Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown
Description
Come and experience the original Hop on Hop off Wine & Beer tour at the lowest price guaranteed. Maximum of 8 travellers per group unless otherwise agreed. Experience the best of both worlds with a day of wine and beer tastings at some of Central Otago’s best-hidden breweries, wineries and eateries. Our knowledgeable drivers will ensure an enjoyable day out with fantastic commentary along the way to both educate and entertain. If you’re not a drinker then there is still plenty on offer with a fantastic range of other activities such as jet boating, bungy jumping, ten pin bowling not to mention all the amazing food to be sampled. • Hop-on Hop-off Wine Tour in Queenstown, Gibbston Valley, Arrowtown and more • Great way to go wine tasting without a car or designated driver .Choice of a half-day afternoon or full-day ticket • Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences • The bus goes every 45 min approximately to each stop (Maps are provided)
Tour Options
Itinerary
World Famous as the ultimate jet boat experience like no other. Shotover Jet is the only way to experience the spectacular Shotover River Canyons. Open 7 days from 10am - 4pm.
Overlooking the mighty Shotover River, Canyon Food & Brew handcrafts award-winning beer in their open space micro-brewery. Open: Sun-Thu 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm Bookings required for lunch, dinner and larger groups. Bookings not required for bar service.
The hub of entertainment in Queenstown. This 7 lane tenpin bowling alley is a fun and joyful experience. Open 7 days until 10pm.
Our Newest Venue!!! Open: Tues-Sun 12pm – 7pm. The Cargo Collective —It’s a premium beverage producer and event specialist, home to a range of distinctive brands, with great times and exceptional service at the core of everything we do. Learn the craft behind our drinks with a behind-the-scenes Brewery Tour or get hands-on in one of our immersive Gin Workshops. Food and Drinks Menu – Beer Flight Boards, Gin Flight Boards, Wide range of beers, gins, wines and cocktails. Full pizza menu available Apres ski package with mulled gin cocktail, cheese raclette and chocolate fondue
This little village is an historical gold mining town. Wonderful place to relax, dine and shop. Attractions include the famous Chinese Settlement and Lakes District Museum. Bookings not required.
Open 7 days a week . Sunday – Thursday 10:30am – 8pm. Friday – Saturday 10:30am – 9pm . Bookings are not required unless there is a large group. The world’s largest New Zealand wine store. Taste over 80 wines, whiskies, spirits and gin at The Winery Arrowtown. Enjoy one of their cheese Boards or a selection of tapas.
Open Thursday to Sunday 12noon – 4pm. Closed Monday to Wednesday. Discover the Spirit of Arrowtown at Rifters Tasting Room. Immerse yourself in our handcrafted gins within historic Dudley’s Cottage. Bookings are not required unless there is a large group. Pre-booking private bespoke tastings available.
The home of Swiftsure Vineyards, Swiftsure by Man O’ War is a stylish yet relaxed bistro, uniquely situated above Buckingham Green in the heart of Arrowtown. From sun-drenched terraces to cozy fireside corners, it’s layered indoor & outdoors spaces offer something for every season and mood.
Open 7 days 10am – 6.30pm (wine tastings) Ayrburn is the latest venue to be added to our run. With plenty of food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at The Woolshed or delight the palate with wine flights in The Manure Room where you can also enjoy a tapas menu or small bites to match the wine you try. The Barrel room offers wine tastings and has a great menu. Ayrburn is a large venue with plenty of space to walk around, a gelato shop, and lawn games at The Dell. Please pre book your lunch and tastings. Reservation at The Barrel Room NB Please be advised Ayrburn are happy to move tastings times to accommodate tour arrival times.
Mora Artisan Kitchen Restaurant open 7 days: 9am – 5pm Cellar door open 7 days: 11am -5pm Bookings required. Larger groups are welcome for lunch. Mora Kitchen by Artisan is one of Queenstown’s premier winery restaurants. Proud to offer an outstanding wine and food experience, located within a beautiful cottage and gardens. Inside and alfresco dining, child friendly.
Restaurant open 5 days a week. Lunch Wednesday – Sunday: 12pm – 3pm. Dinner Wednesday – Saturday from 6pm. Bookings are essential For lunch only. Amisfield Restaurant, recently awarded New Zealand Restaurant of the Year 2023, is known for its hyper-seasonal degustation style menu focusing on creating dishes that represent the work of a small group of fisherman, hunters, gatherers and farmers in the Central Otago region. FOR WINE TASTINGS: Please call us. To go on our list ( 6 people only at one time ) Please be aware there are NO BOOKINGS for tastings at Amisfield, you will be a walk in! We can only drop off 6 PEOPLE AT ONE TIME SLOT IN TOTAL!
Open Monday – Sunday: 11am – 5pm. Bookings required. Neighbors with a passion for art and making wine, have come together to open a cellar door. As an artist has a palette of paint, they now have a palette of hand crafted wines. Queenstown’s newest cellar door is Nockies Palette.
