Wellington Remutaka Rail Trail eBike Cycle Tour
Description
Discover the Remutaka Ranges' rich rail history & natural beauty on an eBike (electric bike). The flagship daytrip of the Remutaka Cycle Trail, this is suitable for riders of all levels, 28km of easy/moderate riding. Cycle through native forest, over bridges and through tunnels while enjoying views of the landscape and the old railway system. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch at the Summit and embark on a fun descent to Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, home to some of New Zealand’s most scenic farmland. Follow the countryside to the Royal Hotel in Featherston. You will be provided with everything for your adventure - transport to and from Wellington, eBikes with trunk bags for your personal effects, and all food - so all you need to do is wear appropriate clothing and be ready to ride! Please note this tour is for an eBike, if you would prefer to ride a Mountain Bike please select this day trip instead: 'Remutaka Rail Trail Mountain Bike Explorer Cycle Tour'.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We'll pick you up at either 9.15am from port (cruise ship guests only, please let us know if this is you) or 9.30am from Wellington Station and shuttle you to the start of the trail.
Start point for the 28km ride at Kaitoke for the beginning of your Remutaka Rail Trail adventure. On the trail, you’ll start by cycling through the native bird-filled Pakuratahi Forest. Follow an old railway line over bridges and through tunnels, while pausing, if you like, to check out information stations detailing the enormous task of constructing the “Fell” railway system - a first for New Zealand at the time, and one of only a few around the world. Once you reach the summit, you will stop for a picnic lunch on a large grassy plateau next to the remnants of a historic station. After lunch, enjoy an exhilarating (but easily controllable!) descent to Cross Creek in the Wairarapa, with views of some of New Zealand’s stunning farming heartland. Follow the countryside to Featherston and we'll see you at the Royal Hotel.
We'll pick you up at the Royal Hotel in Featherston, before we shuttle you back over the Remutaka ranges, down the Hutt Valley and back to Wellington Station (arriving approx. 3.30-3.45pm) or Wellington Port (cruise ship guests only, arriving approx. 3.45-4.00pm). Please note: if you are on a cruise ship, we pick you up direct from the Port at 9.15am. We cannot wait for late arrivals - make sure you are there on time otherwise the shuttle will leave without you! We arrive back at Port between 3.45pm - 4pm. Please check that your sailing times allow for these timings, we will not be held responsible if you miss your boat!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please provide the following at time of booking, so we can make sure your day goes smoothly:
- Your approximate height (for bike sizing)
- Info regarding your dietary requirements - eg "no seafood please", "gluten free", "vegetarian"
- Trips are subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund at your discretion.
- Which pickup location would you like to be picked up from? Choose from either 9.15 Wellington Port (cruise ship guests only) or 9.30 Wellington Station (main entrance)
- Please wear appropriate clothing for outdoor activity. During the warmer months, this means shorts and a t-shirt for riding, and a light jacket in reserve. During the colder months you may prefer long pants or tights (nothing baggy that may catch on the bike!), with a tshirt, fleece and light jacket in reserve. Closed shoes - running shoes are perfect - must be worn at all times.
Reviews(44)
Great ride and an easy track thanks to the pedal assist eBikes
Hey Lewis, thanks for taking the time to leave a review! It was great to meet you. Hope you're enjoying the World Cup and good luck on what you decide to do next year :) Cheers Isaac
We did the 3-day loop trip including the coastal piece from Ocean Beach to Orongorongo. We had excellent bikes, packed lunches, accommodation and a very well put together map package for self-guiding. The Wildfinder crew are super. We had brought a head torch for the tunnels, but that was unnecessary as all bikes had their own one mounted on the handlebar which is much better. Definitely get comfortable with walk mode on the e-bike as you will need it during the last kms along the beach. It's the hardest section and wouldn't be for everyone, but if you like a challenge or are a cyclist leave yourself enough time and I really enjoyed the full ride.
