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The Queenstown Trail meanders around the Whakatipu Basin, connecting Queenstown with Arrowtown and the Gibbston Wine Valley
Travel by bike through this majestic glacially-carved landscape on gentle gravel trails. Ride alongside rivers and lakes while taking in the magical mountain views.
Around The Basin have been operating bike hire and bike ride packages on the Queenstown Trail for over 10 years. We have crafted our rides to allow you to access the best parts of the trail and see twice as much by only riding in one direction.
Let us get you sorted with everything you need for your best day out around Queenstown.
Queenstown's Most Popular Bike Rides
Arrowtown To Queenstown
A day of adventure!
Bike The
Wineries
Explore our winery rides here
Arrowtown To
Gibbston Valley
Gentle riding on a stunning trail
Visit Our Bike Shop
You’ll find our bike shop at 3 Searle Lane, Queenstown.
Our Customer Reviews
Kate Robertson
04:06 07 Oct 24
We had the best day out. The team were organised, prompt with departure and pickup. Steve and team helped the group to laugh and connect. We had the freedom to ride at our pace. Pickup time left us enough time for wine and cheese and a lovely cuppa at Gibbston Winery. E bikes helped. All round wonderful day. Thankyou so much!
Martin Cole
10:51 06 Oct 24
We did the winery tour on bikes. Really good day and their service was impeccable. Would certainly recommend
David Phillimore
01:35 29 Sep 24
Did the Arrowtown to Queenstown MTB ride Friday 27 September, booked via "Around the Basin" website after reading the brochure & reviewing website day before. Booking process & organisation excellent. Met at premises 8:50am, 9am with Shuttle to Arrowtown, bike instruction & map review, then great ride at own pace. Stopped many times to take photographs. Hired E-bike, good option to add in additional distance to the Shotover Bungy, before returning to Queenstown. Posted some photos taken with phone to show the spectacular scenery. Highly recommended.
Phil Hase
09:44 22 Sep 24
Did the Arrowtown to Queenstown ride.The team were great and gave us lots of advice for the ride.The e-bikes were brilliant, can’t suggest them enough..Great time..
Luke
05:48 20 Sep 24
Booked the half day bike hire to tour the wineries. Easy booking process, good quality bikes and an awesome ride into the wineries. Highly recommend these guys, they go the extra mile to ensure you a great experience. Our driver Damo, is a bloody legend, ensured we had a great day and provided plenty of quality advice, very knowledgeable. He also spoke very highly of his employer which is testament to the type of business they are and how they treat their staff. Would definitely use these guys again when we come back to Queenstown. P.s don’t try be a hero like us, opt for the E bike.
Kali Harris
05:00 11 Sep 24
Such an incredible and fun experience! We made a last minute call to book in for the half day ride from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley Winery and the staff were friendly and incredibly helpful. The ride was stunning and loads of fun on the e-bike and to top it off we got to finish the afternoon enjoying sublime wine and the views.
Anthony Falloon
06:04 13 Aug 24
Fantastic day. Bike ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown on E Bikes. Stunning day, great views. Exceptional service from all involved. Highly recommended.
Dan Seppanen
04:57 13 Aug 24
What a great experience. Damo in particular deserves beers from the boss. Will be back.
Monique Wilcock
22:39 07 Aug 24
We did the 3/4 day E-Bike wine tour on the 2nd of August, it was the highlight of our trip. The staff were so lovely, great chats on the drive to/from Queenstown. We were well informed about where to go, the scenery was gorgeous and the ride was very enjoyable, it felt fun not like a workout with the E-Bike feature. Highly recommend and we look forward to doing the full day when we come back in warmer weather.
Masroor Ahmad
05:39 03 Aug 24
The entire Gibbston valley track is stunning. Staff are amazing. Highly recommended, get an e-bike and take your wife’s phone off her or else you’ll be stopping at every turn for a photoshoot
James Taggart
05:39 03 Aug 24
The eBikes were well worth it. The trails are well groomed and great for mountain biking . Arrow town to Queenstown is such a beautiful ride. Signage a bit confusing at times. A must do !
Daniel Luz
02:11 31 Jul 24
I would definitely recommend getting the bikes with these guys if you want a true experience in the region. We’ve stopped so many times and the places were beautiful. Not to mention the last stop at the wineries and they just come to pick you up.
Louise Baker
04:41 21 Jun 24
We hired 4 electric bikes to do the Arrowtown to Queenstown ride. 3 grown up teens/ young adults and their mum. Mixed levels of fitness, but the electric bikes ensured a fun time was had by all. We enjoyed the ride a lot and the scenery is stunning. Great, friendly service from the Around the Basin staff. Definitely recommend.
Naheed Merchant
06:15 04 Jun 24
Riding in Queenstown was a spontaneous decision and I’d say this was one of the most memorable experience.My husband and I rented an e-bike in April 2024 and the whole process was so streamlined . Lisa picked us from the bike shop, it was just two of us which made our trip personalized 😀 . We had a great conversation during our ride to Arrowtown. We collected our bikes,helmet , bike map as well as the instructions on the bike usage.The bike path is purpose built, and the infrastructure is amazing. We were riding mostly on Normal e assist as the path is mainly flat. The trails are stunning and winery hopping makes it even fun 😊We stopped at Gibbston Winery, peregrine and Kibross. Peregrine is not advertised in the map but we wanted to try. This winery normally requires a reservation but since it was a weekday and just two us, we receive an exclusive tasting experience.We were picked up at Kinross as requested.My only regret was the half day bike ride was too short. I will be doing this again and a longer ride on my next visit to Queenstown.
