The Old Ghost Road Bike-packing Adventure | Mountain Biking | New Zealand

Hey Friends! In this episode we go on our biggest adventure yet. A four day bike-packing adventure on the Old Ghost Road, in the North West of New Zealand's South Island.
The mountain scenery is spectacular, the riding was challenging, and overall we absolutely loved this adventure.
We've never been bike-packing before, not even an overnighter, so this is something completely new for us.
Because we were carrying everything with us, food, clothing, bike spares etc, we didn't have a load of room for camera equipment, so this entire video was filmed on a GoPro 7, and iPhone 13 Pro. There are a couple of drone shots - but unfortunately we had some issues with our drone (it was flying itself, and went down a cliff, luckily we got it back!) and the weather wasn't hugely drone friendly.
We hope you enjoy this film. If you have any questions about the trail, what we packed and how our experience was, drop us a comment below and we'll be sure to get back to you.
Please consider subscribing to our channel, it really helps us out!
WHO ARE WE?
We are Nigel and Sue (NaS) Adventures, a couple of outdoor adventurers. We've been Overlanding Australia living in our self-converted 4x4 Sprinter van since January 2021. Join us as we visit the highlights, but also share some off the beaten path hidden gems, along with the day to day realities of living in a van.
Thank you so much to our supporters on Patreon - you can join the community here: www.patreon.com/user?u=23150466
Keep up to date with our adventures on instagram at / nas_adventures
Or Facebook / nigelandsueadventures

[@jaydegier3892]

You are both such legends. That was an epic journey and you made it, Something that I will never get to do but travelling with you both was special.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I still can't believe I actually did that! It certainly was an epic adventure

[@Karen_richwillo]

Wow! Wow! Far out that was absolutely so high, track so skinny wow! What an accomplishment!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It's an incredible adventure Karen! Thanks for watching

[@brendanford4850]

Thanks for the adventure. Enjoyed your travels.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Brendan. Are you planning to ride the Old Ghost Road?

[@dani83red]

"There's a dead pigeon in here". Hahaha 😆

[@nigelandsueadventures]

He’s such a trickster!!!

[@LynneCarey]

Well that was an epic trek. I can safely say that’s something I will never get to do in my lifetime! So, it was fantastic to live it vicariously through you guys. A job well done and amazing memories made. A tough trek but you guys did it. 👏 imagine doing it without all the fences, stairs, bridges, huts, without modern bikes and gear! 🤗💖

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It would have been a totally different story without the fences, that’s for sure!! I’m so glad we have this film to look back on, I shed a few tears when I finished the edit. So grateful 🧡🙏

[@LynneCarey]

@@nigelandsueadventures I can imagine. It would have been a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for sure. Thanks for sharing. 😊

[@wendyross5274]

We hiked The Old Ghost Road in January 2024 and, like you guys, think it's right up there with the best we've done. Booked the "Summer Huts" like you and so glad we did. Been a cyclist for many years but wouldn't want to ride it. Well done! 👏👏. Huge achievement. Wendy (68) & Cameron (58). PS. Loving all your videos. Currently waiting on our offroad hybrid to be built, then we'll be travelling Aus regularly.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It would be awesome to hike. How many days/nights did you take? I reckon I walked as much as I rode anyways! haha Thanks so much for watching our videos, so glad you're enjoying them.

[@neilthorman3646]

Oh my goodness you guys are tuff , amazing scenery that’s one hard track I bet you don’t forget that adventure anytime soon

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Neil, I don’t think we will ever forget it. A bucket list item for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@Lee-astrololee]

What an amazing adventure, not for the faint hearted, well done, I wouldn't be even game to walk in let alone ride that trail!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

There were plenty of people walking it. Over 5 days though. We even met one couple RUNNING it.

[@Lee-astrololee]

@@nigelandsueadventures Thats insane lol!

[@brandonwalker345]

Great vid. More honest than most!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you! We try to keep it real. It was a tough ride, but very enjoyable

[@sharronjames2803]

Omg you two!!! So scary watching you go on those trails, too narrow for my liking! But it was good to see the views , so beautiful there 😊

[@nigelandsueadventures]

The scenery was spectacular!

