Which Hunter Valley Wine Tour?

 

What makes a great Hunter Valley wine tour? There are many to choose from and it can be a little confusing knowing which to choose. Prices vary and so do the itineraries. Well, here is our guide.

There are two types of Hunter Valley Wine tours. Let’s start with Group Tours.

 

What are Group Tours?

 

These are tours you may join with others, usually by purchasing a ticket on a scheduled tour.  And they vary a lot in size and itinerary. Here are some things to consider:

 

Small vs Large

 

Smaller groups are best! It’s hard to move around larger groups as everything takes longer.   We believe a wine tour should have no more than 14 guests in size. With regards to the Hunter Valley wine tours specifically, many of the smaller boutique vineyards will not take large groups. Which means your larger groups will miss out on visiting the smaller, better venues

 

Our Hunter Valley wine tours have a maximum of 11 guests.

 

The Vehicle

 

Particularly if you are heading to The Hunter Valley from Sydney, there is quite a lot of driving time so you will want to be comfortable. The type of bus is not always advertised so you can simply email the company and ask. There are many great makes of mini buses such Toyota, Renault & Mercedes. The newer models make a big difference as the seats padding won’t be worn and the suspension will be in good form. They are usually quieter too.

 

Our Hunter Valley wine tour uses a luxury 2020 Toyota HiAce

 

The Itinerary

 

Less is more! Beware of tours that have a lot of stops. You will often feel rushed as you hit them one by one without any decent time at any. The itinerary should be well balanced, so you keep moving however not pushed along and leaving when you aren’t ready to do so.

 

Variation is also key. A Hunter Valley wine tour will, of course, have a focus of wine, however if wine tasting is all you do then the second half of the tour can feel less interesting and repetitive. The Hunter Valley has so much more than wine these days!

 

Our Hunter Valley wine tour includes wine, cheese, beer and a wildlife sanctuary.

 

The Guide

 

So important. Your guide should be genuinely interested in you and where he/she is taking you. They should have a love or all things wine and food related. they should be friendly, professional and engaging. Of course, you won’t be able to know much about your guide prior to booking a tour, however you may hear through friends or online reviews about specific individuals.

 

Our Hunter Valley wine tour is with me and I hope I tick all those boxes above!

 

Private Tours

 

These are wine tours you organise with your friends, family and/or colleagues. If you are a group of friends looking to book a tour, consider the private tour option. It’s usually only costs a little more however makes a huge difference to your day. 

 

Such tours have a lot of flexibility whereby you can design your own itinerary from scratch or leave it up to your tour guide. You have the added bonus of being picked up and dropped off from your accommodation at a time that suits you. 

 

We offer private Hunter Valley wine tours from Sydney or the Hunter Valley. Our Sydney based tour may also include stops along the way including one of our favourites, the Australia Walkabout Park.

 

If you would like to hear more about any of the Hunter Valley wine tours we offer, check out our sample itinerary here or feel free to get in touch.

 

Sam

 

Learn more about the Hunter Valley here