8 Unforgettable Orange Wine Tours - Australian Traveller

Be guided through Orange’s top drops on a wine tour that puts you in the passenger seat.

Embarking on a solo exploration of the nooks and crannies of such a beautifully rounded and well-developed wine region as Orange takes time and planning. And unless you have a willing volunteer to drive, you can easily and regrettably miss out on some of the most spectacular hidden gems. If you’re visiting for the weekend or a short break, often the most efficient and carefree way to enjoy as much as possible is to join a tour. With plenty of operators ferrying wine lovers about town, it’s easy to find one to suit your style. From airborne to open-air vehicles and long lunches to quick edits of the best, these Orange wine tours have you covered.

1. Orange Wine Tours

Sip and savour both the wines and scenery of Orange with tours that tick off a hit-list of wineries . Choose from a half-day morning or afternoon tour, a full-day, or a private VIP tour. Full days are a marathon for the palate but well-paced with time for lunch amid the four wineries, which may include Philip Shaw, Ross Hill or Printhie Wines.

Group enjoying food and wine tasting on a tour with Orange Wine Tours — Embrace a marathon of winery visits with a full-day tour. (Image: Destination NSW)

Half-day-trippers get to experience three stops over four well-spent hours. Get the low down on the region with entertaining and informative guides as you’re bussed about in a comfortable van. Our tip is to gather a group of friends and opt for the private tour for a fun day in the vines.

Group enjoying a tour with Orange Wine Tours in Orange — The tours will give you access to informative guides and hosts on the day. (Image: Destination NSW)

Details: Private VIP tours from $145 for half-day; half-day tours from $125; full-day tours from $165.

2. Winery Experiences Orange

With more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and tourism, your vino adventures are in good hands with Winery Experiences Orange . Hitch your wagon to theirs and choose from half- or full-day tours sipping the cool climate varietals Orange is renowned for. Catering for two to six guests, your personalised tour may include a picnic lunch at one of the idyllic vineyards or lunch at a winery, where you’ll also enjoy wine-tasting and pairing experiences. From small boutique producers to the big names, they’re able to curate an itinerary to suit your palate and even offer an Ultimate Wine and Food Flight, where you ascend over Orange and Millthorpe in a helicopter for a bird’s-eye view.

Winery Experiences Orange's tour bus parked at a winery — Winery Experiences Orange caters for two to six guests on a personalised tour.

Details: Full- or half-day tours from $100 per person for a half-day. The Ultimate Wine and Heli Tour starts from $450 per person.

3. Uncork Orange Wine Tours

Insider intel makes these laidback wine tours a truly pleasurable way for oenophiles to unravel Orange’s cool climate drops. Whether you’re clued into the nuances of varietals or simply know what you like when you taste it, you’ll have fun on this entirely unstuffy tour. Operating on weekends only, you can join a half-day morning or afternoon tour or a full-day exploration of the region. Included are transfers, a picnic basket with snacking provisions, commentary and three cellar doors for the half-days and four for the full-day.

A small Uncork Orange tour group at a wine tasting in Orange — Embrace a laidback wine tour with Uncork Orange.

Details: Full-day (5 hours) $189 and half-day (3 hours) $149, including all entry fees to cellar doors.

4. Orange Trike Tours

Some enjoy the air-conditioned environment of a minibus, while others prefer the feeling of the wind in their hair. If you’re of the latter persuasion, you’d be best fit for a wine-tasting tour by trike . You and your biker bestie will join an experienced guide for a half-day tasting tour for two sipping at three of Orange’s top vineyards and chatting to winemakers while being chauffeured around on a German-made Boom Mustang trike.

Two people enjoying an Orange Trike Tour — Experience the best wine in Orange by trike.

Details: Half-day tour from $439.

5. Country Food Trails

Bringing a food-lovers focus to their tours, Country Food Trails is all about local knowledge and hidden gems. Join a small group of up to seven fellow sippers on the Wine Trail for tastings and one food pairing at three Orange vineyards, where you’ll meet winemakers and be guided through their top drops.

