15 Unique Hunter Valley Wine Tours | Australian Traveller

Let somebody else track the time with an expert-led Hunter Valley wine tour.

Hunter Valley vineyards are pouring some of the country’s most delicious wines around every corner — so who’s willing to go designated driver? Fortunately, there’s a Hunter Valley wine tour for every budget, group size and tastebud, ticking off the region’s finest wineries and foodie attractions from the comfort of plush vehicles driven by experts who know where they’re going. Here, we break down the finest so you can sit back and savour.

1. Two Fat Blokes

Feeling fancy? Two Fat Blokes can pop you and three others behind the wheel of a Maserati as you explore Hunter Valley’s most popular wineries.

an aerial view of a scenic vineyard in Two Fat Blokes, Hunter Valley — Explore stunning wineries in Hunter Valley in a Maserati. (Image: Destination NSW)

The Hunter Valley wine tour company offers a stack of half and full-day trips, spanning extravagant small group tours (catering for singles) and larger experiences transporting up to 14 passengers in a luxury air-conditioned van.

van fetching guests heading to Two Fat Blokes, Hunter Valley — Be transported around the Hunter Valley in an air-conditioned van.

The team arrange pick-ups from accommodation in Cessnock, Lovedale, Pokolbin, Nulkaba and Rothbury. Half-day tours include a minimum of three wineries and a cheese and wine pairing while full-day tours include lunch and a scenic flight or accommodation if you splash out.

a group enjoying a wine and cheese tasting at Two Fat Blokes, Hunter Valley — Sample wines and cheese with Two Fat Blokes. (Image: Destination NSW)

Prices start from just $95 per person for a half-day tour. Two Fat Blokes also have their own lovely kitchen and deli in Pokolbin so there’s ample opportunity to pick up take-home spoils.

2. Classic Tours

Capping their tours at 11 passengers, Classic Tours allows you to create your very own intimate wine-hopping adventure. An ideal choice for groups who have a few hot spots on the list, this Hunter Valley wine tour company offers half and full-day tours if you’re staying within Hunter Valley proper plus full-day tours out of Newcastle, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast.

a mustang convertible at Ivanhoe Wines, Classic Tours — Explore Hunter Valley in the comfort of a Mustang convertible. (Image: Therese Hockings and Christopher Hockings)

You’ll be transported in a plush air-conditioned van with a sunroof, and you’re invited to play your own music through the sound system. Prices start from $135 per person and include a minimum of three wineries or distilleries. The team also offer a luxe full-day experience for groups of up to three people, priced from $395, where you’ll knock off your hit list in the comfort of a Mustang convertible.

a group tasting wines at Hunter Wine Lab during the Classic Tours — Classic Tours include a visit to the Hunter Wine Lab. (Image: Therese Hockings and Christopher Hockings)

3. Vineyard Shuttle Service

If you’re already familiar with the Hunter Valley’s top dogs and are keen to uncover emerging superstars, Vineyard Shuttle Service ’s Next Gen tour is right up your alley.

The full-day Hunter Valley wine tour costs $199 per person and includes visiting four newish destinations that specialise in gin and vodka, cheese and chocolate pairings and lunch at 4 Pines at the Farm. And it’s not the only stellar tour going.

The team run half and full-day tours in a comfortable air-conditioned minibus that departs most accommodation spots within the Hunter Valley, with prices starting from $85 per person. Transfers between wineries, transfers from Sydney and Newcastle airports and private charters are also available.

4. Tex Tours

Targeting small groups of up to 12 passengers, Tex Tours offers guided tours departing Lovedale and Pokolbin, plus Newcastle and Maitland upon request. The full-day trips cover four or five vineyards in a comfortable air-conditioned minibus that ventures off the usual tourist track so you’ll likely discover new favourites by the day’s end. Prices start from $90 per person and you can also arrange half-day and full-day private charters if you’re craving privacy.

