Motatapu 2027

What it is

Motatapu is a mountain bike, trail run and walk event through some of New Zealand’s most stunning private backcountry: the Motatapu, Mt Soho and Glencoe high-country stations between Lake Wānaka and Arrowtown. Organisers call it more than a race, “a rite of passage”, and it is the only day of the year most people get to travel this route. The 2027 event is on Saturday 6 March.

The events

• Emerson’s Mountain Bike Race (47 km): about 1,150 m of climbing, starting at Glendhu Station near Lake Wānaka and finishing in historic Arrowtown. The first 34 to 35 km is mostly Grade 1 to 2 riding, followed by a more technical Grade 3 descent from Soho.
• Trail Marathon (42 km): about 1,050 m of climbing
• Rab Ultra (52 km): the toughest option, with about 3,000 m of climbing
• UDC Finance Miners Trail (15 km): part of the Kea Series for the 2026-27 season
• Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run: a short run for kids

The route follows a path once used by early Māori for hunting, gathering and carrying pounamu (greenstone).

Who it suits

Fit mountain bikers and trail runners looking for a bucket-list backcountry day, and walkers who want a big but achievable challenge on the Miners Trail. Supporters can wait at the Arrowtown finish.

Entry and rules

Entries for 2027 are open on the official site, with early-bird pricing for those who enter first. Read the compulsory gear list: there are random gear checks at the start line. Event transport options take you to the starts and home from the finish, which is worth booking for a point-to-point course.

The land

The stations are part of the Mahu Whenua project, whose name translates as “healing the land”. More than a million native trees, flaxes, shrubs and grasses have been planted, and more than 90% of the land was placed under QEII National Trust covenants in 2015, the largest conservation undertaking on private land in New Zealand’s history. The event donates from every entry to the Queenstown Trails Trust, and in 2026 it gave back more than $20,000.

Getting there

Arrowtown is about 20 minutes’ drive from Queenstown and an hour from Wānaka over the Crown Range (estimates). Queenstown Airport is the closest airport.

Where to stay

Stay in Wānaka for the start or Arrowtown and Queenstown for the finish, and use the event transport for the other end. Our things to do in Wānaka guide and where to stay in Queenstown guide cover both.

What to bring

Follow the compulsory gear list. Early March in the high country can be hot and dry, or cold and wet, sometimes on the same day.

Make a trip of it

Stay on for Arrowtown’s cafés and gold-mining history, Queenstown’s lake and gondola with our things to do in Queenstown guide, or Wānaka’s lakefront with our things to do in Wānaka guide.