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Heli bike tours

Premium Heli Bike Adventures

Take your riding beyond the trailhead with private heli-bike experiences across Nelson, Marlborough, Abel Tasman and the Top of the South Island. Each adventure combines a scenic helicopter flight, expert local guiding and access to remote country you simply can’t reach any other way. 

There’s a heli-bike experience for every rider, from easy, scenic on-road rides between artists’ studios and boutique wineries, to sweeping gravel roads through rarely visited backcountry, all the way to world-class mountain biking on iconic trails like the Old Ghost Road. 

Whether you’re a relaxed cruiser, a confident gravel or e-bike rider, or an experienced mountain biker chasing epic alpine descents, every tour is private and tailored around your group’s riding ability, the weather on the day and your preferred style of adventure. It’s the ultimate way to see the Top of the South from above, then experience it from the saddle.
Each heli-bike tour is arranged by enquiry, so Cycle Nelson can match the best route, guide, aircraft logistics and support to your group.

How Heli Biking Works

Every heli-bike tour is planned around your group, riding ability, preferred terrain and the conditions on the day.

After your enquiry, Cycle Nelson will recommend the best route and experience, from scenic e-bike adventures with food and wine stops through to advanced backcountry MTB descents.

Helicopter logistics, guiding, transfers, bikes and support are arranged as part of the experience, so the tour can be tailored properly rather than booked as a fixed off-the-shelf product.

Heli-bike tours are enquiry-only. Get in touch and we’ll help shape the right adventure for your group.
Self Guided Tour

Mapua Cycle & Shuttle Tour

Coastal 28km ride to Mapua via Rabbit Island, ferry crossing included, explore wharf cafés, wineries, and galleries, then shuttle back to Nelson.

Coastal 28km ride to Mapua via Rabbit Island, ferry crossing included, explore wharf cafés, wineries, and galleries, then shuttle back to Nelson.

Coastal 28km ride to Mapua via Rabbit Island, ferry crossing included, explore wharf cafés, wineries, and galleries, then shuttle back to Nelson.

Coastal 28km ride to Mapua via Rabbit Island, ferry crossing included, explore wharf cafés, wineries, and galleries, then shuttle back to Nelson.
$160pp
|
$50 E-bike upgrade
Book Now

Mapua Cycle & Shuttle Tour

Coastal 28km ride to Mapua via Rabbit Island, ferry crossing included, explore wharf cafés, wineries, and galleries, then shuttle back to Nelson.
$160pp
|
$50 E-bike upgrade
Book Now

CHOOSE YOUR HELI BIKE EXPERIENCE

Explore private heli-bike adventures across Nelson, Marlborough, Abel Tasman and the Top of the South Island. Choose from scenic e-bike experiences with food, wine and coastal views, or advanced backcountry MTB routes with helicopter access to remote terrain.

Our heli-bike tours are enquiry-only and tailored to your group, riding ability, weather conditions and preferred style of adventure.

Riding solo or in a small group? Each summer we run shared Heli Uplift days, where riders split the cost of the helicopter to make heli-biking more affordable. Click ‘Heli Bike Uplifts’ to see this summer’s options.

SCENIC HELI BIKE EXPERIENCES

Moutere Heli Bike, Wine & Art

A premium scenic heli-bike experience combining coastal views, gentle country-road riding, local art, boutique wine and artisan food.

Fly over the Nelson Tasman landscape, then touch down for a hands-on art experience with a local artist before your ride begins. Create your own piece to take home as a lasting memento of your trip. We’ll have it finished and sent to you after your holiday. 

From there, cycle through the beautiful Moutere countryside, with stops for a private wine tasting experiences, lunch and optional historic pub visit.
Best for: Scenic riding, wine touring, local art and relaxed premium travel
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Marlborough Signature Heli Bike

A premium heli-bike adventure across the Marlborough Sounds and surrounding backcountry, combining scenic flight access with guided riding through dramatic coastal and forest landscapes. The video above was filmed on this tour, so you can see exactly what’s in store.

Every Marlborough Signature tour is designed around your group. We’ll plan the route, riding distance, transfers and support to suit your abilities and the conditions on the day, so all you need to do is enjoy the ride.
Best for: Premium scenic MTB and Marlborough landscapes 
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Kaiteriteri Heli Bike & Wine

A scenic heli-bike tour linking golden beaches, coastal views, boutique wine and easy riding around the Kaiteriteri and Moutere region.

This is a premium private experience for guests wanting a softer heli-bike adventure with strong food, wine and landscape appeal rather than technical MTB riding.
Best for: Scenic riding, wine touring, and coastal views
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abel-tasman-heli-biking

Abel Tasman Heli Hike & Bike Experience

Fly over the Abel Tasman coast and nearby peaks and valleys, including landscapes that became Middle-earth on the big screen, then explore one of New Zealand’s most beautiful regions on foot and by bike.

