Open all year round
The Tour Aotearoa route is open to the public all year round, however, the best time to ride is in late summer and early autumn (February and March). January and April are not bad months either. The later you leave it, the less daylight you’ll have, but there will also be less traffic on the roads, and less pressure on accommodation.Do not ride Tour Aotearoa during winter (because the off-road tracks will be too muddy) or during the summer holidays, 24 December to February (because the road sections are too busy then).
IMPORTANT: Timing your trip to Cape Reinga
Check the tide times so that you know WHEN to start-off your trip from Cape Reinga. Go to www.niwa.co.nz/services/online-services/tide-forecaster, and type in ‘Ahipara Bay’ for the location, and then the dates you are considering.
You can start riding on the beach three hours before low tide, and finish four hours after low tide, sometimes a little longer. If you strike a headwind then you may need all of that time!
