Summary

Distance and difficulty: 45 - 55 km per day. Moderate difficulty; mostly level or downhill, occasional short hills, some loose, rocky or sandy surfaces.

Track type: Mostly unsealed forestry roads. One day approx half sealed roads.

Duration: 3 days, 3 nights, from Friday March 11 to Monday March 14.

Cost: $750

Location: Based at Cape Conran, East Gippsland.

Includes: All meals, accommodation, guide, support vehicle.

Suited to: Mountain and some hybrid bikes. BYO, or we can supply a mountain bike for the weekend for $50.

Accommodation: National Park lodge, shared rooms

Tour inclusions

• Three excellent meals each day from dinner Friday to lunch Monday, stuffed with carbs, protein and flavor!
• Comfortable accommodation in a timber lodge in the dunes amongst banksias and bloodwoods. Accommodation is in multi share rooms. Talk to us if you have particular requirements for accommodation.
• Fresh brewed tea and coffee, high energy snacks, water and seats at rest stops in beautiful locations during the day.
• All transport throughout the ride with our friendly experienced local driver; a pick up service during the day so you can choose just how much of each day you want to ride.
• Three fantastic day rides exploring the widely varied forests and valleys of far east Gippsland.Bus support gives us the freedom to explore some of the very best the area has to offer, with some days rides starting and or finishing a short bus trip from our accommodation. Bikes are transported on a custom built bike trailer.
• Knowledgeable local tour leader with extensive cycle tour experience.
• Meet and talk to local people: learn about the landscape you are riding through.
• First aid and mechanical back up, communications system for safety in remote areas.

You will need to provide:

• Mountain or hybrid bike in good condition.OR hire one from us for $50 for the 3 days.
• Helmet and suitable cycling clothes (list provided on booking)
• A suitable level of fitness
• Toiletries and personal effects.
• Camera, definitely. Don’t miss the shots of a lifetime!
• A sense of adventure!

Itinerary.

 Friday March 11: Meet at Oliveberry Lodge, Cape Conran late afternoon, with plenty of time to explorie the magnificent beach and headland of East Cape before sharing our first dinner together in the evening.

Saturday March 12: Distance 55 km, 20% sealed, 60% unsealed, 20% forest track.  We pedal away from the Lodge to explore the richly varied coastal forest and heathlands that surround it. Other than a few short climbs out of gullies todays ride is fairly level as we take in grass tree heathlands, groves of banksias and casurinas, ending the day ride back at the lodge.

Sunday March 13: Distance 50 km, 50% sealed, 50% unsealed. The bus takes us out to Club Terrace to explore the Combienbar valley which provides an easy and hugely enjoyable ride. Rich farmland along the valley floor gives way to forest until we are riding alongside rainforest and pristine rivers, which rise on the Errinundra Plateau which towers above us. At the very foot of the plateau we meet the Ada River, judiciously turning back for a fantastic run back down the valley, returning finally to our lodge by bus.

Monday March 14: Distance 45 km, all unsealed. The winding road climbing into the foothills is taken care of by the bus, leaving us with a mostly downhill run for the day. On the way we travel through the tiny, exquisite Glen Arte valley, pass by forst giants and finally discover rare specimens of Cabbage Palm not far from our lodge, where we return by mid afternoon at the conclusion of the tour.

Road surface definitions
Forest Track: Formed but unsurfaced, could include sections with sand, loose rocky surface or forest litter; occasional sections only passable by 4WD.
Unsealed: Formed road with gravel surface, generally well maintained.
Sealed: Surfaced with asphalt or concrete; all sealed roads used in these tours are extremely quiet.
Snowy River Cycling reserves the right to alter the routes at any time without notice, including accommodation which may be altered to alternative accommodation of as close to an equivalent standard as possible.