Shore Excursion: 4-Hour Discover Hawkes Bay and Napier Tour
Napier, New Zealand
- 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Discover the rural beauty and Art Deco architecture of Hawke’s Bay on a half-day shore excursion from Napier. Travel through orchards, vineyards, and farming areas, visit the Arataki Honey Visitor Centre for honey tasting, and enjoy panoramic views from Te Mata Peak. All transport is by climate-controlled vehicle, making this tour a perfect introduction to the region’s landscapes and history.
- Easy overview of Hawke’s Bay’s rural and architectural highlights
- Includes Napier Port pickup and drop-off
- Small group size ensures personalized attention
- Ideal for cruise-ship passengers with limited time on land
What's Included
- Local guide
- Live commentary on board
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan or Luxury Coach.
- Bottled water
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Napier Port Direct pick up
- Any other private purchases on the day not outlined in the itinerary
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 10/01/2016 - 05/07/2027
Monday - Thursday : 12:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday - Saturday : 12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Sunday : 12:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Itinerary
1
Hastings
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Napier
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Arataki Honey Visitor Centre
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
4
Te Mata Peak
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels maybe accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark; Please advise at time of booking. Subject to storage space
- A minimum of 2 people per tour is required - single travellers please enquire
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 22 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.0
based on 81 reviews
Rudolf_W, Apr 2026
Forgive me I can not remember the name of our german transplant guide. Yet, I can say he is passionate about His current surroundings and provided exceptional knowledge of the art-deco architecture, tectonic plate movement and general environment. Our driver was exceptional at stopping at photo-op points and made every effort to ensure our comfort. Definitely a way to feel comfortable you will be met at your cruise.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour and appreciated your guide (Gernot) knowledge and passion, as well as photo stops along the way. Great to hear the cruise pickup made everything easy and comfortable.
Hope to welcome you again soon!
Bruce_W, Apr 2026
We were off a cruise and it was a great way to c the area. The highlight is Te mata point but unfortunately for us the weather closed in very quickly just as we were approaching summit but it still provided a great view of area. Our guide was very knowledgeable and also took us to a honey factory and around the local area which was great given the very limited time we had. Well worth doing. We both enjoyed our day Thank you
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your lovely review!
We’re glad you enjoyed Te Mata Peak despite the weather, and made the most of your time ashore. Great to hear you had a wonderful day!
Paul_V, Mar 2026
I wish I could tell you how the tour went, but we didn’t get on to the tour as the tour operator did not wait or did not have room for us on the tour. They kept telling us that we would be picked up for the tour, but nobody was available to pick us up. I found the people we dealt with to be dismissive and not capable of dealing with the situation. WE WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES THERE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. I RECOMMEND NOT BOOKING THIS TOUR.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Paul,
We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. As cruise ship visits to Napier are time-limited, we can only wait a maximum of 30 minutes after the first guests arrive from the ship, as it wouldn’t be fair to delay others who arrived on time—and doing so could risk other guest missing the ship.
Unfortunately, we were unable to contact you as the phone number provided was not reachable (no roaming enabled). If we had been able to reach you, we would have arranged for someone to assist you at the port upon your late arrival.
We’re very sorry we missed you today. Please feel free to submit a refund request through Viator, and we will approve it.
Kind regards,
Team Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours Ltd
Joyce_R, Mar 2026
Great commentary from Bert our driver, lots of knowledge and a good way to see the area. Commercial opportunity at the bee place but not much choice for cruisers as unable to buy and take bee products on board.
Would have been five stars but vehicle very uncomfortable. I had to sit over wheel arch with my knees up to my chin for the whole travelling time and issues with heating and air conditioning.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback — we truly appreciate it. You are always welcome to ask the guide if you would like to change your seat, as we usually keep a few spare seats available in our vehicle for added comfort. We are very sorry to hear that you couldn't sit comfortably during the tour.
As a gesture of appreciation for such a kind customer, we would be happy to offer you a discount coupon for your next tour with us. We hope to welcome you again soon! 😊
Kind regards,
Team Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours
Tracey_B, Feb 2026
What a trip! Our guide Sunny was on time and soon had us on our way to so many places. He explained where we were going and the history around the cyclone and its affect on the area well. He had a great deal of knowledge around history, wine and fruit growing in the area too. Wwe had time for stops to take photos and never felt we were being rushed The coffee stop was much appreciated too. Over all great trip and excellent guide
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely review!
