Being my first supported cycle tour, I had no idea what to expect but after reading all the 5-star reviews, and buying myself a pair of padded cycling shorts, I excitedly booked the Alps 2 Ocean End to End. 

So what is a guided cycle tour?

The benefit of an Adventure South NZ guided, supported cycle tour is that everything is done for you; you've got guides with you 24/7 for the duration of the tour, you've got a support vehicle, your accommodation is sorted and most meals are included. 

I had a preconceived idea that having a support vehicle with us meant that we might miss sections of the trail, but the accommodation and itinerary were considered -- so not even 1km of the trail was missed. 

The only time we were taken off the trail was when the support vehicle took us to additional sightseeing spots like clay cliffs in Omarama, which ended up being a blessing because riding up the corrugated road to the clay cliffs would have been a challenge for even the best cyclists. 

Having a vehicle with us the entire trip was actually a blessing in disguise for 2 reasons: 

1.    I had a fall on the first day, as we were cycling by Lake Pukaki. Silly me was trying to take a selfie while riding on a small section of gravel road and lost balance... whoops. So, having the support vehicle allowed me to skip the beginning section of Day 2 and meet the riders for morning tea at Lake Pukaki, then continue the cycle trail at a slower pace. 

2.    After having incredible blue skies most of the week, the weather was not as kind on the last day. With pouring rain and high winds until mid-morning, I was not confident riding on the muddy trails. Having a support vehicle gave me the option to jump on the bus for the first hour until the skies started clearing and I felt confident getting back on the bike. 

Despite missing out on a few stretches due to my injury and some poor weather, I still feel like I accomplished something incredible. 

Adventure South NZ is always encouraging you to 'choose your challenge' when riding with them, whether that be riding a standard or acoustic bike, or completing the 320km on an eBike. 

For me, it was riding an eBIke as much as my body could physically handle each day.

The benefit of a supported tour is that the Adventure South NZ van is never far from riders. The guides stop every 10-20 km to meet riders, checking in and making sure everyone is okay and knows where to go for the next section of the ride. 

It was quiet on the trail, so I'm glad I had the guides to point me in the right direction rather than having to get a map out every 5 minutes to check I was going the right way.  

For anyone thinking of joining their first supported cycle tour, my advice would be don't overthink it. With everything done for you, you will be able to completely enjoy your ride, take in the scenery, and create lifelong friendships.

If you want to have you're on supported cycling experience Alps 2 Ocean, have a look at our traveller favourites:
>> Alps to Ocean End to End
>> Alps to Ocean Classic