Waiheke Vineyards & Bush Walk: Guided Walk, Wine Tasting & Picnic

We had the best day with our tour guide, Lisa. She made sure we were up for our hike, pointed out and explained history/uses of several plants, discussed the wildlife and history of the island, and ensured we had great photos to remember our trip. The wine tasting was fantastic as well! Cannot recommend this tour enough- definitely make it one of your activities, especially if visiting Wahieke Island

Excellent guide and the hike was a bit challenging and fun. Gorgeous harbor views. You don’t get to see much of the island and the 2 large vineyards were more restaurants and wine was meh.

My husband and I enjoyed a great walking tour with Maria, together with another nice couple. She was warm, friendly and knowledgeable, and cared greatly about the island. We learnt about the flora and fauna, the conservation being undertaken and life in general on the island. We went to two vineyards, Cable Bay and Mudbrick, with a delicious picnic lunch in the middle at the top of a hill with a spectacular view. Can highly recommend!

Justine, our tour guide was fantastic - we wanted to hike less so she assessed our interests and came up with a wonderful day of touring the island including the main city, the beaches, lunch at the Batch Winery /REstaurant- gorgoeus views and food/wine! We learned about the history, the lifestyle, real estate, food etc…my only disappointment is we did not stay longer or return the next day with her! Thank you Terra and Tide and Justine!

Liz is simply amazing. She is understated and soft spoken and confident, a rare combination. Her confidence is merited because she knows…well…everything about everything regarding the island, especially when it comes to plants, wildlife and trails. We loved spending the day with her, and will recommend her to all of our New York friends.

Justine did a fabulous job guiding us on our tour. She met us at the ferry and we had a interesting and informative walk through the bush with lots of information on the flora fauna and Mouri culture. The wineries were so much fun and it was overall a wonderful experience.

We were met by Maria at the pier and she covered admin before heading off on the first part of walk. Very informative about forna and birds. We had 2 wine stops with lunch in between. Lunch was included and very good. The viewing point for lunch was also well picked by Maria. Towards the end of the walk we asked about swimming venue near by and Maria told us where to go and we parted company. In all we were on the island for 8 hours time well spent. The wine stops were also excellent with excellent information provided.

We were Met at the ferry and Dell was very friendly and knowledgeable regarding all aspects of the Island and NZ, Mauri history. We had a beautiful walk ( tailored to your fitness level ) and picnic lunch. And enjoyed two seperate wine tastings at Cable bay and Mudbrick . We also had a bit of time to ourselves afterwards, to wander around the town and visit the beach . We caught the bus back to the ferry terminal ( 30 min walk ) . The day was a nice mixture of walking and relaxing in stunning surroundings. Was a highlight of our visit to NZ . Thank you Dell! ( and Lisa :)

A lovely afternoon walking to the headlands near the harbor on Weiheke Island then onto 2 vineyards for tastings. Some very good wine at moderate prices. Finished off with a visit to the island's gourmet ice cream shop. Our guide, Cindy, was very personable and informative on a wide variety of subjects from flora and fauna to Maori culture and history. The hiking was easy - moderate and the views were wonderful.

We had an amazing day on Waiheke Island with Robyn. She was absolutely lovely and shared so much great information about the island’s history, culture, and wineries. The hike had a few uphill sections but was very manageable, and the views were stunning. We enjoyed two wonderful wine tastings and a delicious picnic lunch. We even finished a bit early, so Robyn took us into town where we grabbed ice cream before we headed back to the ferry. Truly one of the highlights of our trip!

Justine was a wonderful tour guide. I enjoyed the history, culture and nature highlights she provided. Two winery stops for tastings were a perfect balance to our walk.

We were greeted at the dock by our guide, Justine, who was very knowledgeable about the history of the area, the culture and the plant and animal life. The 5 hour walk was beautiful. The two wine tastings were very interesting and enjoyable. I would love to do the tour again.

