Arrowtown To Queenstown Full-day Bike Adventure

Great views and spectacular bike ride. The only thing would be the directions for the initial track could have been a bit more clearer, otherwise bike and staff were lovely !!

Ride date: October 6, 2026 Very disappointing experience — inaccurate route information and poor response to a serious safety concern My wife and I booked the approximately 35 km self-guided E-bike ride from Arrowtown back to Queenstown with Around The Basin today, October 6, 2026. The scenery and Queenstown trail system are beautiful, but our experience with this company was extremely disappointing. The biggest problem was the navigation information we were given. Around The Basin provided a route through a QR-code map and gave us a short briefing while pointing out the route on a basic map. For a ride of approximately 35 km, we expected the company providing the bikes and self-guided route to give us accurate, up-to-date information about major trail closures and detours. That did not happen. Toward the latter part of the ride, significant sections of the expected trail route were closed. We were left trying to figure out for ourselves how to get back to the company’s shop in Queenstown, including having to navigate alongside road traffic. This wasn’t simply a minor wrong turn. The Frankton Track has an officially documented closure and detour in place during 2026 because of major infrastructure work. Queenstown Lakes District Council states that a substantial section of the track approaching Queenstown is closed, with pedestrians and cyclists diverted along Frankton Road/SH6A. That is exactly the type of information a company sending tourists on a 35 km self-guided ride should clearly explain BEFORE they leave. Making matters worse, the E-bikes we were provided had no phone holder, basket or bag. We were expected to navigate using a phone-based map, yet there was no practical way to safely view the phone while riding. The bikes were very stripped down for a self-guided tourist ride. The helmets also did not give a good impression. They were kept together in a large plastic container that was dirty and dusty and appeared poorly maintained. What bothered me most, however, was the response when we returned. I specifically tried to explain that their map/navigation information needed to be updated because riders were encountering closures and detours that weren’t adequately represented. Instead of listening to the concern or investigating it, the staff member was dismissive and simply insisted that their map was correct. That response is why I am writing this review. Trail closures happen, and I don’t blame a bicycle rental company for construction or weather-related closures. But a company selling a self-guided cycling experience has a responsibility, in my opinion, to provide customers with current route information and clearly explain significant closures and road detours before sending them out. We managed to get ourselves back, but tourists unfamiliar with Queenstown should not be left trying to figure this out after a long ride. Around The Basin needs to update its customer briefing and navigation information to clearly reflect current trail conditions and provide riders with a safe, easy-to-follow detour route. At the very least, staff should listen when a customer raises a legitimate route and safety concern rather than dismissing it.

Ride date: October 6, 2026 Very disappointing experience — inaccurate route information and poor response to a serious safety concern My wife and I booked the approximately 35 km self-guided E-bike ride from Arrowtown back to Queenstown with Around The Basin today, October 6, 2026. The scenery and Queenstown trail system are beautiful, but our experience with this company was extremely disappointing. The biggest problem was the navigation information we were given. Around The Basin provided a route through a QR-code map and gave us a short briefing while pointing out the route on a basic map. For a ride of approximately 35 km, we expected the company providing the bikes and self-guided route to give us accurate, up-to-date information about major trail closures and detours. That did not happen. Toward the latter part of the ride, significant sections of the expected trail route were closed. We were left trying to figure out for ourselves how to get back to the company’s shop in Queenstown, including having to navigate alongside road traffic. This wasn’t simply a minor wrong turn. The Frankton Track has an officially documented closure and detour in place during 2026 because of major infrastructure work. Queenstown Lakes District Council states that a substantial section of the track approaching Queenstown is closed, with pedestrians and cyclists diverted along Frankton Road/SH6A. That is exactly the type of information a company sending tourists on a 35 km self-guided ride should clearly explain BEFORE they leave. Making matters worse, the E-bikes we were provided had no phone holder, basket or bag. We were expected to navigate using a phone-based map, yet there was no practical way to safely view the phone while riding. The bikes were very stripped down for a self-guided tourist ride. The helmets also did not give a good impression. They were kept together in a large plastic container that was dirty and dusty and appeared poorly maintained. What bothered me most, however, was the response when we returned. I specifically tried to explain that their map/navigation information needed to be updated because riders were encountering closures and detours that weren’t adequately represented. Instead of listening to the concern or investigating it, the staff member was dismissive and simply insisted that their map was correct. That response is why I am writing this review. Trail closures happen, and I don’t blame a bicycle rental company for construction or weather-related closures. But a company selling a self-guided cycling experience has a responsibility, in my opinion, to provide customers with current route information and clearly explain significant closures and road detours before sending them out. We managed to get ourselves back, but tourists unfamiliar with Queenstown should not be left trying to figure this out after a long ride. Around The Basin needs to update its customer briefing and navigation information to clearly reflect current trail conditions and provide riders with a safe, easy-to-follow detour route. At the very least, staff should listen when a customer raises a legitimate route and safety concern rather than dismissing it.

