On this Lake Dunstan and Otago rail trail bike trip, we’re going to be staying at a few selected accommodations: the historic Dunstan House in Clyde, Lauder School B&B, and comfy motels. Dunstan House is a beautiful boutique heritage hotel opened in 1900, Lauder School is a historic accommodation that offers tastefully decorated rooms reflecting a school house theme, while the motels we’ll be staying at range from 3 to 4 stars and provide hospitality and local knowledge, with spacious, warm, and comfortable rooms.
We’ll meet in downtown Queenstown at 8am and drive through the picturesque Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell. We unload the bikes at Smith’s Way and start our journey with an easy ride following the glistening shores of Lake Dunstan. We pass through Cromwell’s Old Town, a small historic precinct dating back to the gold rush days of the 1800s, where galleries, coffee shops and boutiques give us a short break from the bike. The trail continues along the Kawarau arm of Lake Dunstan to the Bannockburn Bridge offering stunning views across the lake while passing by wineries and olive groves, making the perfect stop for lunch (Smith’s Way to Cornish Point: 30 km / 18 miles).
From Cornish Point, some riders will continue on along the new Lake Dunstan Trail into the dramatic Cromwell Gorge, where the track winds around sheer rockfaces and over lake inlets on impressively engineered platforms and bridges rising above the lake to Clyde (Cornish Point to Clyde: 25 km / 15 miles). For those riders who wish to avoid the more demanding section through the gorge, there will be an option to drive to Clyde and ride all or part of the easier river trail to Alexandra (12 km / 7 miles each way), or explore the small historic town. We will all meet again in Clyde, settle into our comfortable accommodation, and enjoy a winery visit and our first group dinner in the early evening.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Cycling Distances: up to 55 km / 34 miles + optional ride at the end
Accommodation: Dunstan House, Clyde