About

Tour Aotearoa is a 3000 km bicycle route in New Zealand that takes you from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island.

It was created by Jonathan Kennett, a New Zealand cycling historian and guidebook writer. He launched Tour Aotearoa in February 2016 by organising a 3000 kilometre group ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff along a route designed to highlight New Zealand's most scenic and noteworthy locations, as well as to avoid heavy traffic. It includes many Great Rides and quiet back country roads.


About Jonathan Kennett

Along with his brothers Paul and Simon, Jonathan has co-organised many mountain biking events, including the Karapoti Classic, several New Zealand mountain bike championships and the 2006 World Mountain Bike Championships in Rotorua. Since 2010, Jonathan has worked as a project manager for the government’s New Zealand Cycle Trail project.

In 2012, he wrote the bestselling guide, Classic New Zealand CycleTrails, and it was then that he began developing the idea of a cross-country New Zealand bikepacking route.