Self Guided Itineraries

"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