The Queenstown Trial network has a huge number of trails to link together for sightseeing. Pre trip I found it difficult using the Around the Basin website and bike trail map to figure out what the actual route options were from Arrowtown to Queenstown. I arrived early at the office to find out more info on the trail options but found the reception staff member was only interested in checking me in (then advising I wait until the tour started to find out more info). Given that there were no other customers requiring her time, I found this quite unhelpful. The man who gave the ride briefing was much more helpful, listened to the experience I was after and gave a good suggestion.

Guide was really helpful and friendly, and the ride back to Queenstown was a great way to see gorgeous scenery

Simply phenomenal. Queensland Trail is truly magical. I could not stop taking pictures. The operators were great. Timely, good instructions and nice bikes. I am a bike rider, but I opted for the E bike (first timer), and I’m so glad I did. At times, the incline was a bit steep, and was much easier with the e-bike. The last 7K at the trail under construction, so you have to ride on the walk/bike path next to the highway. Not my favorite, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I highly recommend this tour!

Before the bike tour started the person running it said pay careful attention because on the ride to arrowtown the driver who is going to help us with the bikes in arrowtown is going to explain everything about the bike tour. The instructor/driver did not say one word on the drive over. When we got they helped us with the bikes and then gave brief instructions in a field and then we started. People that I saw on the way were clearly confused. I got lost but found my way because the map I was given was that clear. When I got back to the store I explained this to the woman in charge and she was very rude to me. Very disorganized.

Overall a fun experience and a nice way to see the area around Queenstown. A fairly easy trip on an e-bike. But the two women at check-in were uniformly rude and surly to each customer. A bummer way to start what should be a fun day, start to finish.

This trail from Arrowtown to Queenstown is absolutely stunning. Arrowtown itself is worth at least an hour to visit before you set off. The views are just once in a lifetime. Trail is well marked and the team are great. You get bikes, helmets and excellent instructions. I would say you need a reasonable level of fitness and you should be fairly confident on a bike. We did it in 4 hours with a few stops for photos but you get the bikes for 6 hours so we did wish we had stopped a little more to relax and take photos. First and second thirds of the trail are more spectacular but, to be honest, the whole ride is out of this world.

Very organized and a great ride. E-bikes are the way to go. Easy trail to follow from Arrowtown to Queenstown.

No refreshment stops until near the end and then a very nice brewery. A great day! And once you've handed your bike back enjoy an ice cream!

As an experienced cyclist,I have ridden many places and trails. Except for a few kilometers of construction, this was probably the prettiest ride I've done.

Would not pass this activity up!! We spent some time in the cute town of Arrowtown, grabbed breakfast and snacks for the bike ride. Scene views. Great bikes, we had both a ebike and bike. The trail is not difficult it you do have a few hills.