If you only have one day in Waiheke, this is a great way to experience what the island has to offer. The "bush walk" is an easy hike to a cliff on the island, which you can see from the ferry terminal. The views were outstanding. Our guide, Dell, was extremely knowledgeable about all the plants, birds, animals and Maori history and culture on the island, so you learn a lot as you do the walk. We visited two wineries - Cable Bay and Mudbrick - to taste some of the local wines and blends. At each winery, we learned about the wine making history and grapes of the island. In between, we had a delicious picnic lunch and after, a leisurely walk down to the ferry terminal.

The guides, Mary and Robyn met us promptly at the ferry stop and were super friendly and helpful from start to finish. We had a wonderful day riding through the gorgeous countryside, taking photo shots in prime locations, and nature walks to see the spots you just can't see from a vehicle. Both ladies were very kind and hospitable, as well as very knowledgeable of the area because they live in the area...a true bonus. We visited both olive oil and wine tasting sites, as well as an amazing lunch at a vineyard. They were able to accomodate getting part of our group back to catch a flight while the rest of us continued with our tour. It was overall an amazing day.

Had an amazing day hiking on Waiheke Island with Lucy, our guide. She was super friendly and knowledgeable about the island and shared a lot about the local wildlife and customs. We also were able to stop into a vineyard to do a quick tasting, which was lovely. Lucy truly made it an experience I won’t forget. Such a great way to get around the island and see amazing views, if you don’t want to just bus around. Make sure to wear waterproof clothes and hiking shoes, as is for muddy on the trails with on and off rain. Highly recommend!

Wonderfully fun guided walk with Robyn - she is incredibly knowledgeable about NZ and Waiheke history and local flora/fauna; and an all-round lovely person. The scenery was absolutely beautiful and I very much enjoyed the mix of exercise and rest at local vineyards. The wine-tasting experience was also fun as well as educational - the vineyard staff paced the tastings well and interspersed the pours with informative stories about the grapes, methods and local plantings. Highly recommended!

Robyn was amazing she made the most of the tour for everyone to give them what they wanted, bush waking and wine tasting was great

Our guide was excellent in every way - knowledge of the area, wonderful personality willing to share details of life on the island. Must also add that she was incredibly attentive in retrieving a backpack left at one of the sites we visited. The scenery in the island is spectacular and well worth visiting.

What's not to like. The hike provided superb views and Dell, our guide, was brilliant in her insights to the flora, fauna and the unique heritage of Waiheke. Walking in a group of just 4 people meant the itinerary could be adapted to our little group. Combined with the wine tasting made the tour the best of both worlds.

Quite a bit of hiking and walking on this bush and winery tour. Our guide Dell is very knowledgeable and adjusted our tour when the weather warmed up quite a bit during the late morning and early afternoon. The highlights were the views, the lunch she provided, the beach we stopped at (Dell and my wife got their feet wet) and the wineries we visited. We only tasted half of the wines at the second winery because we were a bit worn out from the hiking and walking due to the temps. We stopped for a gelato instead!

Fantastic tour! The guide, Lucy, was so knowledgeable and really enthusiastic and kind. The walk was lovely with spectacular views. Lucy provided a delicious lunch at a scenic spot. The wineries were well prepared for our arrival and served delicious wines. Lucy was so considerate and helpful the whole time. She pointed out lots of birds and plants and had so much information to share. 10 out of 10!

This was a spectacular walk around the island with lots of breathtaking views, a delicious lunch and laptops at 2 vineyards. The guide, Lucy, was so positive and informative. She identified many plants and birds and gave lots of fantastic instruction about the island’s history. 10 out of 10 would recommend!

Moderate uphill walk to a viewing site of the island with Auckland in the distance. Then mostly flat to modest uphill walk to vineyard with wine tasting, then walk to olive oil tasting and excellent picnic lunch. Finally moderate uphill walk to last vineyard and wine tasting. Moderate pace of walk, gorgeous sites, flora education along the way. Happy that I did it and happy with all aspects, including Robyn as a great and gracious guide. Would do it again if opportunity presented. Quality wineries, food (superb sandwich and fruit!), short ferry rides.

