Frequently asked questions

We’ve composed a list of questions that we are guessing that a number of visitors to this website may be asking. We welcome any other questions that you have and will continue to update this list to make answers easily available.

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Estuary by the Petone Hikoikoi Reserve [photo: Ron Beernink]

Yes, the vast majority of the 50km+ main Great Harbour Way route utilises dedicated shared pathways or separate cycleways and pedestrian paths. This makes it an incredibly safe, low-stress experience as you do the route around the harbour.   There are currently still two areas where cyclists need to go on the road along the Seaview-Pencarrow route.

  • Days Bay in Seaview.   The new Tupua Horo Nuku shared path currently finishes just before Days Bay, and start again after Days Bay.  The Hutt City Council is looking at options to continue a shared path through Days Bay but it has the challenge of limited road space.   
  • Port Road by the Seaview Marina.  Cyclists need to cross the road by the marine businesses and then again by the entrance to the Marina. 

The extended routes of the Great Harbour Way have sections where cyclists and at times walkers have to share the road with cars. These are on roads with low volumes of traffic like the Miramar Peninsula. Our Great Harbour Way Trust will continue to advocate for those extended routes to be made safe for walkers and cyclists.

No. But you can easily view this website on your phone. Each of the route sections under Route Guides includes a map. And also a so-called GPX route file that you can download and import into your favourite walking or navigation app to help you follow either the whole or parts of the Great Harbour Way route. Examples of such walking & cycling navigation apps are Komoot, Strava, and OsmAnd.

We did consider getting an app build but realised that it would cost more money than we have funding for. We hope that in time the Great Harbour Way will be part of the Great New Zealand Urban Trails that may be established in time, which will have its own app that will allow navigation of the Great Harbour Way.

There is no official place to start the route. Most people are likely to start from the Wellington Waterfront and cycle north or south along the route, or take the ferry across to Days Bay on the east side of the harbour to start the route there.

If you do want to have the honour of having done the whole Great Harbour Way route, we recommend the following directions

Absolutely! The Route Options describes all the possible options based on the time you have available or the distance you want to do.

We have decided not include accommodation options on this website. But yes, there are plenty of accommodation services available if you want to stay 1 or more nights to do the Great Harbour Way. These are some of the booking sites you can check out: WellingtonNZ, AirBnB, Booking.com, Hotel Trivago.

No. The New Zealand Great Rides are routes that are in the wildnerness and away from urban areas. There is a possibility that a new Great Urban Rides category may be introduced, which would very likely include the Great Harbour Way route.

There are a couple of options for people who can not ride or walk because of their age or a disability.

  • Riding with Olivia (Cycling without Age) is a Petone-based community group that gives rides to people who cannot ride or walk themselves.  They have three electric ‘trio’ / ‘rickshaw’ bikes that have a seat up the front that can take two people.  There is a group of volunteers who do the riding for you. They can provide rides along the Te Ara Tupua path and the Petone foreshore.     There is no cost involved.   You can book a ride via the Riding with Olivia website.
  • Croc Bikes is located at Ferg’s Kayaks along the Wellington Waterfront.  You can hire a bike to go along the waterfront, all the way to Oriental Bay.  They have 3, 4 or 6 seater bikes and the cost is $23 to $35 per hour, depending on the size of the bike.  The bikes are not electric.  You will need a capable person to do the riding for you.   You can find out more information and book a ride via the Croc Bikes website.
  • The Great Harbour Way is purely focused on the walking & cycling route around Wellington’s harbour, that can be done by people of different ages and abilities.  
  • The Remutaka Cycle Trail is more geared towards fit cyclists and is typically a 2-day bike packing ride if you want to do the whole trail.  It is a fantastic route that goes from the Petone foreshore along the Hutt River up to Upper Hutt and then via the Remutaka Incline over the hill to Lake Wairarapa, from where you go down to Ocean Beach and carry on via the wonderful wild south coast to eventually return to Petone via Pencarrow and Eastbourne.  That last bit of the route is also part of the Great Harbour Way.