Beach Biking
Kilometres of wild, empty beach with the Seaward Kaikōura Range as your backdrop. Bring a fat bike and hunt out the firm patches.
Distance
Up to 25 km
Grade
Intermediate
Surface
Sand & shingle
Bike
Fat bike
Season
Mar–Jul
Conditions
The ride
Kaikōura’s beaches are as rugged as the rest of the place: a mix of sand and shingle that stretches for kilometres, often without another soul in sight.
You’ll need a fat bike, and the secret is finding the patches of firm sand or gravel. Heading north takes you past Hāpuku village and across the boulder-strewn Hāpuku River (safe to cross except when it’s running high) all the way to Mangamaunu. Heading south, leave South Bay on the Kaikōura Trail and join the beach at the Kōwhai River to ride to Peketā.
Dogs love it, but the shingle is hard on paws, so think about booties if you’re going any distance.
Photos
Gallery
Map & navigation
Route
Two routes: north from Kaikōura to Mangamaunu, and south from the Kōwhai River to Peketā. Open either in Ride with GPS for turn-by-turn navigation.
Support the trails
Enjoyed the ride?
Volunteers look after our trails, with help from local businesses and contractors. Donations and memberships go towards maintaining our trails and building new ones.