Beach
Intermediate
Up to 25km
Kaikōura may not be well known for its beaches. But get on your fat bike and you’ll find it has big wide gravelly beaches that stretch for kilometres and you won’t see a soul.
Kaikōura isn’t known for its beaches. It’s a robust place, and the beaches are equally rugged being a mix of sand and shingle. But there are places you can bike and with persistence comes the reward of kilometres of lonely beach with the stunning backdrop of the Seaward Kaikōura range.
You’ll need a fatty and the secret is to find the patches of compacted sand or gravel. Making your way north takes you past Hapuku village across the boulder filled Hapuku river, which can be crossed safely except when running high, all the way to Mangamaunu. The south journey can be taken by leaving South Bay via the Kaikōura Trail and accessing the beach at the Kowhai River to make your way to Peketa.
Dogs can be dogs on these beaches, but the texture of the shingle is very abrasive on their paws. If you are planning to go any distance, you may need the booties.
Dotterels nest on these beaches between August to February, please respect nature and do not beach cycle during this period.
Trail Status & Alerts
Dotterel nesting season – August to February, please read notes in Need to Know.
Please report any trail problems at the Contact Form
Download Beach Biking Map.
PDF map download.
- Kilometres of beach all to yourself
- Stunning mountain backdrop
- Great place to run the dog
- Surface - Shingle, sand, pea shingle, more shingle!
- You'll need a fat bike
- Some stretches of beach are a good workout
- Watch for rogue waves that can swamp your bike
- Protect and respect our wildlife, plants and trees
- Dotterel nesting season – August to February, please read these guidelines:
Here are a few usual things to know which will help with dotterel protection if people are cycling on the beach.
1: Dotterels nest directly on the ground
Their nests eggs and chicks are very difficult to see.
The invisibility helps protect them from predatory birds.2: Season dates: August to February
First nests appear mid August.
First chicks appear mid-September.
Chicks leave the nest as soon as the eggs are hatched, and the family becomes nomadic, using the whole breach to forage for food. Chicks grow very slowly and are difficult to see for most of their 6 weeks prior to fledging.
Final nests are laid in mid December and hatch mid January.
Last chicks fledge late February.3: How can you tell that you are close to a nest or chicks when they are very difficult to see?
Parents indicate the presence of nests and chicks by agitated peeping.
Chicks can usually not be seen by people, and at their parents’ warning calls, stand totally still as they are easy to run over or trample.
If you see an adult bird in broken-wing pose, you are very close to a nest or a chick. Retreat very carefully.
Please be alert for parent dotterel calls, or broken wing pose, especially when crossing the beach.4: Where should I ride to keep dotterels as safe as possible?
Below the high-tide line.
Chicks may still forage here, but parent birds usually show agitation when we are close to them.
Chicks stand very still when threatened and are hard to see.
You can often find them huddled in depressions, and sometimes in tyre tracks.
Once they are 5 weeks post - hatching they can usually be seen clearly.
- Food and refreshments at Kaikōura
- Kaikoura information
- Bicycle service and repairs at Coastal Sports
- Find a Beach - Kaikoura