Barbara shared many interesting and helpful facts about NZ and Waiheke. She lives on the island and raised her family there. She’s an enthusiastic representative about her home / adopted country. Great energy. Great time.

I spent 10 days in NZ and Waiheke was on the best most beautiful places I went. Ask for Lucy to be your guide. She lives on the island and was fantastic

We had a great time on the Bush Walk & Wine Tour on Waiheke Island! Our guide, Robyn, was outstanding — knowledgeable, adaptable, and fun. Even though it rained, we made the most of it and had an enjoyable experience. The tour offered a nice mix of activity and wine tasting. Thanks, Robyn! Would recommend

We loved this original tour. The lady guide was exceptional. We talked a lot about everything, the local trees and flowers, our families, and our trip experiences. We visited two wineries, and were lucky enough to be hosted by young frenchies (we are french ourselves). Arriving at a winery on foot, walking down to the tasting area, was very unusual. Wines of the second winery were worth it.

Had the absolute best time with Justine and Robyn on this fantastic tour of Waiheke Island. Walking through the bush was a great way to explore this gorgeous island and its vineyards. We visited a couple of beautiful and renowned vineyards and even made an extra stop at a lovely olive grove tasting room. All accompanied by super interesting guide commentary - thanks for the lovely afternoon out! One of the highlights of my North Island stay for sure.

Del was an excellent guide. She knows Waiheke Island in depth and was very flexible in customizing our experience. Unfortunately one of the wine tastings we scheduled was unavailable at the last minute but Del rearranged things to accommodate that issue.

Our guide and experience was phenomenal. Justine customized our tour based on our time constraint and she took us on an amazing hike and we did wine and olive oil tasting. Highly recommend this tour. 5 Star.

With only two people on the tour (it was low season), traveling around the island with our guide Justine felt like we were just hanging out with a friend. The other guest and I were both traveling solo, and with Justine, we got to see everything that made visiting (and living on) the island so wonderful. We began with an easy 1.8 miles walk straight from the ferry terminal, admiring views of the water, outdoor art displays, and some native birds and plants. We even stopped for a few minutes to talk with some locals who are friends of Justine - so again, it felt like we got a really personal tour of the island. We also visited two fabulous vineyards for tastings, picked up a picnic lunch from a cafe that easily accommodated my dietary requirements, enjoyed lunch next to the water, and overall learned a lot about life on the island. Waiheke Island is a beautiful and laid-back place that I would consider staying rather than in Auckland so I could more easily and thoroughly enjoy all the trails and vineyards.

We had an amazing Bush Walk and couple of wine tasting visits with Cindy on a sunny Waiheke island in May. Cindy was a brilliant tour guide with a lot of knowledge on local nature and history. We had fantastic conversation all the way while walking and looking at splendid sceneries, eating tasty packed lunch and visiting the vineyards. Thank you Cindy, Waiheke island is definitely a place I would love to visit again.

This was an amazing experience and great introduction to Waiheke and New Zealand. As our amazing tour guide, Justine made the tour an absolute success! She is a lovely person with keen inside knowledge and charm. She gave a wonderful history of New Zealand and Waiheke, to include the people, culture and wildlife and fauna. I’m already planning my next trip to New Zealand and will include over night stays at Waiheke Island.

This was such a great tour and hike of the island!!! It was such a beautiful day and our guides were awesome!! They were super friendly and knowledgeable and made it such a fun day!! I cannot say enough positive things!!! Highlight of our trip!!!

I had a wonderful day hiking on Waiheke Island and enjoying two wine tastings, at Cable Bay and Mudbrick. The experience was very relaxed and catered to my interests and abilities. My awesome guide, Dell, was extremely knowledgable about the local flora and fauna and about Maori words and traditions. We finished up the walk and tastings early so we visited some of the local galleries in town. Lunch was yummy, with the sandwich sourced from the local shop Island Grocer. This was the perfect way to experience Waiheke Island and its vineyards!

