SHEBIKESHEBIKES – KAWARAU GORGE TRAIL
Kawarau Gorge Trail
Bike hire & shuttles - your day, your way
Flexible bike hire and shuttle transport from our Bannockburn depot. You focus on the riding; we handle the logistics.
Opening 25th of October 2026
Opening Date - Sunday October 25
The official opening date for the Kawarau Gorge Trail to the public has now been set for Sunday 25th of October.
You’ve found one of New Zealand’s newest and most talked-about cycle trails. The Kawarau Gorge is dramatic, historic, and – on the right day – genuinely breathtaking.
But getting yourself and your bike to the right place at the right time, and home again at the end of the day, is where most people get stuck. That’s exactly what our packages are built around.
THE TRAIL
What to expect on the Kawarau Gorge Trail
Following ancient Māori routes through a dramatic canyon carved by the Kawarau River, this trail traces turquoise water through striking geology, historic gold mining sites, and some of the most ambitious suspension bridge engineering in the South Island.
The trail runs from Gibbston to Bannockburn – 29 km in total – and the middle 13 km is classified backcountry. Once you’re in, there’s no easy exit. Come prepared and you’ll have a day you won’t forget.
29 Km
FULL LENGTH
3-5 Hrs
APPROXIMATE RIDE TIME
326 M
TOTAL CLIMB
Two-way
KEEP LEFT
Grade 3
NZ TRAIL GRADE
10.8 %
MAX GRADIENT
Great for you if...
- You’re a confident, fit cyclist
- You’ve ridden gravel or trail before
- You want big Central Otago scenery with a real challenge
- You’re comfortable walking short technical sections
- Children who are strong, experienced riders
Not recommended if…
- You’re a beginner or casual cyclist
- Young or nervous children
- You want a flat, easy family trail
- You’re not comfortable in remote terrain
WHERE YOU ARE
Bannockburn, Gibbston & the road between
Our depot is in Bannockburn – the Central Otago end of the trail, deep in Central Otago wine country. Understanding how Bannockburn and Gibbston relate to each other (and to Queenstown, Clyde, and Dunedin) makes everything click.
Dun
Dunedin
3.5 Hr drive
Clyde
Clyde
25 min drive
BB
Bannockburn
Our depot
GIB
Gibbston
25 min drive
QT
Queenstown
45 min drive
Bannockburn - home base - eastern end of the trail
All hire bikes are maintained and dispatched from our depot in Bannockburn. Our shuttles depart from and return to Bannockburn. Most packages start and end here, right in the heart of Central Otago wine country.
Gibbston - western end of the trail
Sits at the Queenstown end of the gorge. Our 10:00 am shuttle from Bannockburn delivers bikes and passengers here each morning. Winery and café stop on site.
Coming from Queenstown
About 45 minutes by road. Use our packages to start from either end of the gorge. Start of a perfect day trip or multi-day epic
Coming from Dunedin or Clyde
A perfect day trip or multi-day add-on to complement the Otago Central Rail Trail, Lake Dunstan and Roxburgh Gorge Trails. Our Clyde depot is just 25 minutes from our Bannockburn depot. Use Clyde or Bannockburn as trail hubs.
GETTING AROUND
Daily shuttle timetable
Our shuttles run daily between Bannockburn and Gibbston. All hire bikes live at Bannockburn – they reach Gibbston on the morning van. Mix and match shuttles to suit your day.
10:00 am
Bannockburn → Gibbston
Passengers, hire bikes and private bikes. Arrives Gibbston 10:30 am.
11:30 am
Gibbston → Bannockburn
Passengers and private bikes. Arrives Bannockburn 12:00 pm.
3:30 pm
Bannockburn → Gibbston
Afternoon service. Passengers and private bikes only – no hire bikes on this leg.
4:15 pm
Gibbston → Bannockburn
Afternoon service. Passengers, hire bikes and private bikes.
