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Central Otago Wine Tour: Taste and Explore
4.9
353 Ratings
Lake Hayes
Indulge in a gourmet food, wine, and cheese tour from Queenstown. Explore Central Otago’s best sights, taste exquisite wines, and savor a unique oak barrel lunch.
Indulge in a gourmet food, wine, and cheese tour from Queenstown. Explore Central Otago’s best sights, taste exquisite wines, and savor a unique oak barrel lunch.
Duration:
6 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Lake Hayes - Enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Hayes on a clear day.
- Kawarau Suspension Bridge - Explore the historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge, the home of AJ Hackett Bungy.
- AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre - Witness the thrill of people leaping off the bridge as you pass by!
- Gibbston Valley Winery - Experience a guided tour…
- Lake Hayes - Enjoy the breathtaking views of Lake Hayes on a clear day.
- Kawarau Suspension Bridge - Explore the historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge, the home of AJ Hackett Bungy.
- AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre - Witness the thrill of people leaping off the bridge as you pass by!
- Gibbston Valley Winery - Experience a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest wine cave.
- Bannockburn - Bannockburn is the second wine sub-region on the itinerary, where a stop at one of the many vineyards for a tasting is planned.
- The Stoaker Room Cromwell - Delight in an unforgettable wine and food pairing experience. Wild Earth uses retired French Oak Pinot Noir wine barrels to steam, bake, grill, and smoke a delectable selection of regional dishes, perfectly paired with Wild Earth wines.
- Cromwell - Cromwell is the third wine sub-region on this tour. A visit to one of the numerous vineyards for a tasting is included.
- Cromwell Heritage Precinct - An optional visit to the historic Cromwell town is available, weather and time permitting.
- Gibbston - Return to the Gibbston region for a tasting and cheese pairing.
- Arrowtown Chinese Settlement - The final stop of the day is in historic Arrowtown. Explore the Chinese Settlement or enjoy a stroll down the main street.
What's Included
- Knowledgeable Wine Guide with fascinating commentary
- Snacks
- Transport by luxury vehicle
- Lunch
- Wine tastings at 4 vineyards over 3 contrasting wine sub-regions
- Knowledgeable Wine Guide with fascinating commentary
- Snacks
- Transport by luxury vehicle
- Lunch
- Wine tastings at 4 vineyards over 3 contrasting wine sub-regions
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks or wine purchases (available to purchase)
- Gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks or wine purchases (available to purchase)
Additional Information
Experience an indulgent and diverse full day tour showcasing the very best sights and tastes from the Central Otago region. Let your experienced wine guide lead you on a tasting journey through three contrasting Central Otago wine sub-regions; Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell.
Enjoy a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave and…
Experience an indulgent and diverse full day tour showcasing the very best sights and tastes from the Central Otago region. Let your experienced wine guide lead you on a tasting journey through three contrasting Central Otago wine sub-regions; Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell.
Enjoy a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave and savour a unique lunch with 5 dishes cooked in retired oak barrels and perfectly matched with 5 wines.
You will also have an opportunity to retrace history with a visit to the historical settlements of Arrowtown, and Old Cromwell (when time permits). Learn about the early pioneering history and how the wine region was formed through an array of fun facts and interesting stories from your knowledgeable wine guide.
At the end of your tour you will be returned to your accommodation.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A minimum of 2 people is required for the tour to run
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Minimum age is 18 years
Location
Lake Hayes
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(353 Ratings)
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Martina
Jan 3, 2026
Worth it! - Fantastic excursion! We stayed at four winemakers in Gibbson Valley, Bannockburn and Cromwell including lunch (sensational in the Stoaker Room) and cheese plate. Evie was a very good tour guide. Worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cjandjo
Dec 31, 2025
Excellent indulgent tour - Our driver guide John, was absolutely brilliant. He chatted whilst we were driving from one location to the next. Always interesting and able to answer questions. The stops for wine tasting were excellent and well planned. The meal at the Stoker was plentiful with 5 foods and matching paired wines. Overall I think we all rather overindulged. On the way back to Queenstown we stopped at Arrowtown which was quaint. 5* rating – especially for John
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kerry_c
Dec 30, 2025
Food and wine tour done right - We had a fantastic day on this food and wine tour. Our driver, Phil, was great—really fun, knowledgeable, and struck the perfect balance between being informative and relaxed.
The wineries we visited were all excellent, with a good mix of styles and atmospheres. Lunch at Stoaker House was a real highlight—outstanding food and a genuinely unique experience that set it apart from a standard winery lunch.
Overall, a very well-run tour and an easy recommendation for anyone looking to explore the region’s food and wine scene.
Review provided by Viator
Alexander_p
Dec 10, 2025
Great wine tour - It was full of information and tasting different wines from the Otago region. Most of it is Pinot Noir. We had John as our guide, who did a superb job.
Review provided by Viator
Traveller376
Nov 30, 2025
Great wineries - Beautiful region to do a wine tour. We really enjoyed the wineries we visited and the wines were very good. Our guide was wonderful. We would have preferred a more traditional winery lunch where you choose your own meal from a menu rather than a community platter to be shared with the group.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Matthieur520
Nov 28, 2025
Excellent tricks. - Excellent tricks.
Many thanks to John for his kindness and good humor.
We recommend and will be back very soon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louise_l
Nov 27, 2025
Great communication from... - Great communication from the company. Pick up was as planned.
The tour guide was friendly, well informed with great knowledge of the area as well as the vineyards and wineries. It was really interesting to learn about the history of the area as we were driven through the countryside and how wine making has evolved in the Queenstown area.
Visiting 4 wineries gave us a variety of wines to taste and the meal at The Stoaker Room was excellent. It was also a great opportunity to talk with everyone else on the tour as we shared platters of delicious meats and vegetables with accompanying wine tasters for each course.
We had shared cheese boards at the final winery to go with our last tasting session. Again we all chatted as a group and this enhanced the experience for me as I met people from all over the world despite the small group number.
I would recommend this tour. The fact it is only for a small number of people is a definite positive in my opinion.
A great tour if you love wine, some good food, want to get some knowledge of the area and enjoy meeting a small group of people who could be from anywhere in the world.
Review provided by Viator
Constance
Nov 21, 2025
Visitors from BC Canada - The Driver Al was very friendly and informative. The food was delicious and the wine tasting experience at all the wineries was exceptional. Met a great couple!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
359mickr
Nov 5, 2025
Be driven and enjoy ! - This is the way to do a wine tour. Craig our driver was fantastic, informative and fun. You can enjoy the numerous tastings and don't have to worry about the breathalyser. The whole day is well organised and the service from all of the wineries is first class. The shared platters for lunch with matching wines at Stoakers is certainly a highlight and trust me you don't walk away hungry. After lunch you finish off with a delightful cheese platter and yes more wine at Mr Roses. Great day !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sabrasworld
Nov 5, 2025
Wonderful day of food, wine, and great leader, Craig - Had an amazing time! Craig was knowledgeable, funny, and we were happy it was a tour with only 7 people- felt more like going on an outing with friends.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
