Take a shuttle to the start of Queenstown's Gibbston Valley wine country. Ride a powerful e-bike across the iconic Kawarau Bungy Bridge, through the vines to cellar doors, and through breathtaking landscapes to world-class vineyards.
✓ No booking fees ✓ Free cancellation 24hrs ✓ Bad weather refund
How the day unfolds
Every Gibbston Valley ride is a bit different — that's kind of the whole point. But here's how a typical day looks.
Jump on at your Frankton Road pickup stop. Bikes loaded, briefing done, helmets fitted. Sit back and enjoy the 25-minute ride up through the gorge to the Gibbston trailhead.
Gibbston Valley Winery is right at the start. Pop in for a tasting and a look at the cave cellar before you've even broken a sweat. Set the tone early.
The trail winds down through the Kawarau Gorge, the river rushing alongside. Swing bridges, schist cliffs, golden tussock. Stop for photos whenever — the motor means there's no rush.
Peregrine Wines is the perfect lunch stop. Award-winning pinot, stunning architecture, and a terrace that looks out over the Wakatipu Basin. You've earned it.
Roll past the Kawarau Suspension Bridge (home of the original AJ Hackett bungy), then follow the river trail all the way back into Queenstown.
Drop your bike at the Queenstown drop stop. Done. No shuttle to wait for, no car to collect, no faff. Walk straight into town for dinner — you'll have earned a good one.
Self-guided · No rush · No schedule
This is a self-guided ride. There's no group to keep up with, no guide tapping their watch, and no wrong way to do it. Your e-bike, your day.
~2.5 hours
Head down, motor on full, pedal hard and ride the whole trail without stopping. You'll still cross every bridge and see every gorge — but you won't be lingering. Honestly, almost nobody does it this way. But you could.
4–6 hours
Leisurely riding with the motor doing the hard work. Stop at a couple of cellar doors, take photos on the bridges, have a platter and a glass of pinot in the sun. This is the sweet spot — enough time to soak it in without feeling rushed.
6–7+ hours
Hit every cellar door. Have lunch at Gibbston Tavern. Sit on the terrace at Kinross until someone asks if you're okay. Try the cave tasting. Try the mulled wine at Mt Rosa. Take 400 photos. This is your day — use all of it.
30 min ride from Queenstown to the trailhead. Bikes loaded, helmets fitted, briefing done on the way.
The trail brings you back into Queenstown. Drop the bike at the drop stop — 45 min leisurely ride from the last winery. Walk straight to dinner.
Top picks on the trail
Your ride is fully self-guided — visit where you want, when you want. Here are the best stops along the way.
Wine cave tastings, cheesery, and restaurant. The region's flagship — carved into the schist cliff face.
🧀 Wine cave · Cheesery · Restaurant
Cosy cellar door serving classic Central Otago varietals from the iconic historic stables building.
🏠 Cosy cellar door · Classic varietals
Architecturally iconic building inspired by the falcon's wing. Beautiful pinot noirs and stunning basin views.
🦅 Iconic architecture · Beautiful pinots
Architecturally iconic cellar door with beautiful pinot noirs. A must-stop on the trail.
⛪ Iconic cellar door · Beautiful pinots
Relaxed wine garden with great food and a tasting room representing five boutique wineries. The best spot for a long lunch.
🌿 Wine garden · Great food · Tasting room
Mellow, scenic, and the perfect end-of-day stop. Tasting in an old woolshed with merino sheep roaming outside.
🐑 Scenic · Perfect end-of-day stop
Rustic pub with wood-fired pizzas and local gin. A great spot for a proper meal between tastings.
🍕 Rustic pub · Wood-fired pizzas · Local gin
Beautiful scenic setting with tasting room and cellar door sales. The best views in the valley, above the Kawarau Bridge.
🏔 Scenic · Tasting room · Best valley views✓ No booking fees · ✓ Free cancellation 24hrs · ✓ Bad weather refund
Know before you go
Your shuttle drops you at Arrow Junction. From there the Gibbston River Wine Trail runs east through the gorge — cellar doors the whole way. Click any marker to find out more.
Route is approximate. Trail follows the Gibbston River Wine Trail — full GPX download available at queenstowntrails.org.nz
Two trails. One unforgettable day.