5. Hunter Valley Horses

Make it a tour you’ll never forget with Hunter Valley Horses , a Hunter Valley wine tour conducted via a two-horse-drawn carriage.

people riding horses in the Hunter Valley — Journey through the lush greeneries with Hunter Valley Horses. (Image: Destination NSW)

From a 45-minute scenic trot through picturesque surroundings (excluding vineyards), priced from $55 per person, to full-day winery tours priced from $229 per person, there’s a smorgasbord of wonderful options.

an aerial view of Hunter Valley Horses, Pokolbin — Trot past picturesque vineyards on a horseback ride. (Image: Destination NSW)

Private tours include transfers from your Pokolbin accommodation while others depart from the company’s Hermitage Road location, but all travel through quiet back roads at a lovely pace, giving you a unique opportunity to take in the Hunter’s unmistakable beauty. Horse riding and family-friendly animal feeding tours at the company’s farm are also on offer.

a group riding Hunter Valley Horses through the vineyards — Join the Hunter Valley Horses tour to see the beauty of the vineyards from a different perspective. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Hunter Valley Classic Carriages

Yet another stack of carriage-led tours run by Hunter Valley Classic Carriages , located right opposite the Hunter Valley Gardens on Broke Road. Whether you’re after a one-hour, half-day or full-day variety, each tour has been designed to do all the heavy lifting for you, and that includes sourcing a delicious lunch more often than not.

a couple posing beside a horse, Hunter Valley Classic Carriages — Explore Hunter Valley on a carriage-led tour.

If you’re a horse-drawn carriage aficionado, you’ll appreciate the company’s fleet which spans Wild West American Chuck Wagons, Cobb & Co. stagecoaches, Wagonettes, Victoria’s and more. It’s about $195 per person for a half-day private tour but prices really vary depending on the experience you book — and there are loads of them.

Private charters, kids’ tours, carriage rides, Hunter Valley Gardens tours and even slides off the back of a Clydesdale are available so give the company’s website plenty of attention.

a couple riding a carriage, Hunter Valley Classic Carriages — Be transported to lovely spots around the Hunter Valley on a carriage.

7. Hunter Valley Tours

An award-winning small group tour company, Hunter Valley Tours offers peeks inside some of the region’s best boutique wineries. Even better, their plush minibuses are completely accessible, fitted with hydraulic lifters and automatic slides, and wineries are selected thanks to their ramps and lifts, in addition to their wine chops, to ensure everything’s smooth sailing.

They offer half-day tours, priced from $95 per person, that pick up within a 12-kilometre radius of Pokolbin (you’ll incur a fee if you’re staying further out) and include two wineries, as well as full-day tours priced from $210 per person that include even more wineries, lunch and some of the Hunter Valley’s best cheese and chocolate tasting experiences. Private tours, including one with transportation in a luxury Mercedes limo, can also be arranged.

guides posing for a photo, Hunter Valley Tours — Join the expert-guided Hunter Valley Tours.

8. Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours

A fun-fuelled ‘Hunter Valley Wine and Beer Adventure Tour’ is on offer from Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours , providing a full-day journey through three cellar doors, lunch at a popular venue, pit stops at the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop and Pokolbin Chocolate Co. and spirits tasting.

Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours stopping by Allandale Winery Hunter Valley — A tasting at Allandale Winery is just one of many stops on the itinerary. (Image: Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours)

Departing from accommodation throughout Pokolbin, Lovedale, Rothbury, Cessnock, Maitland, Nulkaba, Broke, Singleton and surrounding areas, you’re looking at $115 per person, and if you’re coming from Newcastle, you’ll be charged $145 per person. The Hunter Valley wine tour travels in a small minibus for groups between two and 10 people, and the team also offer private tours for groups between eight and 24 people.

guests in a scenic vineyard at Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours — Take advantage of the scenic vineyards with a group shot. (Image: Tastes of the Hunter Wine Tours)

9. iHop Hunter Valley

If you prefer to keep things loosey-goosey, iHop Hunter Valley is a fantastic hop-on and hop-off bus service through wine country. Covering more than 40 venues across 14 individual bus stops in Cessnock, Lovedale, Nulkaba, Pokolbin and Rothbury, you’ll be spoiled for choice as buses swing round on a continuous hourly loop.

back view of guests taking photos in a scenic vineyard, iHop Hunter Valley — Venture across NSW wine country with iHop Hunter Valley.

Half-day passes will set you back $55 per person while full-day passes cost $75 per person and you can also get the bus to pick you up from your accommodation in the morning. The best bit? Cooler boxes are provided so you can store your goodies on the bus as you keep the good times rolling. iHop also offers several guided tours, and bus hire.

wine tasting with iHop Hunter Valley — Join iHop Hunter Valley and sample the best-tasting wines in the region.

10. Grape Experience Tours

Whether you’re a loved-up couple or part of a group of up to 30 people, Grape Experience Tours can arrange a Hunter Valley wine tour with door-to-door pick-up. Departing from Hunter Valley suburbs as far as Newcastle, the company’s tidy minibuses run half-day or full-day tours starting from $100 per person. You’ll visit a minimum of three vineyards and the full-day offerings include a cheese tasting too. Go for the top-tier Premium tour for $195 per person and you’ll score lunch on top.

