opposite our shop. A celebratory lunch and beers are called for before you leave your bikes and get taken to your accommodation if you have chosen to stay in Oamaru for the night or we will take you back to the airport.

THE ACCOMMODATION

We have handpicked our accommodation to provide you with quality and variety.  Due to the limited accommodation on the trail, there are evenings where there are shared bathrooms as it is not possible to provide en-suite facilities with groups of 8 or more all the way.  At the time of booking, you will be informed of any changes to the accommodation listed below.

  1. Braemar High Country Station – Shared bathroom facilities
  2. Twizel – Motel or Lodge en-suite
  3.  Ohau – En-suite rooms at Lake Ohau Lodge
  4. Omarama – Motel en-suite
  5. Otematata – Private luxury holiday home part en-suite/shared bathroom
  6. Kurow – Bed and breakfast en-suite
  7. Tokarahi huts – with en-suite/ own bathrooms
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