7 Day Backcountry e-MTB Tour
small groups, epic riding, top accommodation, E-bike only.
7 Days All inclusive e-mtb Tour
2 Guides to 6 Riders (maximum)
$10,500 NZD Per Person
The E-mtb Tour exploring the real nz Backcountry.
Seven days built around three things: riding unbelievable trails, in wild landscapes and finishing in stunning accommodations
Ride extinct volcanoes above the ocean, ridgelines in the clouds, rainforests thick with
birdsong. No two days look the same.
Our small groups mean completely unique tours that are tailored to the riders and the conditions.
| Duration | 7 days, 6 nights |
|---|---|
| Price | NZ$10,500 per person, e-bike included |
| 2027 departures | Choose your dates |
| Start & finish | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Group size | Maximum 6 riders, minimum 3 to run |
| Guide ratio | 1 guide to 3 riders |
| Total distance | 161–171 km (100–106 miles) |
| Total climbing | 5,553 m (18,218 ft) climb, 6,454 m (21,175 ft) descent |
| Skill level | Intermediate (Level 2) — confident on blue and black trails |
| Fitness level | High — comfortable with 1,000 m climbing days |
| Accommodation | 5 nights premium lodges, 1 night remote alpine hut |
E-MTB Tour Gallery
Backcountry E-MTB Tour Highlights
- Ride the best sections of the world famous Old Ghost Road (IMBA Epic) and of the NZ Enduro Series.
- Spend a night in a remote alpine hut over looking Ghost Lake and in the heart of the mountains.
- Soak in award winning natural hot pools right in the middle of the Southern Alps. The perfect relax after a great day of riding.
- Enjoy a week of diverse Kiwi riding, from volcanic ridges above the sea to alpine singletrack then deep native forest.
- Finish each day in handpicked accommodations with stunning views and excellent dining, comfort with a view.
ADventurefuel Tour Reviews
Backcountry Mountain Bike Tour Itinerary
Day 0 – Christchurch
Take the day as you like it: explore town, or sleep off the flight. Your
Adventurefuel guides catch up with you in the afternoon to intorduce you to your rental E-MTB. It is a relaxed meet and greet, a chance to ask anything
that is on your mind, and once the bikes are sorted we head out for a drink to get to know each other.
Cycling distance: 0
Included Meals: n/a
Accommodation: Hotel (not included)
Day 1- Christchurch
Time to ride. We start on our home trails in the Port Hills, where flowing
singletrack runs along an old crater rim with the Pacific on one side and the
Southern Alps on the other. Expect volcanic rock and hand built trail. In the afternoon we load the private bus and head inland for our first night in the
foothills of the Alps.
Riding distance: Up to 40km 500m Climb / 1400m Descent
Included Meals: B, L,D
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 – Mt Hutt
Wake up then head to the cafe for a hearty breakfast and pre-ride coffee. Then get stuck into a local favourite the Mt Hutt Bike Park. Forget gondolas and lift queues; this is a small local park with a serious punch, over 30km of trail and the whole Canterbury Plains laid out below you. A mix of blue and black trails to suit everyone and it’s so quiet you would think it’s just for us. At the end of an epic day riding we have our first hot pools to check out and back to the hotel.
Riding distance: Up to 27km 950m Climb / 980m Descent
Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation:Hotel
Day 3- The Craigieburns
Things are about to start feeling much more remote. Welcome to the Craigieburns, native beech trees and tight rooty singletrack. We ride the best sections of the NZ Enduro and some local favourites. We finish the day with a drive over the stunning Arthurs Pass to our incredible eco lodge accommodation for the evening where our hosts have prepared us dinner.
Riding distance: Up to 27km 950m Climb / 980m Descent
Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Scenic Eco Lodge
Day 4- Old Ghost Road
This is the biggest climbing day of the tour but we take our time and enjoy the forest, filled with native birds and waterfalls.