This is a scenic, unhurried heli experience rather than a big riding day. Enjoy a short, easy forest ride, then wander native bush trails and explore a remote lagoon before settling in for a premium lunch. Every tour is tailored to your group, so you can choose as much or as little riding and walking as you like.
Best for: Scenic flights, nature, light adventure and premium touring
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ADVANCED HELI BIKE MTB TOURS

Coppermine Heli Bike

Our most affordable heli-bike experience, just a short flight from Nelson, with big views, varied terrain and flexible Grade 3 or Grade 4 riding options.

Your helicopter skims over forest and lands right on a tectonic fault line, where you can take time to explore the area’s fascinating geology before you ride. From there, choose a scenic intermediate route through native bush and historic landscapes, or take on a more technical descent for a stronger mountain bike challenge.
Best for: Intermediate to advanced riders wanting a heli-bike experience close to Nelson
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Old Ghost Road Heli Bike

Experience one of New Zealand’s ultimate mountain bike adventures. Lift off for a breathtaking helicopter flight deep into the remote Southern Alps backcountry, landing high above the bushline on the legendary Old Ghost Road. From here, ride world-class alpine singletrack along exposed ridgelines and through ancient beech forest, tracing the paths of the 1800s gold miners past relics of a long-forgotten era. Every turn reveals another jaw-dropping view, from rugged mountain peaks to deep river valleys, in a landscape few people ever get to see.

Choose a shorter heli-assisted ride for a taste of the trail’s most spectacular sections, or go all in with a full day of extended riding, scenic flights and a route tailored to your group’s ability. Either way, it’s a true bucket-list adventure you’ll be talking about for years.
Best for: Advanced riders, alpine scenery and bucket-list mountain biking
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Queen Charlotte Heli Bike & Hike

Soar above the Marlborough Sounds, a breathtaking maze of sheltered bays, bush-clad ridges and sparkling inlets, before touching down to ride or hike one of New Zealand’s most scenic coastal trails. The famous Queen Charlotte Track winds high along the ridgelines and down to secluded beaches, with sweeping views across the Sounds at almost every turn.

This private heli-bike experience can be tailored to create your perfect day in the Sounds. Ride or walk sections of the Queen Charlotte Track, stop for a swim on a secluded beach, enjoy a relaxed lunch at a waterfront coastal lodge, then return by boat cruise or a final scenic flight, depending on the itinerary you choose. It’s the Marlborough Sounds at their very best, by air, land and sea.
Best for: Coastal riding, Marlborough Sounds and confident intermediate riders
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Custom Heli Bike Experiences

Looking for something truly technical, remote or one of a kind? Cycle Nelson can design a fully bespoke heli-bike adventure around your riding goals, taking you deep into some of the Top of the South’s most rugged and rarely ridden backcountry. Using our local knowledge and helicopter access, we can unlock big-mountain descents, raw natural singletrack and remote terrain that few riders ever get to experience.

Options may include the renowned Wairoa Gorge, the challenging Kill Devil, the historic Wakamarina, Mount Royal or other advanced backcountry routes. Every custom adventure is carefully planned around trail conditions, access, rider ability and logistics, so you can push your limits with expert support behind you.
Best for: Experienced riders and bespoke backcountry MTB adventures
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HELI BIKE UPLIFTS

Skip the climb and fly with your bike to the trail. Join at the uplift base or choose the extended scenic flight from Nelson Airport, limited to five riders per date. Each lift carries up to five riders and five bikes.

Ride down unguided and unsupported, and arrange your own transport home. Regular mountain bikes and e-bikes are welcome, subject to aircraft weight limits. Bike hire is booked separately.

A weather backup day is planned for the following day. Each route runs once its minimum rider number is met.
UPLIFT ROUTES & PRICES

Meet at the uplift base / fly from Nelson Airport:

Coppermine (Maitai Dam) — $239 / $389

Kaiteriteri (Bethany Park) — $249 / $399

Mt Royal or Wakamarina (Butcher’s Flat) — $369 / $549

Prices are per rider, including GST. Minimum riders: 20 for Coppermine and Kaiteriteri; 15 for Mt Royal and Wakamarina.
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EXPLORE THE REGION

Nelson Tasman is at its most breathtaking when explored on a bike with Cycle Nelson. Follow the Great Taste Trail, a 200km loop connecting Nelson, Richmond, Wakefield, Motueka, and Kaiteriteri. Stop at Māpua Wharf, cruise through the historic Spooners Tunnel, take in vineyards and sparkling coastlines or enjoy the golden sands at Kaiteriteri.

Ride world-class mountain bike trails carved through native forest and mountain ridges, where epic landscapes make every turn an adventure. Whether you’re a casual rider or a keen adventurer, seeing Nelson Tasman by bike with Cycle Nelson is an unforgettable way to experience the region.
About Us

Single-Day Tours

Self-guided or guided single-day tours designed to enrich your ride along the trails. Wineries, breweries, picnics, paddle board, shuttle options and more...
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Mountain Bike Tours

Explore the wild trails off the beaten track. Want to get there by chopper? Cycle back from the bay? Our bespoke tours take you into adventure.
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OUR TOURS

Great Taste Trail – Single Day
Great Taste Trail – Multi Day
Mountain Bike