Open 7 days. Bookings required to jump Home of the World’s first Bungy, Kawarau Bridge Bungy is now a historic landmark. Live More, Fear Less and do a solo or tandem Bungy over the Kawarau river! They also have a Zipride, café and bar. You are more than welcome to hop off, have coffee or ice cream and watch other people jumping, but if you wish to jump, you will need to book!
Open 7 days from 10am – 5pm. Tasting bookings are not required unless there is a large group. Booking for lunch required Experience it all at Gibbston Valley Winery. Enjoy their seasonal menu, take a winery tour or explore NZ’s largest Wine Cave. Different tours run through the day; check out their departure times here, to match with our timetable arrival times. Cave tour departure times – 10am, 11am, 3pm.
Open 7 days: 11am – 5pm. Bookings required. Come and enjoy a fun and friendly wine tasting in Mt Rosa’s renovated wool shed. Enjoy great valley views with a platter. Free case shipping to NZ & Australia.
Open: Cellar door open daily from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Established in 1993, Waitiri Creek is one of Gibbston Valley’s original founding wineries. The hand made wines are a nod to the rich heritage of Gibbston, where tradition and innovation come together in perfect harmony.
Open Tuesday – Sunday from 11:00am – 5pm. Bookings are not required unless there is a large group. Family owned and operated vineyard, winery & cellar door producing limited quantities of finely-aged wines representing the potential of this exceptional wine region. You will find a unique and tasteful experience at Brennan.
Open 7 days from 10am. Bookings Required for lunch and tastings. Kinross’s boutique Vineyard Hotel, Cellar Door & Bistro is the official Cellar Door for a fantastic selection: Coal Pit, Hawkshead, Kinross, Valli & Wild Irishman.
Open 7 days: Sunday – Thursday: 11am- 6pm. Friday- Saturday: 11am- 8pm The Gibbston Tavern sits in the heart of Central Otago in the deep south of New Zealand and has a rich history going back to the gold mining days of the 1800’s. World class wines and craft beer accompany their delicious menu.
Open 7 days: 10am-6pm. Winter hours (May-Sep 11am-4pm) Walk-ins are welcome for cellar door wine tastings. For larger groups more than 8, please get in touch with our Cellar Door team for availability. Our Cellar Door is housed in the former stone stables of the 1860’s Gibbston Hotel, once a resting point for miners travelling between Queenstown & Cromwell during the gold-rush era. Preserved with care, these historic stables now serve as home for Monte Christo Winery. Round out your visit by creating your own gourmet small plates or platter from a selection of local cheeses, charcuterie, breads, olives, and accoutrements alongside wines by the glass or bottle on our covered patio or indoors in our welcoming cellar door space.
Open 7 days from 10am – 5pm. Tasting bookings are not required unless there is a large group. Booking for lunch required Experience it all at Gibbston Valley Winery. Enjoy their seasonal menu, take a winery tour or explore NZ’s largest Wine Cave. Different tours run through the day; check out their departure times here, to match with our timetable arrival times. Cave tour times – 10am, 11am, 3pm.
Open Monday – Sunday: 11am – 5pm. Bookings required. Neighbors with a passion for art and making wine, have come together to open a cellar door. As an artist has a palette of paint, they now have a palette of hand crafted wines. Queenstown’s newest cellar door is Nockies Palette. HoHo Special: Purchase two or more bottles will be that you get your Classic tasting complimentary valued at $18.
Open 7 days: Monday – Saturday 11am – 12am. Sunday 11am-11pm. On the lakefront of the Frankton Arm, with the biggest beer garden in Queenstown, sheltered with a large outside open fire, it’s a perfect pub by the lake to chat away the afternoon with friends. The food is just what you expect from your local pub – simple, honest, and not too pricey.
Closed: Monday & Tuesday. Open Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday: 11am- 8pm. Friday – Saturday 12pm – 10pm. Bookings are not required unless there is a large group. Altitude Brewing´s lakeside tap room looks out to the Remarkables. The ideal spot to plan your next adventure over a beer.
Open 7 days a week . Sunday – Thursday 10:30am – 8pm. Friday – Saturday 10:30am – 9pm . Bookings are not required unless there is a large group. The world’s largest New Zealand wine store. Taste over 80 wines, whiskies, spirits and gin at The Winery Arrowtown. Enjoy one of their cheese Boards or a selection of tapas.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Maximum 8 people per group
Reviews(360)
The trip was great. The instructions of where to meet were a bit vague. It would have been clearer if we had been told to just meet the bus on the street. We weee searching through The Station building looking for a meeting point. We loved the scenery etc but found ourselves worrying about when the bus would come to the pick up points. Had we missed it? Was it late? Do we just stand here and wait? Still a great and fairly inexpensive way to see the countryside. LOVED Ayrburn!