Julie Ballantyne
20:25 30 May 24
Great time on the full day (10am-4pm) Arrowtown to Gibbston ebike ride. Enough time for brunch in Arrowtown, just under an hour to Gibbston, then visted 3 wineries with lunch. Ride has some gentle hills, stunning scenery alongside the river. Company very organised. I recommend
Shade Ironclaw
22:21 17 May 24
Got into some trouble while biking, member of family had to get airlifted to the hospital, and the team at around the basin were incredible, Damo specifically, rode out to provide first aid, assisted in coordinating with emergency services, helped carry the stretcher to the helicopter, and then even went out of his way to drop one of us at the hospital and the rest of us back to the bike shop with a couple trips required. Bikes worked perfectly, had a great time and the disaster was made much more easy with the help.
Matt Arnott
22:20 17 May 24
I cannot recommend Around The Basin enough. Damo and the team went above and beyond for usWe attempted the Arrowtown to Queenstown ride on Tuesday 14th May. Unfortunately one of the riders had a crash while riding in a remote part of the track about 10km in. Damo, who had dropped us from Queenstown to Arrowtown headed up to meet us, helped provide first aid to the rider and liaised with emergency services so the helicopter knew exactly where we were to land to take the rider to hospital. Damo took two of the other riders to the hospital and the shop so we could sort out a planMyself and another rider continued on the ride until my legs gave out due to not being fit enough to finish the ride around the 23km mark.Damo AGAIN came out, picked us up in the van and took us back to the shop.It was legitimately such a brilliant experience - despite some of the difficulties we experienced the team was bloody incredible.10/10 will use again when we’re in Queenstown next (hopefully it’s slightly less eventful though)
Todd Fairless
05:04 12 May 24
Arrowtown to Queenstown ride, May 10th 2024.Staff were great and the ride was fantastic on an E bike. Well worth it.
Matt Leavey
01:32 06 May 24
Can’t rave enough about this company. Equipment was great. Staff were great. And the trip was the most organised of all tourist activities we have done. We’ll definitely do it again.
Amy Kay
04:54 05 May 24
Amazing experience!These guys provide you with everything you need for an awesome day of biking. If you’re doing a full day, I highly recommend the e-bike. Definitely made the day easier.Will definitely be using them again in the future when I return to Queenstown.
Kim Knight
10:14 03 May 24
Eager to give e-bikes a go we found a reasonable deal at Around the Basin bikes. Helpful staff who assisted us well. We had a fabulous time cruising the trails alongside the lakes and rivers of this beautiful area. The e-bikes were in good order and went well. I had a soft seat - which I highly recommend! My husband didn’t and wished he had!!! A lovely day. Highly recommend. Do check all deals so you get the best value.
Brooke Harding
08:36 29 Apr 24
We booked the full day Bike the Wineries tour with Around The Basin and could not recommend it more!The briefing from the team was great and the whole day well organised. We had so much fun on the day and couldn’t stop talking about how happy we were to have booked this activity.
Stuart ODonnell
08:55 23 Apr 24
We hired 2 e-Mountain bikes in April 24 and found the whole process great. The guys took us up to Arrowtown and clearly explained the bikes and the route back to Queenstown.The route is the best we have ever done, and we have cycled a lot in the UK. Lots of great single track and pathways through a variety of different countryside. The ride was not too tricky, especially with e-Bikes. The route was also very well signposted and we had no issues finding our way back to Queenstown.Top day out cycling in the most beautiful New Zealand countryside.
Cathy Turville
00:16 11 Apr 24
We had the best time riding from Arrowtown to Queenstown . Definitely go the ebike there are some big hills . Very well maintained trails , we were given excellent directions from our guide . This is a must do if you can ride a bike 🚴🏼♀️
Romil Desai
09:34 10 Apr 24
Fantastic experience with their Bike-The-Wineries tour. Well maintained bikes, timely pickups & drops. Had a superb day riding in Queenstown and Gibbston. Highly recommend!
Claes Eriksson
06:32 07 Apr 24
Great bikes and an awesome experience. Highly recommend anyone coming to Queenstown to do this
Jess Chalmers
01:14 04 Apr 24
The best day of our whole trip to New Zealand! We did the Arrowtown to Gibbston wineries trail on regular bikes and it was an absolutely beautiful ride. We are fairly fit and found the distance (20km on trails with small ups and downs) to be “just right.” When there was a mechanical issue with my bike, the team were able to find us within 15 minutes and give me a replacement - excellent service. The wineries were all beautiful and the workers very friendly and knowledgeable. A “must” to do in Queenstown.
Wendy Rollstin
01:17 27 Mar 24
We LOVED our bike ride from Arrowtown to Gibbston! My partner got a flat about halfway out and within 5 minutes of calling the provided number, they had a van with a new bike to us and we were on our way! Great service!
Tim Sole
05:02 26 Mar 24
I have cycled through 45 countries. The cycle trails in Arrowtown and Queenstown are up there with the best, and with Around the Basin Bike you can do it on an e-bike. Around the Basin Bike made it easy with clear instructions, good bikes, and no fuss. Do it.
Patrick C
03:08 25 Mar 24
Fantastic service. Incredibly convenient to shuttle to Arrowtown and bike back (one of their options), with good coaching and guidance to prepare for the ride. The bike ride itself from Arrowtown to Queenstown is spectacular, friendly to a range of fitness levels
Sudeep Ajgaonkar
06:02 24 Mar 24
Great experience, super simple from beginning to end. We did Arrowtown to Queenstown which was beautiful but tough for us as beginners. I’ll probably do one of the easier ones next time.
