Frequently Asked Questions

How difficult is the riding?

The Queenstown Trail is an undulating mountain biking network; most of the 160 km network is either Grade 1 or 2 (some sections are Grade 3, with small sections of Grade 4).

The Trails are smooth, predictable, and well-maintained. The trail’s gravel surface makes it excellent for riding any time of year. Most sections are wide enough for riders to pass side-by-side (2 metres +).

There is a combination of flat and hilly terrain. Most of the trail has “undulating” slopes, but some of the hills can be steep for a short section. If you’re unfamiliar with mountain biking or concerned about the hills, we recommend upgrading to an Electric-bike on any of our rides. These pedal-assisted bikes take the sting out of any hill and guarantees you to have an awesome riding experience!

We generally make a weather call on-the-day, as it often turns out to be not as bad as the forecast suggests.

If you are uncertain in the morning of your ride, give us a call 45 mins – 1 hour before your shuttle departs and we will discuss options. We first try to re-schedule to another time or another day, but if that isn’t possible we would refund your ride (less a 3% merchant fee).

 

Please see all of our terms and conditions here

Comfortable, athletic clothing

  • A lightweight jacket
  • Water bottle (the bikes have bottle cages ideal for Pump size)
  • Sunglasses
  • A small backpack per group (you decide who will be the pack-mule!)

We provide the bike helmets and some sunscreen.

In winter a good jacket and warm pair of gloves are highly recommended.

No. The Queenstown Trail is a 160 km network of biking and walking trails. Your ride will be on these trails and away from built up areas.

The few sections of the network that are on shared roads are all quiet with low volumes of traffic.

Yes, We’ve designed rides suitable for all ages and riding abilities; from less experienced riders keen for a shorter, flatter ride, to those who want a challenging day in the saddle.

All of our rides are self-guided, designed for independent riders. They allow you to explore the best parts of the Queenstown Trail, with bike hire and transport included. Follow these links for full details about what you can expect from each.

For kids, we have 16″, 20″, or 24″ Mountain Bikes available.

We also have a limited selection of smaller e-bikes available – 24″ and 26″ sizes. Minimum height for our e-bikes is 135cm.

For infants, we have either Trailers or Half-Bikes/Tag-Alongs. We recommend the combination of a Trailer being towed by an E-Bike (pictured): they’re stable and safe, and can fit one larger infant (<40kg) or two small infants (<20kg).

 

Unfortunately, parking in Queenstown can be a challenge. There are ongoing infrastructure projects affecting the whole of Queenstown CBD, which means lots of traffic cones and reduced parking availability.  

There is paid all day parking on Memorial Street and Boundary Street in central Queenstown (both are a 5 mins walk to our shop).

Wilson Parking on Church Street (a 1 minute walk to our shop) has paid all day underground parking.

There is limited free all day parking on Park Street. In the Queenstown Gardens, you can park for free for up to 4 hours. Both are a 10 mins walk to our shop.

There are also limited spots on Robins Road and Lake Esplanade (both a 10 mins walk).

Please note there is no all day parking on either Searle Lane (location of our shop) or on Shotover Street.

We recommend allowing enough time to find parking. The free spots will fill up quickly in the morning, so it is best to try the paid spots if you’re short on time.

Please plan to check-in to our shop (3 Searle Lane) at the time stated when you booked, as our shuttles will depart on time.

Absolutely!

We regularly have large groups ride with us for work conferences, birthday parties, family trips, etc.

Flick us an email (bookings@aroundthebasin.co.nz) and we can help you with the logistics of planning your ride.

If you’re planning to visit the wineries in Gibbston (groups of 6 people or more), you’ll need to phone ahead as some of the smaller wineries need to be notified in advance.

If you have any further questions please email us at: bookings@aroundthebasin.co.nz 
or call us on +64219525801