Arrowtown to Queenstown: 35km Bike Trail & E-Bike Option

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.78 (114 reviews) 84% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/7

Duration3h–5h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Pedal 35 Kilometers Through Gold Rush Country Without Breaking a Sweat

You ride 35 kilometers of gravel trail from Arrowtown to Queenstown on a premium e-bike or pedal bike, crossing seven bridges and following three rivers with Lake Wakatipu in view. The shuttle collects you from your Queenstown hotel, a local guide points out the best stops and history along the way, and you return by van at the end. The whole thing takes four hours and suits any fitness level — the e-bike option is what makes it feel easy instead of hard.

3h–5h

Step-by-step itinerary

Bike tour from Arrowtown to Queenstown

Start ride on Twin River trail
Cross seven bridges
Pass Shotover River
Stop at Lower Shotover Bridge
View historic gold rush village
Enjoy Lake Wakatipu views
Cross Southern Discoveries Bridge
Finish ride in Queenstown

The Experience

Most bike tours make you climb. This one mostly doesn't — and that's the whole point. The Ride to Riches trail runs 35 kilometers from Arrowtown down to Queenstown along the Twin River, and if you choose an e-bike (Giant Talon or Trek Powerfly 4, both worth around $6,500 new), the gravel path feels less like work and more like you're just rolling through someone else's postcard. Seven bridges cross three rivers. Lake Wakatipu sits there the whole time, this long stretch of water that's somehow both calm and dramatic depending on the light.

The shuttle picks you up from your Queenstown hotel, drives you to Arrowtown, and drops you at the start. You've got four hours to ride, stop, look around. The trail is broad and straightforward — no technical sections, no sudden drops — which means you're not fighting the bike, you're just moving through it. Arrowtown itself is a small gold rush village with old buildings still standing, and as you leave it behind, the Shotover River runs alongside for a while. That river used to be torn apart for gold. Now it's just there, and you're pedaling past it, and the mountains are getting bigger.

A local guide meets you at the start and knows where the best stops are — cafes, viewpoints, the Lower Shotover Bridge if you want to walk out and feel the history of the place. The company recommends e-bikes for this trail, especially if you're not a regular rider, and honestly the math is simple: the motor handles the terrain, you handle the scenery. Minimum height is 150 centimeters for the e-bikes; pedal bikes are there if you're experienced and want the full leg workout. Everyone gets a helmet, map, lock, and repair kit. The shuttle waits for you at the end and takes you back to town.

Book direct with them and you get door-to-door service — they collect you from your hotel instead of a central meeting point. The ride takes four hours total, and it's suited for any fitness level because the e-bike does the heavy lifting. Just check: it's not recommended if you have spinal injuries or are pregnant.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Queenstown, a premium Giant Talon or Trek Powerfly 4 e-bike or pedal bike, helmet, map, lock and repair kit, the 35-kilometer Twin River trail with seven bridges and three river crossings, local tips on the best stops and cafes along the way, and return shuttle to your Queenstown accommodation.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Going Blue Queenstown

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to ride one of New Zealand's best bike trails without arranging transport, choosing a bike, or worrying whether you're fit enough — the e-bike option and door-to-door shuttle handle all three, leaving you to just show up and pedal.