Where to sleep :
Don’t be afraid to knock to the doors of people to ask for a place to install the tent. They are very welcoming and they always accept to put the tent behind their houses and… generally, you will finish to get a meal, a shower and a bed for the night. If you don’t might to pay for a camp site, you can always find it for about 10 to 15 dollars per person. If you want something more comfortable, there are lodgings in all cities or villages of the country.

Qualities of the road :
The roads in New Zealand are generally good. You can easily riding with road tire, but some smalls tracks proposing in the lonely planet, are still in gravels. Always keep in your mind than New Zealand has a lot of hill and it makes the roads very sinuous. They don’t have much of side road. You won't have the choice to wear a helmet!!! Than, is obligatory in New Zealand to wear it. Big fees (150$) are imposed if you not respect the law.

Food :
Every 20 or 30 km, it is possible to find a place to get water and to eat a little bit. Than, you will find in any villages a grocery stores if you like cooking. For long distance in the country side, don’t be afraid to knock at the farmer’s house to get water if your bottles are empty.

Level of dificulties :
It is possible to make several different circuits of all levels of difficulties. On the south island, most of the roads are quite flat whit some good climbing per instance. The roads on the north island are a lot more “up and down.” To get one spot to another one; it is necessary to count in general between 70 to 80 km per day.

The must :
On the south island, you must do the circuit that joins the Tekapo and Pukaki Lake. You will travel along the glaciers and some beautiful lakes with in panorama, the Mont Cook. You will probably like on this island, the path that joins Queenstown to the west coast. In three days, you will cycle through the desert, through immense gorges in the national parks and finish with an incredible view on the sea. When you get to the west coast, be careful at the SANFLIES. Be sure to get a good mosquito repellent. You maybe you gone a have to eat in the tent. Because of these fellers, the riding along the west coast get more hard, because is really annoying to stop during the day, after 5 min they get you. You have ride until you get to your goal.

On the north island, the landscapes are less impressive. There are a lot more hills and the majority of the population concentrates on this island. On the other hand, do not forget to visit the center of the island and all is thermal activities (volcanoes, hot springs, mud pool.) We also enjoy to cycling along the coast in the Corommendale Peninsula. The roads are very winding and that makes a good challenge. It is in this region that you gone a fine the most beautiful beaches of New Zealand.

Guidebook :
Two excellent books are on the market for biking in New-Zealand. The Lonely Planet put on the market a book for touring: cycling in New-Zealand. It is very well detailed and offers different journeys for everybody. You also can obtain two small books: peddler’s paradise, one for the north and one for the south island. They have been created by cyclist from the country and they detail all roads of New Zealand. Excellent to get, because the Lonely Planet just does a small description of some road on the north island!!!