The full winery ride combines two of the Queenstown Trail's most celebrated tracks. First, the Arrow River Bridges Trail — 13.7 km of willow-lined riverbank, dramatic gorge scenery, and five spectacular suspension bridges, including the 80-metre Edgar Suspension Bridge spanning the Arrow Gorge. The trail is described as "straight out of a picture book" — thyme-scented air, gold-rush heritage, swimming holes and mountain views the whole way.
At the Kawarau Bridge — home of the world's first bungy jump, and Whizzy riders get 20% off — the trail transitions to the Gibbston River Wine Trail — 8.7 km through Central Otago's premier wine region. The route follows a terrace high above the luminously green Kawarau River, with vineyard rows against the mountain foothills and 8 cellar doors within rolling distance. Stop as many times as you like — that's the whole point.
★★★★★ Rated 5.0 on TripAdvisor
"Nick dropped the bikes off at our Airbnb and we had the most amazing day touring the Gibbston wineries. The hills we were dreading were totally manageable. This was hands-down the best day of our Queenstown trip."
"The combination of the gorge scenery and stopping at three different wineries made for an absolutely unforgettable day. The e-bikes meant we could actually enjoy the wine — no one had to stay sober for the drive back!"
"We did the Gibbston ride on our last full day in NZ. Perfect way to end the trip. The map they gave us had the best winery tips — Peregrine for views, Gibbston Valley for the cave. Did both. Zero regrets."
✓ No booking fees · ✓ Free cancellation 24hrs · ✓ Bad weather refund
Arrow River Bridges Trail
The Arrow River Bridges Trail gets its name for good reason. Five named bridges cross the Arrow Gorge — each one a moment worth stopping for. No other trail in Queenstown comes close.
The first crossing of the Arrow River — a gentle introduction to what lies ahead. A steep alternative route is available for those who want a challenge first thing.
Opened in 2012, this is one of the most photographed spots on the entire Queenstown Trail. The suspension bridge frames the gorge perfectly — bring your camera.
📸 Best photo stopA natural rest stop mid-trail. The riverbank here is a favourite picnic spot in summer — flat rocks, clear water, and mountain views in every direction.
🧺 Picnic spot
The showstopper. At 80 metres this is one of the longest single-span suspension bridges on any New Zealand cycle trail, arching over the full width of the Arrow Gorge. Named after philanthropist Sir Eion Edgar — stop in the middle and look both ways.
⭐ 80 metres · The highlight of the trail
The original 1880 engineering marvel — and since 1988, the world's first commercial bungy jump site. The Arrow and Kawarau rivers meet here, and the trail transitions into wine country. Whizzy riders get 20% off all AJ Hackett bungy products.
🤸 Bungy site · Est. 1880 · Trail transition pointA dedicated underpass takes you safely beneath the highway — no road crossings, no traffic. Just the trail, the river, and the gorge.
The Kawarau Bridge isn't a detour — it's literally on your trail. You'll ride right across the spot where AJ Hackett launched commercial bungy jumping in 1988. Whizzy riders get 20% off all bungy products — jumps, swings, ziprides, the lot. Wine country on one side, a 43-metre freefall on the other. That's a good day.
✓ No booking fees ✓ Free cancellation 24hrs ✓ Bad weather refund
Ready to go?
Check availability and lock in your spot. Most dates fill fast in summer — don't leave it to the last minute.
CHECK AVAILABILITYFrom $120 per person · Shuttle included · No hidden fees
✓ No booking fees · ✓ Free cancellation 24hrs · ✓ Bad weather refund
Good questions
Most don't — you can walk in on the day. Gibbston Valley Winery can get busy in peak season so it's worth calling ahead for a platter lunch. The team will let you know at briefing which ones are walk-in friendly on the day.
That's entirely between you and your conscience — the trail is off-road and self-paced, so you control the pace. The honest answer: a glass or two at a cellar door is part of the experience. Just be sensible about it.
The pure riding is 2–3 hours, but most people spend 4–6 hours with winery stops. The shuttle picks you up in the morning and you're back in Queenstown by late afternoon — perfect for dinner out.
Go for it — that's the whole point. There's no fixed return time. The trail ends back in Queenstown and you drop the bike at the town drop stop whenever you're done. It's your day.
Absolutely. The trail is Grade 1–2 (easy) and the e-bike handles the few climbs on the route. If it's your first time on an e-bike, the briefing will have you sorted in five minutes.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. If the weather changes on the day, call the team — if the trail is unrideable the booking will be rescheduled or refunded. Queenstown weather moves fast, but the gorge trail is sheltered in wind.
Queenstown Trails Trust
Tiaki Promise