Wild Roads · A 2027 Trailblazer Expedition
Seventeen days across two islands — volcanic plateaus, alpine passes, glaciers and fjords at the far edge of the world. You don’t follow this route. You help discover it. Launching from Auckland or Wellington — the final start city is being confirmed.
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.
The launch city is still being pinned down — most likely Auckland, possibly Wellington — and either makes a fitting stage one for a ride to the far side of the world. Collect the bikes, shake off the flight, and head straight for the coast.
From there the route swings out to the Coromandel Peninsula’s beaches and bush-clad hills, before turning inland to New Zealand’s geothermal heart: Rotorua’s bubbling mud pools, the wide waters of Lake Taupo, and the volcanic moonscape of Tongariro.
South to the capital, Wellington — a compact, characterful city wedged between hills and harbour — then the crossing every rider talks about afterwards: the Cook Strait ferry from the North Island to Picton, threading through the Marlborough Sounds.
From Picton the coast road runs down to Kaikōura, where the mountains meet the sea and sperm whales feed just offshore.
Into the South Island proper: Christchurch, rebuilt and reinvented, then west over the dramatic Arthur’s Pass — one of the great alpine crossings anywhere — down to the wild West Coast at Hokitika.
The coast road delivers two of New Zealand’s icons back to back: Franz Josef Glacier and the remote bush of Haast, before climbing back into the mountains to the postcard shores of Lake Wanaka.
The expedition’s grand finish: Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, ringed by the jagged Remarkables. From there the road runs on to quiet, lakeside Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland.
And then, the reason this whole route exists — the drive into Milford Sound, cloud-wrapped peaks rising sheer out of black water. Seventeen days and two islands later, it’s about as good a place as any on earth to end an expedition.
Every morning starts properly fuelled — from launch-city cafes to lakeside lodge breakfasts with a view of the Alps.
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. Airport pickups and transfers are all handled.
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.
The most likely launch pad — collect the bikes, shake off the flight and head for the coast. If the final call lands on Wellington instead, the expedition simply starts there; registered riders hear it first.
Golden beaches, native bush and quiet coast roads just a couple of hours from the launch city — an easy, beautiful way to open the ride.
New Zealand’s geothermal capital — steaming vents, mud pools and a rich Māori cultural heritage, all wrapped in the smell of sulphur.
A vast volcanic-crater lake ringed by mountains — the roads around its edge are some of the North Island’s best.
Three active volcanoes and a landscape so otherworldly it stood in for Mordor on screen — dramatic riding through the middle of it.
A compact, creative capital wedged between steep hills and a working harbour — great coffee, better views.
The ferry across the Cook Strait threads through the Marlborough Sounds — one of the most scenic ferry crossings anywhere in the world.
Snow-capped peaks rising straight out of the Pacific, with sperm whales and dolphins feeding just offshore.
Rebuilt and reinvented since the 2011 earthquake — a green, walkable gateway to the Southern Alps.
One of the finest mountain passes in the country — beech forest, waterfalls and sheer alpine walls on the road west.
Rugged Tasman Sea coastline, greenstone carvers and a proper end-of-the-road feel.
A glacier that tumbles almost into subtropical rainforest — one of New Zealand’s genuine wonders.
A wild, sparsely populated stretch of coast and forest linking the glaciers to the Southern Lakes.
Turquoise water, the famous lone willow tree, and Roys Peak towering above — a firm favourite with every rider.
Ringed by the jagged Remarkables — the spiritual home of bungy jumping, and about as scenic a town as exists.
A quiet lakeside town and the last stop before the road runs out into the fjords.
Sheer, cloud-wrapped peaks rising straight from black water — the reason this whole route exists, and the perfect place to end an expedition.
The launch city is still being confirmed — most likely Auckland, possibly Wellington — and the exact route is being finalised with it. The map shows the current research route and may flex as plans are locked; that flexibility is part of the Trailblazer adventure.
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.
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. The expedition runs in November 2027 — exact dates are being finalised, and registered riders hear first once they’re locked.
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. Airport pickups and transfers are all handled as part of the expedition.
The launch city is still being confirmed — most likely Auckland, possibly Wellington. Both are major international gateways with easy arrivals, and airport pickups and bike collection are handled either way. Registered riders are notified the moment the start city is locked.
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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