Mountain bike a section of Queen Charlotte Track in a day on this ride from Punga Cove to Torea Bay – renowned for its stunning scenery, and challenging terrain, this is a one day mountain biking experience like no other. This section is most suitable for intermediate to advanced riders.
Package Includes:
- Scott Scale 760, which have been maintained in-house by our trained bike mechanic. Bikes have front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes
- Water transfers to and from track
- QCT Land Pass
- Tool Kit
- Pump
- Helmet
- Water bottle carrier
- Map
- SPD pedals are available upon request.
Trip Departure Time: 8.00am
Trip Return Time: 4.30pm
Duration: 1 day
The following skill indicator is a guideline for assessing the best itinerary option for riding the track.
Skill Indicator
- Novice rider – a confident rider on roads or forest tracks.
- Intermediate – has ridden some single tracks, but not experienced.
- Experienced – regularly rides single tracks.
Skill level recommended for this itinerary: Intermediate to Experienced
Itinerary
Renowned for its stunning scenery and challenging terrain, this is a one day mountain biking experience like no other.
Take a water taxi to Punga Cove Resort, and ride up the hill to join the Queen Charlotte Track. Today’s ride is about lots of ups and downs! As you will be riding along the ridgeline between the Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds, so expect breathtaking views all day, but the terrain is challenging. Lots of sharp corners, steep drop-offs and, of course, those hills. While the inclines aren’t long they are reasonably sharp, and likewise the descents can be steep. The ride is worth it, but riders definitely need to be experienced mountain bikers to enjoy it..
This section is most suitable for intermediate to advanced riders.
Actual biking time: 4 hours
Departure
Available all year round, just pick your date and let us arrange it for you.
Gear
We recommend that riders wear or bring:
- Shorts
- Soft shoes (heavy shoes or tramping boots are not allowed)
- Sun protection
- Warm, protective clothing
- Water
FAQs
Do we hire e-bikes?
No we don’t have any e-bikes. For more information about riding the QCT on e-bikes please go to our page about Queen Charlotte Track
Is there water available on the track?
Drinking water is available at strategic places on the track. We recommend that you carry a pump bottle that holds approximately 750ml or more, which can be topped up during the day.
What is the track surface like to ride?
The track has a clay base. This makes for relatively easy riding when the weather is dry but it can be slippery and difficult to ride in the rain. We will not rent bikes out if we believe the condition of the track will affect the quality of your ride. While some sections of the track are easy to ride, other sections have tree roots, bluffs and rocky areas that make riding more challenging.
How much experience do you need to ride the Queen Charlotte Track?
The Queen Charlotte Track is regarded as a technical track so to ride the whole track, you need to be a reasonably skilled rider. If you are less skilled or unsure of your abilities, there are easier options, such as the section from Waterfall to Anakiwa. We often have people that are “bike fit” but have not actually mountain biked on a single track before. We would regard someone with this level of experience as a beginner. If you have ridden single track often, then we would regard you as an experienced rider.
Do we have panniers for the bikes?
No, because the water transport companies carry your packs as part of your water transfers, panniers are not required. Also the terrain is too rough for easy carriage of paniers on the bikes.