We ride through the moss covered cloud forest until we reach the alpine ridge and breath-taking views. The singletrack weaves along the ridgeline passing through the legendary ‘Heaven’s Door’ before descending to Ghost Lake Hut. Watch the cloud rolling through the valley and enjoy the serene night in a remote alpine hut.
Riding Distance: Up to 30km 1306m Climb / 427m Descent
Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Remote Alpine Hut
Day 5 – Old Ghost Road Return
Enjoy the views as the guides make coffee and breakfast. Then get ready to enjoy rewards of all of yesterdays climbing as we descend back the way we came, taking our time on the ridge to savour the views with fresh legs this time before a 1300m descent! Smiles all round as we weave through the forest and splash through creeks. Then we drive along the lush West Coast road watching the rainforest meet the ocean. Our accommodation for the night is stunningly situated in the forest and surrounded by birdsong.
Riding Distance: Up to 30km 427m Climb / 1307m Descent
Meals: B,L, D
Accommodation: Backcountry Lodge
Day 6 – Secret Trails and Thermal Hot pools
Slowing things down a little today we drive along the beautiful West Coast before exploring another old gold mining town. Here we take in some little known backcountry riding with some more stunning beech forest. Then onto the nights accommodation for saunas, natural hot springs and excellent dining.
Riding Distance: Up to 11km 720m Climb / 720m Descent
Meals: B, L,D
Accommodation: Mountain Spa Hotel
Day 7 – Hanmer Springs
Leaving the Southern Alps we weave back through the foothills to another local favourite. We head into pine forest for our final riding day, having the option to run a few laps on trails we like as well as tick off one of the best trails in the area. We finish up the day with our farewell dinner before returning to Christchurch. New friends and countless new stories.
Riding Distance: Up to (26km 700m Climb / 960m Descent)
Meals: B, L,D
Accommodation: Hotel (not included)
Backcountry E-MTB Tour Inclusions
- 5 nights premium accommodation handpicked for the best views and experience (all 4 star and some 5-star properties)
- 1 night in a remote alpine hut overlooking the mountains.
- E-MTB rental included with bikes perfectly chosen for these trails
- Entry to award winning mountain thermal hot pools.
- All meals as we dine in local restaurants, as well as enjoying as many local treats along the way as we can.
- Private spacious minibus with secure MTB trailer for shuttles and transfers.
- All of our guides are First Aid Qualified and carrying emergency supplies, keeping you safe no matter how remote we are.
- Trail Karma – we build and maintain trails in the winter and donate money to local trails for every rider we take on a tour.
FAQ
Yes, we strictly limit all our E-mtb bike tour to 6 riders to give the best ratio of guides to riders. 3 riders to 1 guide is the smallest guide to rider ratio in the industry and we think it makes for a truly intimate trip.
We guarantee trips with just 3 riders so you can start getting excited for your trip not waiting for it to be confirmed. We can also do private trips of just two riders, send us a message for more details.
For 2027 we will be using the Specialized Turbo Levo 4 Alloy but will potentially getting a new fleet very soon. We will give more details about bikes during booking but all of our E-mtbs will be full power bikes with 150-160mm of suspension and chosen specifically for the best bike for our trails. We are currently in talks with a few distributors at the moment so watch this space!
For this itinerary riders must be a LEVEL 2: (INTERMEDIATE) or above and comfortable riding blue and black trails. The majority of the trails we ride will be blue with some single black trails. See our Rider Skill Level Assessment for more details.
For this itinerary riders must be a high LEVEL 2 or LEVEL 3 and above who are comfortable up to 1000m/ 3000ft of elevation per day for multiple days (the longest day has 1400m / 4200ft) of elevation gain. Each day will have around 5-6 hours of riding time not including rest breaks (which we do plenty of) This trip is for fit confident riders. See our Fitness Level Assessment for more details.
You currently cannot fly domestically or internationally with an E-bike battery. If you are based in New Zealand you are more than welcome to bring your own bike. Another option is you can fly with your own bike and rent an E-bike battery here. Get in touch and we will see if we can source the correct battery for you.
Yes , for our E-Mtb trips the bikes are included. You just need to show up and be ready to ride!