11. Wine D Road Tours

Offering much more than just a minibus driver, Wine D Road Tours comes complete with a knowledgeable guide who strives to facilitate memory-making experiences. Their ‘Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour’ is a full-day adventure priced at $160 per person and includes a restaurant lunch, a minimum of four winery visits, visits to chocolate and cheese hot spots and minibus transportation.

an air-conditioned van provided by Wine D Road Tours — Wine D Road Tours delivers a full-day adventure for winery lovers.

Groups are capped at 13 guests and they arrange complimentary pick-up from your accommodation in Pokolbin, Cessnock, Rothbury, Maitland and Branxton. The company also offers accommodation packages at their beautiful onsite Cadair Cottage fitted with an outdoor spa.

a group tasting wines, Wine D Road Tours Wine Tasting — An incredible wine-tasting experience awaits.

12. Hunter Valley Tours For Two

The name says it all. Lovebirds should flock to Hunter Valley Tours For Two for their romance fix as half-day and full-day customisable tours are available. The Hunter Valley wine tour company offers transportation in a flash Mercedes Benz GLE350 with leather interiors, a sunroof and heated leather seats.

a Mercedes Benz outside a property, Hunter Valley Tours For Two — You’ll be transported around the wineries in a flashy Mercedes Benz.

Pick-up can be arranged from Pokolbin, Lovedale, Cessnock and Rothbury and tours include a minimum of three wineries plus your choice of lavish lunch experiences. Half-day excursions start from $350 per couple.

a couple sitting in front of a scenic vineyard, Hunter Valley Tours For Two — Hunter Valley Tours For Two is a perfect date idea for couples.

The team can also arrange private winery tastings and behind-the-scenes tours at the likes of Ben Ean and Tamburlaine vineyards so check out the website for a complete look at the indulgences.

cheese and wine pairings at Hunter Valley Tours For Two — Enjoy cheese and wine pairings for two.

13. Wine Party Tours

Six action-packed private tours and two relaxed small-group tours guarantee good times from Wine Party Tours , a Hunter Valley wine tour company with an emphasis on fun. If it’s just you and your crew, choose from half-day and full-day tours via the comfort of a plush minibus where you’ll be escorted to a minimum of two wineries (on the half-day options) and gourmet chocolate and cheese retailers. You can also opt to add on extras like lunch and distillery drop-ins. Prices start from $99 per person. If you’re keen to mingle, choose from a half-day or full-day public tour with prices starting from $99. Pick-up and drop-off are complimentary if you’re within 20 minutes from Pokolbin.

people exiting a huge tasting room, Wine Party Tours, Hunter Valley — Taste your way around the Hunter with Wine Party Tours.

14. Hunter Wine Journeys

Wish you could score a local’s intel? Hunter Wine Journeys is run by Hunter Valley locals Tony and Lisa so you’ll get an answer to the very curliest of questions. Conducting a handful of half-day and full-day tours starting from $90 per person, the team can pick you up from your local accommodation in a minibus, transporting you to two cellar doors if you’re on the half-day tour or four cellar doors if you’re on the full-day. Cheese and chocolate tastings plus a visit to a distillery are also included in both options, and lunch can be provided for an extra fee.

a group posing for a photo, Hunter Wine Journeys — Join in the fun at Hunter Wine Journeys.

15. Best Tour

They’re certainly confident when it comes to branding and Best Tour often lives up to its name. The Hunter Valley wine tour company offers four air-conditioned minibus tours.

a group striking a pose at McLeish Estate Wines — Strike a pose at McLeish Estate Wines.

The most popular ones are one half-day morning journey priced at $70 per person that goes from Cessnock to Pokolbin and takes in two cellar doors and a visit to the Hunter Distillery and one full-day version priced at $130 per person that covers four cellar doors and the distillery, and throws in chocolate and cheese tastings.

There’s also a full-day tour from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Broke priced at $140 per person, in addition to the option of private group bus hire within Cessnock and Pokolbin that’s priced from $770.

a group tasting wines in Hunter Valley, Best Tour — Join the Best Tour for a fun-filled wine tasting.

For more insider tips and must-do experiences, read our Hunter Valley travel guide.

The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon. — Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

Aerial view of Wilderluxe. — Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe. — Sleep beneath the stars.

Style and character

When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe. — Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake. — Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

A person kayaking through serene waters. — Paddle into peace.

The details

A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

The interiors of the glamping tent. — Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.

15 unique Hunter Valley wine tours for more than just transport