Wild Roads · A 2027 Trailblazer Expedition
Sixteen days around the South Island — the whale coast, Scottish cities, glaciers, fjords and the highest passes in the land, at the far edge of the world. You don’t follow this route. You help discover it. Launching and finishing in Christchurch.
Join Joshua on a Trailblazer Expedition to the other side of the world — uncovering the roads of Aotearoa, New Zealand’s spectacular island wilderness. We’ll ride through soaring mountains, wild coastlines, remote valleys and extraordinary landscapes while getting under the skin of the food, culture and character of the country along the way.
Some roads will be incredible. Some won’t. Some hotels will become firm favourites. Some pie shops will become legend. That’s the point — you’re coming along on the research expedition that creates the tour, before it becomes a full Wild Roads adventure.
Road To Aotearoa is a Trailblazer Expedition 2027: a genuine, first-run research adventure to the other side of the planet. Rather than following a route that’s been ridden a hundred times, you’ll be there while it’s being discovered — testing roads, sampling regional food, staying in characterful lodges and working out what deserves to make the final Wild Roads New Zealand itinerary.
If we get it right, you’ll have helped discover somewhere extraordinary before everyone else — and your feedback directly shapes the finished tour that follows.
We start in Christchurch, the Garden City — collect the bikes, shake off the flight, and ride the coast road north to Kaikōura, where snow-capped peaks drop straight into the Pacific. We swap bikes for boats and go looking for the giants of the deep feeding just offshore.
From there we climb inland to the improbable turquoise of Lake Tekapo and the panoramic observatory road at Mount John, then swing south to Dunedin — New Zealand’s Scottish city — and the wild rainforest coast of The Catlins, before the leg ends in Invercargill, home of Burt Munro’s World’s Fastest Indian.
A short, beautiful run west into Fiordland National Park and the lakeside town of Te Anau — gateway to the fjords, with an afternoon free for the glowworm caves or the lake shore.
Then the day the whole island is famous for: the ride through the enchanted valley to Milford Sound, and a cruise deep into the fjord itself — waterfalls falling sheer from cloud-wrapped peaks, alpine parrots riding the updrafts, black water underneath.
North along the Devil’s Staircase — a serpentine ribbon of tarmac hugging the lake shore — into Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital beneath the jagged Remarkables. Jet boats, the gondola, a bungee if you dare, and the golden Middle-earth country of Glenorchy.
Then over the Crown Range — the highest paved pass in the country — down to the postcard shores of Lake Wanaka, and across the twisting Haast Pass to the wild West Coast and Franz Josef Glacier, where ice carves down through rainforest almost to the sea.
The untamed coast north: Hokitika and a treetop walk above the rainforest, the laid-back port of Westport, and the limestone chambers of the Ngarua Caves in Kahurangi country.
Turning inland we pick up the alpine settlements of St Arnaud and Hanmer Springs — a soak in the hot pools optional — before the grand farewell: two of the greatest passes in the country, Lewis Pass and Arthur’s Pass, beech forest and waterfalls all the way back to Christchurch. Sixteen days, one island, every kind of road in between.
Every morning starts properly fuelled — from launch-city cafes to lakeside lodge breakfasts with a view of the Alps. Some group dinners are also included along the route.
Scouted and slept in first on the Trailblazer run — characterful lodges, alpine hotels and lakeside stays along the route.
Rental logistics are sorted by us — the right bike for the route, collected on arrival, with airport pickups and transfers all handled. Rental is paid on top of the expedition price — see the pricing note below.
Cultural experiences, viewpoints, food stops and spontaneous adventures are built into the route — the New Zealand you’d never find alone.
Exclusive access to the Wild Roads Trailblazer Expedition app, with live location and group tracking for the whole ride south.
A limited-edition Trailblazer T-shirt, club membership with trip credit, early access to future tours, and visa & travel guidance.
Join Joshua on a Trailblazer Expedition to the other side of the world and help uncover the roads of Aotearoa — New Zealand’s spectacular island wilderness.
From the original Trailblazer briefRide through soaring mountains, wild coastlines, remote valleys and extraordinary landscapes while discovering the food, culture and character of the country along the way.
Joshua JamesThis is your chance to explore New Zealand before the route becomes a Wild Roads adventure.
Joshua James
Joshua James
Wild Roads isn’t run by a call centre — it’s run by me. I scout every route myself, ride at the front of every group, and I’m there when anything goes sideways, from a flat tyre to a missed ferry. Groups stay small on purpose: eight to ten riders, stays I’ve slept in myself, and roads I’d happily ride again tomorrow.