4:45 pm
Bannockburn → Gibbston → Queenstown
Passengers only. No bikes on this leg. Perfect end to a Queenstown day-trip.
OUR PACKAGES
Choose your day on the trail
Every group is different. Mix and match packages within a single booking – riders, passengers, hire bikes and private bikes can all be combined. Filter below to find your fit
Bike hire + morning shuttle from Bannockburn to Gibbston Valley
Our most popular option. We load your hire bike on the 10 am van, drop you and your bike at Gibbston, and you ride the gorge back to Bannockburn at your own pace. No vehicle juggling, no logistics stress – just the trail.
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $105 per adult (MTB)
Bike Hire from Bannockburn - ride the gorge out and back
Total flexibility, no shuttle required. Pick up a hire bike from our Bannockburn depot and ride into the gorge towards Gibbston Valley – and back again. Ideal if you’re self-sufficient and want to set your own pace and timing.
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $75 per adult
Seat + own bike - morning shuttle from Bannockburn to Gibbston Valley
Bringing your own bike? Load it on our morning shuttle and ride the gorge back from Gibbston to Bannockburn. All the logistics sorted, none of the hire bike cost.
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $45 per person
Meet at Gibbston Valley - Hire bike - cycle to Bannockburn - return shuttle
Make your own way to Gibbston to meet us between 10:30 – 11:30. Your hire bike will be waiting. Ride the Kawarau Gorge to Bannockburn and return your bike at our depot. Return on our 3:30pm shuttle to Gibbston Valley
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $125 per adult (MTB)
Afternoon shuttle - Bannockburn to Gibbston Valley - Seat and bike
Make your own way to our Bannockburn depot to catch our 3:30 pm shuttle to Gibbston Valley
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $45 per person
Afternoon shuttle - Gibbston Valley to Bannockburn - Seat and bike
Gibbston to Bannockburn shuttle in the afternoon. We collect you and your own bike and transport you back.
MEET:
WHEN:
DISTANCE:
DURATION:
From $40 per person
HOW IT WORKS
Three steps to your best day in the gorge
Every group is different. Mix and match packages within a single booking – riders, passengers, hire bikes and private bikes can all be combined. Filter below to find your fit
1
Choose your package
Pick the combination that fits your group. Everyone can choose differently – mix bike hire and shuttle options freely within one booking.
2
Book and pay online
Secure your spot. We’ll confirm your shuttle seat and bike allocation, and send everything you need before your day.
3
Arrive and ride
Show up at the starting location you’ve selected. We handle the rest.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Come prepared - ride with confidence
The Kawarau Gorge includes a 13 km backcountry section. Once you’re in, there’s no easy exit. These aren’t warnings – they’re the things that will make your day great and keep you safe out there.
Fitness and ability
- Confident cyclists only in the backcountry section
- Ride within your ability – walk sections where needed
- Children must have sufficient skill / stamina for the full distance
- You need to be confident being able to fix a flat tyre or broken chain
- Grade 3: expect challenges
Bikes and gear
- E-bikes must be fully charged before you start
- No chargers available anywhere on trail
- Helmet mandatory – included with all hire bikes
- Dress for the weather – it could change quickly in the gorge
- Our hire bikes are selected, kitted out and maintained for this type of trail
On the trail
- Keep left – two-way trail throughout its full length
- No motorised transport permitted (e-bikes under 300w excepted)
- No drones – active aircraft flight path above the gorge
- No dogs between Citroen Bridge and Felton Road
- Trail may close for pest control – closed gates mean closed trail
Environment and land
- Stay on the trail – respect farms, vineyards and orchards
- Leave gates exactly as you find them
- Be aware of farm animals at all times
- Carry out all rubbish – use trail toilets where provided
- Unstable terrain is possible above and below the track – take self-responsibility seriously
Your day in the gorge starts here
You’ve done the research. You know the trail. Let us handle the bikes and the shuttles so you can focus on the part that matters – the riding.
