"The South Island doesn’t give you one landscape. It gives you all of them.
Every day felt like a completely different trip."
Jen, Co-Founder of Hightail
Some destinations have a reputation that precedes them, and New Zealand’s South Island is one of those places. For Jen and Jon, Co-Founders of Hightail, the plan was straightforward: pick up BMW R1200RS motorcycles and spend a week finding out if the South Island lives up to the hype. It does.
Snow-capped mountains, turquoise glacier lakes, vast grasslands, lush rainforest, and coastal roads make this one of the most visually diverse places you can put a motorcycle.
Pick up in Christchurch
The trip starts in Christchurch, and then they head south and inland. The landscape shifts quickly - wide plains giving way to bigger skies, the mountains growing closer on the horizon with every mile. The first major destination: Lake Pukaki and the Mackenzie Basin.
Lake Pukaki and the Mackenzie Basin
Nothing quite prepares you for the colour of Lake Pukaki. Fed by glacial meltwater, it runs a shade of bright turquoise that looks almost unreal against the backdrop of Aoraki / Mount Cook. The road that hugs its western shore is one of the best stretches of the entire trip. It’s flat, fast, and impossible to ride without pulling over every few minutes.
The Mackenzie Basin is wide, open country. The kind of place where the scale of everything takes a moment to sink in. Long straights, clean air, and very little between you and the mountains.
Wanaka
Wanaka delivers on every level. The town sits on the southern shore of Lake Wanaka, with the mountains close behind, and its food scene (including some excellent food trucks) punches well above its size. It’s the kind of place that makes it hard to get back on the bike the next morning.
Haast Pass
Haast Pass is a main event. Cutting through the Southern Alps to connect the central lakes to the wild west coast, it demands full attention and delivers fully in return. Waterfalls appear around bends. The bush closes in, then opens to massive valley views. It’s the kind of road that stays with you.
A note on conditions: most roads on the South Island are excellent, but some smaller routes include gravel and tight technical sections. Come prepared.
The West Coast
The West Coast has a character all of its own. It’s a ‘must-ride’ part of the South Island. Envision winding roads that alternate between dense, jungle foliage, valleys dotted with farms, and epic coastal landscapes. Its variance means you don’t get bored, and there’s always something beautiful to admire. During Jen and Jon’s visit, they were fortunate to have sunny, dry weather, which isn’t typical but was very appreciated.
The weather on the West Coast can vary and requires riders to monitor their weather apps to stay wise to changing conditions.
Hokitika Beach is a stop worth making. Driftwood sculptures line the shore, placed and rebuilt by visitors over the years. An evening walk here, with the Tasman Sea turning gold, was one of the quieter, more memorable moments of the trip.
One warning for West Coast riders: sand flies. Pack insect repellent. They are small, relentless, and unbothered by your opinion of them.
Arthur’s Pass
Arthur’s Pass is an epic feat of engineering connecting the west and east coasts. It has big mountain views on both sides, and is the highest pass over the Southern Alps. Jen and Jon weren’t ready to head back to the east coast, but the pass’s technical riding and elevation were something they weren’t willing to miss. They rode the best parts there and back, and each way felt like an entirely new ride.
It’s also where Jen had a close encounter with the locals. Keas - the alpine parrots of New Zealand - have no fear of humans. One made a very confident attempt at a tourist's snack bag during a rest stop. Hilarious when it happened, but honestly not great for the birds. Keep a tight grip on your baked goods and treats when around these intelligent and charming thieves.
Kaikōura
The coastal run into Kaikōura is another standout section, a road squeezed between the Kaikoura Ranges and the Pacific, with seal colonies lazing on the rocks below. Seal pups, in particular, are absurdly photogenic and completely aware of it.
One miss: whale watching in Kaikōura was fully booked. Book this one well in advance. The whales are not waiting.
Riding with Hightail
As the Co-Founders of Hightail, New Zealand was the perfect backdrop to capture some product photos and videos, and the South Island didn’t disappoint. The landscapes are so consistently stunning that the challenge was choosing where not to stop.
On the practical side, Jen used her Hightail every day on the road. When you’re moving between towns most nights and living out of panniers, every item in your kit needs to earn its place. "Hightail is small, packable, and one less thing to think about when there's a lot of road ahead."
The Reality Check
A few things worth knowing before you plan your New Zealand motorcycle trip. Rentals on the South Island come with a significant deposit (around $4,000 NZD/$2,300 USD), and fuel is expensive. Two bikes cost over $100 NZD ($60 USD) to fill up. Accommodation pricing can spike hard around public holidays; Christchurch was over $400 USD for a basic motel over a busy weekend.
The lesson from this trip: book your anchor nights and key experiences early (whale watching, private pools at the hot springs in Hanmer Springs), check the public holiday calendar before you finalize dates, and build in enough flexibility to chase good weather. The South Island rewards spontaneity, but not at the expense of a plan.
One more practical note: UV levels are intense. Bring sunscreen, even on overcast days
Ride Notes:
- Base: Christchurch (rental pickup and drop-off, luggage storage available with the rental company).
- Bring your own riding gear if possible. Rental is available, but your own kit is always preferable.
- Don’t miss: Haast Pass, Lake Pukaki, Hokitika Beach, Arthur’s Pass, the coastal road into Kaikōura.
- Book early: whale watching in Kaikōura, private hot spring pools in Hanmer Springs.
- Pack: sunscreen, insect repellent (West Coast sand flies), and a loose itinerary with room to move.
New Zealand’s South Island is a world-class motorcycle destination. Every day feels different. Every pass has something the last one didn’t. Go with a plan, leave room for the unexpected, and let the island do the rest.
SEE JEN & JON'S RIDE IN ACTION
See their full reel from their New Zealand Motorcycle Trip. You’ll see a mix of alpine passes, turquoise lakes, wild coastlines, and the kind of roads that remind you why we ride.
SHARE YOUR RIDE
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