Discover Wanaka offer a suite of tours and activities to suit a range of ages, abilities and interests. Our mission is to give you a truly local experience. The information on this page is to help you feel prepared so you can simply turn up and enjoy your adventure.
OUR GUIDES
Our experienced Wanaka bike guides and professional tour guides all have extensive experience in the tourism industry. We hand-pick guides who have deep knowledge and interest in the area, who are fun and easy to get along with and who, most importantly, put you first throughout every tour. All our guides are first aid trained and proficient in gear maintenance should any issues arise.
ASK US
We understand that sometimes you might have questions that can’t be answered by our FAQ’s. If this is the case, please contact us and we’ll happily answer any questions you might have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard are your mountain biking tours?
We use a simple grading system to help you get a sense of how hard each ride or tour is. If you are unsure where you sit, please feel free to contact us.
BEGINNER
Level 1
You are a first time mountain biker who has never biked before.Level 2
You have biked a few times before. You are a cautious novice who can ride on smooth terrain such as asphalt.Level 3
You are confident on smooth terrain and attempt to ride on rougher surfaces and can turn around on easy terrain.INTERMEDIATE
Level 4
- You can ride on rough surfaces such as gravel and ride moderate inclines (up and down)
- You can ride on Sloping terrain
Level 5
You can handle:- Small sections of rocky areas
- Small sections of sand
- Shallow water crossings (with smooth bottom)
- Small tree roots and logs
Level 6
You can handle:- Long, steep inclines and declines incorporating loose surface and a step ups/downs
- Cross slope riding involving irregular terrain
- Difficult water crossings (water depth at least to pedals, irregular bottom, offset entry and exit points)
ADVANCED
Level 7
You can handle:- Bush tracks that include narrow, twisting and irregular terrain
- Irregular sandy or muddy terrain
- Very rough rocky ground
- Snow and ice
- Slippery incline/declines
- Should be able to deal with non-routine situations
Level 8
You can mountain bike with good technique on all terrain and in all conditions.Do you have a minimum age?
For most bike tours there is a minimum age of 7 years. Please contact us to discuss bringing along younger children.
Will you have a bike to fit?
We have bikes to fit everyone. From the very tall to the very small (including children!) We also have trailers, bike seats and tag-alongs for our very junior guests.
Do you have minimum numbers for tours?
All of our tours require a minimum of 2 people in order to operate. If you are the only one wanting to join our tour, please call us to check we have a tour running on the date you want to go.
I have special dietary requirements – can you still provide food for me?
Yes, we can organise vegetarian or gluten free options. Please inform us of this when booking.
What should I wear?
We recommend comfortable activewear for the bike tours - shorts, tee shirt, jacket/warm top and sturdy lace-up shoes. Long or baggy clothing may get caught up in bike wheels.
Weather appropriate clothing is suitable for all other tours.
Can I bring my own pedals?
Yes you can bring your own pedals (and shoes) if you want. Please inform us of this prior to the tour, so we have the appropriate tools to change pedals.
Can I bring my own bike?
Yes, you can certainly bring your own bike. Talk to us first about this and we can give you a discount.
What type of bikes do you use?
This varies depending on the tour you choose. For the Riverside tour, we use modern, front suspension mountain bikes. For more technical tours such as Dingleburn, we use modern, full suspension mountain bikes.
What happens if I fall off my bike?
If you fall off your bike, your guide will check to see that you are OK. If you are injured, we’ll provide first aid, and if serious enough, alert the appropriate authorities.
If you don’t want to continue the trip, it will be your guides’ decision whether or not you can leave the trip.
Gear list for overnight adventure (Dingleburn)
Biking ClothingDiscover Wanaka (Wanaka Bike Guides) provides Helmets and Gloves FOC for all clients. If you want to use your own, please let us know.- Shorts (preferably padded biking shorts but not essential)
- T-shirt ( preferably not Cotton )
- Light Overshirt ( preferably not cotton )
- Merino/polypro long sleeve top
- Rain Jacket
- Biking shoes. Covered shoes like trainers or hiking shoes.
- Biking gloves
- Helmet
Evening ClothingPack a small separate bag with your evening clothing.Even on warm summer days the temperatures can drop dramatically to 5-10 C (41 – 50F) and to 0 C ( 32F) or below in autumn ( April onwards)- Long pants (jeans or tracksuit pants)
- Underlayers ( T shirt & long sleeve top or shirt)
- Warmer Outer layer (Woolen or fleece top or puffer jacket)
- Second pair of shoes for camp wear (shoes need to be able to be worn outside)
Other- Underwear two sets
- Socks two sets
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Your own personal toiletries
- A book or magazine.
- Torch/Head Torch – optional
We provide all bedding & towels.Please note : there is no Wi-Fi or cell phone reception where we will be riding. It’s time to go back to the simple life! Leave your electronic devices at home.Cancellation policy
If a cancellation is made within 24 hours of arrival day, loss of 100% of the total booking price.
If we cancel the trip due to unforeseen circumstances including but not limited to weather conditions you will be offered an alternative day or be fully refunded/no charge. Discover Wanaka reserves the right to apply discretion in special circumstances.