Middle Hill MTB

If you’re up for an adventure and pretty comfortable riding downhill on two wheels, Middle Hill Mountain Bike Park in Kaikōura is for you.

Situated in arguably one of the most picturesque spots in the country, the vistas will have you marvelling at the beauty of mother nature, from the mountain tops of the Seaward Kaikōura Ranges all the way to the vast Pacific Ocean. 

The friendly pair behind this bike park are, unsurprisingly, keen mountain bikers themselves. Genevieve King and Morgan Rigby run Middle Hill MTB and have built all the trails that snake amongst the Kānuka bush within a regenerated hillside once cleared for sheep farming. There are currently 14 mountain bike trails, covering roughly around 18km in downhill tracks, from intermediate to expert level.

Sitting on private land, Middle Hill MTB is a true escape from the crowds. Bookings are taken for a maximum of 12 people, guaranteeing that you’ll pretty much have the run of the tracks to yourself. There are no chair lifts, but you can expect to be transported to the top of the hill in style on board a mountain buggy.

Bookings are essential and if you are keen to stick around for longer than a day, Middle Hill MTB welcomes camping on site, or can point you in the direction of other close-by accommodation options. It’s well worth staying a while and appreciating this unique rural setting in all its glory, as well as getting that adrenalin fix up the hill.