Full Day Private, Lunch Included

A full-day private Waiheke Island wine outing run by Waiheke Custom Wine Tours, rated 5 from 9 reviews.

Overview

A private driver meets you at the Matiatia ferry terminal on Waiheke Island, holding a sign with your name, and from there the day is yours. Waiheke Custom Wine Tours runs this experience for one group only, so there is no waiting for strangers. The core of the day is visits to three Waiheke cellar doors for Premium or Reserve wine tastings, and the operator states the selection is customized to your preferences rather than set in advance.

Between tastings you sit down to a two course set menu lunch with several options per course. Drinks at lunch are not included. Reviewers describe the guide as knowledgeable about wine, with one noting he shares information about the history of the wine industry at Waiheke.

Because only your group participates, the day suits anyone who wants a private, unhurried wine experience rather than a shared bus schedule. It runs daily from 09:00 to 18:00, and you confirm the exact start time with the operator ahead of the day. Public transportation, listed by the operator at NZ$65 per person, is not part of the package.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at MatiatiaYour driver meets you at the Matiatia Ferry Terminal taxi stand on Ocean View Road, Oneroa, holding a sign with your name, as you step off the ferry from Auckland.
2. Wine tastings and lunchThe day includes Premium or Reserve tastings at three Waiheke cellar doors, customized to your preferences, and a two course set menu lunch with several options per course. Drinks at lunch are not included. The listing does not fix the order of the stops.
3. Return to MatiatiaThe day ends back at the original meeting point at the ferry terminal.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what matters practically before booking this day, drawn from the listing and from traveller reviews.

• Getting there. The meeting point is the Matiatia Ferry Terminal taxi stand on Ocean View Road. You catch the ferry from Auckland City yourself, and the fare is not covered by the tour. Your driver waits with a name sign after you disembark.
• Pace of the day. The tour window is 09:00 to 18:00, a full day with three cellar doors and a seated lunch. Because it is private, there is no waiting for other guests, and one reviewer described the guide adjusting the plan to accommodate their requests.
• Food and drink. Lunch is a two course set menu with several options per course, and one reviewer described it as very good with great service. Drinks at lunch are not included. Tasting fees are part of the package at the three cellar doors.
• Group feel. Only your group participates, and reviewers highlighted not having to wait for anyone. One reviewer described the tour as feeling like a day out with a friend.
• Confirm the start. The listing asks you to confirm the exact start time with the operator in advance of your experience. Do this before the day so the driver and lunch booking line up with your ferry arrival.
• Accessibility and kids. The listing states the tour is not wheelchair accessible, though infant seats are available and service animals are allowed. Most travellers can participate according to the operator.

Common issues. The ferry is your responsibility, at NZ$65 per person. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, which rules it out for some travellers with mobility equipment. Confirmation can be delayed if you book within a day of travel, subject to availability. Drinks at lunch are an extra cost on top of the set menu.

Before You Book