South New Zealand

It’s very easy to see why there are guided tours of this part of the country.  The mountains are ever-present on your left,
there are beautiful, unspoiled forests and the rivers run clear and are of a striking aqua color due to the mineral content
of the water coming off the mountains.  Remember, though, they drive on the opposite side of the road as in the US so you
have to train your mind to watch for any traffic accordingly.

In truth, there is very little traffic and bicycles own the road on most guided tours of the South Island.  One can bicycle
three full days without ever seeing even a small village.  Instead, there are bed and breakfast inns or small motels along
the way and many meals can be made by the tour guide.

If you’re on one of these guided tours of New Zealand, you’ll not only see Mount Hercules but you’ll feel like Hercules
(or very tired) after climbing the impressive mountain.  And don’t forget the exhilaration of riding back down.  One of
the other highlights of your tour will be the Franz Josef Glacier, south of Whataroa.  It’s a gigantic dirty piece of ice
dangling in the crevice between two mountains. Still, it’s an impressive site to see.

Most guided tours of this type will allow you to travel 500 km (300 miles) in about a week.  You’ll be on the bicycle much
of the time but viewing this magnificent scenery from this vantage point can’t be beat.  At the end of your tour, you can
fly home via Queensland, in the southern part of the island.