Coast to Coast Expedition Across New Zealand

From the moment you kick off the coast to coast journey on the west coast at the Tasman Sea on Day 2, to the final section reaching the Pacific Coast on Day 9, you'll be on an expedition-style trip, covering the required daily distances under your own steam by bike, on foot, or by river rafting. Your guide sets a pace that can be kept up by the entire group, with breaks for resting, refuelling on snacks, and water. You will stop for lunch each day along the route, and dinner is taken after reaching the next accommodation at the end of each section.

A support vehicle accompanies the group throughout the whole trip. When you finish a section - rafting, hiking, cycling, etc. - the support vehicle will be strategically waiting, ready with your next equipment or to transfer you to accommodation where needed. Everything is organised and supported so that you simply need to power yourself from coast to coast, without worrying about logistics. While the guides encourage and support everyone on the trip to complete the expedition successfully without using motorised transport, if you are unable to complete any section for any reason, the support vehicle will be on hand to take you to the next accommodation.

Note that for safety reasons, a small transfer is required on a section of the road between Kumara and Morrison's Bridge (near Otira) on Day 3. There is no road shoulder here, and traffic travels at 100 km/hour, so your host will transport everyone by vehicle for this part of the route.

The vast majority of this expedition can be completed even if the weather turns a little more challenging. If conditions become extreme, your host, who knows New Zealand better than almost anyone, will pivot to alternative options.

The one section of the expedition with a higher chance of being affected by bad weather is the crossing of Goat Pass. An additional guide is included for this crossing to help keep everyone safe. However, in the event of severe bad weather making the crossing impossible, an alternative hike will be undertaken. This will either be a climb up to the mountainous Temple Basin above Arthur’s Pass or a lower bush walk visiting Bealey Chasm and Punchbowl Falls.

Groups of five or fewer adventurers will have one main guide for the whole trip, plus an additional guide for the crossing of Goat Pass on Day 4.

Groups of six or more adventurers will have two main guides for the whole trip, plus an additional guide for the crossing of Goat Pass on Day 4.

Yes, you can leave your excess luggage at the accommodation in Christchurch or at your host's office in Christchurch.

The drinking water in New Zealand is perfectly safe to drink, so you will be able to fill up at various points along the expedition. Your guide will advise each day where the refill opportunities are. Make sure your bring along at least 2 litres of carrying capacity in bottles and/or bladders. If you wish to safely refill from natural water sources in the Southern Alps, have a read of our guide on the best Water Filters for Adventurers

You'll be riding a hybrid mountain bike on the cycling sections of this trip. Your host has a fleet of custom Avanti Discovery bikes, built to suit the New Zealand trails with the best characteristics of both hybrid and mountain bikes. The bikes have been adapted with faster-rolling tyres, upgraded suspension forks, an easy-shifting gear system, quality disc brakes, and a bike rack. The bikes have a more upright riding style, allowing you to take in the amazing scenery you'll encounter along the way.

The riding on the expedition is done on a variety of surfaces, all of which are perfectly rideable and enjoyable for anyone who can ride a bike to a basic standard. You will not need technical mountain biking skills or experience, and a full briefing will take place to ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment. The three types of trail you will encounter are as follows:

Compacted Gravel: The majority of the route along the West Coast Wilderness Trail is on compacted gravel, with a range of wide and narrower trails depending on the location. Riders need to be comfortable riding on uneven surfaces and understand that steering and braking will handle differently than on a sealed road.

Sealed Roads: There are some sections of very quiet backcountry roads where riders will need to be mindful of other road users and adhere to local traffic rules.

Boardwalks: There are some sections of boardwalk crossing over wetlands. Note that the boardwalk does not have a safety barrier, so the group will cycle at a gentle pace on these sections, with less time to take in the views.

New Zealand does not have a tipping culture, the price of an item on the bill is the price you pay, with tax included. There are no hidden extras. If you would like to reward your guide or waiting staff for incredible service, it is at your discretion. In this case, guides would be tipped around NZ$10 per day and waiting staff around 5-10% of the bill.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.