Home > Auckland > Food and Wine-Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island from Auckland
USD $110.00
Food and Wine-Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island from Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
Sample the bounty of Waiheke Island on a 4-hour food and wine tour that visits Stonyridge Vineyard, Casita Miro, Mudbrick Vineyard and the Rangihoua Estate. Hop off your ferry from Auckland for lunch, followed by a sampling of wine, beer and olive oils. Nestled in the Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke has the ideal micro-climate for growing grapes and olives. Discover for yourself why Waiheke is renowned for producing some of New Zealand’s most acclaimed artisan wines!
Board your ferry at Auckland’s Ferry Terminal for a relaxing 40-minute cruise to Waiheke Island, a bucolic combination of farmland, forest, beaches and seaside villages. You might think you’re in France when you see the vineyards, olive trees, and lavender fields!
Upon arrival at the island, you’ll be greeted by your tour driver and taken by air-conditioned coach to Stonyridge Vineyard, one of Waiheke’s first wineries and a specialist in Bordeaux-style red wines. Enjoy a tour of the vineyard followed by a wine tasting and light lunch.
After lunch, you’ll head to the award-winning Rangihoua Estate for a tasting of their olive oils. See the olive orchards and a demonstration of harvesting techniques, then learn about the process of making extra virgin olive oil. Finally you’ll sample a variety of olive oils in the estate’s tasting room.
Enjoy a visit to Casita Miro before proceeding to the last stop on your tour, Mudbrick Vineyard. Mudbrick Vineyard is a winery and restaurant with stunning views overlooking the Hauraki Gulf. Savor the final wine sampling amid lush gardens and vineyards.
At the end of the tour you’ll have the option to return with the tour bus to the wharf for a late-afternoon ferry ride back to Auckland. Alternatively, you can choose to stay on the island and return at your leisure. You’ll be provided with a complimentary All Day Bus Pass that allows you to further explore Waiheke Island on the public bus. Ferries to Auckland run until late in the evening; check the schedule for details. You may not want to leave after you get a taste of the fine food and wine of Waiheke!
This was a great tour - you take the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island, and then when you get off the ferry, the bus driver is in the terminal with a sign to direct you to the bus. Then, you spend half the day going from winery to olive oil maker to winery. I'm not a huge wine fan, but the day was fantastic. I took this trip solo and quickly made friends several of the Australian and British groups also on the tour. The views are very pretty. Lunch was pretty good, nothing amazing, but not terrible, and it was enjoyable to get to sit down and converse with other tour members. I recommend, after the ferry ride back to Auckland, having dinner in one of the restaurants in the ferry building. It was a great way to end the day.
Review by: genevievefenton, April 2018
A nice way to get a taste of Waiheke Island. We only had one free day, and we really wanted to try some of the wines on Waiheke. This tour made it easy to get there, get around the island, and try some wines. We really enjoyed all three wine stops, and our bus driver/guide was very cheerful, also. At the end of the last tasting, she offered to stop at the winery next door to drop off anyone who didn't want to go back to the ferry, which we did. Overall, I'd say it was a great way to see a bit of the island, but next time, I'd definitely try to stay longer and see more.
Review by: John P. B, April 2018
A good tour. The friendly, informative driver/guide met us at the ferry terminal on the island. Good wineries to visit with enthusiastic guides to explain their products. A very good lunch sitting outside not far from the vines. The only disappointment was the size of the group. As we got on the bus to start the tour a group of 18 was added. That would have been okay, but they acted like they didn't want to be there, their talking amongst themselves over the driver and local guides was distracting, and they were always late returning to the bus._br/_ Included in the tour price was a local bus pass for the island, but the tour finished at 5pm and I don't think anyone stayed to use it.
Review by: Sarah W, April 2018
The tour guide was really friendly and funny and we went to range of different wineries, with different experiences. A really good day out from Auckland.
Review by: Randi L, April 2018
Excellent guide! Fun wineries, good wines - this is a perfect way to spend a day in Auckland!
