Gin Tasting, Lunch Not Included

Colourful Collective runs this 11-hour day trip out of Sydney and into the Hunter Valley, built around cellar door visits and tastings. From $218 per person, rated 4.7 across 660 reviews. Free cancellation applies; the live booking page lists pickup points and the day's running order.

Overview

This full-day tour run by Colourful Collective leaves Sydney in the early morning and spends the day working through the Hunter Valley's cellar doors, with gin and limoncello thrown in between the wine stops. It runs about 11 hours door to door, and the rhythm is simple: two winery tastings before lunch, free time to buy lunch at a venue overlooking the vines, then a gin distillery, a final cellar door with wine paired against chocolate and cheese, and a short stop to look for wild kangaroos among the vines before the drive back.

One of the tastings comes with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at wine production at a working winery. Three cellar doors are covered in total, tasting regional styles including Semillon and Shiraz. Transport is a shared coach with a driver-guide who gives commentary along the way, and the mood is casual, with music on the bus and reviewers often describing the group as friendly and fun.

It suits travellers 18 and over who want a packed, sociable day from Sydney without organising anything themselves. Lunch, beer paddles and any wine you buy are at your own expense, and hotel pickup is not provided, so you need to make your way to one of the central Sydney meeting points.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in central SydneyThree start options: 7.15am at The Ultimo on Ultimo Road, 7.30am at St Andrew's Cathedral on the Bathurst St side, or 7.45am at The Obelisk in Macquarie Place Park. The meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.
2. Coach to the HunterRoughly 75 minutes on the coach, then a 15-minute optional break at Wyong for the bathroom, followed by another hour of driving.
3. First winery tastingAn hour of wine tasting at a winery, then a short 10-minute transfer.
4. Winery tour and tastingA 75-minute guided tour of a working winery with wine tasting, including the behind-the-scenes production walk-through.
5. Lunch stop75 minutes at a local restaurant overlooking the hills and vines. Lunch is at your own expense; a one-course plus glass of wine or beer group special is usually offered on the day.
6. Gin, final cellar door, kangaroosA tasting at a boutique gin distillery with views towards Broken Back Range, then a final cellar door for a paired wine tasting with chocolate or cheese. After that comes a 15-minute wildlife stop at Pokolbin to look for kangaroos, and the return drive of about 2.25 hours to Sydney.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical things shape the day, from the early start to the amount of tasting packed into 11 hours.

• Eat before you go. There is only one bathroom break between Sydney and the Hunter Valley, and lunch comes fairly late in the day. The listing recommends having breakfast beforehand or bringing snacks.
• Budget for lunch. Lunch is not included. The venue offers groups a one-course plus glass of wine or beer special, and most dietary requirements are catered for, or you can order from the a la carte menu. Beer paddles and any bottles you buy are also extra.
• Long but social day. Reviewers consistently describe a fun, friendly group, with one saying the day felt short because everything ran well. Expect to be on a shared coach for long stretches, and some reviewers found the seating cramped.
• Bring cash or card for extras. Between lunch, produce purchases and optional beer paddles there are several chances to spend beyond the ticket. Free time after lunch also allows a shared cheese board or a wander to the farm animals.
• Getting to the meeting point. Hotel pickup is not included. Choose one of the three central Sydney meeting points when booking; one reviewer staying near Circular Quay found a stop within minutes of their hotel.

Common issues. The gin tasting divides opinion: a few reviewers said they would have preferred more time at the wineries instead, and one suggested skipping it altogether. Some travellers mention cramped buses and a wish for more legroom. Lunch is an extra cost, and the day is long, roughly 11 hours with extended coach travel each way. The tour is restricted to those 18 and over, though private tours are available for groups with children.

Choosing Your Tour