Friends explore food and wine offerings during a Country Food Trails — Get your fill of local knowledge and hidden gems on a Country Food Trails tour. (Image: Destination NSW)

Or cast your net a little wider and take the Millthorpe Village Tour, 25 minutes from Orange, which includes a wine-tasting at either Tamburlaine Organic Wines, Slow Wine Co or Angullong Wines, as well as a guided walk through the village, lunch and a scenic drive.

Details: Wine Trail from $180 per person; Millthorpe Village Tour from $190 per person.

6. Orange Wine Shuttle Tour

This tour is halfway between guided and DIY and perfect for those keen to be driven but prefer not to be locked into a structured itinerary. The shuttle is a hop-in-hop-out scenario where you can be the master of your own day. Departing hourly every Saturday from 10.30am and visiting up to 20 vineyards, including Borrodell Vineyard, Philip Shaw Wines, Small Acres Cider, Swinging Bridge and Heifer Station, this is perhaps the best way to autonomously tour the vineyards without having to designate a driver. If you’re stopping for lunch, just be sure to allocate one to two hours and make a reservation.

Details: $66 per person.

7. Swinging Bridge, Ultimate Winery Experiences

While this tour is only at Swinging Bridge , what it lacks in diversity it makes up for in immersion. The experience begins with a guided walking tour of the beautiful Hill Park Vineyard before guests embark upon a deep dive into all the label’s wines.

The scenic grounds of Swinging Bridge Wines, Orange. — The scenic grounds of Swinging Bridge Wines need to be experienced. (Image: Destination NSW)

Following the tasting is a well-finessed four-course degustation lunch elegantly paired with wines by the in-house sommelier. The beauty of a singular tour like this is the absence of any immediate hurry to get to the next cellar door. Simply sit with the wine and enjoy your time with fellow oenophiles.

Indulge with Swinging Bridge — A deep dive into all the label’s wines and a four-course degustation awaits.

Details: From 11am, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; $150 per person.

8. Printhie Wines, Ultimate Winery Experiences

Take flight for this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experience at Printhie Wines , which begins with a chauffeured transfer to the label’s cellar door before you’re whisked off to the winery in a helicopter. Once there, the journey of the grape unravels on a tour that meanders through the details of picking, processing and fermenting. Of course, there’ll be ferments to taste and samples to sip directly from the barrel, too. After you’ve savoured the minutia of winemaking, alight the chopper again for the 15-minute return journey to the cellar door, where you’ll be guided through a tasting of Printhie’s flagship drops and seated for an incredible three-course lunch with matching wines.

Two women enjoying a platter while on Printhie Helicopter Ultimate Winery Tour — Don’t miss the exceptional Ultimate Winery Experience at Printhie Wines. (Image: Destination NSW)

Details: Thursday to Sunday from 10am; $1350 per person.

For more ways to taste the region, read our guide to the top restaurants in Orange, start your day at the town’s best cafes and visit a brewery or distillery door.

NSW’s beach towns take on a new kind of magic when the cooler months hit.

Autumn and winter cast a whole new light on the New South Wales coastline. The sun hangs lower, the shadows stretch longer and the air is crisp and fresh. The frenetic summer crowds are gone, and the rhythm slows to the pace of a leisurely winter bush walk through still, damp quiet. From wineries pouring winter reds to the annual whale migration up the ‘humpback highway’, here’s why winter on the New South Wales coast is better.

Winter on the NSW South Coast

Winter down south means misty dawns, sipping a flat white on the beach. The thrill of a whale spotting from the headlands and evenings spent slowly savouring Shoalhaven’s wines by the fire.

Start in Kiama, where waves crash into the famous Blowholes. This natural spectacle is achieved when underground pressure and swell unite, sending sea spray soaring above the basalt cliffs. This means, due to larger waves, you’re even more likely to see an explosive display in winter.

two people standing in front of kiama blowhole — See Kiama’s blowholes in full force. (Image: Destination NSW)

Inland, the Minnamurra Rainforest Walk in Budderoo National Park is all subtropical forest and trilling lyrebird song. Make sure to walk silently along the elevated boardwalks, past winter-swelled creeks and the tangled roots of fig trees. You might just hear one of the musically talented birds mimicking your footsteps.