Jennifer Mason
00:16 24 Mar 24
We did the e bike winery tour. It was fabulous. Easy to locate shop. Great bus trip to pick up our bikes from the depot. Then off we went. Fantastic scenery exactly as you would expect from this part of New Zealand. We got picked up on time from our last stop and even got a bit of a scenic drive back through Arrowtown thanks to a drop off there. Totaly recommend these guys. We would do it again. Cheers
Eva Rubio
07:54 19 Mar 24
This will go down as one of my most enjoyable days of any vacation ever. Fun for adults, easy for kids, self-directed and flexible. The views were fantastic, the wineries hospitable and friendly, and the folks at Around the Basin were very helpful. Although I consider myself a reasonably athletic, I am happy I took their suggestion to rent the e-bike. I enthusiastically recommend the full day wine tour!
Sarah Price
07:08 17 Mar 24
Steve was great, very funny and explained everything well.I loved how the crew just let you go bike off on your own and explore at your own pace.Mt Rosa winery was my personal favourite and worth the extra little bike rideThe bikes were very easy to use
Evan Goode
05:08 16 Mar 24
Fantastic way to enjoy the Queenstown area. We did Arrowtown to the bungy jump then back to Queenstown 45kms. My wife got a flat tyre halfway through….no problem. The team were there in 15 minutes with a new bike ready to go. Great service. Thanks guys for a great day.
ava katterns
21:41 13 Mar 24
One of my favourite things to do in queenstown and couldn’t recommend around the basin enough! Hywell and Josh went above and beyond and were so great, thanks guys!!!!
Rachel Deguara
21:40 13 Mar 24
The best day out!! Staff are awesome…thanks to our driver Hywel & Josh for the thorough (comedy) instruction. Highly recommend!!!
Atlas Katterns
21:38 13 Mar 24
Could not recommend enough! Have biked the wineries a few times now and the team have gone above and beyond making such an awesome day out of biking the local Queenstown trails. Thanks so much guys!!
Jak Morgan
23:08 11 Mar 24
Extremely aggressive and argumentative staff.One out of two bikes we hired had issues, we couldn’t get the motor to kick in and so it wasted an hour whilst we came back to get it fixed.They told us they could have come to fix it if we had called them, but we figured that would take more time so decided to get back ourselves.This was apparently our fault that we had wasted time.At first we were offered a shuttle to Arrowtown by one staff member who was lovely but then the manager came out and was extremely aggressive and refused to do anything. Told us it was our fault it wouldn’t work.During the ride, error messages were thrown up twice while cycling along at 25+km/h, clicky and poorly tuned gear changes, especially mid cassette, bike was crunching and clunking embarrassingly as soon as any real power was applied to the pedals. We are experienced cyclists (tho not with e-bikes) and rather than receiving apologies and solutions explained patiently when we explained to them what happened at the end of the day, two out of three staff members we dealt with were rude and aggressive and told us it was our fault the bike was misbehaving.Queenstown is beautiful, but would never recommend this bike rental place in a million years, use at your own risk.
Nick gaylor
23:08 09 Mar 24
Can’t fault the experience, bike ride to the valley was incredible and wineries were awesome. Do recommend getting an E-Bike managed to get to 6 different wineries.
Tahli Marnell
01:02 05 Mar 24
My partner and I are in the South Island for 2 weeks and this is by far the best experience of them all! The bikes were perfect andthe trail was incredible with some of the best views ever! We did the full-day winery tour and will be back to do it again!! Thank you so much for one of the most amazing experiences evers
Paul Watson
06:04 01 Mar 24
Great ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown along some of the most picturesque landscapes I’ve ever ridden. Some examples here.Everything from website booking, to checkin, transport to arrowtown, the equipment and well marked trail signs made this a care free and terrific experience. Highly recommended!
Dave Salmon
07:35 27 Feb 24
We chose Around the Basin because of their excellent reviews. We rode the Arrowtown to Queenstown track. Just over 4 hours (for us). We hired e-bikes. The shuttle bus to Arrowtown was included in the hire of the bikes. The bikes were in superb condition and easy to use. The briefing before our ride was welcomed and informative ( humorous too). I recommend Around the Basin for all you bike hire and track guide needs.
M S
23:20 25 Feb 24
Very professional considering we were late getting back. Around the Basin has ebikes and analog bikes. Arrowtown to Queenstown is very hilly. Think San Francisco hills! The map provided and their basic landmark guidance works as long as you remember Google maps may be slightly different. There are a few different ways to get to Queenstown. The map trail offers a gorgeous scenic route. Ask people on the trail for help when you need it. If you get an analog bike you will be tired. Bring your bike shorts. It's dusty, bumpy, and hot on parts of the trail. Ebikes are recommended for a reason. I had the best ride! I have prior ebike experience and their bikes were very easy to operate. No throttle and front brake is on the right. Sorry again for being late.
Alyssa Lane
13:18 24 Feb 24
Biking with Around the Basin was our very favorite activity completed on our trip to NZ! We chose to bike Queenstown to Gibbston Valley (9:30-4:30) and it was a BLAST! I HIGHLY encouraged the use of e-bikes since there are some steep climbs on the mountains, but it felt easily doable with the help from the e-bike. We had some rain sprinkles, but it didn’t deter us at all. We reached the first winery around 12:15 and probably biked a total of 4 hours. It was so nice to have ample to to spend at the wineries. We hope to come back again to enjoy more of the Queenstown trails!
kathleen Scheerle
00:59 24 Feb 24
Booked a half day bike the wineries e-bike self tour with Around the Basin. The bikes were great , service exceptional and staff friendly and helpful. My only regret is not booking a 3/4 or even full day. It was so beautiful and fun more time would be ideal.
julia blok
00:58 24 Feb 24
We hired bikes to cycle on our own. No explanation at all - not about the bikes, not about the routes. Routes are from gravel and some are quite advanced, so a little explanation would have been helpful. Staff really didn’t care and were very uninterested. Bikes are decent though.
