This trip first took shape in my mind five months earlier while scouring Google Maps, searching for any tracks or roads I could ride through Fiordland. That’s when I discovered what appeared to be a road leading to Doubtful Sound.
Digging deeper, I learned that this road was built during the construction of the Manapouri Power Station at the West Arm of Lake Manapouri. To transport materials and equipment for the project, a road was constructed, linking Doubtful Sound to the lake via the 671m-high Wilmot Pass. Additionally, two more roads were built to support the electricity pylons connecting the power station to Invercargill—one leading from the power station up to Percy’s Saddle at 1,075m and another starting inland, following the Borland Burn over the 990m-high Borland Saddle before climbing the opposite side of Percy’s Pass, stopping 250m below the summit.
All of this set the stage for an epic bikepacking route: First, tackling the Borland Road, then bushwhacking to the top of Percy’s Pass with the bikes before descending to the power station, continuing to Doubtful Sound, and finally returning to the West Arm of the lake to catch a boat back to civilization.
This post details my second attempt at reaching Doubtful Sound by bike. My first, two months earlier, ended in failure—I underestimated the mountains, didn’t bring enough food and got caught in snow, breaking both my phone and GPS.
This time, I was far better prepared. My setup was lighter, and I knew what to expect. Setting off from Te Anau after work, I was joined on the trip by the only person I could convince, my housemate Elise.
Our first night was spent camping at Lake Monowai, after riding an easy 70km on the sealed roads.
We joined the Borland Road for day 2, following the powerlines as they snaked through the landscape.
By mid-morning, we reached Borland Saddle, which offered stunning views over the Borland and Grebe Valleys.
What followed was a fantastic descent—a fast, flowing ride down into the valley along an empty gravel road.
Stopping for an early lunch, we found shelter in an old workers’ hut, avoiding both the rain and relentless sandflies.
Continuing after lunch, we made a detour to the South Arm of Lake Manapouri.
Shuffling under a locked gate and crossing a bridge, we joined the road toward Percy’s Pass. The route began gently, winding through the flat forest of Percy Valley, but soon turned steep, with loose gravel and sharp gradients forcing us to push the bikes uphill.
At the base of the pass, we removed our bags and prepared for the hardest section of the trip. The track through the forest was poorly marked and impossible to wheel the bikes through, so we had to carry them. This meant two trips—one for the bikes and another for the bags. Fallen trees and boulders blocked our way, forcing us to lift and pass the bikes to each other.
After an hour of struggling through the dense forest, we had barely gained any elevation—only moving sideways along the same contour line. What lay ahead was the real challenge: a steep, 250m scramble to the top. Once again, this required two trips. Climbing with a bike on my shoulder felt precarious, especially on the edge of the cliffs, where my only grip came from tufts of grass. More than once, it felt genuinely unsafe knowing that if I lost balance I’d have to drop my bike down the mountain to save myself.
Two exhausting hours later, we finally reached the summit, setting up camp in the clouds at the top of the pass.
The morning greeted us with spectacular views—each side of the pass revealed a vastly different landscape.
The descent to the West Arm of Lake Manapouri was rough, littered with boulders from past landslides, but still a great ride.
After lunch in another hut, we crossed over Wilmot Pass that afternoon, finally arriving in Doubtful Sound.
Spending the night at the Deep Cove Hostel, we explored some nearby waterfalls, hiked an old track crossing Wilmot Pass, and checked out the massive pipe where water flows out from the power station.
The final day was an easy ride back over Wilmot Pass before catching the boat back to Manapouri, bringing an end to an unforgettable four-day adventure.
This was easily one of the craziest trips I’ve done anywhere. I’ve never felt as remote as I did camping on top of Percy’s Pass, nor has any climb been as hard as hiking the bike up percys pass, taking 3 hours to gain 250m, but that’s what made this trip so rewarding.
Will Scam 