Piha Waitakere Rainforest Wine Tour from Auckland
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Auckland, New Zealand
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Volcanic beaches, native rainforest, and vineyards abound on this full-day small-group tour of West Auckland. Journey through the Waitakere Ranges to the black sand and pounding surf of Piha Beach and the powerful Karekare Falls. Then, head to a couple of the region’s top wineries in Kumeu and Waimauku to sample local West Auckland wines and relax over a lunch.
- Visit one of Auckland's wine regions without having to self-drive
- See another side of Auckland in this rural area
- Receive personalized attention on a small-group tour
- Lunch (one course) and wine tastings are included
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
- Guide
- Transport
- Wine-tastings
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Infant seats for children under seven years of age
- LunchLunch and any beverages with lunch are not included
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
Following pickup from your central Auckland accommodation (select hotels only) or meeting point, travel by climate-controlled minibus to Auckland’s wild west coast, an area typified by volcanic beaches and dense rainforest. Head to Piha, one of Auckland’s most famous black-sand beaches, popular with surfers
After exploring the beach and enjoying a panoramic drive around the coastal community, head into the Waitakere Ranges to see the Karekare Falls.
Next, make the journey to a winery in Kumeu, a West Auckland rural town, where you'll have a 1-course open-menu lunch at a winery. Then, close off the day with wine tastings at another nearby winery in Waimauku.
Your full-day tour concludes with a drop-off at the starting point.
Please note: A minimum of two people per booking is required.
After exploring the beach and enjoying a panoramic drive around the coastal community, head into the Waitakere Ranges to see the Karekare Falls.
Next, make the journey to a winery in Kumeu, a West Auckland rural town, where you'll have a 1-course open-menu lunch at a winery. Then, close off the day with wine tastings at another nearby winery in Waimauku.
Your full-day tour concludes with a drop-off at the starting point.
Please note: A minimum of two people per booking is required.
1
Piha Beach
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Soljans Estate Winery
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
3
Kumeu River Wines
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 3 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Minimum drinking age is 18 years
- Dress code is smart casual
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A minimum of two people per booking is required
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Linda_Y
This excursion was absolutely fantastic. The views were breathtaking and the stops were made were perfect. John was the perfect guide. We went to two wonderful wineries and stopped for a spectacular lunch of fresh fish.
John went way out of his way to make this adventure a day to remember. My sister and I had the best time and we loved every minute of it. I needed to buy a medical device and asked John where I can buy it.
He not only told me where to get it, but he went out of his way to take me to this place to buy it and drove me back to the hotel.
This man is an angel and we were lucky enough to have met him.
Reviews
4.9
based on 211 reviews
John_S, May 2026
Our schedule got seriously messed up when a cyclone swept through the Auckland area. That said, John was fantastic working with us to accommodate our schedule, and was able to combine our group with a couple who were touring with him on the day we finally made it to Auckland. The winery tours were excellent - we learned the history of the families who came to New Zealand to establish their businesses, and lunch at Soljans was outstanding! Our visit to the shore was a little rainy, but we still were able to see the black sand beaches and the areas where gannets were recently gathering.
Big thank you to John for his efforts to make our visit to Auckland a pleasure!
David_T, Feb 2026
The beach was something else to see in person, pictures don't show how awesome the view is. The lunch and wine sampling was top notch. John with his many years of doing tours was very knowledgeable and made things run smoothly but you felt never rushed.
David_E, Feb 2026
Great time. Beautiful drive great guide great wines at beautiful vineyards. Wonderful lunch have the catch of the day.
Linda_Y, Feb 2026
This excursion was absolutely fantastic. The views were breathtaking and the stops were made were perfect. John was the perfect guide. We went to two wonderful wineries and stopped for a spectacular lunch of fresh fish.
John went way out of his way to make this adventure a day to remember. My sister and I had the best time and we loved every minute of it. I needed to buy a medical device and asked John where I can buy it.
He not only told me where to get it, but he went out of his way to take me to this place to buy it and drove me back to the hotel.
This man is an angel and we were lucky enough to have met him.
Sarah_B, Feb 2026
Very inclusive tour with beautiful scenery, great wine tastings at 2 local wineries, delicious meal. Guide very engaging and knowledgeable. Took in beaches, lake views, rainforest, waterfalls, etc. Be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing.
Tracey_C, Feb 2026
Highly recommend this tour .
John is very knowledgeable and a nice bloke to boot
First half we walked on the beach and through a rain forest topped off with a beautiful waterfall .
Then enjoyed wine tasting and lovely lunch and bubbles .