Was a great ride with amazing views. A lot of downhill gravel roads that unfortunately my daughter lost control on and cut and bruised herself up pretty good, but she got up and finished. My advice is to just be careful, it was a little stressful going down hill on trails on the edge of a mountain. The only bad thing I really have to say about the ride is that the bike seats were VERY UNCOMFORTABLE and hurt our backsides as we were riding. You would think with doing such a long ride they would have nice comfy seats, but they def do not!

We loved the challenge. I am overweight and not very fit and managed to complete in 4.5 hours. I had to stop several times to deal with cramps. Although we used electronic bikes it was not easy for me.The trip was well organised by around the basin team. We were dropped off in Arrowtown with clear instructions on how to use the e-bike and a map.

Great couple of hours of fun. Wonderful scenery, e-bikes made the uphills easy. Trip took about 4 hours going pretty slowly.

We decided to not go e-bikes! We’re glad we pushed through, because those beers at the end were satisfaction of a job well done. If you wanna feel your butt burn - go old school - ride a normal bike. Don’t worry about the e-bike. Push through!

My husband and I, both in our early 60s, did the Arrowtown to Queenstown route and we chose the e-bike option. We had a wonderful time. It was our first time on E-bikes and we quite enjoyed them. Sure you can do the route without them but there are some good uphill sections that quite frankly, we didn’t feel like tackling old school while we were on vacation. The route was well marked and easy to follow except for a detour around a section of the Frankton Track. I don’t know if we missed a marker or what happened but anyway a local helped us get back on track at that section. Otherwise the path was very easy to follow the entire time. The scenery is stunning and we easily made it back by about 2 pm and that included many picture stops and a few small stops for snacks. Would highly recommend.

Super fun and beautiful views BUT the activity level was quite difficult - and I'm 24. Totally do it but just be aware what you're signing up for.

We left from the shop in town and were driven by bus to Arrowtown a scenic drive. The driver was very friendly and informative. When we got to Arrowtown we were met by staff who assisted with setting up the bikes for us and went through the e-bike workings and had a lap around the oval to be assured everyone was happy with their bikes. Bikes did the job well and we had plenty of power to get back to Queenstown. I do suggest an e-bike as it has some steep areas to climb, definitely wear comfortable shorts/trousers ( I brought my padded shorts from home and was grateful I had) . Amazing views and the trails are well maintained. Pack a snack as there is pretty places to stop and enjoy the views.

Beautiful views and a solid but achievable challenge for someone of a moderate fitness level. We had an issue with one of the bikes early into the ride which was responded to with pace and we were back in action. Very well run professional service from the check in, shuttle, briefing, troubleshooting and bike return. Remember to take a snack and water. The paths are well signed so you can put your focus on nature. We will be trying some other routes in the future!

We had a group booking for 2 families including children (8-16). The ride was well organised and catered to everyone. Even the children who aren’t usually bike riders, loved the e-bike experience.

Wonderful ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown. Around the Basin Bike hire were a pleasure to deal with. A must for anyone visiting Queenstown.

Our family of 6 enjoyed this self navigated activity. The paths were well signed and we stopped frequently for photos. The bikes were well serviced and the introductory talk had the perfect amount of detail. Recommended e-bikes and a picnic from the Arrowtown bakery before you leave

Great scenic ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown, spend some time in Arrowtown before hitting the track to Queenstown. Lots of photo opportunities along the way. Easy ride on an electric bike. Recommend stopping at Altitude Brewing on the way back into Queenstown.

We had an absolutely exceptional day cycling from Arrowtown to Queenstown with Around The Basin. The scenery along the trail is breathtaking, and we could ride at our own pace. This gave us plenty of time to soak it all in. The team at Around The Basin were friendly, well organised, and made the whole experience smooth from start to finish. The electric bikes were a real game-changer, making the ride enjoyable and accessible even for those of us who aren’t in the best shape. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area!

