Experience the ultimate ‘get down and dirty’ ground-gripping adventure on your New Zealand holiday.

Like 4WD Safaris, motorbike tours are a great way to view spectacular backcountry while having a truckload of fun in the process.

‘Quad Bikes’ as four-wheel farm bikes are known here, are the most common form of transport on New Zealand sheep and cattle stations. They are amazingly versatile and manoeuvrable, and equally suited to agricultural pursuits and recreational use for fun rides, hunting, fishing or wilderness exploring.

Guided off-road adventure tours are popping up all over the country. Look for quad bike tours in Auckland, Kaitaia, Ahipara, Rotorua, Taupo, Marton, Featherston, Wellington, Nelson, Queenstown, Hanmer Springs and a number of other centres.

Take the opportunity to sample this form of awesome adventure travel. It’s physically challenging and good clean fun (if you miss the mud holes). Expect to see a variety of landscapes – farm, forestry, native bush, sand dunes or beaches. All gear is provided by the operators – you just need the will to try something quite different.

Off-road rides are usually led by a qualified guide and range from 2 to 4 hours with the option of multi-day expeditions for dedicated quad bike adventurers. Full handling instructions are given and previous experience is not required.

So grab the challenge with both hands. Hop on yer bike, grip the throttle and head off on a ‘mud-tastic’ motorbike adventure.