Bikepacking

Finn McLachlan escapes the capital on the bus with his bike for a Waitangi Weekend overnighter. With his sights set on the possibility of making it all the way up Mt Matthews – the tallest maunga in the Orongorongo range, Finn battles the wind, finds a glimpse of the city and more wild places.

A bikepacking trip in Aotearoa, an encounter with Cass Gilbert and a pressing question inspired Michael Dammer to create the Trans Ecuador Mountain Bike Route (TEMBR) with his brothers. He shares how it came about and what is (hopefully) still to come.

Jane Shearer and Chris Nelson spend three weeks touring around Hokkaido, Japan's largest northern island, enjoying varied landscapes, regular meals from the local conbinis (convenience stores), many km's of tunnels but sadly no bears.

Mick Turnbull and Danielle O'Hara capture their modified version of the Alpine Pints and Pizza bikepacking route through Victoria High Country.

Jane Shearer and Chris Nelson recommend taking it slow to explore the centre-north of Mongolia by bike. People are friendly and unhurried – there’s nowhere to go in a rush across the steppe.

Pintxos (bar snacks) are a highlight of bikepacking the Basque Country, along with the great scenery, quiet roads and picturesque pueblos (villages). Jane Shearer & Chris Nelson cycled two loops in the Basque Country – the Vuelta de Vasco and the Iberica Norte – in search of mild spring weather within an easy ferry ride from England.

Brian Alder follows up guiding an Escape Adventures cycle tour in Kyrgyzstan with a tilt at one of the premier international bikepacking events – the Silk Road Mountain Race.

Marcela Restrepo & Michael Dammer and their young family head out of phone coverage into the depths of the Ecuadorian highlands for four days of adventure.

Jane Shearer regales us with the practicalities of bikepacking across Georgia, following the Caucasus Crossing route.

Rod Oram embarks on his ride along the Silk Road - the first phase of his odyssey connecting Beijing and Birmingham by bike.

Isabella Guise, aged eleven, tells it like it is on a whānau adventure over two days on Queenstown’s latest must-do ride.