15 Wairarapa Tours That Repay the Detour

1.Half Day Martinborough Winery Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 454 reviews · from $114Our pick

Travel from Wellington to Martinborough in a small group of up to 11, crossing Remutaka Hill with a local guide such as Simon, Athena, Gary, or Phil. Visit three wineries, taste included wines, stop at C’est Cheese when time allows, and return to Wellington after about 5.5 hours. Lunch is optional and paid separately.

“The Wellington half day wine tour was a very enjoyable and informational experience. This was due to our phenomenal tour guide Simon! His knowledge of the wines produced in this region of New Zealand and the history of the people who inhabit it were very educational. I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to do more than just sip wine! Thank you Simon for a most memorable time. CHEERS!!!”

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2.Martinborough Wine and Wild Coast Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 202 reviews · from $225

Join Zozo Travel for a full-day small-group trip from Wellington to Martinborough and Cape Palliser. Guides such as Phil, Michael, and Alistair combine wine, chocolate, cheese, native forest, coastal views, fur seals, and a lighthouse climb. Lunch at Poppies Winery and dinner at Lake Ferry Hotel are included, along with selected pickup and transport.

“The tour was excellent. We went to many different places all of which were great. The highlight was definitely watching the seals frolicking around on the beach. Lunch and dinner were both enjoyable. A wonderful way to spend a day”

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3.Martinborough Winery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 190 reviews · 5h 30m · from $114

Travel from Wellington to Martinborough with a driver-guide such as Phil, Simon, Michael, Gary, or Athena. Cross the Remutaka Ranges, stop for sweeping views, then visit three wineries for tastings. Lunch is not included, but some stops offer food. Hotel pickup, tastings, and return transport are covered.

“Athina the guide was really good - provided lots of history on the drive and really engaging as a person. Can’t fault her. Wineries were good and provided a good option for lunch.”

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4.Martinborough Foodie Half Day Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · from $111

Travel from Wellington over the Remutaka Range to Martinborough for local cheese, unusual chocolates, and a wine flight at Moy Hall Vineyard. Guides such as Phil, Tracey, Simon, Gary, and Mike add local stories, though the guide varies. Lunch costs extra, and the small van can feel tight on a full departure.

“Very friendly small group, nice drive out and very knowledgeable host in Phil. Lovely stop for lunch.”

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5.Chefs Private Martinborough Wine Tour with lunch from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $297

Aaron, a chef and sommelier-style guide, takes your private group from Wellington to Martinborough in about seven hours. Expect a Remutaka summit photo stop, winemaker visits, cheese and wine tastings, a seven-wine lunch at Coney Wines, and a Pinot Noir tasting at Luna Estate.

“Our guide was a mind of information about general NZ history as well as the Martinborough wine region. His selection of vineyards was varied and interesting. He was an extremely entertaining Bon vivant and a proud New Zealander. However, I was rather surprised that his patriotism didn’t extend to his charges being in NZ dollars.”

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6.Remutaka Rail Trail eBike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 54 reviews · 6 hours · from $131

Ride an eBike from Kaitoke through the Remutaka Ranges to Featherston, passing old railway tunnels, bridges, a swing bridge, and historic information boards. Your guide explains the route and bike, then you ride at your own pace. James, Sam, and Isaac William have all hosted recent trips. Lunch, water, equipment, and Wellington transport are included.

“Fantastic experience, would definitely do it again. Such beautiful scenery, absolutely gorgeous views. Would recommend getting an ebike for anyone considering!”

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7.Remutaka Rail Trail Mountain Bike Explorer Cycle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · from $124

Cycle 28km from Kaitoke through bird-filled forest, railway tunnels, bridges, and mountain scenery to Cross Creek. Cycle Remutaka supplies a pedal mountain bike, helmet, lights, pannier, lunch, water, and return shuttles from Wellington. Staff brief you before the self-guided ride, with Isaac and other friendly team members often handling transport and preparation.

“Even in the cold rain we had a blast. Isaac was a great host and did a wonderful job prepping us for the trail and for our first time using e-bikes. The lunch was good and we had plenty of food. We would love to come back and do this again!”