Rowan
03:57 22 Feb 24
We had a fantastic day today with our bikes! The weather was gorgeous, the bikes superb and the path was very well maintained. We booked only the night before but when we arrived at 08:30 we could check in and wait for the bus to Arrowtown. In Arrowtown we got a short instruction about the bikes and the route and then we were off!We had a great day and wholeheartedly recommend this company for a bike adventure!
Mahesh Kishor
00:07 20 Feb 24
Outstanding experience biking from Arrowtown to Queenstown! The staff were incredibly helpful and made the journey even more enjoyable with their excellent service.Highly recommend.
Shuqi Li
07:21 18 Feb 24
Definitely recommend the ebike tour, maybe remember to bring your sunglasses 😎 lovely staff and wonderful routes
Naomi Mansfield
02:10 17 Feb 24
I had a great day even in the rain. I took a stock standard bike, not an e bike but it was well maintained. The pick up and drop off is smooth as is the online booking system and all instructions provided on the day. Highly recommend.
Kate Lattman
08:01 16 Feb 24
Update 2/17/2024: while I did not want to go into further details of my experience, upon the business’ response, I have no choice but to warn others that they will not take ownership of their own shortcomings.The instructions were not clear as to the arrival and departure time for the 9:20 tour, it only stated to be there at 8:50 (30mins before)… not that the bus actually left at 8:50 sharp (therefore we should’ve gotten there at 8:20am). Nor did it clearly provide a recommended parking garage (happens to be a quick 2 min walk, albeit not well marked!) and instead left me to scramble to find parking while my friend jumped out of the car to sign us in (9:02) we were given an alternative time of 10am and told to get coffee as the store did not have space to hold us for an hour. My friend and I did as told, only for the company to call us at 9:26am (while waiting on our coffee order) that they accidentally overbooked the 10am trip and we would need to run back to the office within 4 mins or else we’d be dropped from the tour (not physically possible to cancel our order and run that distance in the amount of time given). They then said to come back to the office to try to still get on the 10am trip, which we promptly did and returned at 9:35am (after sprinting back). Unfortunately, that tour was overbooked and they offered us 10:30 slot after loudly patronizing us to the whole store, but at this point, the business could no longer be trusted to follow through on their word nor did my friend and I want to wait around and possibly waste our day.
Thomas Verdenne
21:45 14 Feb 24
Awesome ! On the other hand, be on time because the shuttle does not wait!
Melanie Daly
05:19 09 Feb 24
Great bikes and well maintained. The lady on reception was really nice and welcoming when we arrived in the morning. We opted to take their shuttle bus to Arrowtown and ride from Arrowtown back to Queenstown. Josh gave us a great briefing to start off and it’s nice to know if you do experience any technical difficulties they are only a phone call away and will come straight out.We thoroughly enjoyed looking at the shopsIn Arrowtown before heading off on our ride back. The scenery is so beautiful along the way and we took so many amazing photos. I have a reasonable level of fitness so used a conventional bike but you have the choice of an electric one also.I would highly recommend this company!
Jess Howland
20:05 06 Feb 24
An amazing biking / wine experience for my partner and I who chose regular bikes and not e-bikes (which I thought may have been a mistake) and the self paced day ride.Definite plus doing your own thing versus the guided tours if you don't like dilly dallying around and want to taste some wines.The operation ran very fluidly and efficient. The staff were super helpful and funny. The map was so so but as long as you stuck to the landmarks it was pretty hard to get lost for long.By the end of the day we had hit three wineries and had some great photos. Definitely go for the full day package.
NJ Singh
04:49 06 Feb 24
An excellent day, we rode from Arrowtown to Queenstown with a detour to the Gibston Valley Winery. Two very helpful people answered my many questions when booking, and the bikes were great. I will definitely do this again at some point.
Rach Leslie
04:09 05 Feb 24
Our most favourite day from our NZ trip.Booked the wineries experience. Was so much fun riding around , seeing the landscape, along the river, and sinking a few drinks!The team were great, booking was easy, best day ever! We had E-bikes, you’d be crazy not to book one, they’re so much fun and make cruising around a lot easier!Highly recommend!
Steve Harvey
07:19 03 Feb 24
Good quality hardtail bikes, let use clipless pedals stored our bags so we could have a last cycle before we headed to airport. Did Arrowtown drop off cycle back to Queenstown a nice little trail.
Maddison Atkins
06:55 01 Feb 24
TLDR - don’t go if you’re scared of heights, and unless you are a pro athlete, 100% get an e-bike. Did the half day bike the wineries and was certainly an experience … definitely wouldn’t call this beginner or intermediate. I’m of average fitness and my husband used to mountain bike and we both semi struggled (25yo). Took us 3hrs from the start to gibbston tavern with constant up and down hill, few areas were easy or flat. Although they note the bungy bridge, they don’t note the thin, shaky higher bridge or the sheer 7 story drops off unfenced edges of cliffs on sharp corners - definitely not for those with fear of heights. 2 height induced panic attacks later, we did make it to gibbston tavern which had great food and wine so I guess it was worth it in the end. Other than that, the staff were funny and friendly and the shuttle was great.
jon gatfield
05:29 01 Feb 24
Superb day out. Good bikes, punctual transfers, great staff. The wineries were all great but the Gibbston Valley winery tasting and cheeseboard was the winner!
Al Troedel
06:08 27 Jan 24
Scenic family ride back from Arrowtown to Queenstown. Staff were informative and helpful. Bikes were good quality, worth the upgrade to Electric.
