Marlborough Tours

Marlborough wine tours cover New Zealand's largest wine region by bike, minivan or car, and Marlborough Sounds tours add cruises, walks and kayaking for the days between tastings. The wine tours pick up from accommodation in Blenheim, Renwick or Picton, while the Sounds tours meet on Picton's waterfront and the kayaking tour meets in Havelock.

Marlborough wine tours by bike, car and minivan

The format decides the day: a guided morning on bikes with the afternoon to yourself, or a driver and a set of cellar doors in a minivan or car.

Cycling between cellar doors

The half-day guided biking wine tour and the morning-guided, afternoon self-guided biking wine tour share a half-and-half format: a guide leads the morning to three wineries with tasting fees covered, then the afternoon is yours to pace.

The first adds morning tea with home baking and a platter lunch at a winery restaurant. The second is based at Rapaura, hands out a wine map of recommendations for the afternoon and offers an e-bike upgrade on its standard step-through bikes.

Driving tours and small-group minivans

The half-day driving wine tour visits between three and five wineries with lunch at a winery restaurant. The full-day driving wine tour adds morning tea and private tastings, with a guide who knows the industry and an itinerary that bends around what guests want to taste.

The full-day small group wine tour runs by air-conditioned minivan to five or six cellar doors, takes in a vineyard walk and talk and can stop at Makana Chocolate Factory on request, so tastings range from sauvignon blanc and pinot gris to pinot noir and riesling. The half-day afternoon wine tour from Picton or Blenheim covers four cellar doors, with lunch not included and cheeseboards available to buy along the way.

Marlborough Sounds tours: cruises, walks and wildlife

The Sounds are the other half of the region. The Queen Charlotte Sound cruise from Picton to Ship Cove is a half-day trip with skipper commentary and a stop at one of Captain Cook's landing sites from the 1770s, and the Marlborough Day in the Sounds experience stretches it into a full-day trip with free time at Furneaux Lodge or Punga Cove Resort.

Walkers can take the cruise and day walk from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge, a self-guided 15km stretch of the Queen Charlotte Track with a cruise out and back. The Motuara Island bird watchers cruise gives time ashore on a predator-free island sanctuary. If cruising is the main event, Marlborough Sounds cruises include the mail boat runs and a seafood cruise.

A Hobbit kayaking tour on the Pelorus River

The Hobbit kayaking tour on the Pelorus River leaves from Havelock and paddles past locations used in The Hobbit films, with a guide sharing the filming stories along the way. The river runs Grade 1 and 2 rapids, and wetsuits and safety equipment are supplied. It is a 4.5-hour outing, including a 2.5-hour paddle. More paddling options sit under Marlborough water sports.

Combining wine and the Sounds in one day

A morning on the water and an afternoon of tastings fit into one day. The cruise and wine package pairs a cruise to Ship Cove with lunch at Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen, tastings at 2 to 3 wineries, a boutique chocolate factory and hotel transfers.

How to choose a Marlborough tour

Start with pace. A guided tour hands the planning to someone else, the self-guided afternoon on the bike tours lets you linger where you like, and the walking and kayaking days ask more of your legs and arms than a minivan tasting does. Then look at pick-up: the bike, driving and small-group wine tours collect from accommodation, while the Sounds tours meet at the Picton waterfront and the kayaking tour meets in Havelock.

Blenheim suits the wine tours and Picton suits the Sounds, and with accommodation pick-ups on many tours either one works as a base for the things to do in Marlborough.

Frequently asked questions

Should I do a Marlborough wine tour by bike or by car?

A Marlborough wine tour by bike suits guests happy to pedal between cellar doors, while the driving and small-group minivan tours cover more ground with less effort. The bike tours guide the morning and leave the afternoon self-paced, and the driving tours stop for lunch at a winery restaurant.

How many wineries do Marlborough wine tours visit?

Marlborough wine tours usually visit three to six cellar doors, depending on the format. The half-day driving tour covers three to five wineries, the full-day small group tour covers five to six cellar doors and the half-day afternoon tour covers four.

Do Marlborough wine tours include lunch?

The driving wine tours and the half-day guided biking wine tour include lunch at a winery restaurant, while the half-day afternoon wine tour from Picton or Blenheim does not. Check the inclusions on the tour you pick.

Can you do a Marlborough tour from Picton?

Marlborough tours run from Picton as well as Blenheim. The small-group wine tours pick up from Picton accommodation, and the Sounds cruises, walks and bird watching trips meet on Picton's waterfront.

Are Marlborough wine tours suitable for children?

Marlborough wine tours are set up for adult guests, and the ticket types state the age range on each tour. The small-group wine tours sell adult tickets only, so check the ticket types before booking with children.

Where does the Hobbit kayaking tour on the Pelorus River start?

The Hobbit kayaking tour on the Pelorus River starts at Pelorus Eco Adventures on Main Road in Havelock. Wetsuits and safety equipment are supplied, and it is a 4.5-hour outing, including a 2.5-hour paddle.

Blenheim is where most of the wine tours start and Picton is where the Sounds tours begin, so pick the end of Marlborough you want to see first.