Review by: Japandrea02, April 2018
This tour was with Fullers travel - and while yes, the wines were lovely and Waiheke is oh so scenic - and I may have had the best sugared olive I've ever tasted in my life.... this wine tour was too big! There were 36 people in total. We rode on a large coach. Our first stop which included lunch: there wasn't enough room for my husband and I to dine with the group so we took our plate of quiche to a side picnic table and ate alone. When we got back on the bus, while we weren't late, we no longer had seats. Someone had taken our seats and the only two remaining were the back middle seat the row of five and one other. Thankfully someone moved so that we could still sit together, but then he had the unfortunate experience of sitting in the middle of the very back of the bus squished between two other couples. One of the best aspects of wine tours is meeting the other people, but this group was so large that we only met the guy who gave his seat up for us. The intentions of this tour were certainly good and our guide, Kate, did her best to keep everyone happy and accounted for imagine rounding up 36 strangers at various wineries. My suggestion would be to book a more intimate tour unless mass wine wandering with strangers is your goal. However, if this is the only option on Waiheke, go for it. The final stop for us was Mudbrick - and that place can't be missed.
Review by: Edward C, April 2018
One of the most wonderful tours you could imagine -- incredible wines, remarkable vistas, outstanding guide, and overall a fascinating, wonderful day!
Review by: Terence H, April 2018
We thoroughly enjoyed our Wine on Waiheke tour, despite it being a substitute for our originally booked Taste of Waiheke tour -- since the cruise ship was late arriving in Tauranga, we missed our original tour but Fullers Group accommodated us on this later albeit somewhat less-extensive tour. The 3 award-winning vineyards we visited were well chosen and our driver/guide was fun and informative -- we enjoyed the many wine samples, demonstrations and learning experiences.
Review by: Mercedes B, March 2018
This tour was fantastic, the guide was really knowledgeable of the entire area. All food and wines tasted were delicious and best of all it was a short ferry ride from Auckland CBD. Highly recommend!
Review by: Kimberly C, March 2018
Enjoyed the wine and seeing the island
Review by: Joanne L, March 2018
Great wineries and delicious lunch! Highly recommended!!
Review by: Jerome F, March 2018
What a fabulous time we had on our tour with Jocelyn! She was so entertaining and made the trip lots of fun. The wineries that were selected for our Tour were incredible. Each one was so different and we were turned over to an expert at each winery. We also enjoyed our time tasting olive oil and learning about the processing. Our lunch at the first winery was delightful and enjoyed by all. We decided on this tour rather than book one through our cruise ship and we were thrilled with our decision. We got off the ship, crossed the street and caught the ferry over to Waiheke Island. It was so easy and very affordable.
Review by: Mary Lee M, March 2018
picking up our passes was A SNAP at the number 2 dock . Our bus driver was waiting for us with a big sign .She was fun and knowledgeable. All three wineries were great ,Lunch was satisfying.
Review by: Debbie B, March 2018
We absolutely loved Waiheke Island and all the places that we stopped at. Unfortunately however the tour guide wasn't great and seemed to get side tracked very easily. Also the tour wasn't as advertised. We didn't get to go to The Batch or Dellows and when I asked the guide about this, she casually said that the 10h30 tour was different to the 10h00 tour. I just find it a bit annoying that we weren't told this or given an option. Although the places we went to were beautiful it was disappointing that we didn't get to go to Dellows as we were really looking forward to sampling the whisky and gin. Also bear in mind that the all day bus pass referred to is merely for the public bus service and doesn't include the hop on hop off Explorer Bus. The places we went to were still worthwhile and if you are looking for an overall view and wanting to stop at beautiful wine farms, then this is still a good option.
Review by: Judith N, March 2018
Day started with the boat trip out of Auckland. Able to see the Queen Elizabeth which was anchored in the harbour plus having a wonderful view of the Sky tower and other buildings as we crossed over to Waiheke Island._br/_ Mini bus driver was excellent and provided us with lots of useful information. All the visits were good and we enjoyed the tastings especially at Casa Miro.
Review by: john_stettler, March 2018
Wine and olives -- one could almost exist with nothing else, and this tour offered plenty of both. But then the included lunch was wonderful too. We didn't feel rushed, and the tour operator brought us back to the cruise port with plenty of time to spare. Talking to some of our fellow passengers we found, as I expected, that the cost to do the same event as a Celebrity tour cost nearly twice as much.
