New Kawarau Gorge Trail - Regular bike hire and shuttle included - Opens 19 September 2026

Ride the Kawarau Gorge Trail with Official Trail Partner nzbiketrails

From 19 September 2026, ride New Zealand's spectacular new Kawarau Gorge Trail with nzbiketrails from our base at Kinross Winery in the heart of the Gibbston Valley.

nzbiketrails will start this ride at the Kinross Winery. It is a great place to start because we genuinely love it. Like nzbiketrails, it's Qualmark Gold accredited, has an outstanding team, excellent food and wine and a relaxed atmosphere that perfectly complements a day on the bike. On your return from your ride there is no better place to relax, enjoy great food and have a celebratory drink after enjoying New Zealand’s newest NZ Great Ride.

The Kawarau Gorge ride will be nearly 38km in length. It is graded Grade 1–3 (Easy to Intermediate) and includes a long remote section with approximately 30km between access points. This ride is for confident riders. If you have grown up with a bike and are confident on a bike, able to use gears and remain in full control of your bike you will love this ride. We will get you comfortable on our bikes before you start. If you enjoyed the lake Dunstan Trail you will love the Kawarau Gorge.

What makes the Kawarau Gorge Trail different?

Even if you've already ridden the Lake Dunstan Trail or Roxburgh Gorge, the Kawarau Gorge Trail offers a completely different experience. The trail follows the dramatic Kawarau River through steep schist cliffs and remote gorge scenery. The trail surface is similar to Lake Dunstan and Roxburgh Gorge, while the impressive cliff-mounted boardwalks are generally wider than those on Lake Dunstan to accommodate maintenance vehicles.

Because the gorge is deeper and narrower, you'll often experience cooler temperatures and stronger prevailing winds than on nearby trails. Mobile phone coverage is limited throughout much of the ride, and there is very little vehicle access, so we recommend riding with a friend or as part of a group rather than riding alone.

Photo credits: Southern Lakes Trail Trust (2025–2026) – images captured during construction of the Kawarau Gorge Trail.

nzbiketrails recommends e-bikes on all trails. You are currently on the page to book a Regular or Standard bike which is powered entirely by yourself (no assistance). Even if you are an active regular rider at home we would recommend riding e-bikes. David, our Founder, is a big regular bike rider but when he rides with his wife on a trail he always rides an e-bike. Alexine is a lot more petite, approximately half the weight of David, and on an e-bike she flies up the hills. On the flats her e-bike allows her to keep up with David (who has been described once as being 'like an Ox - powerful and he doesn't ease up!'). E-bikes just keep us together far better. nzbiketrails uses Sinch EZ 2.0 Trail Bikes and Trek Rail 8+ Full Suspension Trail Bikes. If you are looking to buy yourself a full suspension bike the Trek is definitely worth the upgrade costs - probably one of the best hire bikes on the trails.

Who is this ride suitable for?

On a Regular bike this ride is suitable for adults who are active regular bike riders. There are significant climbs on this trail and we DO NOT recommend regular bikes for casual cylists, similar to the Dunstan Trail and Roxburgh Gorge we expect our bikes to be 96%+ of all of our bookings. 

Make it a cycling holiday

If you're travelling from further afield, we highly recommend staying at the Kinross Cottages. Just 25 minutes from Queenstown Airport, they are surrounded by vineyards and native landscapes, providing an ideal base for exploring Central Otago by bike.

Guests have a fantastic opportunity to combine several of the region's best rides, with nzbiketrails, into one holiday. With nzbiketrails we would recommend this order of rides to minimise additional transport hire ie a car – staying at our recommended partners will enable you to utilise nzbiketrails transport or shuttles:

Day 1 – Best of the Queenstown Trails – Staying at Kinross Winery

Day 2 – Kawarau Gorge Trail – Staying in Cromwell or Clyde (dependent on if you are riding the Roxburgh Gorge on Day 4)

Day 3 – Ultimate Lake Dunstan Trail Experience, including the scenic boat return

Day 4 – Roxburgh Gorge staying in Wanaka

Day 5 – Wanaka & Hawea Trails with a shuttle over to Queenstown at the end of the day

If you'd like us to organise your accommodation, bike hire, transport/shuttles, bag transfers and riding itinerary simply contact us at smiles@nzbiketrails.co.nz and we'll tailor a multi-day experience for you. Alternatively, you can book each ride individually and arrange the rest yourself.

What's included?

Your ‘self-guided’ experience includes:

• Trek Marlin 5 Hardtail
• Helmet – with MIPs or equivalent
• Direct phone access to your Guest Experience Manager throughout the day if assistance is required
• Safety briefing
• Bike lock, repair kit and pump
• One-way return return shuttle
• 8-12L pannier bag (no backpack required)
• Bottle cage (suitable for bottles up to 700ml)

What to bring

• Water
• Sunscreen
• A fully charged mobile phone