Toby Roderick
06:04 27 Jan 24
Great day doing the Arrowtown to Queenstown cycle with a deviation to the bungee bridge. 47km in total easily accomplished by family inc 10 year old given ebikes. The track is amazing. Everything that was provided by Around the Basin was faultless. A great day out.
Lesley Abeysekera
23:40 26 Jan 24
What a fabulous day with Around the basin wine and bike tours. Well organised, great e bikes and good instructions and easy riding. What beautiful country to experience on the bike .. and wineries were really enjoyable. Will do it again and visit some of the other wineries we didn’t get time to see this time. I would only say have cheese plates at your first winery and save your lunch for the Church .. what a stunning setting and excellent wines and service.
Ali Shannon
09:12 22 Jan 24
The staff in store were incredibly friendly and helpful. We hired an e-bike for four hours and biked about 40km in and out of town.
Melinda Claybaugh
03:20 19 Jan 24
Amazing service- easy to book, friendly, and very helpful pointers and directions. Highly recommend (and get the e-bike!!).
Lex Carruthers
10:21 13 Jan 24
I have hired bikes from these guys 3 or 4 times over the years and have always been looked after.The bikes are good quality and the staff are lovely.
Cam
06:48 04 Jan 24
We searched for a while but couldn't find a cycling company that offered bike hire from Queenstown with pick up from Gibbston. It's not a super long distance to cycle so we wanted to do it in a day. Luckily we came across Around The Basin and booked. We ended up cycling from Queenstown to Gibbston via Arrowtown. Overall it was about 50km, which was very easy and quite quick on ebikes. We had previously done the river route to Gibbston and enjoyed the change of scenery that came from the Arrowtown approach.Around The Basin were great. The booking email said the hire started from 9:30, but we called and asked for more details and we were actually able to pick our bikes up from 8:30. They also will pick you up from any winery you want, you just have to tell them the day of. Genuinely amazing service. If Around The Basin is reading this review, it may be worth putting this info on your webpage (apologies if it is and we missed it) and update the email you send out with an 8:30 pick up.Great staff, great bikes and a great time. Thanks!
Tim Jolly
21:42 30 Dec 23
We booked the full day wineries experience on a e-bike.The whole experience from booking to the transfers to the ride were on point. This was one of the best experiences we have had so far in NZ, and would throughly recommend booking this.The bike trail is stunning, well signposted and not too challenging. The wineries are world class.This experience was faultless - thank you Around the Basin for such a memorable and wonderful day.Shout out to Scarlett, Izzy and the gentleman that briefed us before our ride (prepare for a comedy show).
Laura Daulton
03:00 29 Dec 23
Great experience, the company was great and views were amazing! Highly recommend and definitely get the electric bikes..
S H
08:59 24 Dec 23
Did the Gibbston Valley wine trail and loved every second! The wine bike trail is set back from the road so you get the most amazing views with plenty of opportunity to stop along the way with seats/picnic tables. The path can be narrow in some areas and is all gravel so I would definitely recommend that you are somewhat confident on a bike as you need to know how to break gently while going down hill - there are often times no safety barriers to the river below. I would also highly suggest the e-bike due to the gravel pathway, it will make your experience so much more comfortable.We were picked up at 12pm and we arrived at Kinross at approximately 1:45PM so it took a little longer than I expected so book your tastings accordingly. As pick up is at 4:30pm you really only have time to do 2 tastings without feeling rushed.My only feedback is their passive aggressive tone in all material they give you as well as the teams demeanour, at times I felt like I was inconveniencing them. My bottle of wine wasn’t collected as well, the team explained they tried calling the winery but to no avail so left it as my problem. They clearly didn’t try very hard and could have easily offered to collect it another day for me or had me pop into the winery at the collection time. Now I have to spend time on my holiday going back to collect the bottle. I understand things happen but it felt like they just didn’t care and left me to deal with it rather than provide other options.Our driver was super lovely and the bikes were easy to use and fully explained including a little test run before setting off. The chain on our bike came off twice, not a biggie as we knew how to fix and these things happen.
Sylvie G
04:58 11 Dec 23
Superb electric bike ride! Very accessible. Varied and very picturesque landscapes crossed. We loved this activity and recommend it.
Beāte Manguse
01:38 09 Dec 23
We used Around the Basin for our Christmas staff-do. Really friendly staff, top class e-bikes and we had lots of fun on the trails.I definitely would recommend this company to anyone who's looking to rent a bike for a day in Queenstown area or Gibbston Valley.
Martyn Reeves
06:13 08 Dec 23
Second time for us with these guys. Another high quality experience. Good gear, good support and a great day out. Recommended.
Eva Jacob
08:59 07 Dec 23
Great service. Loved the trail - lovely scenery. Glad I took the e-bike (not cycled in a long time!). Made it in time to do some wine tasting too!
Sandra Lynch
07:33 07 Dec 23
The half day Bike The Wineries was worthwhile and great fun. The scenery as you ride is wonderful. We enjoyed the wine, the gardens and the ambience of the vineyard we visited (Gibbston Valley).
Andrew Moulds
07:18 07 Dec 23
Well organized, equipment was in top notch condition. Ride was well sign posted and suitable for new riders.Dropped 1 star due to many rabbits and tree over the road 🙂
Kirsten O’Brien
19:48 01 Dec 23
We had the best time doing a 3 day bike packing trip on the Queenstown trail. Everyone was super helpful with helping us get started, recommending routes to take and setting up our bikes. It was a very easy process and super affordable!Only recommendation would be to push for more bike packing camp spots along the way- I think more people would love this as an option rather than having to go back into Queenstown for the night.Thanks for creating such a great experience for travellers wanting to see the area by bike!