Nice afternoon out at some beautiful places. Did the half day tour and squeezed in 4 stops. The bus was very efficient and came every 50 minutes so it felt a bit rushed but waiting for the one after felt a bit too long. Could do with having a full hour at each place so you could relax a little bit and maybe have a glass of your fav wine after the tasting session. But otherwise lovely. Thanks to Sam our driver.
Hi Amanda, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your afternoon exploring the wineries and that Sam helped make your experience a great one. Thanks, from The Hop On Hop Off Team
Pete the driver was great. Super informative and funny. Awesome. But the overall cost for what amounts to a bus on a repeating loop is a bit of a downer. This is not your big city style hop on hop off setup where a bus comes along every few minutes. Rather, it's more like taking the city bus across town. You need to be at the pickup point at the scheduled pickup time, or you're waiting 40-60 minutes until the one and only bus comes around on its next loop. This overall is an okay option for two people, but for 3 or more you're better off renting a car for the day, in my opinion, and designate a driver.
Hello Dennis, Thankyou for your review, we are a tour and Pete would have given wonderful commantary. We also cover 150 km Im not sure if you are aware of the costs. A city tour does no more than 10 kms. Renting a car for a day isnt an option as rental companys do not do this and most people do not know the region. Yes we do run on a timetable as this is how it has to work. Thanks HOHO
We thought we'd decide, which vinyards to go to, once we were on the bus... Do your research before time and make a flexible plan. It was a fun day with a great driver/guide.
Hi Lotta, Thank you for your great review! We're so pleased you had a fun day exploring the wineries with us and that our driver helped make your experience an enjoyable one. You also shared some excellent advice for future guests. Having a flexible plan and doing a little research beforehand can really help make the most of the day, while still leaving room for those spontaneous stops along the way. Thank you again for choosing Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours Queenstown. We truly appreciate your recommendation. Kind regards, The Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours Queenstown Team
Great trip. We had Frasier for all of our pick ups. Easy to plan and hit all of our wanted locations.
Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a fun day with us and that everything was easy to plan, allowing you to visit all the wineries and venues you wanted. That's exactly the experience we aim to provide! We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Frasier—he'll be delighted to know he helped make your day an enjoyable one. Thanks again for choosing Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours Queenstown. Kind regards, The Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours Queenstown Team
I had a group of 12 people and I decided to book a bus for a private tour. One of the highlights of our trip was the bus driver Pete. Pete was funny, very knowledgeable and an all round nice guy. For this, I will give 5 stars!!
Pete was an amazing bus driver he helped us get to everywhere we wanted to go. Even when we were getting our destinations mixed up. Especially the church for a relaxed vibe at the end of the day. He was super helpful and really nice! This is a perfect way to see the amazing wineries in QT!
As a hop-on hop-off service, you would expect full flexibility regarding start and end times. In reality, there is only one bus in the morning, with a second added in the afternoon, which leaves no real alternative for return times to Queenstown. The only scheduled return to town is around 5:00 pm, which is very limiting. This information is not clearly stated when purchasing tickets online, and as a result we had to pay NZD 90 for an Uber to return to town at 3:00 pm. Aside from this issue, the driver was very friendly and helpful.
Hi there. At the commencement of the tour, our driver clearly explained how our Hop On Hop Off service operates, including that the route runs in a forward direction due to the distance covered and does not operate as a continuous return loop. All guests are provided with a physical tour map and timetable, and the scheduled return times to Queenstown are clearly outlined. This same information is also publicly available on our website and on Viator. You boarded the 10:30am service and travelled through to Arrowtown. We contacted Amisfield Restaurant & Cellar Door on your behalf regarding tastings, and you later enjoyed lunch at Gibbston Valley Winery. You remained on tour until approximately 3:00pm, meaning you had been using and enjoying the service for over four hours without raising any concerns regarding the timetable or structure of the tour. At no stage earlier in the day did you advise our driver or office team that you wished to return to Queenstown sooner. Had we been informed earlier, we had another driver operating that day and could have explored options to assist with an earlier return, where operationally possible. When you advised the driver that you were tired and wished to return, you were at Gibbston Valley after lunch. The driver explained the next scheduled transport option in accordance with the timetable and also offered transport to the Frankton Bus Interchange. You declined this option and instead chose to remain at Gibbston Valley and arrange your own Uber transport back to Queenstown. The decision to book and pay for an Uber was made independently after declining the available scheduled transport option. You spent more than half the day on tour and had no concerns with the timetable until the point you chose to return earlier than the scheduled service permitted. The service operated exactly as described.
Once you get on you stay there until the end of day. Just be prepared. Fun day, nice wineries. If you like wine, this is for you 😀
It was easy to get off our huge ship, get in to Picton and get on this pre booked tour. The range of places it visited was much more varied than just wine places. Drivers were knowledgeable and friendly. We did have to deal with people who don't understand queueing, but as there were plenty and frequent buses it wasn't a problem.
