CAPE RĒINGA to HOKIANGA HARBOUR
FAR NORTH Cycleway
2 days EXTEND YOUR RIDE:
HEARTLAND RIDE • FAR NORTH CYCLEWAY
At Hokianga, this route connects with the Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail Great Ride.
TOP TIP – Keep your wits about you on Ninety Mile Beach: it’s shared with vehicles.
161km Teeter on the very tip of New Zealand’s North Island and then glide down the western coastline via Ninety Mile Beach. Travelling on a public highway made entirely of sand is just one of the many exhilarating experiences on this trail.
S
tart this epic journey in Cape Rēinga, the northernmost point in New Zealand. Whether it’s the dramatic lofty position of the lighthouse, the haunting beauty of the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean crashing into one, or the Māori belief that this is where spirits of the dead depart for Hawaiki-A-Nui (the land of their ancestors), it’s very atmospheric. From here, the road dips south for an hour before joining the famed Ninety Mile Beach: an official state highway that is actually 88km in length. There’s nothing quite as liberating as cycling at speed along flat golden sand, an ocean breeze licking your face.
MAP LEGEND open section charter transport boat start/finish point point of interest town
Once you reach Ahipara, the route heads inland across the countryside to Hokianga Harbour. Roads along this entire route are best suited for reasonably fit riders with biking experience, but the ferry between Kohukohu and Rāwene does provide 2km of respite. In Rāwene, where the trip concludes, duck into the Boatshed Café for good honest food.
café/restaurant toilets car park accommodation camping state highway © AA Traveller 2022
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Waipapakauri Beach
Cape Rēinga 90km
Ahipara 15km
Herekino 15km
Rangiora 60km