This was a lovely hike that was expertly curated by our two expert guides! The views were amazing, and the hike, while moderately challenging, was very doable - and very much worth the effort! We learned about the Island's history and its heritage. The beach side picnic lunch was delicious and timed perfectly in between our two wine tastings. We enjoyed each of the wine tastings very much. It seemed that many day travelers to Waiheke Island opt for bus tours or bike tours. I am so happy that we chose this private, guided walk versus the other options! Thanks go out to our guides who went above and beyond, and really brought the Island to life for our group!

It was just a beautifully planned out adventure. A little hiking and a like wine makes for the perfect day. Our guide was so informative and kind. Can’t recommend this enough :)

We were fortunate to have Justine guide us up and thru lush foliage with mini-botany lessons along the way! She always checked to make sure the pace was appropriate. We chatted about Māori history and many other topics during a delish boxed lunch. It ended with 2 diff. winery stops with tastings-5 hours in glorious Island weather. Can’t recommend this tour AND Justine, specifically, enough!! So memorable!!!

Fantastic tour! Walking and hiking with coastal views, and on a trail through the forest. Then an absolutely delicious picnic lunch on the Mudbrick winery estate before a lovely wine-tasting. Then on down the lane to Cable Bay winery for a second tasting. The perfect combination of hiking through beautiful parts of Waiheke and a relaxed winery experience. Justine, our guide was warm and friendly, and genuinely cared about insuring a good experience for our smalll group of three. Highly recommend.

Guide Lucy was so knowledgeable about the history of the island so I learned much more than I expected. She was gracious and friendly, and I would highly recommend.

What a great experience! The bush walk lead us along the coast with beautiful views. Lucy, our guide, shared Maori history and her knowledge of native flora and fauna. We ended the experience by having amazing wines and a drive around the island. It is such a wonderful way to experience this amazing island.

Dell was a super professional host and she knew a lot, she has been living there for a while so knows a lot about the Island, the Maori Culture, Arts and Wine! Incredible experience! 100% recomendable

Excellent tour. My guide was knowledgeable and friendly. She shared her personal experiences and I heard a lot about the Māori culture and New Zealand history. I was the only one on the tour, so I’m glad it didn’t get cancelled. We moved at a comfortable pace, so overall, it was a good experience. A nice little workout before we made it to the beautiful wineries. The views were also amazing!

It was just a wonderful day hiking on Waiheke Island, with a couple of winery visits at the end of the day. Our guides were excellent and knowledgeable--and the lunch was awesome. My only suggestion for others: make sure you have a hat and sunscreen! And be prepared for a moderate day of hiking in the hills.

Wonderful tour, lovely tour guide Justine who looked after me very well. Very tasty packed lunch. As there was noone else on the tour that day Justine adjusted the trip to take into account my lack of fitness! Vineyards served the tastiest wines I tried throughout New Zealand!

Great day out on Waiheke! We started with a bush walk and then went to two wineries (Mudbrick and Castle Bay vineyards). Well organised, a delicious lunch at a Oneroa cafe, and a fantastic, knowledgeable guide (Justine). Very glad I booked and had a great day with Justine. Would definitely recommend to solo travellers who want to explore both Waiheke's outdoors and visit wineries.

Thanks Terra & Tide, we had a great day and saw another side of New Zealand. Waiheke Island is very beautiful.

Justine offered a truly unique experience of seeing Waiheke Island. I was able to see all the bush and beaches through hiking and feel immersed in nature, away from a big city like Auckland just a ferry ride away. She was also very knowledgeable on the bush itself, helping me learn more about New Zealand flora and fauna as I am not a Kiwi native. I also got to experience more of the vineyards on the island and even got to do a wine tasting! I would highly recommend this tour to any solo traveler or group looking to explore Waiheke Island. Thank you to Justine for a wonderful experience!

We are a "mature"couple" who enjoy nature and exploring. Our guide Tracey was fantastic. She was patient, professional, very well informed and very personable. I must mention that the walk is very hilly so it probably was a bit too challenging for my husband but he was still very happy to have done it. Tracey was so kind and caring, making the experience well worth it. Ending up at Mudbrick winery was a treat. Thank you Tracey and thank you Walking by Nature for giving us such a great memory of Waiheke Island.