New Zealand is about as far from the Peak District as it gets — and exactly the kind of expedition I love plotting. Two islands, volcanoes, glaciers and fjords in one seventeen-day loop. This Trailblazer run is me going to find the real thing before anyone else does. Come and help me discover it.
Trailblazer routes are part-mapped, part-blank canvas — that's what makes them Trailblazer routes. The stops below are the ones we're most likely to hit, plotted from Joshua's own research, but treat this as a strong steer rather than gospel. A promising side-road might earn its own stop, a planned one might get quietly dropped — that give and take is baked into the adventure, not a flaw in it.
Where it all starts and finishes — a green, walkable city rebuilt with real character since the 2011 earthquake. Collect the bikes, meet the group over a welcome dinner, and save some energy for the farewell toast sixteen days later.
Snow-capped mountains falling straight into the Pacific, and sperm whales feeding just offshore — we swap bikes for boats and go out to meet them.
An impossibly turquoise lake in the heart of a dark-sky reserve — the observatory road above it has one of the best panoramas in the country.
A city with unmistakable Celtic roots and a thriving arts scene — call at the Steampunk HQ and the mysterious Moeraki boulders on the way in.
Wild, windswept coast where rainforest meets sea — cascading waterfalls, secluded bays and sea lions basking on empty sand.
A pilgrimage for every motorcyclist — the town where Burt Munro’s legendary record-breaking Indian still holds court.
A quiet lakeside town on the edge of the national park — afternoon options include the glowworm caves across the lake.
The day the island is famous for — ride the enchanted valley in, cruise deep into the fjord beneath sheer cloud-wrapped peaks.
Jet boats down river canyons, the Skyline gondola, the birthplace of bungee — plus great coffee and a proper mountain-town buzz.
Golden plains and quiet remoteness at the head of the lake — iconic Lord of the Rings country, straight off the cinema screen.
A serpentine climb with staggering views over Queenstown’s alpine basin — the best tarmac switchbacks on the island.
Waterfalls, beech forest and glacial rivers on the twisting climb over the pass — then the untamed West Coast on the far side.
A mighty river of ice carving down through lush rainforest towards the Tasman Sea — one of the few glaciers on earth this low.
Greenstone carvers and an end-of-the-road feel — plus a treetop walk above the rimu forest and Lake Mahinapua.
A laid-back port on the Tasman Sea, and hidden caves nearby where stalactites drip and ancient remains lie frozen in time.
Two of the country’s most celebrated motorcycle passes carry us back over the Southern Alps to Christchurch — motorcycling magic to the final mile.
A £2,000 deposit secures your place on the 2027 expedition — book through the Adventure Booking Hub, or message Joshua directly with any questions before you commit.
Please note: your rental bike is arranged and logistics handled by us, but the rental itself is extra. Joshua is negotiating with local rental companies and final prices will be confirmed closer to the date — expect £100–£150 per day on top of your tour cost.
Trailblazer Expeditions are first-run Wild Roads adventures to destinations we’ve scouted ourselves but never run as a tour before. You ride with Joshua on a true discovery expedition — the journey itself is the adventure, and your feedback helps shape the route for future riders.
£5,600 per rider, with a £2,000 deposit securing your place. A pillion place is £1,750. Exact dates are being finalised — registered riders hear first once they’re locked, with priority booking before anyone else. Rental bikes are arranged for you but paid separately — expect £100–£150 per day on top, finalised closer to departure.
No — rental bike logistics are sorted by us. You’ll be matched with the right bike for the route and collect it on arrival in New Zealand, and airport pickups and transfers are all handled. The rental itself is paid on top of the expedition price — Joshua negotiates directly with local rental companies, so final rates are locked in closer to departure, but expect £100–£150 per day on top of your tour cost.
The expedition launches and finishes in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island (CHC) — a major international gateway with easy arrivals, and airport pickups and bike collection are all handled. Fly in a day or two early to shake off the jet lag and have a look around.
You’ll need your UK licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention — available over the counter at the Post Office. We’ll walk you through exactly what’s required, along with visa and air-travel advice, as part of the trip.
Superb, well-maintained roads with almost no traffic once you’re out of the cities. Expect volcanic plateaus, alpine passes, glacier valleys and coast roads with the sea on one side and mountains on the other. November brings New Zealand’s spring — mild temperatures and long daylight hours.
Like all Wild Roads expeditions, this is a small, personal group — typically 8–10 riders, guided by Joshua himself. Trailblazer groups are intentionally kept small so we can explore freely, adapt plans and enjoy the destination without the restrictions of a large group.
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