Frequently Asked Questions
Q: DOES IT MATTER IF I AM TRAVELLING ALONE?
A: Not at all as many of our clients travel alone.
Q: I AM TRAVELLING ALONE, CAN I SHARE A ROOM WITH SOMEBODY ELSE TO AVOID THE SINGLE SUPPLEMENT?
A: Yes, if you inform us at the time of booking that you are willing to share, we will attempt to pair you up with another single person where possible.
Q: WHAT AGE AND NATIONALITIES ARE THE PARTICIPANTS?
A: This can vary from tour to tour, but generally the age range is from 40-70+ with a mixture of clients from around the world, including New Zealand. Everybody is welcome on our tours and the mixture of ages and nationalities is one of the great things about tour groups.
Q: IS MOBILE COVERAGE AVAILABLE DURING THE WHOLE TOUR?
A: In general, there is reasonably good mobile coverage in New Zealand but some of the rural areas – even along the main roads – do not have coverage.
Q: DO I NEED TO BRING MY OWN WATER BOTTLE OR HYDRATION PACK?
A: Yes we highly recommend brining a bottle to refill each day.
Q: CAN I ACCESS THE INTERNET
A: All of our accommodations have Wifi.
Q: ARE FLIGHTS INCLUDED?
A: Flights are not included and need to be arranged either by yourself or a travel agent.
Q: WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE TOUR?
A: Each itinerary will have a list of inclusions. Please refer to the itinerary for your selected tour for a list of inclusions and exclusions.
Q: DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?
A: Yes, we strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance
Q: HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I ALLOW BEFORE AND AFTER THE TOUR FOR FLIGHTS?
A: We recommend arriving at least the day before the tour to allow for acclimatisation, sightseeing and a good nights sleep. For long international flights, 2 extra days would allow for unexpected flight delays.
Q: WHAT IF I NEED ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION NOT IN THE ITINERARY?
A: We can book pre and post tour accommodation for you, just let us know what you need.
Q: CAN YOU BOOK TOURS AND EXCURSIONS PRE OR POST TOUR?
A: Of course! Just let us know your requests and we are very happy to discuss options.
Q: CAN I BRING MY OWN BIKE?
A:. Our tours include bike hire, but you are welcome to you bring your own saddle and pedals to fit to one of our bikes.
Q: DO I NEED A BIKE HELMET AND IS THERE A CHARGE FOR ONE?
A: Yes, helmets are compulsory in New Zealand. There is no charge to hire a helmet from us, or you can bring your own (recommended). Alternatively we can supply you a new helmet for $35.
Q: WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME?
A: Requirements will vary for each tour and a detailed list will be sent out with your final tour documents approximately a month prior to the tour departure.
Q: HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE? ARE THERE MANY HILLS?
A: Tours are graded so you can gauge the difficulty. Remember there is nearly always a support vehicle.
Q: DO I NEED TO BE FIT FOR AN E-BIKE TOUR?
A: Whilst bike fitness is always an advantage, with an e-bike tour, it is not necessarily the most important thing. Our e-bike tours are designed for enjoyment and we completely encourage stopping to smell the flowers, take the photo, have a drink or just take in the scenery. The e-bike has a motor for you to get assistance for pedalling which will help you to maintain speed on the flats and be able to take on the hills. The bike has a “walking” function which means that you can press a button and the bike will power itself at walking pace so you can walk along beside the bike without having to push hard. Each bike has a maximum speed assistance threshold. On the highest assist setting the bike will achieve approximately 25-30km an hour.
Q: WHAT TRAINING CAN I DO FOR AN E-BIKE TOUR?
A: The best kind of training for this e-bike tour is time spent on the bike. If you have access to an e-bike to prepare, then this is advantageous, but by no means necessary. There will be a thorough briefing by the guide at the beginning of the tour regarding how to use the e-bike functions. We strongly recommend spending as much time in the saddle as possible so that you are used to riding. Gel seat liners can help with saddle comfort and you are welcome to bring your own, or we can supply a used one free of charge. If you have any cycle trails in your local area, we highly recommend using them to get used to the gravel cycling, as the majority of our trails on the tour are gravel packed.
Q: WHAT IF I CAN’T RIDE THE WHOLE TRAIL, OR DON’T FEEL CONFIDENT ON CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE TRAIL?
A: ALWAYS ride within your ability. If you are not comfortable on certain corners or sections of the trail then please get off and walk your bike. (This is what the ‘walking’ function of the bike is for). There is no race to get to a destination – your safety and enjoyment is paramount. If necessary, there are plenty of opportunities to meet up with the van and ride with the driver if you’d prefer not to ride any further or on certain sections.
Q: WHAT DO THE GRADINGS MEAN?
A: Each ride is graded to indicate its level of difficulty. Gradings are: 1 – Easy, 2 – Moderate, 3 – Medium, 4 – Challenging 5 – Extreme. Most of our tours are Graded 1 and 2, with the occasional 3 section.
Q: HOW MANY KM’S PER DAY DO WE BIKE? IS THERE AN OPTION TO BIKE MORE OR LESS?
A: Each days distance will be indicated in the itinerary. Most days will have a support vehicle which means you can opt to bike less than the stated km’s. Depending on the tour, if you wish to bike more you can let our guide know and we can arrange for this where possible.
Q: I’M VEGETARIAN/VEGAN/GLUTEN INTOLERANT/HAVE OTHER DIETARY REQUIREMENTS – IS THAT A PROBLEM?
A: As long as you tell us in advance, nothing is a problem (as can most food allergies & special diets). Most restaurants offer a good selection of vegetarian/vegan/GF meals.
Q: DO YOU HAVE HOTEL CONTACT DETAILS FOR THE TOURS
A: Our preferred hotels are listed on each itinerary on our website. If there are any changes to these hotels you will be advised prior to your tour departure.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us an email or give us a call – we’re always happy to chat!