We’re thrilled you enjoyed the trip and that Sunny’s knowledge of the area’s history, wine, and fruit growing made the day special. Great to hear you appreciated the relaxed pace, photo stops, and coffee break too.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again!
Regards
Team Hawke's Bay scenic tours 😊
Shima_Z, Feb 2026
Beautiful tour of the highlights of Napier! Thank you Bert for a wonderful day, being so incredibly patient and for helping us to make the most of the parade afterwards!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi there,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the highlights of Napier and had a wonderful day with Bert. He truly loves sharing the region with our guests, and we’re so pleased his patience and support helped you make the most of the parade afterwards as well.
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you back again in the future! 😊
Vincent_P, Feb 2026
Transport description was air-conditioned minivan or luxury coach. We got an old school bus, with uncomfortable bench seats. Hardly suitable for 2 average size adults, definitely not suitable for over 6ft people. Some passengers cancelled tour due to uncomfortable condition of bus.
Disappointed that the tour of Napier town didn't allow for any stops to take photos of the art deco buildings.
A stop at a chocolate factory which was closed, because the Tour Operator didn't notify the owners that we were coming. The 1 rest room that was available delayed the tour.
No reflection on our Tour Guide who was equally frustrated and apologetic.
Credit to our bus driver for getting us safely up to Te Mata Park lookout, as we were unsure if the bus could make the steep incline.
The stop at the honey farm was interesting and the scenery around the Hawkes Bay area was great.
Do not recommend using this Tour Operator if that's the standard of 'luxury coaches' they provide.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Guest,
We sincerely apologise that your experience did not fully meet your expectations.
All of our vehicles are carefully selected to ensure they are comfortable, well-maintained, and provide low, easy access for our guests. These vehicles are particularly suitable for visiting Te Mata Peak, as larger coaches are unable to access the summit due to road size and safety restrictions.
We do not normally include a visit to a chocolate factory on this tour. However, on this occasion we made an unscheduled stop to accommodate guests who required restroom facilities. This was done purely for passenger comfort and care.
The tour covered all advertised highlights, including Art Deco sightseeing in Napier, visits to Arataki Honey, and the scenic stop at Te Mata Peak.
We aim to ensure our seating is comfortable for all guests and compliant with New Zealand vehicle standards. Guest comfort is very important to us, and we continually review our operations based on feedback received.
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, as it helps us improve our tours wherever possible.
Kind regards,
Team Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours
John_S, Feb 2026
Our guide, Bert, was awesome. He shared history and insights, and took us to see several interesting places. His personal touches were appreciated. The highlight was a trip to the top of Te Mata peak. Wow, what a view!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great time with Bert and enjoyed his historical insights and personal touches throughout the tour.
We’re especially glad the visit to Te Mata Peak was a highlight for you — the views from the top really are unforgettable!
We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you again in the future. 😊
john_r, Feb 2026
Our guide was excellent and extremely knowledgeable. The tour itself is a lot of driving. I think we stopped at two spots.
The biggest reason I rated it 4 star was the lack of communication by the tour operator. They didn’t reply to my questions last year or the ones I sent 2 days before the tour to clarify the pickup. In fact, I had to go through Viator support so they could contact the tour operator. All the tours I have booked and this is the only tour operator who didn’t reply. The tour info in the Viator app had discrepancies. 1 spot said to take the shuttle & they would pickup at that drop off; another spot said port pickup. Come on guys…this isn’t that hard to get right.
Morn of the tour, it was a madhouse around the vans for this tour operator. They had several vans there running diff tours and everyone was to see 1 guy to see if their names were on his list. Today in Wellington, similar thing but this operator had their act together. White boards with passenger names for each van.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify a few points regarding your booking and the pickup process.
Your tour was booked through Viator and not directly with us. As a result, all communication is routed through the Viator support system, which can sometimes delay or filter messages. For faster and more direct assistance, we always recommend contacting us via WhatsApp, where we are able to respond promptly.