Mikaela Turner
20:00 23 Nov 23
We had the best time on the half day biking wine tour. This was my second time doing it and loved it just as much as the first time! Bikes were great, the drivers were amazing and so helpful. Very glad we got the e-bikes, wouldn’t have made it to the last winery without them!
Laura Juri
06:11 18 Nov 23
Great experience. All staff was super nice. Explanations were very clear. Bikes are amazing. I needed help on the way and they responded immediately. I also changed my pick up point without any problem
Janine Plumridge
08:35 23 Oct 23
The team was awesome and accomodating. We were very thankful for your assistance with helping one our older riders 👍🏽
Jo Campling
02:27 20 Oct 23
If you haven't been on a bike for a while, I highly recommend spending a few extra dollars for an E-bike upgrade. It made the pleasant 15km Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley Winery trail more pleasurable (one of the options). I didn't get puffed at all and was so thankful I upgraded when I hit a few uphill inclines. Treat yourself at the end if you arrive a little early at the winery 🧀 🍷.The team at Around The Basin Bike were friendly and efficient and booking was simple.
Braign Gold
06:54 11 Oct 23
Group of 12 -- we had an awesome time on the QT Trail, the bikes were great. The only blemish to an otherwise top experience. The 2 working the front desk we're helpful or informative. We arrived and I checked in with them, and wasn't told anything, just a few single word answers when I probed. They were looking at the computer the whole time. It wasn't until the driver arrived that I knew what was going on.But yeah, 5 stars for the otherwise great crew, bikes, experience!
Amy Harvey
02:41 05 Oct 23
I did the half-day tour and found it extremely dangerous, particularly for children as the bike paths are loose and narrow and there are no rails on the sides of the mountains. I also had an accident myself where I came off my e-bike and landed face first onto a rock, which cut my face open and broke my two front teeth. I rolled into rapids which took me underneath the bike path, luckily my leg got caught in the bike because that stopped me from going any further. Then, because there’s no phone reception or roads, I had to walk almost an hour in my cold wet clothes until an ambulance could get to me. I understand this isn’t the bike company’s fault but I do think there needs to be more caution signs and awareness. It could have been so much worse!
Derek Hartley
05:21 25 Sep 23
Easy booking & friendly informative staff, bikes were brilliant, Wine trail was epic and easy. Wife used a electric bike... now I've got to buy her one! (Cheers Steve!)
Alastair Clark
04:58 27 Aug 23
Great service sorted me out last minute with a bike for a couple of days - thank you, will be back
Andrea Mackay
08:33 18 Aug 23
A fantastic way to explore the surrounds of Queenstown! We did the self guided tour from Arrowtown to Queenstown which took around 3 hours on e-bikes. The tracks are very well maintained and not too difficult if you are fairly confident on a bike, easy for beginners too as you can just take your time. Maps are provided and very easy to follow 🙂 unless you are up for a challenge, I’d definitely recommend upgrading to an e bike as there are a few steep hills along the way and you do get a little tired towards the end of the ride.
Ryan Sheppard
21:54 11 Aug 23
Fantastic family experience, 4 adults, 3 kids. We did the half day self guided ride from Arrowtown to Gibston Valley winery. Easy riding on a well maintained gravel path, some hills but nothing extreme. E-bikes make it all the more pleasant, especially while towing. Staff were incredibly patient and waited longer than expected for our young daughter to confidently ride on the tag along bike. Very good service indeed.
Maresha Brooks
01:35 24 Jul 23
Really great service and the trails were easy to follow. The front office staff and the driver were really personable
Dinah Otukolo
05:45 08 Jul 23
The price was worth it - our family of four enjoyed the day immensely and would do it again in a heartbeat!The views and the tracks were A+Such an amazing time and would recommend to all!!
Amy Meilen
01:13 26 Jun 23
One of our trip highlights! Thanks for the great experience from the ride over to Arrowtown, safety and how to use the bike info, and the well maintained trails. We’re e-bike converts. And even in the winter the scenery was to die for!
Craig Dealey
21:53 14 May 23
Nice easy booking and check in process. Bike shop was easy to find and the staff friendly and helpful. The bikes were ready for us when we got there and seemed to be well maintained. Had an amazing day out cycling around the lake and along the Shotover river. We packed a picnic lunch so stopped along the way. Very glad we got the electric bikes as it just smoothed out the hills and allowed us to cover so much more ground.
Gabriel Dicristofaro (G')
01:14 29 Apr 23
We enjoyed the easier Frankton Track around Lake Wakapitu. Gorgeous scenery.Ride w different people was matched w the pedal-assist e-bike.I’m tall and they had a tall bike.Note: you may have to turn off and on again to activate pedal-assist. If you don’t feel it on HIGH, reboot the electric.#SeeYourWorld
David Garwood
05:32 25 Apr 23
Thanks Conor for sorting us out with a couple of ace bikes, for a superb day of riding out to Jack's Point! 31mi return, varying terrain, fairly easy except for a few hills near Jack's Point, the views are totally worth it! We called in to the cafe at the golf club for lunch, it was a great spot, highly recommended. Sweet as!
Emma Berry
08:21 16 Apr 23
Awesome experience and a real highlight of our trip. We hired e-bikes and rode from arrowtown to Queenstown via kawarau bungee. It was 45km in total and a very scenic ride. Bikes were in excellent condition and the staff were fantastic!
maryalbert777
18:17 21 Feb 23
We hired e-bikes (best decision!) and did the Arrowrorn to Queenstown train. Amazingly experience, we loved it! From the fact the you get a shuttle to Arrowtown then ride one way to to spectator scenery to all the staff the whole experience was amazing! Thank you!Highly recommended!!
