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New Zealand Edelweiss Motor Cycle Tour

New Zealand Motorcycling Tour

Haven't been on a tour there but my wife and I do go often. For us, it is a wonderful country and has to be one of the easiest places in the world to tour independently. Tours are great, especially as an introduction to a new location and all of the other obvious reasons. NZ is expensive, ($6+/US gal for premium) but don't let the cost put you off. If you don't do a tour, you can save some money or go for a longer period for the same amount of money as a tour. Do the South Island. Go for quality and not quantity. Google earth has loads of photos at your finger tips. There are lots of people touring and many motorcycle enthusiast everywhere. Kiwis are wonderful people. Check out "Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours". They do everything from bike rental to supplying bikes for major tour companies from around the world. I would highly recommend them.
Charlie
 
Yes, I did the 3-week NZ tour with Edelweiss back in 2004 - had a WONDERFUL time and they took GREAT care of us. We did both islands (due to time constraints, we actually missed part of the north island), saw lots of cool stuff, zero complaints.
Bring good rain gear...
One item that somehow missed their formal itinerary was Mirror Lake, aka Matheson - but since you can ride your own ride, I went to see it... This is a world-famous "calendar" Kodak moment, well worth the little hike (since the photo spot is on the opposite side from the parking lot). Just west of Fox Glacier. The helicopter ride up above their "Alps" is expensive but a big thrill too. And I did a bungee jump at Kawaru Bridge!
 
Aside from air fare, what are some typical prices in NZ? Food,as in a nice supper meal? Lodging ~ 2/3 star,not 4-5 stars? MC per week (say a V-strom or other 650)?
 
Since it was almost 10 years ago, of course I can't really give you any "specifics", but as I recall:
Compared to southern California, at the time I rated it as "overall slightly more expensive." As a group, we ate at several very fine restaurants that I wouldn't consider on my own (but the food WAS great and the portions were actually meal-sized); on my own I found several little mom-and-pop cafes that were fairly cheap and still had good food & portions.
One of the nights, the group was split up by roomie - "stay at a working farm" - and we were directed to several different B&Bs ... they made real sure our bellies were over-flowing.
 
You will pay 84 cents +-US for a Kiwi Dollar ($1 NZ = .84 $US) Oct/'13, so when you see prices in NZ Dollars, you will be paying 85% of the price. Get a Pin # for your credit card and call them to let them know where your card is going.
Hotel rooms may range from $100-$140 $NZ roughly. B&B's from less to more but have full breakfast. Farm stays are good deals and you learn more about Kiwis than hotel stays. My wife and I stay in campgrounds, a lot in cabins (small separate buildings to motel like buildings/ non ensuite) for $45-$70+ $NZ. All have heat. Linens are extra so we carry sleeping bags. Campgrounds have community kitchens with stoves, sometimes ovens and always refrigeration. They also have motel rooms (ensuite) to full kitchen unit motel rooms and may have two bedrooms in either.
Backpacker rooms are everywhere and range from $25pp NZ and up. Prices for lodging vary a lot depending on location, but lodging is plentiful. It is always best to call ahead, but not mandatory. They have excellent lodging books in the airports and Information Centers, with Jason's and the AA books among the best but not limited to them only.
January is school break and holiday for most kiwis and most booked for accommodations. Tours get good pricing for acccomodations including meals and will be very comfortable.
Full breakfast can be $12-$25 pp $NZ with coffee. Good coffee is $3-$4.50 NZ, though good coffee is harder and harder to find and the regulars to bad, piggyback on the prices of the better. Lunch varies from McDonalds to an excellent cheese platter at a winery ($30 NZ). Favorite local "Fish and Chips" shops are the favorites for good reasons.Tours take care of breakfast and dinners and may lead you to the good lunch places, but do not hesitate to stop for road respite at any local Cafe. Hope you like French Fries. Kiwis are on the upper list of potato lovers. Don't forget to go to the small bakeries (early).
Dinosaur oil can be $8+ NZ. Larger towns have very nice grocery stores with beautiful produce (in season) and the food is more expensive than where I live. Remember that there are only 4 million Kiwis and they are far away from everybody except the "Aussies". In most cases, it is a good thing to be in a corner of the world. I can't believe there are only that many kiwis and they are so many motorcyclist and quality motorcycle publications.
Tours are able to get better deals on accommodations w/ meals which allows you to spend more time gawking on the first trip. NZ is expensive right now, but you are paying for memories. If you are cheap or complain a lot about what things cost, then it may be better to stay at home with the cat.
However you tour, NZ may not be for everyone, but if you don't like it, I don't think I would tell too many people.
Too much information? Don't overdo the details. Just go and it will be on of the nicest things you ever did for yourself.
Three thumbs up for "Te Waipounamu" bike rental! See Post #6.
Charlie
 
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New Zealand Tour

If you are in Christchurch and show up early or stay past the end of your trip to rest or do day rides, I recommend the Windsor Hotel (2 suites now) on Armagh St. Great folks and just few blocks to the CBD (Central Business District) that is coming back after the earthquake. The old Windsor was lost to the quake.
 
