Port Hills mountain biking, and flying off the ridge

Port Hills mountain biking starts minutes from the city center. ChristchurchNZ splits the riding into areas: Victoria Park, the original home of downhill riding, has 71 trails, the eastern hills from Heathcote Valley to Godley Head have 25, and the western hills 22.^2,6,7 Lyttelton adds 23 tracks of its own on the harbor side.⁸

Getting to the top is the first decision. ChristchurchNZ lists the options: drive to the Summit Road, take the chairlift at the Christchurch Adventure Park, or climb one of the tracks from the city, with Rapaki as the usual choice.⁹ The Rapaki Track is shared with walkers and climbs 333m over 3.6kms, while Huntsbury Track climbs 190m.¹⁰

The descents are the payoff. The most popular eastern route is the Sumner to Godley Head Loop, and Captain Thomas Track is described as the longest descent in the Port Hills.^11,12 In Victoria Park you can drive to the Summit Road car park and choose from the trails dropping back toward the city.²

For lift-served riding, the Christchurch Adventure Park is the place. It sits on 358 hectares of private land and opened on 16 December 2016.¹³ Its chairlift runs 1.8 kilometres and was designed to carry riders and their bikes, and the park describes it as the first in the country built that way.^1,35 ChristchurchNZ goes further and describes it as the largest mountain bike park in the Southern Hemisphere.³⁶

Trail counts differ by source. ChristchurchNZ gives 59 trails with year-round lift-assisted riding, while the park's own page says it now has over 40 unique biking trails.^23,17 Either way, there is a lot to ride, from wide flowing trails to technical lines, and you can spend a full day without repeating a run. Newcomers are pointed to Duncan's Donuts, the beginner trail, and children to a trail called Bridging the Gap.³¹

The park's advice on safety is blunt: 70% of people who injure themselves there do so on their first or second lap, so warm up on an easier trail.³⁷ Riders must wear an approved helmet and shoes with closed toes.³⁸ Under 10s ride free with an adult, and all riders must be over 1m to use the chairlift.^25,24 Riders who want a break from the trails can book the park's Zipline Tour, about 2.5 hours with two guides over 4 dual lines; it only stops for high winds or lightning.^27,26

The park is at 50 McVicar Drive, reached by turning off Worsleys Road.⁴⁹ It warns that searching for the park in Apple Maps usually sends you the wrong way, toward Dyers Pass.⁵⁰ There are approximately 500 car parks, which can fill at busy times.⁵¹

Without a car it takes more effort. The closest bus stop is at 349 Hoon Hay Rd on the Orbiter route, about a 30-minute walk from the park.⁵² Riding there from the city is an option on the bike-friendly streets, and the park reminds riders that New Zealand law requires a helmet whenever you ride.⁴

Leashed dogs may join you in the village, though they are kept off the trails and the hill.⁵³ Non-riders can still come along: entry is free, anyone can hike the uphill trail, and the descent by chairlift costs nothing.⁵⁴ That makes it a good meeting point for a mixed group of riders and walkers, with the café deck as the place to regroup between laps.

You cannot simply turn up and fly solo. The national association states that you cannot teach yourself to fly safely, and that a club instructor or commercial school can teach you.³⁴ Civil aviation rules require every hang glider or paraglider pilot to hold an appropriate pilot certificate, issued by the association under delegation from the Director of Civil Aviation.^40,58

Training takes time and depends on the weather. Getting to unsupervised flying takes anywhere from 7 days to several months, longer if the weather keeps you grounded.⁵⁹ Schools cover meteorology, flight theory, piloting skills and air law.⁶⁰ Beginners hold a student rating that lets them fly gentle sites under an instructor's supervision.⁶¹

A tandem flight is the quick way to try it. Tandem pilots must hold the advanced PG3 rating.²⁸ ParaPro, a Lyttelton school listed by ChristchurchNZ, offers tandem flights and courses, and says paragliders can climb to 3500ft and beyond on a good thermal day.^62,63 Book directly with a registered operator, and check the wind on the day. Flights depend on conditions, so build a buffer day into the trip if a tandem matters to you, and dress for a cool wind on the launch even in summer.