We had an amazing time with our teens ages 14&17. It’s a very long day but we finished exhausted but happy and excited. It’s about 20 miles of a ride with diverse scenery and such beautiful views. The trail was not crowded and well maintained. Definitely would recommend the e-bike option. Definitely pack a snack and water for the trail. Took us about 4.5 hrs

This was a well organised trip. Great ride for a family with 2 teenagers. E bikes were fun and easy to ride. Only downside was it was freezing outside and two thirds of the ride seemed to be in the shade...spring/ summer would be ideal. Still had a great day

We did the 35km ride back to Queenstown. If you are only a casual bike rider than would recommend the e-bike.

6 of us rented e-bikes to ride. The course was easy for all levels and the e-bikes allowed us to keep pace together. The sites are amazing and I would highly recommend this activity. Total time spent was ~3.5 hours - showed at 0845; van to Arrowtown and briefing then started riding at 1020 and completed by 1300.

Well organised and friendly staff, from the pick up in Queenstown to the fit out of equipment and advice for the ride all staff were friendly and only too happy to help. The trail itself is well maintained and for families very little riding on roads (in fact 1 section of about 800 metres on a quiet road was it). All equipment was well maintained and easy to use (e-bikes were our bikes of choice) and made the trip an absolute pleasure.

The lovely young man, originally from Cardiff, took us to Arrowtown by bus and fitted us up with appropriate e-bikes and helmets. He provided a good explanation in respect of operating the bikes and watched to make sure we had got the hang of it. He then supplied clear instructions in respect of the route. The bikes were fabulous and the views along the well marked route were superb. Regrettably when we understood the ride, the final part of the trail was closed because of emergency works to Queenstown sewers! But there was a less scenic alternative route. We would definitely recommend this excursion. We began in the Srrowtown bridges trail and completed via the two rivers trail and around the Queenstown gardens.

We almost didn’t book because I thought this would be a flat, paved path. The trip exceeded expectations! We had e-bikes for the day (strongly recommend) and plenty of time to explore Arrowtown, which was on our list. We took the orange track to the bungy bridge to watch the jumpers and headed back to Queenstown. The path was gravel with some tricky spots and turns, with lots to look at. We got breakfast and picked up sandwiches from Arrowtown Bakery. The food was great! This was a wonderful day with the bluest river we have ever seen. We are so glad we booked!

We really enjoyed our ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown. The ride was easy to navigate and was very scenic. We got the e-bikes which was nice since the route was hilly. Around the Basin made it all easy!

We rented e-bikes (mountain bikes) for a ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown. We were driven to Arrowtown where we were given mountain e-bikes with helmets. After getting some instructions and a map, we hit the trail. The trail ride down was an awesome trail that ran from Arrowtown to Queenstown with 95% of the trail on gravel pathways. We only had small sections on rural roads. The trail wound down to Queenstown downtown where we dropped off the bikes. We had the bikes for a full day which allowed us to explore around Queenstown by bike as well. The weather was great and the ride provided some great scenery through the hills and along the river. It was great having the e-bike for assisting with climbing some of the hills. All in all a good trip.

Great trip, great staff. We hired an e-bike and were glad we did. It was well maintained and served the purpose well. Beautiful views, easy trails, great directions. Thank you so much.

A beautiful ride. You have plenty of time. Pick up a sandwich, look around and have a coffee in Arrowtown first. I easily did the ride in a few hours so plan an extension or stop a lot.

The bike ride was a nice experience and the shuttle and bike guys were great. However, our experience was overshadowed by a very rude and dismissive customer service agent. She was unwelcoming upon our arrival and rude during the few interactions we had afterward. I have never encountered such an unfriendly and unhelpful customer service representative before. Unfortunately, this tainted our overall enjoyment and experience and as such, we’d be reluctant to use this company again.