Second winery for tastings before heading back to hotel 🤩
Rhoda_G, Feb 2026
John is an excellent guide. He is knowledgeable about the history of the area as well plant life. He is also knowledgeable about area wineries and the grapes that go into producing the wines. He answered all our questions. He is friendly and helpful.
Before we went to the wineries we went to the beach, took short walk through the forest, and walked to a waterfall. All in all it was even better than we expected.
Bruce_G, Feb 2026
We had an amazing day with John. John has tremendous knowledge of wine as well as an amazing host traveling the rain forest and black sand beach. We highly recommend John, he will not disappoint. Thank you for an amazing memorable day.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Bruce,
Thanks so much for your wonderful review.
I'm so pleased you enjoyed the experience, it was a pleasure to spend the day with you.
Best regards - John McFarlane
Jennifer_E, Dec 2025
Excellent combination of nature and wine. With the ability to walk on the beach and forest walks. Lunch was a superb meal and the winery it was served at we loved all the varietals we sampled. Highly recommend.
Ilina_I, Nov 2025
This was an amazing tour! He was very knowledgeable and took us to the best view/vantage points. The wine was great too! Highly recommend
Rebecca_B, Nov 2025
Fantastic day with John. We felt like VIPs for the day as he took us around Auckland. Got to see the beautiful landscapes from the forest to the beaches to the vineyards. Johns knowledge of wine, the history of his hometown and nature is 2nd to none. Absolute pleasure and the best day we have had in New Zealand. Thank you John.
Jeffrey_D, Oct 2025
Great trip, amazing views, lunch was good and the wine was very good. John was fantastic! Highly recommend this excursion!
Emily_S, Aug 2025
Had an amazing time on the beach and wine tour with our guide, John. The views and wine were fantastic, but the real surprise was his knowledge of microbiology! He explained fermentation and coastal ecosystems in a fun, fascinating way. A perfect mix of sun, science, and sauvignon.
Susan_T, Jul 2025
We had an excellent day with John. The wine tastings along with the beaches and rain forest visits were outstanding. John is so personable and he shared so much with us about local wines and the local area. It was like hanging out with an old friend for the day. We could not give a higher recommendation.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your excellent review of the Piha Waitakere Rainforest Wine Tour .
Likewise my day spent with you was simply a pleasure.
I'm so pleased you enjoyed this tour and the scenery, inclusions and local wines made for an easy fun day.
I hope you'll follow my business on Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch.
Best regards - John McFarlane
Sara_H, Mar 2025
This experience was amazing. The knowledge John has both of New Zealand and of wine made this trip worth every penny. I highly recommend this tour.
Abel_M, Mar 2025
Well planed trip and the stops were very nice. Lunch was excellent!! The driver was very knowledgeable and attentive, he gave us plenty of time to enjoy the locations visited
Kate_O, Mar 2025
John was a great, fun and informative guide. We had a great time and was the perfect mix of experiences !
Response from Host, May 2025
Hi Kate,
Such a pleasure meeting you and touring to the West Coast of Auckland.
I hope you'll follow NZWINEPRO® on Facebook or Instagram where I post interesting things I come across on tour.
Cheers - John McFarlane
Val_K, Mar 2025
Our guide was John. He was amazing and full of knowledge of the history, culture and wildlife of the area. He picked us up on time at the designated location and then we were off to Piha Beach, one of New Zealand's most famous black sand surf beaches. We strolled down several beaches, enjoyed the coastal views and saw the iconic Lion Rock. Next we headed over to Karekare Falls. After a short walk through the rainforest that was full of Bellbirds and Fantails we arrived at the serene and picturesque waterfall. Our next stop was Kumeu River Winery renowned for its world class Chardonnay. We enjoyed a guided tour of the winery, learned about the wine making process and then got to sample several of their wines. Next was lunch outdoors at The Riverhead, a historic gastropub where the food was delicious. We concluded our tour at Westbrook winery, a boutique winery in the scenic Araimu Valley. Again we got to try several different wines with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. All in all it was great day and John made it amazing!! If you are in Auckland and have the time, book this tour! You will not regret it!
Response from Host, May 2025
Dear Valerie,
Thanks for such and outstanding review.
I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed the balance of beautiful scenery, wine and food.
We do our best to provide quality venues and clients are often surprised at how good the lunches included are.
So thanks so much for sharing your experience with others on TripAdvisor.
I hope you'll follow NZWINEPRO® on Facebook or Instagram where I post interesting things I come across on tour.