We did send you a message in advance that Tour is starting directly from Port, so no need to take Shuttles as it used to start from tour but not now, with full details about the pickup process at the Port of Napier. We are unable to edit viator tour tickets it's their staff to change it to make easier for customers.
Your tour pickup was arranged directly from the port. Due to port security and health and safety regulations, we are required to load guests into two vans at a time and depart before the next group is allowed through security. This procedure helps reduce congestion at what is a very busy working port with strict operational restrictions.
Our main guide was positioned close to the ship, clearly displaying our signage, and guests were then directed to their respective tour vans. Unfortunately, port rules do not allow multiple guides to stand close to the ship, so other guides must wait slightly further away.
This system is specifically designed to avoid guests having to board shuttle buses, which often involves long queues and additional waiting time. Our aim is always to make the experience as smooth, efficient, and stress-free as possible while fully complying with port regulations.
We always do our best to accommodate our guests, and we appreciate your understanding that port rules must be followed at all times.
Kind regards,
lallk58, Jan 2026
Napier is a beautiful city with beautiful Art Deco buildings and stunning countryside. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. He gave us a lot of information about the history of the place. It was a lovely way to spend our port time. Great informative trip, with stunning landscapes. Our guide did a great job.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback 😊
Connie_A, Mar 2025
The guide was so nice and even waited for me to arrive as I was 40 minutes late. (Shuttle service from the ship was awful) He was very knowledgeable and shared plenty of history and interesting information. The Art Deco influence was everywhere and he took us to all of his favorite places.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for your feedback, John is always excited to greet tourist and show them Napier with his indepth knowledge. Yes sometimes couple ships docks in together which makes bit hard for shuttles and it can cause little delays. We are very pleased that you enjoyed your tour.
Cheers
Joyce_M, Jan 2025
We do not like this one at all! It is not worth the money! In the 4 hours; we saw the same thing over and over! We’d rather do something else if we know it is this boring!!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Him Joyce, Thank you for your review. I am sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your tour. Joyce, we use that van regularly on our tours and for the past three or four years. This model Toyota van is the largest selling van in New Zealand and all (most) tour operators use them, oooh and all around the world.. The tour comment, well it is very, very unusual that we get comments like this, they are usually fantastic reviews (see below). This same tour has been fantastically received for 20 years. I am sorry things were not as you expected.
George_R, Mar 2024
Watching our driver trying to work the defroster and then he was trying to answer his cell phone while driving. Totally not professional. He was good at pointing out supermarkets and homes with flat roofs. We did make a photo stop so the driver could take a photo of an antique car.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi George. Thank you for your review. As your review is identical (almost to the wording as above), I feel if you do get back to read this, then please do refer to the review above. I have covered this above in detail - John
michaelmorisset, Mar 2024
Napier is an amazing art-deco city to visit with beautiful building & the country side was stunning.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Michal... Thank you for your review. Yes, we have a lovely City and as you mention, fantastic countryside. I am so proud to live in the beautiful part of the world. This is why all our drivers are so passionate to present their home area to our passengers on the day. Thank you again. - John
Dennis_B, Mar 2024
John was an amazing guide and Napier was a beautiful little town. If you have any interest in Art Deco, this is the tour for you. If you don't know what Art Deco is, it is a great learning experience. The impromptu visit to a winery for a tasting was an added bonus. Thank you John!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Dennis... Thank you for your fantastic review. More so when it bears my name.. ha ha.
It is so easy to present something that you are passionate about. We live in a fantastic part of the world. I am glad you enjoyed the Winery also. Yes, a lovely place to taste. - John
Mark_A, Mar 2024
Napier portion of tour was fine. The Hawkes Bay tour was extremely disappointing. The bay was in reality a few suburbs of Napier. Tour commentary included gems such as “there’s a house with a flat roof,” “that grocery store replaced an earlier building,” “the view from this summit is spectacular, but we’re not allowed to go up there anymore.”
