Day 1: Sydney to Hunter Valley
Your informative and knowledgeable guide will collect you from your Sydney hotel. Departing from the city, we travel north over the Sydney Harbour Bridge via the Gore Hill Freeway to join the Pacific Highway and then the M1 freeway. Our first stop is at the Australian Reptile Park, where in a delightful setting surrounded by kangaroos, wallabies and pademelons, we enjoy morning tea/coffee and time to visit with the native Australian Animals. Departing from the park, we travel directly via the freeway to the Hunter Valley, which is nestled in the lee of the Great Dividing Range. 180 years young, this is Australia’s oldest and best known wine region and is soaked in history. It’s a dynamic and fascinating area that brims with over 150 top class wineries, 65 indulgent restaurants as well as gourmet produce and boutique breweries. Our first visit is to Mt View Estate. For 40 years Mount View Estate has been producing some of the most awarded wines in the Hunter Valley and is home to two of the oldest vineyards in the picturesque Mount View region. Both vineyards produce fruit of exceptional quality which is handcrafted in the boutique winery. Here with stunning views we enjoy a Wine and Cheese Pairing Tasting.. a selection of 5 cheeses have specifically been chosen to match with 5 wines. Our next visit is to another unique winery featuring some of the Hunter’s most complex wines to combine with the very best regional varieties from around Australia. We then continue on to our lunch venue amongst the vines. Here we enjoy a relaxing 2 course lunch. We will have a choice from 4 mains, each accompanied by a glass of either red or white wine (your choice) followed by a choice from 2 desserts accompanied by a glass of desert wine. After lunch you have time to relax or enjoy. A Wine Theatre for an educational video on wine production, additional Wine Tasting at a local cellar door, for dedicated cheese lovers there is additional cheese tasting options or for Beer Lover’s you have the opportunity to purchase (own expense) a beer tasting paddle and enjoy in the picturesque setting.. the choices are yours. You will then be dropped at your accommodation with the remainder of the afternoon free at leisure. Overnight accommodation: Hunter Resort (Hunter Resort Room)
Meals: Lunch
Day 2: From Hunter Valley to Sydney
In the morning there is more time at leisure to visit other vineyards for wine tasting, enjoy a scenic hot air balloon ride or hop on a horse and carriage for a ride around the vineyards (all own expense). Lunch today is at your leisure. You are collected at approximately 1.30 – 2.30pm (depending on where you are staying) and we depart from the Hunter at approximately 2.30pm and return to Sydney along the freeway to arrive back at your Sydney Hotel approximately 4.30-5.00pm.
Meals: Breakfast
Includes Hotel pickup and drop off, small group touring as per itinerary, morning tea & wildlife park entry, lunch on day 1, Wine & Cheese Pairing, 1 night accommodation & breakfast at Hunter Resort.