Valerie Goh
07:48 06 Jan 23
Our family was in Queenstown for the last leg of our southern island road trip and decided to do a spontaneous bike ride. Called almost every bike shop in Queenstown but they were mostly booked out given it was high season (just after Christmas) and we had a 4yo, 5yo, 7yo with us and needed a trailer or tandem bike of some sort and/or junior bikes with trainers. Around the basin was also booked out but gave the suggestion that we could pop by after lunch to see if any of the morning rentals returned their bikes early. Really appreciated their suggestions for us to work around instead of an outright no. We did that and they managed to scramble up 1 e-bike with a trailer for 2 kids, and 1 junior bike (no training wheels), and 1 regular bike. It was a fantastic idea for us to go for 1 e bike with the trailer and 1 regular bike instead of 2 e bikes or 2 regular bikes. My husband took the e bike with the trailer and younger two kids in it and it worked out to be about the same speed with my riding a regular bike without the extra trailer weight. The only problem left was that my eldest, the 7yo had to take the junior bike without trainers as there wasnt much of a selection left. Being city folk from Singapore, we didn’t get him a new bike ever since he outgrew his toddler bike with training wheels about 2 years ago. He was extremely rusty and not confident about riding without training wheels on dirt paths around the lake no less. One staff in particular from Around the Basin, I think her name is Jessie (sorry if I got it wrong, he remembers it starts with a J) was super encouraging and even took time to run along side him down the hill right outside the shop to get him started on the big boy bike. She gave excellent advise of looking straight ahead instead of down and would run ahead of him telling him to look at her and ride toward her. When we eventually set off he was still wobbly, but 2 hours and 2 rounds around the lake later, he peddled back into the shop and excitedly gave her a hug saying he did it! Great service and fantastic staff. Was a wonderful end to our travels in New Zealand. And special thanks to J for giving our boy a confidence boost. We’re gonna pick out a new bike for him soon 🙂
Kevin Petersen
23:36 02 Dec 22
Awesome experience! Very easy to work with and organize, even last minute. Set my whole family up and had a fun ride. Lots of options, great way to spend a day in Queenstown and see the sights.
Loretta Staples
12:35 28 Oct 22
We did the 3/4 day winery bike tour on ebikes. The team were super friendly and helpful. Very professional. It was a fun day and the scenery was spectacular. Loved stopping off and watching the bungee jumpers. I would not hesitate to tell anyone to do it.
Andrea Hughes
02:41 30 Jul 22
We had a fabulous day mountain biking watching bungee jumping and visiting wineries. Josh was an absolute gem. So helpful and knowledgeable. I can highly recommend this place. 5 stars plus.
Colin Campbell
07:30 24 Jul 22
The guys at Around the Basin were very friendly, helpful and efficient. They really looked after us. We did the Arrow River Bridges Trail which was pretty easy going (very easy with e-bikes!). The scenery was spectacular and the winery at the end was very welcome.My bike broke down about half way and I had to phone for help. They arranged for a replacement bike to be brought out to me ASAP. We lost a bit of time at the winery at the end, but the problem was dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible.We had a great time today and would recommend any of the Around the Basin bike tours.
Troy Ballantyne
23:29 05 Jul 22
Really enjoyed this ride. Great scenery, the light snow in winter probably increased the experience.Would suit most levels of fitness, as they give you plenty of time to complete the ride. Highly recommended.
Terry Smith
04:54 02 Jul 22
Loved our bike tour we road from Arrow town to Queenstown so easy and the scenery is so breath taking we just had to keep stopping to take photos with the snow falling on the mountains and all the different wild life will definitely be coming back to do it again. The guys helped us out with setting up the bikes and plenty of knowledge on the area we recommend this company to everyone
Kirill Volkov
22:59 28 Jun 22
Very friendly and helpful. Bikes are great, well maintained (suggest adding a bell as there are many people sharing the trail). Also would be nice to have a bit more time in winter. Otherwise, awesome experience!
Breanna Fenton
04:47 19 Jun 22
Absolutely loved our tour! The bike ride was beautiful and was so much fun (definitely happy we upgraded to e-bikes) and the wineries and breweries we stoped at were great! Couldn’t recommend this more if you’re in for a fun boozy day!
Philip Getchell
13:08 03 Jun 22
Electric bikes are meant for gravel paths and not much more. Not recommended for shredding park or downhill trail. Can be done but nothing like a trail bike. Would recommend renting from somewhere else if looking to ride downhill trails. Great for riding around the lake and town though.
Claire Seel
04:43 02 May 22
Fantastic day out on the trails doing the Arrowtown to Queenstown ride 35km. We hired conventional mountain bikes and they were great - felt safe and secure on them. Shuttle service was useful for us as well. Helpful and friendly staff which made the whole experience that much better. Highly recommend this company. Thank you.
Warren Ngan Woo
10:49 26 Apr 22
Such a great activity and reccomend to any one heading to queenstown and is a must do! The view of Gibbston Valley are amazing! Thank you to Lisa the owner who took us out to the start and to Josh for driving us back and he's such cool young person living his best life and his customer service, friendliness was outstanding! Our group of six Thank you very much! 😊
lisa van vuuren
06:01 19 Apr 22
Fabulous day out with the e-bikes. Staff were amazing, transfers to and from drop off points were very well organized, and it was just such a fun day using the e-bikes to visit the wineries. Highly recommend for any age-group - anyone can manage this with an e-bike! Will definitely be back to do this again next time we're in Queenstown
Shane Fisher
21:10 15 Apr 22
Super convenient and friendly staff. Small family owned business with very personal service. Bike worked perfectly and electronic assist was key to this ride! easy to read maps to make sure I would get lost. Highly recommend!! 👍🏻 👍🏻
Elizabeth Carver
04:03 03 Apr 22
We enjoyed the ride from Arrowtown to Queenstown, beautiful scenery in every direction, great bikes. The staff were great, made the experience all the better.I do think maybe they need to have someone unfamiliar with the area doing the signage. Some sign posts were less obvious than others.