We took a 16 day tour of both North and South Islands last February. Having done that I would not do it again, and instead would opt for a rental only; or one of the unguided, in between options where a bike is provided and accommodations are arranged but you are on your own to get there.

We chose a tour mainly because of concerns that finding lodging on a daily basis might be a problem during the 'high' tourist season. New Zealand is sparsely populated with only 4 million people in area the size of the UK, and if town or attraction is 'sold out' the next chance for lodging might be quite distant. The only place this might have been a problem was Mt. Cook which is an extremely popular destination. New Zealand is very tourist friendly, and I think with a smartphone (we took our Android phones and picked up sim cards at the airport) and a little planning ahead would make accommodations easy to find.

Prices are high as New Zealand is an island and has to import a substantial amount of its goods. Prices in NZ$, especially restaurants, do look high at first blush, but include tax and tip, and after adjusting for the currency are not outrageous. Gasoline is the big exception where you get a liter for what we pay for a gallon here in the US.
 
New Zealand Tour

New Zealand Petrol (gasoline) prices October 2013 converted to the $US Dollar/ US gal. No ethanol.
92 octane $6.60 US / US gal
95 octane $6.68 US / US gal
 
Do they have many choices (besides mutton which I cannot take!) on typical menus? What are the "shoulder seasons" adjoining the high seasons but still good time to choose to go?
 
Mutton is just "adult" lamb... and lamb in general is very easy to cook WRONG. Both of my grandmothers were pretty good at it (frrom ze old countrree).
If you like deer, they have lots of that, served up many ways. Yum!
 
Food: One good lunch stop is the "formerly" Blackball Hilton in Blackball, near Greymouth, on the West Coast (South Island).
It's a stop for local and touring motorcyclist alike w/ a colorful history. You can also get famous Blackball Salami just up the street.

Weather site: Met Service NZ

Radio: Radio NZ National (AM, FM, Online live and Podcast) Good variety of programming. Good for Tsunami Warnings and Earthquake reports in case either may affect you. I have done both. Much, much better than NPR in the US.

Charlie
 
We took a 16 day tour of both North and South Islands last February. Having done that I would not do it again, and instead would opt for a rental only; or one of the unguided, in between options where a bike is provided and accommodations are arranged but you are on your own to get there. .............

Not all tour companies "herd" people, there are a lot of companies that do high quality tours, and give you a lot of freedom as well. They make all the arrangements , provide you with multiple routes, and give you the freedom to go off on your own, each day to do your own thing, OR follow a guide if you prefer.

I have done several organized tours, but would NEVER consider one that herded me. I have some contacts in NZ, and will check on the options.
 
Our Edelweiss tour (and also our Beach's tour in Europe) let you decide what you wanted to do - ride alone, with your roommate, or with a group (fast, slow, or Kodak Moments). They gave us maps and only "suggested" routes. The only "requirement" was that you show up at the next hotel, preferably in time for dinner; if you were going to be late (or had some issue), they gave you the cell phone number of the van driver.
 
Mutton is just "adult" lamb... and lamb in general is very easy to cook WRONG. Both of my grandmothers were pretty good at it (frrom ze old countrree).
If you like deer, they have lots of that, served up many ways. Yum!
I like to eat! That long list includes many foods none of which looks like a sheep,lamb,goat,horse or deer. I've tried bbq mutton & still cannot take the stuff. I have friends that raise them & they don't like it either. Not in my DNA-no matter the cooking style or expertise. Not popular with most folks in USA unless from another culture that eats the stuff. Remembering the days when cowboy movies had cattlemen hating on the sheep ranchers. :fight
Seriously, thanks for the helpful comments here...
 
FWIW- most lamb sold in the US these days is Aussie. I like lamb but find most of the Aussie stuff a bit gross - got no idea of the age of animal they're slaughtering but it tastes like old stuff raised cheaply. American raised lamb is a great deal better (with a milder flavor) but also more expensive so you won't generally find it in the supermarket.

Having said that there is great food to match your taste in pretty much any country on earth. Been in plenty- best tip is to try what the locals recommend. Unless you eat only preconceived stuff or with your eyes only, you'll like most of it. One of the things I wish we could do here is real Szechuan Chinese- its not even remotely like what you see in the US.

I have not yet made NZ but its on my list. No doubt there would be something there I'd want to duplicate here.

I gather that most of the daily distances are well suited to mid size bikes with no real need for a serious road burner which suits my tastes nicely.
This is a great info thread that I'll note for future reference.
 
I just read the WIKI on lamb-they call it "species specific fatty acids" in the fat of the sheep & said to be less of it in lamb(under 1yr animals not usually in USA mkt) than mutton(over 1yr animals) then it goes on with various names for the meat based on what they pastured on,etc.. Now I know exactly why I don't like it.:) -still anxious to ride in NZ!
 
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