[@phillipalangley643]

Gosh have just watched your journey over what I can see now as a perilous ride!!! Well done you certainly helped each other through the difficulties. More importantly though you had an epic time together & will never forget this. Many thanks for the video don't think we could do it all too scarey even though we have ebikes. 😊😅

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks so much! We absolutely loved the ride. But you know, if I had a dollar for every time I said to Nigel “I should’ve ridden an e-bike” haha You should do it. Just walk the scary parts like I did.

[@MrDanevw88]

Great job... Really enjoyed watching this. You've inspired me to do it!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Cheers! It’s an epic ride. We have such fond memories of that adventure. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did 😁

[@goldenstardust]

Absolutely stunning views! Tough but worth every minute. Thank you for your story!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks! We loved it. Have you ridden the Ghost Road

[@goldenstardust]

@@nigelandsueadventures Not ridden in NZ, but know it well (ex-patKiwi). Currently planning to ride Munda Biddi N2S in 2025.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@goldenstardust nice! We’ve ridden parts of that trail. Would love to do the full thing

[@FISHY101-cc9bd]

They are constructing a bypass trail around the scyline steps and its well on its way to being finished!

[@sallyjones1403]

Awesome video guys

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you!

[@judithbuist164]

Epic guys. THANK YOU for taking me places that at 80years of age I'll never visit. You ARE amazing. Hope your recovery was speedy. Judy, Nelson Bay, Australia. X

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Judy!! We m sure we will enjoy watching back when we’re 80 too!

[@jodieandkylie5091]

Wow guys, that was amazing! I must admit I had sweaty palms in some of that with the drop offs but what a great experience. I am glad you didn’t fall off your bike near a drop off Sue, that was close enough to the edge. Cuties holding hands crossing the finish line at the end together ❤️ Thanks for sharing with us all!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I did stop and walk quite a few times when they didn’t have fences! And the finish line was all Nigel’s idea. Such a romantic!! Haha Thanks for watching 🌻🌻

[@davidfrew1518]

You two are such marvels! What a ride, what an adventure! You guys are really tough. Thanks for making the effort to video this for sharing. I loved the pigeon in the bathhouse bucket joke Nigel. Cheers.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks David! It was such a great adventure, one of our favourite things we’ve ever done.

[@_kayleighbrown]

So cool! Wish we could have done it 😍

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It was one of the great adventures of our life

[@pinkeeist]

I am gobsmacked…… you’re a better man than I am gunda din!!!!! You blokes are dead set amazing. I salute you. Walking that would be treacherous enough without RIDING it!!!! Fantastic

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Catherine! It was challenging but super enjoyable!!

[@NannaGJP]

Congratulations that was epic!! I was exhausted watching from the comfort of my lounge chair!!!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you!! And thanks so much for watching.,

[@jennyrego7321]

Wow! That's some trail! Love watching these adventures

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Jenny! It was an epic adventure. Thanks for watching 🧡

[@amandayeo1300]

Wow! Love it ❤ Thanks for creating all these amazing videos! ❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Glad you like them! Thanks so much for watching . Miss you so much 🧡

[@SandVan]

Awesome epic adventure guys ❤

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Cheers friends! It was so amazing! Beautiful scenery

[@dani_merlin147]

You guys are amazing and brave. Well done.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Dani! We absolutely loved this adventure. There were a few times I didn’t feel very brave though!

[@lesleycameron9132]

Wow - just catching up on your epic bike challenge. You’re both so brilliant at tackling things head on. Those steps were crazy - always think going down is worse than up, especially when it’s so steep. Well done Nigel for taking the bikes down. The views really were spectacular and very worth it….an adventure you’ll always remember!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Lesley, we will remember this ride for ever… and if we don’t at least we have the video haha. Nige was a trooper taking my bike down those stairs!

