The Motu Loop combines the best of all three of the Motu Trails. It begins and ends in Opotiki.
Follow the Dunes Trail along the coast until you reach the Motu Road trail, Ride up it for about 40 km to the start of the Pakihi Track. Follow that trail back to Opotiki to complete the circuit.
It's an adventure for intermediate and advanced riders who generally take two days, staying overnight at the Toatoa Farmstay, www.toatoaaccommodation.co.nz.
This is probably the your best option for the Motu experience. You'll get to enjoy the curvy and gently undulating Dunes Trail. Next you'll get a good workout as you ride up Motu Road. You'll climb 660m but the gradient is well controlled and never very steep so you'll be able to enjoy the back country bush and remote farms. The Farmstay at Toatoa is 15km before the start of the Pakihi Track and is an interesting part of the whole adventure. They offer a very reasonable package that includes dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch. And they'll bring your overnight gear up from Opotiki and take it back down the next day.
Next is the ride down the Pakihi Track. It's absolutely stunning. You're in rugged, remote and spooky Jurassic Forest on a benched track cut into steep slopes. It descends slowly and steadily - you hardly have to pedal! This trail is classed grade 4, advanced, mainly because of of the side exposure which is scary but many intermediate riders ride it, walking here and there. About tweny five awesome kilometers you reach the bottom, come out of the forest and follow roads to Opotiki for the final 20km.
This is the best way to experience the legendary magic of the Motu Trails. Do it in one day if you're really fit; in two days staying at Toatoa Farmstay if you're reasonably fit.
| Thank