Ride the Otago Rail Trail

In the past decade, New Zealand’s famed Great Walks have been joined by 22 Great Rides, a 1,554-mile signposted network of magnificent, multi-day, mostly off-road cycle trails. These include everything from the easy Te Ara Ahi route, rich in Maori history, to the testing singletrack of the Old Ghost Road. The Otago Central Rail Trail, the country’s original Great Ride, is a beaut: 94 miles of flat, traffic-free cycling via mountainous countryside, restored bridges and tunnels, old mining sites and welcoming wineries and cafés.

A four-day guided Otago Rail Trail trip with Intrepid (0808 274 5111; intrepidtravel.com) costs from £695pp excluding flights; multiple departures in 2022. Information: nzcycletrail.com