Kurow – Cycle Trails, River Landscapes and History

Discover Kurow in many different ways: along a long-distance cycle trail, on walks through the river landscape and through its local history. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you’d mainly like to cycle, explore on foot or visit historic places.

Cycle routes with different itineraries

The 301-kilometre Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail runs from Mount Cook to Oamaru and passes through Kurow. The town is a stop along the route and also a starting point for cycling trips in the surrounding area. When planning a route, you can distinguish Kurow’s role as a stop on this through-route from a tour that starts and ends here.

The Hakataramea Cycle Route starts in Kurow, passes through the Hakataramea Valley and then returns to Kurow. This gives it a different character from the Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail: on one route, Kurow is part of the connection between Mount Cook and Oamaru; on the other, the town is both the starting point and the return point. This distinction helps you decide in advance what kind of cycling trip you want, without treating the two routes as one.

On foot: views and river landscape

The Kurow Hill Walkway takes about 30 minutes to reach the summit and offers a few places to stop and rest. Access is from Grey Street, near the Kurow Motels. From Kurow Hill, you can look out over the Hakataramea Valley, the town of Kurow and the braided course of the Waitaki River. The approximate time to the summit and the places to rest give you an idea of what to expect on this walk; the views bring the valley, town and river landscape together in one panorama.

The Kurow Wetlands offer something different: just a few minutes from the town centre, there’s an easy, short, flat walk along the Waitaki River. Local volunteers created and maintain the wetlands to preserve and protect the natural environment and wildlife in this braided-river setting. The Hill Walkway focuses on views from the summit, while the Wetlands offer a short, level walk alongside the river.

Local history and a visit to plan ahead

The Kurow Museum is on Main Street, behind the Information Centre. If you’re planning a museum visit, check visitor information before your trip. The “Birthplace of New Zealand’s Social Security” Heritage Trail uses a map to guide you to historic buildings and places in Kurow. Along the way, it explains the origins of New Zealand’s social security system. The trail focuses on the town’s history, while the museum offers a separate place to visit on Main Street.

The Valli Wine Bar in the centre is another local option; it accepts bookings for wine tastings or group visits. Since visitor information can change, check the latest details before making firm plans for a visit. Together with the Heritage Trail, the wine bar offers a different way to spend time in town than on the cycle routes or walks through the landscape.

Plan the right base for your trip

When looking for a hotel in Kurow, start by considering your itinerary. Will the town mainly be a stop on the Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail or a base for cycling trips in the surrounding area? Or would you like to take a tour through the Hakataramea Valley that returns to Kurow, and also make time for walks or local history? The specific routes, the roughly 30-minute walk to the summit of Kurow Hill and the short, flat path through the wetlands offer different ways to spend your days.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Moeraki, Duntroon, Otematata, Omarama, Waianakarua, Tokarahi, Hampden, Deborah.

For the broader travel overview: Waitaki District.