Best regards - John McFarlane
Rodney_F, Feb 2025
Our tour guide was John McFarlane. Can’t say enough about how knowledgable he was about New Zealand and wine. 5 tastings at 2 locations and a great introduction to New Zealand.We went to Piha Beach, however due weather we voted to change our last stop to a Gannet colony at a beautiful beach. The lunch provided was excellent. Do not hesitate to book this tour, particularly with John.
david_h, Feb 2025
John was an excellent guide. The drive to Piha beach was made pleasurable by his knowledgable facts about New Zealand and the countryside we drove through.
scenery at the beach and KareKare waterfall was stunning.
John proved an excellent host when he changed the venue for lunch due to the restricted menu on offer at original restaurant and the pub he chose did not disappoint. it was a lovely lunch with great view of the river.
The wine tasting was good - both wineries presenting great tasting products
definitely recommend this tour
Teri, Feb 2025
John was absolutely amazing! He ensured that we had a spectacular day. The drive and stops in the rainforest were well planned for optimum viewing of lovely beaches. The hike to the waterfall was great as John showed us ferns and trees
and always answered our questions. We learned so much!!
The two wineries were very nice. We thought the first winery was exceptional and the lunch, fish of the day, was one of the best meals we’ve had in our over 3 weeks of travel.
John, thank you for a marvelous day!!!!
Joseph_S, Feb 2025
A great tour that was above my expectations with a great tour guide. John was exceptional and his knowledge of the area was great. We asked him about honey and found he was very knowledgeable and provided much info. Lunch and the venues for the wine tastings were above expectations. Would greatly recommend this tour and the tour guide John
sonja_m, Feb 2025
This was by far one of the best tours we have taken.John, our guide was very knowledgeable of the area, history s and the culture. John was also very helpful with each snd every guest on board. I would highly recommend this tour with John.
Denise_S, Jan 2025
We had a wonderful day on this tour. John was exceptional and very knowledgeable. We were looking to tour some wineries, but also learn more about Auckland outside the city.
The drive was beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Catherine_M, Jan 2025
The whole tour was very memorable. We were a group of four joining two groups of two (8 in total). By the end of the tour we were one group of eight friends! We visited Piha North Beach and Piha South Beach - home of black sands. We took a “stroll” through the Rainforest and followed that up with a wonderful wine tasting and lunch at Soljans Estate Winery and another wine tasting at Westwood Winery, before setting off to view a gannet colony at Maukatia Bay. Our guide was John McFarlane of NZWinepro and he was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide. I highly recommend this tour. You will not be disappointed!
Effie_K, Jan 2025
We had the best day! John went above and beyond to make sure we got the most out of the day, stopping at lookout spots along the way so we could take photos. His knowledge on the area was exceptional.
Christine_C, Dec 2024
Everything about this tour was fabulous - the black sand beach, the waterfall, and the wineries (especially Soljans Estate). John was our guide and is so knowledgeable about wines and NZ history, not to mention incredibly personable and a true delight. The whole group of 6 tourists became fast friends and some of us are even connecting on later parts of our respective trips. Wonderful experience!
Luke_Y, Dec 2024
This was an incredible experience, Piha beach is not to be missed, and the waterfall was stunning. John was the best guide, making sure we got as much of the beauty of the west side of the island as possible, and explaining everything about the history of the area and the wine culture. The tastings were delicious, as was the lunch. We had a perfect day, and highly recommended this amazing tour.
Flora_P, Dec 2024
What a beautiful day with the added bonus of great wine! John (our tour guide) was extremely knowledgeable about the wine and spirits industry especially in New Zealand and Australia which made this tour interesting. The beautiful beaches and wineries were amazing. Don’t miss out on this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Hi Flora,
It was a pleasure to send the day with you both and I'm so pleased you enjoyed the wines, commentary and inclusions. It's always fun to take out another person in the industry from another country.
I do hope you'll follow my business @nzwinepro on Facebook or Instagram where I post things of interest I come across on tour.
Best regards - John McFarlane
Rose_B, Dec 2024
We had a lovely time! John was great! He made the experience so fun- he really cared and helped explain the wine making process to us! There were only 3 of us on our trip so we were able to squeeze in an extra winery! John took great photos for us and was a great guide. We highly recommend this tour!!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Hi Rose and Emma,
It was such a pleasure to spend the day with you both and thanks fo the great feedback.
Piha is a beautiful and magical place.
I do hope you'll follow my business @nzwinepro on Facebook or Instagram where I post things of interest I come across on tour.
Best regards - John McFarlane
From $179.12
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