ANDREW FAIRFAX, founder and CEO of Active New Zealand, suffered a near-fatal plane crash, and while recovering on a 4,000 km ride across in Europe, realized that Active New Zealand’s unique blend of local knowledge and endorphins should be extended to cycle tours. After 16 years of successfully running hiking and multi-activity trips, Fairfax decided to extend Active’s services to pure cyclists, who want a bit more out of a holiday bike tour - people wanting to cycle New Zealand.
Fairfax said, “I realized, after talking to many people, that there was huge interest from people who wanted to do what I was doing – to push a wee bit harder than a run-of-the-mill bike tour. I knew if I combined that desire with Active New Zealand’s mission to ‘get out of the comfort zone and do something remarkable’, then I could offer something that’s not really being offered already”. The resulting biking tours, while adventurous, are designed for regular people.
The resulting biking tours, while adventurous, are designed for regular people. Andrew added, “These are for those who like me would prefer not to ride alone, and who would love to be able to focus on the cool stuff, and leave the logistics and so on to someone else.”
Active New Zealand’s team has just put up their New Zealand cycling tour site, www.cycletours.activenewzealand.com, offering five New Zealand cycle tours. Interested cyclists can start easy with Thermal Cycle, a five-day North Island loop, or jump straight into a full-on cycling mission, The Deep South Ride – a 14- day ride looping the entire South Island and crossing the Southern Alps.
For more details of cycling New Zealand trips with routes, pricing and highlights visit https://cycletours.activenewzealand.com/our-bike-trips/itineraries.php.