Hey there :) Thank you for taking the time to leave your review! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the trip, especially the Wild Coast section on the last day. It’s definitely the most adventurous part of the trail and a real achievement to complete so well done! It's great news that the bikes, lunches, accommodation and self-guided map pack all helped make the trip smooth and enjoyable. Thanks again for riding with us and for taking the time to share your experience. All the best, Isaac
Wonderful! Definitely recommend! Beautiful ride, good lunch, great communication. This was our favorite experience in New Zealand.
Hi Alish, so glad you had a great time out on the trail last week! I've passed your comments on to Isaac and the team :) Awesome to hear it was your favourite experience in NZ!!
Excellent and very fun full-day experience! We were picked up on time at 9:30 am at the Wellington Railway station and driven about 30 minutes to Kaitoke where we were outfitted with our bikes, helmets and a fabulous box lunch and water before we hit the beautiful trail. The scenery was gorgeous, just a few other bikers so we often felt we were all alone. Several tunnels and the swinging bridge were quite fun! Picked up in Featherston and driven back to Wellington arriving around 3pm.
What a great ride and operator, on time pick up from station and then a 45 minute drive to the start of the trail. Bikes were excellent, as was the boxed lunch. The self guided cycle is easy to follow with some stunning views, tunnels, swinging bridge and best of all an exhilarating downhill finale. Thoroughly enjoyed the cycle and the e-bikes made the hills easy. Highly recommend you book this trip, it was fun and gives you a buzz when you get to the car park at the end of trail, great company and people.
This was truly amazing. Such beautiful natural landscapes, tunnels and bridges to encounter. All make it for such an exciting ride. Using the e-bikes made it a little easier but of course the option to use the power of the legs. Alex was very helpful and made sure we were equipped with the knowledge and goods to enjoy this ride. She was very kind. Definitely an activity to put on the bucket list
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the stunning landscapes, tunnels, and bridges along the ride—it really is a special experience. Great to know the e-bikes helped make the journey more accessible while still giving you the option to challenge yourself! We’ll be sure to pass your lovely feedback on to Alex—she’ll be delighted to hear she made such a positive impact on your experience. Thanks again for recommending us, and we hope to see you back for another adventure someday!
Incredible experience all around. Would recommend it to those who love biking and the beauty of the outdoors. Our tour guide, Isaac was the best and took good care of us.
Hey! Thank you very much for taking the time and leaving a review.. it was an absolute pleasure to have met you both. I'm so glad you loved the ride and trip over the weekend. All the best for the rest of your trip :) Cheers Isaac
Awesome adventure thru a beautiful area! Thanks to Sam we were set up for a safe & super fun ride and a picnic lunch.
Hey Linda We're thrilled to hear you had a fun ride! I've passed onto Sam (Tex) that you enjoyed the day and we hope you are inspired for more adventures to come :)
We really enjoyed biking through the hills on the e-bike. We saw nature up close and also biked into a nearby town. The boxed lunch provided as part of the tour was delicious!
Hey Julie, we're glad to hear you enjoyed riding the Rail Trail! Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review ans hsare your experience. All the best and we hope to see you again in the future :)
Beautiful countryside, despite driving rain at some points. More effective initial “enabling” for the uninitiated cyclist would be helpful…in places the track is narrow, stony and steeply downhill. E-bikes are extremely heavy and difficult to control in unfamiliar conditions, especially in oncoming traffic or unlit, uneven tunnels. None of these factors were adequately explained before we were sent off. Remember, there’s no guide accompanying you, so you’re on your own. Not all the pre-loaded information is clear e.g. the toilets at the summit point. However, my husband is a cyclist and had an utter blast, couldn’t wait to go again! Personally, my biceps, quads and knuckles were totally destroyed for several days afterwards from my stressful grip…but I survived.
Hi Claire, So sorry you didn't enjoy the ride as much as your husband! eBikes are heavy unfortunately and if you're not used to cycling it's definately worth having a bit of practice on. We're always happy to jump in and help out though if any extra help or in-depth briefing is needed so that you're confident when you set off on the trail. We do provide lights for the tunnels, but agree these can create a bit of a challenge to inexperienced riders. Thank you so much for the 4 star review though, we're glad you got to enjoy some of the beautiful countryside! -Alex