Feeling adventurous? Book a session at Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures for a wobbly walk through the canopy on Australia’s highest zipline.

Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures on the new south wales south coast — Walk among the tallest trees. (Image: Destination NSW)

Next, it’s time to take the speed down a notch with a drive over to the historic village of Berry. It’s been a beloved stop for generations of Sydneysiders heading south, as has the obligatory stop at its famous doughnut van for crisped, cinnamon goodness. If you’re ready for something a little more chunky, stroll right past the boutiques (okay, go on, just one quick peek) to Milkwood Bakery . Their flaky pastries and all-day breakfasts are best enjoyed under cream-coloured fringed umbrellas.

Back in Kiama, you’ll also find modern Middle Eastern share plates at Miss Arda , and next-level burgers on The Hungry Monkey ‘s extensive menu: an ode to everything pattie-shaped.

End the day at The Sebel Kiama on the harbour. The apartment-style rooms come with full cooking facilities — a welcome addition for families looking to test out the local produce they picked up along the way. Including, but not limited to, vintages from nearby Crooked River Wines .

The Sebel Kiama exterior — Sleep by the harbour.

Winter on the Mid-North Coast

A trip up north is a gentle one at this time of year. You’ll still feel that sunshine warming your shoulders, but the lower temperatures make space for rainforest walks, vineyard lunches and long coastal hikes. All without that pesky humidity.

First stop? It has to be the town of Port Macquarie. Start by marking out a stretch of the nine-kilometre coastal walk you want to tackle (or do the whole thing), which winds from Town Beach to the lighthouse along rugged headlands and quiet beaches. Hot tip: binoculars. Don’t forget them if you want to partake in some close-up sightings of dolphin pods or whales migrating up the ‘humpback highway’.

Port Macquarie Coastal Walk, winter on the New South Wales coast — Wander the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk. (Image: Destination NSW)

Swap sea for canopy at the Sea Acres Rainforest Boardwalk , one of the last remaining pockets of coastal rainforest in the state. The accessible elevated trail passes under climbing ferns and tangled strangler figs, and is alive with scarlet robins, goannas and diamond pythons – if you’re lucky, you might see one slipping through the leaf litter.

Afterwards, lunch is sorted at Cassegrain Wines , where crisp whites and elegant reds are grown using a blend of French winemaking tradition and Australian innovation. After a tasting, saddle up for a horse ride through the estate.

port macquarie koala hospital — Meet Koala Hospital inhabitants at their temporary home. (Image: Destination NSW)

The beloved Koala Hospital is rebuilding, so meet its furry patients in their temporary bushland abode at Guulabaa – Place of Koala . Here, you can see rehabilitation up close and learn how one of Australia’s most iconic animals is being carefully rewilded and protected.

Back in town, Whalebone Wharf serves up fine dining with serious views to go with your oysters. Prefer something breezier? Bills Fishhouse + Bar does everything from blue swimmer crab toast to zucchini noodles drizzled in basil and wattleseed pesto. Down by the waterfront, Little Shack slings ceviche, mushroom burgers and fish tacos with casual aplomb.

At the end of it all, check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie , right in the heart of town. From here, everything’s walkable. Just park the car, pop your keys in your pocket, and stroll down to the beach.

bed at Mercure Centro Port Macquarie — Check in to Mercure Centro Port Macquarie.

Winter on the Central Coast

On the Central Coast, expect to explore oyster farms that sit on estuaries, beaches that stretch empty for miles, and the kind of surprise sightings of whale sprays that can stop a hiker in their tracks.

The best way to settle into this slower rhythm is with the Bouddi Coastal Walk , an 8.5km trail that dips through rainforest and eroding cliffs. It’s made for unhurried walkers and long-lens photographers.