Review by: Matt L, March 2018
Positives: The scenery is breath taking on Waiheke. The meal at the winery was very tasty._br/_ Negatives: There could have been more wine to taste at some of the wineries. One winery only had you taste one wine. And the bus was very hot taking you around to the various places._br/_ Other notes: There is walking involved at the wineries so be prepared for that. It is not like a northern California wine tasting where it is basically done in a room.
Review by: ibalio21, March 2018
What a great experience touring this very unique island. Our driver, whose name was Nu definitely made our tour even more fun. He was knowledgeable about the history of Waiheke island and also very entertaining throughout the day. We really enjoyed the wine tour and our lunch at the winery. Can't say enough great things about this tour. I highly recommend booking this tour.
Review by: martin.vaughan, March 2018
This tour was by far the “best” activity we did in Auckland... 1st stop the best for wine, and the 3rd stop great for sprits. 2nd stop was an “ok” tasting with an average local lunch (maybe bring a snack for those who don’t like quiche)
Review by: Debra S, March 2018
Great tour but bus didn't have air and couldn't open up the windows. The tour guide was great and really made sure we were taken care of. We felt confident w/ leaving things on the bus, and had a blast with the tasting.
Review by: Paul M, March 2018
Very enjoyable.
Review by: Sandra K, February 2018
Nice venues to try wines and spirits and included an all-day local bus pass so we could go to places and return on our own schedule
Review by: jericharman, February 2018
Great way to tour the Waiheke Island. You could also tour on the hop on off bus this tour got you into the wineries with one on one tastings and explanations. The lunch was excellent and lots to eat. Our bus driver/guide, Marilyn hope I got it right was passionate about home and making sure he had a great experience. Highly recommend.
Review by: Paul C, February 2018
Rushed in places,especially lunch. Too much time at the end.
Review by: Carina F, February 2018
I would suggest more time during lunch!!, It was very quick. Otherwise, just spectacular views and wonderful wines
Review by: Kathryn D, November 2017
Fun time! Enjoyed the tastings. Tour pace was good.
Review by: Drkmiller33, October 2017
Im still raving about this experience months later!
Review by: Edwin J, October 2017
This tour was perfect!
Review by: CRAIG J, October 2017
We really enjoyed our Tour it was well organized ran on time and we enjoyed some very nice NZ wines and food And To die for Wineries set overlooking the coast line......
Review by: Anita L, October 2017
Excellent and brilliant experinse, could not have been better. Very knowledge driver and hosts. Three local and passionate vineyards and the Olive grove was also very nice. Would recommend to any wine lover, the added bonus is amazing views across the island and to Auckland. Big thumbs up.
Review by: Jan R, October 2017
Food was good, wine was good. Enough said.
Review by: gsff, September 2017
Great trip. 30 went on the day. Managed to talk to most. Food was good and wine a plus. Excellant day.
Review by: Meelad Z, September 2017
This was an amazing tour._br/_ Our tour guide Les was funny, informative and professional._br/_ The fact that we also had a detour to view the sights on Waiheke i.e go to some of the beaches, was really cool as well.
Review by: Leah G, September 2017
I had a great time in Waiheke and would definitely recommend this tour. The tour guide was enthusiastic and personable, and I was impressed at her ability to navigate some of the tight turns on the island. I loved each vineyard we stopped at as not only was there great wine and food, but the staff were all wonderful and friendly. Despite the poor weather, everyone was accommodating and made sure we got the most out of the experience. I would definitely like to return in warmer weather and experience Waiheke again.
Review by: Denise M, September 2017
This was a great tour in it self unfortunately for us it was the wrong time of the year to visit _br/_ Waiheke as it was very windy and quite cool. But worth the trip.
Review by: Rie F, September 2017
It took about 1 hour ferry from Auckland. Very nice places and had a great time. Each wineries have some stories and most of them are only consumed in this Island. So that, very special opportunity to drink. Had a great time!_br/_ Thank you!
Review by: Weera, September 2017
Well organised tour package
Review by: Robert P, August 2017
A good variety of wines and a very enjoyable lunch.