[@viniettamajor6415]

Wow that was fantastic to watch,well done guys 😁

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks so much for watching Vinietta! It was a brilliant adventure 🧡

[@Leonmila11]

Respect! Great experience, loved watching your video.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks so much Holger! It was an amazing adventure

[@elainemcintyre4407]

Oh my goodness! If this doesn’t encourage our Aussie push bike riders to hop a plane & go do this amazing trail, they need their heads red! This is so beautiful and physically demanding you two Rock!!! I’m in admiration for all those miners & pioneers who blazed out this trail,in the hope of that pot of Gold, what a feat! . Nigel & Sue this video should be showed to all the bike clubs in Auss, this will give them inspiration. Good on you & thank you ,this was totally so enjoyable,Elaine from Brisbane.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Elaine! We would love it if all the bike clubs watched and shared this video! Hopefully we can inspire a few others to remember that “Adventure has No Age Limit”

[@donnamerigan469]

Wow, 👏👏👏👏 that was amazing I clapped at the end you both made it. Love your bike adventures ,

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Glad you enjoyed it Donna, it was a spectacular ride. 🧡

[@juliekirby3958]

it looks absolutely spectacular. And totally terrifying! You were both so brave ( and fit!!). Another great vid :)

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Oh gosh I didn’t feel fit Julie!! It was a real struggle some of the time Thanks for watching!

[@geoffwilson7774]

That’s insane, take some strength and courage to do a bike track as tough as that… you guys are awesome. What an epic trip. 👏🏽

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Geoff! It was a bucket list item for Nigel, and I’d always wanted to do a multi-day ride too. We loved it! Dreaming up the next adventure now!

[@travelswithforrestflo1239]

Wow what an epic trail and a great achievement. Especially filming it while riding it! Well done 🙌 👏💛

[@nigelandsueadventures]

There was a little bit of “helmet cam” with the GoPro, but most of this was filmed on our iPhones. Thanks for watching 🧡

[@2WheelBuzz]

Thanks Sue and Nigel. Well done you two! I've just turned 60 and doing the OGR in two weeks time. We'll be stopping at the same huts as you did and I appreciate the honesty of your take on it. Love the country and people - been a few times now and looking forward to this adventure! Respect to you both!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Have fun! It’s an awesome ride. I’m kind of envious. Hope you get better weather than we did up the top. Would love to see your photos.

[@2WheelBuzz]

@@nigelandsueadventures Sure 😊 I hope to have some GoPro uploads of my own. Will let you know. Cheers, Wayne

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Sounds great. I know you’ll love it! Just watch out for the wekas!

[@annettehinton5196]

Hi, would not have expected anything less from you guys. You knocked it out of the park!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you Annette 🧡🧡

[@carladalton6220]

You guys are amazing! So brave, enthusiastic with a bit of crazy thrown in 🤪 So glad you came out of it relatively unscathed, despite the stacks! Very beautiful scenery. (my lasting memories of our trip to NZ 12 years ago are those shallow rivers with the big grey rocks that seemed to be everywhere). Epic adventure - I bet you slept well for days!!!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yeah it was good to get back to Nigel’s mums at the end, Christmas Eve and all! Thanks for watching!

[@pamclarke8641]

Wow! Well done guys, no way I could even walk some of that by the looks of the drop offs! 😱😂 Stunning scenery though and what an achievement!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Pam! There were a lot of people walking the trail, more than riding. It was so beautiful 🤩

[@robertacasey5204]

Amazing views and ride! Sorry the weather was not a bit better so you would feel better in the middle bit. I would take dark scary water though over those drop offs any day.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Roberta, it was an incredible experience. I think it’s a toss up between the water and the drop offs!

[@ebikeoutdoors]

Great trip guys I love mountain biking but I now have heart disease so normal bikeing is a bit to much for me so made my self an ebike so now I'm back out enjoying the countryside again here in England but you guy's have a beautiful country great Adventure nice one and makes it even better with ag loved one by your side 🚵👍

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks for watching! Aren’t we lucky to have technology like e-bikes that let us keep riding! We can’t wait to check out the trails in the UK when we get back there

[@ebikeoutdoors]

@@nigelandsueadventures some really nice places to ride in the lake district hope you guys have a great time and if there is anything you need a hand with I would be happy to help if I can you seem really nice people hope you guys are having a great day 🚵👍

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@ebikeoutdoors cheers!! Keep in touch and we will reach out when we get closer 👍

[@lh6135]

Greetings Nigel and Sue from Malaysia. I will be retiring from my day job and currently planning my next chapter and stumble on this vlog. Both of you are fantastic, I could only dream of doing it as I am afraid of heights 🫤 Thank you both so much for sharing your experience as this is a close as I can get...but do count my blessing nevertheless. So happy both of you conquered the Old Ghost Road💪🏻

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks so much! Most of our adventures are way less challenging than the Old Ghost Road! We hope you enjoy following our journey. Good luck with your retirement. Will you stay in Malaysia or do you want to go travelling?

