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6 hours
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The Otago Central Rail Trail is the Original Great Ride in New Zealand's burgeoning Cycle Trails Network. This particular section of the trail is the most spectacular - it also suits travelers on a short time frame and a high level of fitness is not required.
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Your trip will start at 9am at our shop in Historic Clyde. You will be fitted out for your Merida hire Bikes and be given information on points of interest along the way, then transferred to Auripo for your days ride by our very knowledgeable driver. From Auripo, you cycle a short distance to the Poolburn Gorge this is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Otago Central Rail Trail as it cuts through the Raggedy Range that separates the Manuherikia and Ida Valleys. Highlights of this section include the 37m high Poolburn Viaduct, two tunnels, the trails longest bridge and Central Otago stunning landscapes. After 17kms Muddy Creek Cafe in Omakau is the perfect stop for coffee and great cinnamon scrolls. You can then take the option of a side trip to historic Ophir, before cycling down Tiger Hill to the Chatto Creek Tavern. Relax and refresh yourself at the Tavern and we collect you from here at 2.30pm, or you can carry on to Clyde. Cycling distances; Auripo to Omakau 17kms, Omakau to Chatto Creek 12kms, Chatto Creek to Alexandra 18kms, Alexandra to Clyde (via Rail Trail 8kms, via the River Trail 12kms).
Bike It Now! Drink Bottle
Full commentary by a very knowledgeable driver to the drop off point
Air-conditioned vehicle
Use of bicycle
Top mounted Pannier bag
Cycle Helmet
Lunch
Electric Bike: Merida E Bike
313 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
minglis198,Apr 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
My wife and I did the 6 day trip (incl. a rest day in Naesby) with 3 kids (12,10,6). We had an amazing experience 5/6 days of beautiful weather. The Bike it Now team we're a well oiled machine, Claire in particular did a great job adjusting to last minute requests from us for bike changes and transfers at start/end. Accommodation was great. Bikes were good quality. The briefing at the start was great where they explained the food/snack stop options along the route - critical with 3 kids. And on the last day (the 1 day with bad weather) they were super helpful in organising an 'evac' for our youngest. Would recommend.
Sherpa43003531033,Apr 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Steve, from Bike it Now put together an amazing trip, with wonderful accommodation, fantastic bikes and we had a great trip. They even let you know were to go for lunch stops on the way. What a fantastic way to see the country. Thank you so much for thinking of everything and making our trip so enjoyable. Bike it Now are a great company to do the Otago Rail Trail with and they take your bags and return you to your car at the end.
Discover57161801574,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Our group of six had an awesome self-guided cycle trip in March, riding the Lake Dunstan and Clutha Gold trails. The Bike It Now team were friendly, helpful and did a fantastic job organising our trip, right from the beginning to the end. They were quick at answering my questions via email during the trip preparations. They recommended and organised lovely accommodation, places for dinner, lunch options, and were a phone call away if we needed them during our ride. One of the lovely staff members even dropped off to our B&B in Clyde, a rather large cane dog that I purchased in one of the gift shops, as she didn't want to see me fall of my bike! We started our trip with a wine tour which visited three local boutique wineries which was great fun and set the scene for a fun trip. The scenery was spectacular throughout the entire ride, as the majority of the trip follows the Clutha River. The Lake Dunstan ride was incredible as parts of it are built into the rock face alongside the Clutha Dam. The ride through the Roxburgh Gorge was stunning, which you can only see by cycling through it (or if you boat it). Two of our group members hired e-bikes, which were well maintained and comfortable to ride and they had no issues whatsoever with them. I thoroughly recommend Bike It Now if you're thinking about doing one of the cycle rides in this region. I really can't fault them.
353kazb,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Right from the initial thoughts of planning this trip, to chatting with Bike it now in Clyde NZ, everything was organised so well. The price was fabulous, accomodation super!





Companion56247387783,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Bike It Now were very quick to respond to my initial inquiry and created a tour which worked out very well for me. Fortunately the weather was very good, as much of the riding is quite exposed - particularly if there is strong wind. There was some sort of issue with getting a meal at the Lauder Hotel. The supermarket at Omakau is quite limited and so if you are staying at Muddy Creek B&B I would recommend buying meal ingredients at the Night and Day in Clyde before setting out. The kitchen at the B&B was well appointed.
alisonmG4287BC,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
The whole Bikeitnow team were wonderful. Fletch managed all our changes for our large group like a pro. From the amazing detailed briefing on how to ride an E bike to detailed instructions on every part of our trip. The fleet of bikes we hired were of a high standard and when we did have a break down the response was immediate. The accommodation was amazing also. A huge thanks to the whole Bikeitnow team





Dave486,Mar 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
The staff were friendly, helpful and easy to deal with. I would definitely use them again and recommend them. We did the 3 day tour on electric bikes. It was an easy trip, hardly used electric (albeit we were relatively fit guys in our 60’s). The weather was fantastic, scenery amazing and lots of cafes, pubs and places of interest along the way. The accommodation along the way was very good and the people running them very friendly. I would definitely do again.









364richarde,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Fletch and the BIN team have been planning our cycle trips for several years and they never disappoint. In February we cycled from Middlemarch to Lake Waihola over 9 days, great scenery and cycling without a hiccup thanks to the expert planning by Claire. Great bikes, accommodation and transfers, even managed good weather! We highly recommend Bike it Now.
Destination247274,Mar 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Wonderful introduction to the Big Loop
P2060IDdaver,Mar 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
We cycled the one day Otago rail trail which was a fantastic experience. The team at Bike It Now were excellent in the booking process as well as the experience on the day. The equipment offered was very good quality. This ride is suitable for people of all ages and riding fitness but consider whether an eBike would be more suitable for those who do not ride regularly. There are a few great stops along the way for snacks and lunch that I would recommend calling into to support the local communities. I would definitely recommend this trip for people of all ages and was a great day out.
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