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8.Private Martinborough Wine Full Day Tour From Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · from $223

You’ll leave Wellington at 9:30 am with a private guide for a seven-hour Martinborough wine day. Taste local wines at Palliser Estate, Schubert Wines, Poppies, and possibly Te Kairanga, with lunch and a glass of wine at Poppies. Hotel and port pickup are included, and you may swap a winery visit for Greytown shopping.

“We booked and paid for a "Private Martinborough Wine Full Day Tour From Wellington", however our Private tour was actually combined with other people to make a small group tour. This, of course, meant that we could not adjust times aRead more”

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9.Martinborough Winery and Foodie Day Tour with vineyard lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $197

Travel from Wellington to Martinborough in a small group of up to 11, crossing the Remutaka Ranges for cheese, wine, beer, olive oil, and chocolate tastings. You’ll tour a vineyard, eat a tapas-style lunch, and return to Wellington after a full day led by a local driver-guide such as Phil or Simon.

“A fantastic trip to see a little bit of everything, well worth it and very much value for Money. Thank you. .”

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10.Private Wairarapa Wine Delights Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $333

Travel from Wellington to Martinborough and South Wairarapa with a private guide, stopping at four wineries for tastings, a vineyard visit, and lunch with one drink. You may meet Tom, Corran, or Gina, and you can request particular wineries in advance. The day also includes a Remutaka summit stop and private, air-conditioned transport.

“Had a fabulous day with Tom. Fantastic selection of wineries to visit. Lunch at Poppies was fantastic. Would encourage people take this trip”

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11.Full Day Martinborough Wine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $179

Travel from Wellington to Martinborough in an air-conditioned minivan for tastings at Poppies, Te Kairanga, and Palliser Estate. Your guide handles the driving and commentary, with hotel or cruise-port pickup available. Wine, beer, and cheese-tasting fees are included, but lunch at Poppies costs extra.

“Three of us from the cruise ship took this fun tour with Dean as our guide and driver. He was so informative, interesting and entertaining, we all had a wonderful time. We visited three wineries and had lunch at Poppies, out under the trees. It was a great day and we highly recommend Xplor and Dean. Thank you for such a great time.”

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12.Remutaka Rail Trail Mountain Bike Explorer Cycle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $124

Ride the Remutaka Rail Trail from Kaitoke through bird-filled Pakuratahi Forest, old railway tunnels, creek crossings, and a suspension bridge. Wildfinder provides bikes, helmets, safety gear, lunch, water, panniers, and Wellington transport. The route suits confident beginners and stronger riders, with options to adjust the distance.

“This was a fun cycle. We used the regular bikes (not e-bikes) and found it to be a decent workout on the uphill part! The tunnels, suspension bridge, forest trails, add variety and interest. We paused for a bit of bird watching at times. The packed lunch was quality. A very enjoyable day.”

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13.Scenic South Wairarapa Full Day Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · from $370

Travel privately with guide Tom of Kaewa Tours from Wellington into South Wairarapa. The day combines Kaitoke rainforest, Remutaka Hill, Martinborough wine, lunch, local cheese and chocolate, Cape Palliser Lighthouse, and a seal colony. The route can be adjusted to suit your interests, though the 253 lighthouse steps require reasonable fitness.

“Great guide in Tom, excellent & tasty sharing plate lunch at Poppies & great views at Cape Palliser.”

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14.Self Guided Martinborough Wineries Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $55Best value

Start at Green Jersey Cycle Tours in Martinborough, collect your bike and helmet, then pedal between boutique wineries and olive groves. Te Kairanga offers wine and gin in park-like grounds, while Olivo focuses on olive oils. Lunch is included, tastings cost extra, and e-bikes may be available on request.

“We really enjoyed our time in Martinborough touring the Vinyards and having the bikes with baskets and a packed lunch ready for us made everything even better!! Definitely want to do this every year.”

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15.Private Martinborough Foodie Delights Tour from Wellington

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $345

Spend 7 to 8 hours with a private guide exploring Martinborough and South Wairarapa. Meet beekeepers, taste five wines at Poppies, enjoy a platter lunch, sample local cheese and olive oil, and finish with artisan chocolate and Wairarapa gin. Guides including Tom, Jill, and Dean bring a personal touch.

“Meeting owners of small local businesses, who were so passionate about their products was priceless. Tour was organized in the way that we experienced so much in one day, but never felt rushed. Honey, wine, olive oil, cheese, chocRead more”

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