[@lh6135]

@@nigelandsueadventures Will certainly follow your adventure. Need the inspiration 😀. Will travel around the back country of Malaysia wee bit and will want to appreciate South Island NZ

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@lh6135 are you a kiwi??

[@lh6135]

@@nigelandsueadventures No, bread and bread in Malaysia, worked in Manchester for a number of years. Love the South Island

[@juliestanton8532]

Wow. Looks spectacular but hard work. Would have been tough pushing loaded bikes up those hills! I need to use panniers coz my saddle is too low for the under-seat bag. I’m thinking that the whole thing might be too wide for the track in many parts. Would be great to walk it though. Well done on surviving it!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I can’t imagine your panniers would be any wider than Nigel’s handlebars!! Fortunately most of the hills were very rideable. Walking it would be awesome too.

[@juliestanton8532]

@@nigelandsueadventures Good point about the handlebars!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@juliestanton8532 omg thank you so much for becoming a Patron 🧡🧡🧡

[@banjopete]

Last day it’s a hammer mill for crushing quartz rock to remove the Gold within.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Ah, thank you!! What an amazing place, have you done the trail?

[@louisvv1]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing. How do you keep your electronics (gopro/drone/phones) charged?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Good question! There was nowhere to charge on the trail, and we didn’t want to take a heavy solar panel. We took one small power pack for our phones and a couple of spare batteries for our GoPro and Drone. There’s no phone reception up there so our phones were on aeroplane mode most of the time, and turned off at night. Basically just used as a camera!

[@aussiequest9543]

OMG, What an awesome trail. I thought some of the Heysen Trail was hard. Is the trail maintained by volunteers? Another great video, Thank You.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

When they were building the trail they set up a trust, so yes it’s all voluntary, they use the funds from the hut fees for maintenance. Hopefully that 4km section will be maintained soon as it’s really unrideable! But I’d happily push my bike over that again!

[@aussiequest9543]

@@nigelandsueadventures was it harder or easier than you expected?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@aussiequest9543 to be honest, I (Sue) didn’t do much research because the one video I did watch part of was so scary. That was before they installed the fences on the sections with the steep drop offs. I would not have been able to ride them without the fences. Unfortunately we hadn’t done much training before the ride, due to working, so that made it harder too. I’ll have to check out the Heysen trail.

[@galaxyontrail]

Nice video, looks like some good challenging terrain. I have been looking at this one for a while. What time of year is the best to do it?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I would definitely say summer time. We rode 21-24 December, and it was quite cold at the alpine parts on day 2 and 3. We also had quite a bit of rain on those days, but west coast New Zealand can have rain at any time apparently.

[@sallyjones1403]

Ooohhh so you don’t have flies is it, or mosquitoes in NZ? But you do have sandflies or midgies as we call them up here in FNQ

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I think they don’t have flies. The sandflies are bigger than our midgies though

[@TaradaleLions]

Could you do this on an eMTB? I’ve got the newer Bosch 750wH battery set up on a cube stereo hybrid 160 LS?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

you certainly could do it on an e-bike, my only concern would be recharging the battery, as there is nowhere to plug in along the route.

[@sallyjones1403]

I would shit myself riding a bike over those suspension bridges 😱😵‍💫😂

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yeah they were a bit scary. After we’d filmed them we walked most of them!

[@nicholasmclaurin1694]

Phenomenal video guys! Definitely my favourite one so far. Great views and videography throughout! 🚵‍♀️🚵

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Cheers Nick! We really wished you could have been there too!

[@nicholasmclaurin1694]

@@nigelandsueadventures Well I guess we'll just have to go and do it again haha

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@nicholasmclaurin1694 hell yes!!!