We had been hearing heaps about the Mangapurua Track so finally decided to check it out for ourselves.

Darren at Mountain Bike Station was extremely helpful with advice on riding times, track conditions and gear requirements so we felt confident we knew what we were in for. He also organised all the shuttles and jet boat details for us, so we just had to ride. In the van on the way to Ruatiti he gave us a run down on the history of the area, as well as plenty of discussion about other new MTB tracks in the area. There were six of us in our group, including a 12 and a 10-year-old, and a complete range of MTB skills from "total nana on the downhills" (and that wasn't the children!) to expert. Everyone loved the day; we were riding for about 5 1/2 hours all up, but at a very leisurely pace and with plenty of stops to read the track notes. The track is a bit muddy and greasy in places, but never on the uphills, and it all added to the experience. The scenery is spectacular in places, especially the steep gorges the track sidles around. The bridge itself is amazing - but quite strange the way it suddenly appears in front of you!

Thanks Darren for organising a highlight of our summer, we'll be back for more.

Reviewed almost 13 years ago