Scenic drives and motorcycle roads in New Zealand

MotoRidez has a road guide for each of these New Zealand roads, grouped here by region so you can string a few into a day or a long weekend, by car, 4WD or motorcycle. Plan the route in the app, with curvy routing and offline maps.

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Coromandel Peninsula

The Thames Coast Road is about 1 hour 10 minutes from Auckland. Across the ranges are Kopu to Hikuai and Tairua to Whitianga, with Whitianga to Kuaotunu and Waihi to Whangamata on the east coast.

Northland

Matapouri Road and Whangarei Heads Road, both around Whangarei.

East Cape and Hawke's Bay

Te Araroa Road on the East Cape, Waioeka Road through the Waioeka Gorge, Taihape to Napier Road and Waimarama Road near Hawke's Bay.

Wellington and Wairarapa

Akatarawa Road and Paekakariki Hill Road near Wellington, and Pahiatua to Pongaroa Road in the Wairarapa.

Marlborough and Nelson

Kenepuru Road and Queen Charlotte Drive in the Marlborough Sounds, and Takaka Hill Highway towards Golden Bay.

Canterbury and Otago

Christchurch to Akaroa Road on Banks Peninsula, Portobello Road and Highcliff Road on the Otago Peninsula, and Crown Range Road and Glenorchy to Queenstown Road around Queenstown.

West Coast and Fiordland

Haast Pass Highway and Te Anau to Milford Highway, the long mountain roads of the south-west.

By car, 4WD or motorcycle

These are public roads, so they make scenic drives as much as rides. Pick motorcycle, car or 4WD in your garage and routing follows it, with a setting for how much gravel a route may include. For longer trips, see the 4WD trip planner and the camping checklist below.

Before you go

Check road conditions before you ride, especially in the mountains and in winter, when roads can close for snow.
Download the offline map for your route before you leave. Mobile signal can drop out away from the towns.
Choose curvy routing and add the roads you want as waypoints; the app joins them into one route.

Questions

What are the best motorcycle roads in New Zealand?

It depends on the region. The Coromandel Peninsula roads suit a long weekend from Auckland, and the Queenstown, Haast and Milford roads are the mountain classics of the South Island. Each road above has its own guide.

Can I plan a route across both islands?

Yes. You can plan a route that starts on one island and ends on the other.

Does MotoRidez work in New Zealand?

Yes. Planning, turn-by-turn navigation and offline maps for a planned route work across New Zealand, free on iOS and Android.