New Zealand's Original Great Ride offers some of the best cycling in New Zealand. Open all year round- ride without traffic, under Central Otago’s big skies surrounded by amazing landscapes and steeped in "Southern Hospitality".

Developed for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, the Otago Central Rail Trail follows the former Otago Central branch railway line for 150kms from Middlemarch to Clyde. Cycle the trail year round and be sure to book a minimum of two nights in the Maniototo. Over 80kms of the trail runs through this majestic land and many cyclists leave feeling they have missed out and needed more time. View hidden treasures unable to be seen from the road from vast mountain vistas, wide open space and meandering waterways.

The Trail makes a connection between a number of small communities rich with stories and heritage.

The Trail itself is free. You can plan and travel independently or select a Tour Planner to arrange an experience that's right for you.

The rolling hills and valleys of Central Otago give you the chance to hunt for a range of animals.

Heralded as an angler’s paradise, Central Otago offers the fishing enthusiast world-class opportunities to indulge in the quiet pleasures offered by their favourite past-time.

The region provides a fantastic variety of fishing opportunities in a place where vast mountain vistas are usually the backdrop. Central Otago’s rivers boast excellent fishing in places where safe, easy access is readily available for the family outing. There are also plenty of spots for the more adventurous who like to get off the beaten track in search of the more discreet fishing location.

Naseby hosts a store, pub, cafe and the Maniototo Early Settler museum.

Take a night sky tour in the light pollution free skies or experience top class mountain bike tracks. Naseby forest trails make a popular playground for walkers and one of the best mountain bike terrains in New Zealand.

With an indoor ice rink for curling, Naseby has also become the all-year-round “ice capital” of New Zealand – have a go, you don’t need to be experienced. Outdoors there is a winter skating rink as well as an ice luge, where you can sledge down 800m through the forest.

If you are not feeling so energetic, Naseby is an attractive place to relax – historic old buildings, a café, a couple of old pubs, museums…

When Maori first moved through the Maniototo, flowing red tussocks covered the valleys and hillsides. On route to the West Coast in their search for Pounamu (NZ Greenstone or Jade) the name Maniototo or ‘Plains of Blood’ was given by Maori. Massive fires have long destroyed most of the tussocks but the name remains.

The Maniototo Heritage Trail covers some 200 kms of sealed and gravel roads. You may decided to do parts of the trail or complete it over two days. Visit historic townships, remote country pubs and cemeteries. The trail provides many places to explore and to view the vast landscape.

Take your camera when you visit this tiny one-street village in the northern reaches of the Manuherikia Valley. The picturesque blue lake is famous, but one look at the old historical buildings in St Bathans tells you that here is another fascinating story from the past.

Only a handful of people live here now, but this former gold mining town was once home to 2000 people. Like every gold mining town they had several hotels, now only the Vulcan Hotel remains. You can stay here – and the ghost in Room 1 is reportedly quite friendly.

Blue Lake Walk - You can walk right around this bright blue lake, which is ringed by spectacular white quartz cliffs, sculpted by the miners – it will take about 20 minutes, unless you keep stopping for photographs.

Hunting on horses to hounds is one of the oldest sports in existence dating back to early European history. Hunting in NZ was introduced by early settlers nostalgic for the sport of their homeland, forming the first Hunt, the Auckland Hunt Club in the 1860's.

Our country takes in the Central Otago District ranging from Queenstown in the west to the watershed of the Rock and Pillar Range in the east. From Raes Junction in the south to Wanaka in the north. The best country hunted is mostly sheep farming country. Some areas hunted are rolling downs, still in native grasses.

Our season starts in early to mid March and usually finishes in mid June, when icy roads and wintery weather start to make travelling and hunting difficult.