Jesselyn S
07:32 05 Mar 22
Went for the full day winery tour from arrowtown - amazing experience!Bikes are excellent (would recommend getting the e-bikes), views are great, and staff are super friendly! Will be back for other trails soon
Kylie Young
20:31 26 Feb 22
Great self-guided tour from Jack’s point to the shop. Was well informed, given a map and lots of tips about keeping safe out on the trail. We had an amazing day! E-bike was worth the wee bit extra! It meant we got tack on a bit more of a ride at the end and headed out to the shotover river bridge.
Natasha Bourke
03:56 06 Feb 22
Such a great day out! Highlight of our 3 day stay in Queenstown. We booked the 3/4 day tour and visited a few wineries. Service was excellent - both the shuttle drivers were great. Bikes were very good quality… highly recommend an eBike.
bardpauline
06:12 31 Jan 22
Hamish was so helpful and friendly. Right on time and full of tips for this tour . Also they took the time to pick us up at 3 different locations, it is so convenient to don't have to drive at all during the day. We had such a good day .
Angela Allen
04:17 26 Jan 22
What an amazing day! The staff here are fantastic, with so many different options it’s hard to know which one would be right for us but they had us sorted it no time. E-bikes definitely the way to go. Thanks heaps team you rock 👍
Brian Norton
02:00 16 Jan 22
Electric bikes great fun, did a ride to wineries in Gibson Valley easy ride great views over bridges. Friendly staff, highly recommended in
David Smith
17:50 29 Dec 21
Thanks Steve, Lisa and team. Awesome day out.Quality bikes. Both electric and conventional. Drop off and pick up service. We did the Gibbston Valley wine trail and I would recommend it to everyone.
Sam Iwaz
18:39 23 Dec 21
Great communication and service, was very easy to get it done for a large group! We ended up going slightly overtime accidentally but the staff were very understanding and accommodating! Highly recommend!
Ben & Johannah
03:27 23 Nov 21
I would recommend Around the Basin bike hire to all. We were a bit of a disorganised group (sorry!) that chopped and changed our plans a few times. Despite this, the team were always happy to accommodate and were very patient with us! Thank you! We had so much fun! They also gave us good practical recommendations in terms of doing the tour with kids.
Helen Laidlaw
18:45 17 Nov 20
What a fantastic bike ride. We are a family of three with a nine year old daughter. We did the half day tour from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley Winery. The scenery on the trail is incredible. The trail is a mix of gravel path, country roads and bridges. The staff were fantastic, both in the office and on the trail. Highly recommend
Aaron Rump
09:56 10 Nov 20
What a great experience. Most of our group hadn't ridden a bike in years and they loved our day biking from Arrowtown to Queenstown, with a slight detour thrown in to visit Gibbston Valley winery. We were all over 50 and all used E bikes which made the whole experience that much more enjoyable, knowing we had that extra bit of boost to help us up the hilly parts. The team at Around the Basin Bike Tours was great and I highly would recommend them to anyone. Thanks
Sarah Knight
03:43 30 Sep 20
We've had an amazing two days biking with Around the basin. Amazing service, beautiful scenery. Could not reccomend enough!
Yan Hao
22:25 13 Aug 20
I enjoyed the trip very much, Steve is very friendly and greatest service! ????The view is worth of a whole day and the Cargo brewery pizza is delicious ????
Matthew Chalk
07:19 12 Aug 20
Incredible customer service. An amazing afternoon spent traversing the incredible rural landscapes of queenstown. We earned all the wine we drank with the cardio we did but it wasn’t that tricky. Would highly recommend for an afternoon out.
Forrest Dunn
08:24 11 Aug 20
My friend and I did the full day wineries tour and it was fantastic, the driver was great and informative and you get the feeling they'll go out of their way to make your experience as enjoyable as possible, the views and track were superb. The bikes were nice and in great condition, the length of ride gave you plenty of time to have a look around Arrowtown, stop for lots of pictures and exploring and of course pop in to plenty of wineries! Can't recommend enough and i'll be back next time i'm in Queenstown
Tomas Dirvonskas
10:50 13 Jun 20
Very well organised by great team. Best pick in Queenstown for bike rental, so look no where else. Arrowtown - Queenstown route was quite challenging w kids trailer but v rewarding as well.
Ean Sugarman
06:54 16 Feb 20
Can’t say enough good things about this adventure. My wife and I tried the e-bikes for the very first time and were pleasantly surprised not to mention occasionally exhilarated! Hamish our tour organizer was professional, knowledgeable, friendly and ready to assist with any concern. We did the afternoon bridges tour that included a winery tasting which was very pleasant but mostly we enjoyed the thrill of the trails and scenery out of Arrowtown towards the wineries. The track itself had both uphill and downhill stretches as well as many flat areas. The bikes were well-maintained modern and you could go quite fast with the boosted capability if you wish to. A fantastic experience five out of five.
Natalie Samale
03:55 04 Feb 20
My husband and I did a second tour with this company. They are simply the best. This time we got to go along with Lisa one of the company's owners. My parents are a bit older and do not have much experience biking and she was so accommodating. They loved it too! The views along the bike are stunning. This is a must do if you are in Queenstown! You can even rent bikes from them which we also did. They are in great condition.