Response from Host, Apr 2024
HGi Mark_A. Thank you for taking the time to place your review. It is a shame that you do not contact the owners to address this straight away. I am reading this weeks on and there is no reference to the driver for me to act on. Please in the future if you come across this, contact the business if you are serious about fixing what you consider is not right. I am sorry if the tour was not as expected. We do thousands of these across the season and I do not like even one disappointed customer. - John
Deborah_B, Mar 2024
Review:
Our tour guide Roy, was exceptional! He expertly navigated us through the charming city, showcasing Napier’s rich Art Deco architecture and sharing fascinating historical anecdotes. His passion for the city was infectious, making the tour informative and engaging. I highly recommend Roy for anyone looking to explore Napier's beauty and history! Roy. took us to the history of the earthquake of 1931 and how the community rebuilt the city very quickly. He drove us to different neighborhoods, the farms of apple orchards, vineyards, Tuki Tuki and much more. He even drove us to Mountain Track where you can see a spectacular view of the city. Just reserve this tour! You will know Napier, Hastings & Hawkes Bay in no time.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Hi Debora.. Thank you for your fantastic review and comments around Roy. As you will now know, Roy was born and lived his life here in Napier. He knows the area and is passionate as you note above. I am so pleased you loved your tour and hope you have very fond memories of this area... it is lovely. - John
Pat_H, Jan 2024
Our guide Kirsty had a great personality and was very knowledgeable. She was patient, kind and thoughtful. Water and fruit was available throughout the tour. It was fun hearing the folktales about the people and country. Plenty of bathroom breaks along the way. My group of four had a great time and were so happy to have had Kirsty for our guide.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Hi Pat_H; Thank you for taking the time to post a fantastic review. I am so proud of all our driver / Guides. They are always courteous and helpful. The tour you were on has been unchanged for close to 15 years, since the cruise ships started to come to Napier. Your tour is hugely popular tour.
Thank you again for your time to write. - John
Mike_W, Jan 2024
Our driver/guide, Kristy, was great, and we learned all about Art Deco and the history of Napier & surroundings. The only downside was the tiny windows on the van restricted the view.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Hi Mike_W. I am so proud of all our driver / Guides. They are always courteous and helpful. As you are aware now, we used a photo guidebook (that we have created), to help illustrate the destruction of New Zealand's largest Natural Disaster, the 1931 earthquake that destroyed Napier, and the rebuilding of the Art Deco Capital of the World... Napier. Yes, I must agree, while we use factory mini busses (vans), up close the windows are low. I am sorry, there is nothing to correct this. Thank you for taking the time to review.
Elaine_D, Dec 2023
Roy was amazing. He knew so much about the history of Napier and Hawkes Bay. His stories were wonderful as was his sense of humor. Very nice tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Hi Elaine_D: Thank you for your comments. Yes, Roy, as are all our staff react very well with our clients and we are so proud of this. We only have Napierite's as guides and this shows through. As you say, Roy is extremely passionate about Napier. Thank you for your review. - John
Catherine_O, Mar 2023
This tour was 2/3’s looking at buildings and houses. Through open doors and looking into windows at art deco lights. We spent only 1/3 of the time on the countryside and I was extremely bored looking only at “lines” on buildings. I would only recommend this tour to someone interested at snail paced travel by car and pulling over to the sides of roads to look into windows. The tour began with 20 minutes sitting in the van while a pamphlet was gone through at an agonizing pace. We had already read the entire pamphlet prior to traveling 100 feet and pulling over. Beautiful homes and art deco but there was way too much time spent looking at all the architecture for me.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Catherine, Thank you for your review. The tour is a 50:50 Country and Napier Art Deco tour. As you are aware, we are forced at present to make changes to the countryside tour times due to the Cyclone that hit us a few weeks back. We were still in a state of emergency at the time you took your tour.