Up the coast in Terrigal, it’s prime time to spot humpbacks on the move. Join a cruise or find your own perch — Crackneck Lookout and Norah Head Lighthouse are both local favourites.

a humpback whale breaching on the central coast — Spot migrating humpback whales. (Image: Destination NSW)

Travelling with kids? It would be sacrilege not to visit the Australian Reptile Park . Here, Elvis the saltwater crocodile reigns supreme, and the venomous snake talk somehow manages to be simultaneously terrifying and fascinating.

If that isn’t enough to wear them out, zip and climb your way through Treetops Adventure Central Coast , a ropes course in the canopy of Ourimbah State Forest. Afterwards, steady your nerves with a garden tasting at Firescreek Botanical Winery , where fruit- and flower-infused wines are served under the trees.

Switch earth for sea and hop on a boat tour with Broken Bay Pearl Farm . Once you’re out on the water, you’ll learn how pearls are cultivated and have a hands-on lesson in grading and shucking.

woman holding a pearl at Broken Bay Pearl Farm — Get a hands-on pearl lesson. (Image: Destination NSW)

As the day winds down, grab a seat at Yellowtail in Terrigal , which takes seasonal native produce and presents it with Asian flair. Prefer something simple? Award-winning Mount White restaurant Saddles is a quintessential Australian dining destination. Find an impressive breakfast and lunch menu, dedicated to country-style cooking and seasonal produce.

Stay the night at Pullman Magenta Shores , between the ocean and the lake. There are plenty of ways to relax, with a massage at the day spa, a poolside beanbag and a round or two at the golf course.

restaurant at Pullman Magenta Shores central coast — Eat well at Pullman Magenta Shores’ restaurant. (Image: Destination NSW)

Winter in Wollongong

Wollongong does contrast pretty well. One moment you’re walking beneath an enormous Buddha, the next you’re ordering soju a few blocks from the surf. It’s a town where skydivers land on beaches, trails lead to paddocks and winter days stretch long and clear beneath the Illawarra cliffs.

If you’re coming from the north, start by crossing over the Sea Cliff Bridge. Curving dramatically out like a jutting ‘C’ out above the water means you won’t be able to resist pulling over (safely, in designated lookouts) to gaze down at the waves crashing on the cliffs below.

Just inland is the serenity of the Nan Tien Temple , the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. You can trace the prayer path, explore the temple gardens and sip delectable Kam Quat Tea in the quiet light at the Dew Drop Inn Tea House.

monk teaching tai chi at Nan Tien Temple — Learn about Buddhist practices. (Image: Destination NSW)

Next, dust off that cowboy hat. It’s time for the Darkes Forest Riding Ranch . Take a guided canter via trail rides among peppermint gums and paddocks. If you’re happier to look at animals than ride them, Symbio Wildlife Park has red pandas dozing in trees, kangaroos that hop up to you and lessons on conservation.

The brave among you shouldn’t miss Skydive Australia – Wollongong . A free fall over the coast via tandem jumps before tumbling down to the sand is a breath-stopping thrill. Prefer to keep your feet on the ground? Check out the program at Wollongong Art Gallery , which delivers contemporary and Aboriginal exhibitions in the centre of town.

monkey at Symbio Wildlife Park — Hang out with the locals at Symbio Wildlife Park.(Image: Destination NSW)

As evening settles in, nab a table at Baby Face Kitchen . It has an ever-changing set menu, with dishes like hand-picked mud crab with white asparagus and salty brown butter, to sheep’s milk and honey ice cream. For something more casual, Dagwood Bar + Kitchen brings the fun with Korean fried chicken, sake cocktails and weekly all-you-can-eat bao buns.

Check in to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach , right by the sand. With a beachfront pool and ocean views, it’s an ideal base for whatever pace you choose.

Winter on the New South Wales coast starts with a cosy place to stay. Start planning your adventure at all.com.

Sit back and relax on these 8 unforgettable Orange wine tours