A great day out starting with a coffee at the quaint village of Arrowtown and then following the well maintained paths back to Queenstown. Many stops along the way to take in the picturesque views that NZ has to offer. The e-bike made the ride very enjoyable without having to navigate the many undulations along the way just on a MTB. Good decision. We were back in town by about 2pm which gave us time for a drink and food at one of the many bars in Queenstown. Thoroughly enjoyed the day.

This self-guided bike/wine tour was fantastic. We went with friends with a couple of us opting for E-bikes which were great. The shuttle from Queenstown to Arrowtown was great with our fantastic driver Jay who was informative, knowledgeable and of course funny! The weather was amazing, Arrowtown was stunning (wish we had more time there!!) I would do this again in a heartbeat :)

Sharing details I couldn’t find in advance…The 21-mile route that starts in Arrowtown follows the Arrow River Bridges trail, then turns onto the Twin Rivers Trail, and finally the Frankton track by waterfront near the airport, on down to downtown. There were 2-3 short segments on country lanes used by cars, but I never encountered a car. No restrooms at check-in shop in CBD, and in Arrowtown you have to go away from the trail entrance a bit to find the public toilets. The quality of the trail is pretty much as advertised, almost all groomed gravel. There are many hairpin turns to watch out for. I went on a sunny day, but wish I had brought sunglasses that transmitted more light, as you’re often in the shade while you’re navigating turns and such. My e-bike was a light duty mountain bike with front suspension only and a slightly cushy seat. The power was good - 3 levels - I used level 1 almost all the way, and level 2 only for a few of the steep hills. I am not a super-serious biker and almost always ride on roads - but I was able to do this trail in 1.5 hours (plus one brief water break stop). This trail requires enough attention that you aren’t seeing the scenery very much - so I could see dedicating more time to the ride if you want to stop more often and take in the scenery. The whole thing is a great value for the money. It’s a great ride - enjoy!

Very good equipment and staff support. A very nice day. The bike trail was easy to follow and well signed.

Well organized and trail easy to follow. Meet at shop at 3 Searle Lane. Staff were brilliant and provided a great briefing and route map. Mini bus trip to Arrowtown was pleasant with Shane our driver providing some great local tips. After given your helmet and bike, stop at Arrowtown Bakery for morning tea. The track is fairly easy with a couple of steep sections. Scenery is amazing. Take water and snacks. We did the track in 3.5hrs with teenage kids. Electric bikes are available. Great day for all ages.

This was hands down the best thing we did in Queenstown! We got electric bikes which were so much fun, the terrain was exciting and views were stunning. We even added on a detour which made the ride total 47kms and felt fine at the end of the day! Would recommend stopping at Altitude brewery near the end of the ride for a beer and a visit to the food truck. 10/10 would recommend!

We all had a great day of riding! We were driven from Queenstown to Arrowtown where we collected our E-bikes and received all the information we needed for our trip back to Queenstown. Most of our group had never biked this far/long before so were apprehensive before we started, but that quickly changed as we made our way through the fantastic scenery! The trail is clearly signposted so no chance of getting lost and staff beforehand were very informative as well! This first ride has given me inspiration to do more cycling in New Zealand if/when I get the opportunity!! Definitely recommend Around the Basin!!

Our shuttle driver from Queenstown to Arrowtown was very friendly and informative. We loved the entire day of biking, from the amazing views, diversity of terrain and the E-bikes were great. I would do this again and highly recommend!

This was a fantastic day. Our driver who shuttled us from Queenstown to Arrowtown was very friendly and informative. The E-bikes were great and the ride back to Queenstown was everything that I had hoped it would be. The views were wonderful and the scenery and terrain was very diverse from start to finish. I would do it again in a hearbeat!

The directions and signs are very clear and if you have doubts you can always use the map or look at the location on the map that’s on some of the signs. The e-bike helps a lot and it’s very easy to use. Beautiful sights, totally worth it

The views were amazing! The ride easy to moderate. The staff was knowledgeable and the mountain bikes in great shape. Highly recommend.