We have always been complimented with the info/background book in the past. Yes, you may have sat in the van for 20 minutes, the tour is advertised to start at 30 minutes, so I am glad you did have that earlier start. Most people that arrive to Napier and take our tours have no idea as to what art deco actually is. The purpose of this part is to illustrate exactly what it is (partly during our book presentation) and along the way. Any and every home that we may say "look at this or that", we have personally approached and have their blessing to look at their home(s). I am sorry this was not the tour for you, however, it is the biggest selling pre-booked tour in Napier. Contact me for a chat if you wish, I am always happy to hear about your tour. - John
Wendy_C, Mar 2023
This tour was quite boring. Due to the cyclone that had hit Napier at least one of the roads we were due to use was cut off so the driver apparently tried to fill the 4 hour tour duration by driving round the streets to show us what felt like every art deco building available. A better option in my view would have been to just drop us early and let us wander through the main street. In fact some of the clients asked to be dropped off early and it was only afterwards that those who continued with the driver got to a scenic viewing point.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Wendy, thank you for taking the time to review your tour. Personally I take pride in any tour my staff or myself take. For those reading this review, as noted above, a huge Cyclone had hit Napier, just weeks earlier the river we need to cross to complete a huge portion of this tour had 4 of 6 bridges washed away, thousands of people displaced, hundreds of homes and local communities still today uninhabitable. We need to judge our times across the existing bridges to avoid long queues and hold ups to make you late back. We are doing our best to show you as much of the area we can under very difficult circumstances. - John
Paul_D, Feb 2023
Napier was a very beautiful place to visit. This tour shows you all the best highlights of the area and gives you a nice overview.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Paul_D, thank you for your lovely review. Yes, Napier is a lovely place and we are so proud to offer visitors the opportunity to see our region. Regards, John
Susan_Z, Feb 2023
Wonderful way to spend our port time. Saw a lot and learned a lot. Small group was great for stopping many times for photos. Our guide, Kirsty, was great! Very enjoyable!!
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi Susan_Z, thank you for a fantastic review. We are so lucky to have great driver / guides. Our cruise ship itineraries are time proven (19 years) and we dare not change them. Thank you again. - John
Antoinette_M, Mar 2020
A wonderful experience in a beautiful country. We were driven to the most interesting places. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Mar 2020
Hi Antoine: Thank you for taking time to review your Napier Shore Excursion, the Discover Hawkes Bay Tour. Yes, I actually love that tour myself. I have been taking that same route for 15 years and it is still my favourite route in the area. "Absolutely" the best overview tour of the area in the short time you have ashore here in Napier. Thank you again .. John
Wing_L, Feb 2020
The driver/guide Mike was excellent. There was some time after the tour for us to walk around Napier a bit.
Response from Host, Feb 2020
Hi Wing L: Thank you for your great review of your Napier shore excursion, the Discover Hawkes Bay Tour. Mike has been a valued part of our team for many years.. Thanks again for your review it is appreciated. - John
Anil_D, Jan 2020
Excellent guide, flexibility, information, friendliness.
An excellent customer experience in every aspect.
Highly recommended to internet browsers to find a shore excursion
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hi Aniljdes: Thank you for taking the time to write a fantastic review of your tour. These are much appreciated. We do pride ourselves on the hundreds of fantastic reviews like yours that we receive and thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts for others. - Thank you again, John
Kevin_G, Jan 2020
We had fantastic half day experience. The driver took us around hawks bay we did over 100km and could see the beautiful scenery of NZ. Thank you
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hi Happin: Thank you for your great review of your shore excursion tour. We are extremely proud of our tours and love the feedback to confirm we are meeting our clients expectations - John
Terence_L, Dec 2018
Mike was great fun and a great singer too! Nice to spend time with someone with real local insight. We sat in front and had great conversation, questions, and answers about the wide variety of areas, towns, and sights on this tour. Highly recommended. Really liked the trip to the top of the mountain park!
Mary_A, Dec 2018
We could not wait til it was over so we could do something worthwhile...we always like to learn something new about the place we are visiting...learned absolutely nothing...I could have given a more colorful tour...here is a sheep ..there’s a sheep...oh usually there are deer here ...not today...went the Hawke’s Bay tour....boring....when people asked questions the driver did not answer...I give it 1 star as we did drive down a street of Art Deco houses....forgot souvenir til we mentioned it...the bus needs to have glass ceiling as he mentioned ziggaret roof lines at last second but we couldn’t see them from the van...we were never let out of van to see things except at top of hill when it was raining and wind blowing...or for a rest room break....when it was over he did not help people from van even though 1 woman had a cane....
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