Taste Auckland's wine and food – an extension of your included city tour

Join us on a flavoursome full-day excursion combining the best of city life, culture, nature, and wine in and around Auckland. The morning offers an eventful city tour of Auckland, as described in the daily itinerary. In the afternoon, indulge in excellent food and wine in the beautiful Kumeu Wine Country region, where you’ll enjoy lunch, taste a range of local wines, and soak up some of the area’s stunning natural scenery.

After completing the city tour of Auckland, a short 20-minute drive takes you to Kumeu Wine Country, one of New Zealand’s oldest wine regions. Here, you’ll enjoy tastings of award-winning wines and a delicious lunch at a contemporary winery surrounded by vineyards.

Your first stop is at Soljan Estate Winery, owned and operated by the Soljan family since 1937. The winery has earned numerous awards for its wide selection of wines. Here, you’ll enjoy both lunch and a wine tasting in the winery’s restaurant, which serves a seasonal menu prepared from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

During the afternoon, the tour continues to the next stops. At the cellar door of Westbrook Winery, you’ll be greeted by a picturesque view of a tranquil pond framed by rows of vineyards. The wines here clearly reflect the character of their grape varieties and regional origins. They are of outstanding quality, crafted by one of New Zealand’s leading winemakers, and have received many prestigious awards.

Your next stop takes you to the Tasman Sea in the afternoon at Muriwai Beach. During the breeding season (September to mid-April), you’ll have the chance to see Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) – one of the world’s largest seabirds – in their natural habitat. You’ll come close to one of the few mainland gannet colonies in the world, dramatically perched on rocky cliffs overlooking the Tasman Sea. From a respectful distance, you can observe their captivating behaviour without disturbing their surroundings. The view stretches for miles along Muriwai’s wild, black-sand beach.

The final stop of your tour takes you to one last gem of a vineyard. Depending on the day of the week and availability, you’ll visit either Vineyard Cottages or Hunting Lodge Winery. Vineyard Cottages is a historic countryside estate with deep roots in the wine region. It once housed the workers who tended the original vineyard where Hunting Lodge now stands.

Look forward to a day full of experiences that offer a taste of Auckland’s attractions and some of New Zealand’s finest wines, all set in beautiful surroundings – and with plenty of time to simply enjoy it all.

Start and end point: Your hotel or a nearby pick-up point (address and time are stated on your voucher).

Duration: Approximately 8 hours.

Group size: Maximum 16 people.

Price includes: Transport, guide, lunch, and wine tasting at three selected stops.

Remember to bring: Camera, sun hat, flat shoes, and possibly a light jacket.

Please note: The excursion departs Monday to Friday and on selected Saturdays. No departures on 25 December.
A minimum of 2 participants is required for the tour to run. If this minimum is not met, you will, of course, receive a full refund.

You must be at least 18 years old to join this tour.

The mentioned wineries are for guidance only and may vary depending on the season and availability. However, you can always expect visits to carefully selected vineyards offering delightful tasting experiences.

Please inform us of any allergies or preferences regarding lunch when booking the excursion.