I did not arrive in Queenstown thinking I was about to change my mind about New Zealand’s most beautiful cycle trail. I had already ridden quite a few of them and felt pretty confident about what topped the list. Five days later, after pedalling through gorges, along lakes and beside one very big river on Adventure South NZ’s Lake Dunstan and the Three Gorges trip, I was no longer so sure.



I did not arrive in Queenstown thinking I was about to change my mind about New Zealand’s most beautiful cycle trail. I had already ridden quite a few of them and felt pretty confident about what topped the list. Five days later, after pedalling through gorges, along lakes and beside one very big river on Adventure South NZ’s Lake Dunstan and the Three Gorges trip, I was no longer so sure.


Adventure South’s Lake Dunstan and Three Gorges or more recently called “Cycle the Kawarau, Dunstan & Roxburgh Gorges” is a journey that strings together an incredible sequence of trails through Queenstown, Wanaka and Central Otago. 

Its difficulty rating is 3/5 and that feels right. The surfaces are excellent and the riding is straightforward, but there is enough exposure, climbing and distance to make it feel like a proper journey rather than a series of easy day rides.



We rolled out of Queenstown straight onto the Frankton Trail, riding beside Lake Wakatipu as the mountains closed in around us. It is one of those places where you barely notice you are warming up because the scenery does all the work. From there, the Twin Rivers and Countryside Trails quietly pulled us away from town and into the Wakatipu Basin. The riding felt relaxed and social, the kind of day where conversations come easily and the kilometres pass without much thought.

Arrowtown arrived at exactly the right time. I have been there before, but arriving by bike makes it feel different. Slower, more connected. Lunch turned into a wander through the historic streets before we crossed the Arrow River Bridges, floating above bright blue water on suspension bridges that felt adventurous without ever feeling difficult. It was a perfect first day, and an easy way to ease into life on the trail.

Wanaka and Lake Hawea changed the mood again. Riding the Outlet Track from Lake Wanaka to Albert Town was calm and unhurried, following clear water through open country. Then we joined the Hawea River Track, and something shifted.

Here, dramatic mountain ranges rise on either side of the valley, but the riding itself is gentle and unforced. The river runs a deep turquoise, edged by green farmland and willow lined banks, and the trail simply follows its lead. There is no single viewpoint to stop at, no obvious moment designed for a photo. Instead, the beauty builds quietly with every kilometre.



What made this trail stand out for me was how it felt to ride. It was the combination of big alpine scenery, vivid water and lush greenery, paired with a sense of everyday life unfolding around it. Locals out walking, anglers along the river, the rhythm of a place that did not feel staged. Riding there, it felt less like passing through and more like briefly belonging.

Then came Lake Dunstan, and it delivered everything it promises. The trail clings to rock faces and glides out over the lake on narrow platforms, with water below and cliffs above. It is immersive, dramatic and beautifully engineered. Riding it across two days, with time in Cromwell and a winery stop in Clyde, felt like a highlight reel of Central Otago.

The Clutha Gold Trail added scale and story, following the river past old bridges, tunnels and gold mining remnants. The Roxburgh Gorge Trail brought a sense of remoteness and adventure, capped off with a jet boat ride through the gorge that felt like a fitting finale.



Yet when the trip ended and I thought back on the riding, it was the Hawea River Track that stayed with me.

Not because it was the most dramatic on paper, but because it brought everything together. Mountains, turquoise water, greenery and a strong sense of place. It was the trail where I stopped thinking about the ride itself and simply enjoyed being there.

The support was seamless, the logistics disappeared into the background, and the riding never felt rushed. I would strongly recommend an eBike unless you are very confident in your fitness. It lets you focus on where you are, not how hard you are working.



From late 2026, the addition of the new Kawarau Gorge Trail will make this journey even stronger, linking Queenstown and Wanaka by bike through one of the region’s most spectacular corridors.

I have ridden a lot of great cycle trails in New Zealand. This trip reminded me that the most beautiful ones are not always the loudest. For me, that is why the Hawea River Track might just be New Zealand’s most beautiful cycle trail.