Rotorua rated one of the world’s best mountain biking destinations

Rotorua's trails attract riders from all over the world. Photo / Graeme Murray

Rotorua has been named one of the best mountain biking destinations in the world.

The city was named one of the 10 ‘Best Mountain Bike Destinations Around the World: 2023′ by Strava, an online fitness tracking service.

Queenstown was the only other New Zealand location to make the list alongside two Canadian cities, two cities in the US, and one each in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, and Scotland.

Strava said Rotorua was “unequivocally the epicentre of mountain biking on New Zealand’s North Island”.

It said the extensive trail system of 220km in the Whakarewarewa Forest was “so spectacular and diverse” that many mountain bike tourists to New Zealand park themselves here and never leave.

It described how the black dirt single track through the “deep, dark” forest added to the experience, with the trails resilient to the damp climate.

“Professional trail building, including grade reversals, berms, and tons of jumps, not only provide supremely entertaining trails but also drain water well, too.”

It gushed about the mountain bike-related amenities in the city, with a “plethora” of bike repair and rental shops, local guides, and shuttle services.

Another point was scored as the forest was “one of the few” mountain bike parks where all services were available year-round.

It said Te Tihi o Tawa Trail in the Whakarewarewa Forest was a “must-ride” and urged enthusiasts to head to the Skyline Bike Park which was “New Zealand’s first all-year gondola downhill mountain bike park”.

Visitors who came to Rotorua in 2021 for the sole purpose of mountain biking spent $103.4m, a report commissioned by RotoruaNZ in August 2022 showed.

The report showed that other visitors who mountain biked while staying in Rotorua for other reasons spent a further $36.4m, a total boost of $139.8m to the local economy.