Review by: Virginia C, July 2017
This tour was fantastic, mostly due to our guide Evelyn who made everyone feel very welcome and provided really interesting commentary about the vineyards and olive oil farm we visited, and island life in general. Her bus was waiting for us when the ferry arrived and she instantly set the friendly, relaxed vibe for the day. We had a very nice lunch at the first vineyard after tasting two of their wines, fresh bread and olive oil, followed by a delicious individual quiche with a lovely colourful salad. We realised on the way to the olive oil grower that we'd left two ladies behind and Evelyn had to drop us there and return to collect them, but it wasn't a problem for her at all. We visited and tasted wine at two more vineyards before being dropped back at the ferry. A great day out and it's given me a hint of all the wonderful things there are to do on Waiheke - I'll be back for a longer visit.
Review by: Sarah W, July 2017
A fabulous friendly day out with the wonderful Jocelyn as our guide. I was travelling solo and our group was great! By the end of the day, we were all friends. Tasted some fabulous wine and food olives, tapas, lunch. A must do if you're in Auckland
Review by: traveler7700, June 2017
This was a great tour! Great wine and scenic sites.
Review by: Yong H, June 2017
A well-organised and cost-effective tour! Particularly love the taste of Madame Rouge :
Review by: Mimi N, June 2017
An amazing journey.... We had a great time, the views were spectacular and the wines were great too. We had plenty of time at all places and our driver was good. Great memories... don't miss this tour.
Review by: Christina C, June 2017
We stopped at 3 wineries and 1 olive oil tasting place. Our bus driver was fabulous, but the tight schedule we were kept on made the trip feel rushed. The olive oil place was fantastic and delicious and the quiche we were given for lunch was spectacular. The wine was pretty standard. Pretty much just like any other wine tasting I've been on.
Review by: Kattrina G, May 2017
We didn't have enough time to enjoy any of the places we went to. We went to Stoneridge vineyard and had lunch lovely, and much better than expected, then had to race to get to our next stop on time at the olive grove. We then only had about 20 minutes before we had to go to the next stop Casita Miro. OMG this was brilliant. The wine tasting was superb, and the host was fabulous. What a lovely place. I am coming back to Waiheke and just going here! We then had to race to get to the last vineyard Mudbrick. This was a beautiful vineyard, but very commercialised. There was a wedding party there at the same time, and we tried some wines as we traipsed up the hill to enjoy the view. Unfortunately, all three wines we tasted were from the South Island. Why did we even go here? We would be better spending more time at the other two vineyards. We would have gone to their tasting room and looked through the shop as well if we had the time, but we had to get back on the bus. We need at least another hour of time to enjoy this amount of vineyards, and to have lunch. Maybe even getting back for the 6pm ferry rather than the 4pm one. Other than the feeling of being rushed, what we saw, ate and tasted was fabulous. The included ferry tickets were great value, and we did have the option of staying on Waiheke for longer, but we decided not to. Can I also just say - the tour bus driver was AWESOME! She really knew the area, and gave us great history on the place. She even sang us a beautiful song in Maori at the end of the tour until we meet again. Fabulous. I would go on this tour again, but be conscious of the time constraint. And I think I would end the tour at the Casita Miro vineyard and not bother with Mudbrick.
Review by: Brian D, May 2017
This one day tour almost eclipsed the 7 day cruise around NZ which we took after the Food and Wine Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island. Firstly sailing out from Auckland harbour to Waiheke Island was a real refreshing prelude to the bus tour around Waiheke - had a terrific bus driver - very knowledgeable and did not over explain points of interest. Gorgeous views from all vantage points around the Island - great wine tasting and lunch stops with a fun mob of people... No photos here - go see for yourself - you won't be disappointed.
Review by: Ruegen L, May 2017
fantastic selection of locations. Very well organized.
Review by: Diane M, May 2017
This was a great tour if you like wine tasting. The ferry ride was about 40 minutes to the beautiful Waiheke Island from Auckland. We visited 3 wineries and the olive oil factory. The wine tasting was very good and we had wonderful lunch at one including quiche, salad and bread and cheese. The olive oil tasting was great too. They also showed us how olive oil is made. The island is beautiful and our guide provided very interesting information about the beautiful island.
Review by: Alexander C, April 2017
Always a good day when you see the sights and drink good wine as well
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