Wine tours, the ferry, the hop-on hop-off bus and the zipline: what each trip includes, whether the ferry is part of the ticket, and what it costs per person.
Pick a day, or the first and last day you are in Auckland. We check the booking calendar of each wine tour, the Explorer bus and the zipline, and show which still have places. The plain return ferry is left out, because its ticket stays valid for a month.
In the next 7 days, all 6 tours on this page still have places.
Ferry: Included
Ferry: Not included
Ferry: Not included
Ferry: Not included
Ferry: Not included
Ferry: Not included
Waiheke is Auckland’s island next door: 40 minutes on the ferry, and you are among vineyards, beaches and native bush. A day trip here takes one of these shapes: a guided wine tour, the ferry plus the hop-on hop-off bus, the zipline, an e-bike loop, or simply the ferry and a beach towel. The trips below cover all of them, with the same facts for each. One question decides more of the price than anything else, so we answer it for every single trip: is the ferry included?
The trip names on booking sites all sound alike. These are the actual shapes a Waiheke day can take. Pick yours, then compare the trips inside.
Guided tastings at the island's boutique wineries, with or without lunch, full day or half. The ferry is usually NOT part of the ticket.
The 40-minute crossing to Matiatia is the start of every version of this day trip, and the return ticket stays valid for a month.
Ferry and a 16-stop Explorer bus loop in one ticket, so the crossing is really covered. Winter half-year: Wednesday to Sunday only.
Three 200-metre dual ziplines over vineyard and bush, then a guided forest walk. Pickup from the ferry terminal is included, the ferry itself is not.
Build your own vineyard-and-beaches loop by e-bike. You hire the bike on the island; our guide explains how the day works.
Chosen on what each listing includes, the ferry first. The full table follows further down.
Return ferry from Auckland plus a hop-on hop-off pass for the 16-stop loop, with live bus tracking in the Fullers360 app. Tastings and food are paid on the day, and from April to November the bus runs Wednesday to Sunday only.
Three wineries with all tasting fees, then a one-course lunch and a glass of wine at Three Seven Two on the Onetangi beachfront. Pickup at Matiatia wharf; the 10:00 ferry from Auckland is yours to book. Ages 18 and up.
At most 11 guests, tasting fees at three boutique vineyards and a food tasting at Casita Miro. Pickup at the ferry or your island accommodation; ferry tickets and lunch are not included.
Five hours from Matiatia wharf by people carrier or double-decker bus, with two or four wineries depending on the option you book. Lunch and the ferry ticket are not included. Ages 18 and up.
Three short questions, then our suggestion.
Question 1 of 3
Question 2 of 3
Question 3 of 3
No tour fits every answer, so here is the closest one.
The fullest guided wine day: three boutique wineries over five hours, with lunch and a glass of wine at Three Seven Two in Onetangi. The ferry is not included: take the 10:00 ferry from Auckland at your own cost. Ages 18 and up.
Four wineries in five hours from Matiatia: tastings at Cable Bay, Stonyridge and Mudbrick, and a lunch stop at Batch Winery at your own cost. You are back at the ferry at 15:40; the crossing is booked separately.
The small-group vineyard day: three wineries over six hours with at most 11 guests, among them Casita Miro with a food pairing. Ferry tickets are not included; pickup is at Matiatia or your accommodation.
The build-your-own island day, with the ferry really included in the ticket. Sixteen stops, an 80-minute loop, buses tracked live in an app, and no minimum age on the listing. April to November it runs Wednesday to Sunday only.
Three 200-metre dual ziplines over vineyard and bush, then a guided walk through regenerating forest. Riders weigh 30 to 125 kg, and under-16s ride with a ziplining adult. Pickup from the ferry terminal is included; the crossing is booked separately.
Just the crossing: 40 minutes each way, departures every 30 to 60 minutes, and the ticket stays valid for a month, so the return boat is whichever one suits your day.
Two wineries and a winery platter in four hours, with a stop at Onetangi Beach if time allows. It starts after the 12:00 ferry from Auckland and ends around 16:45, so the morning stays yours; the crossing is not included.
Also a good fit
Scenic wine journey, four vineyards, lunch stop at your own cost
Book now
Sorted by review count. Tap a column header to re-sort. The “What’s in it” column starts with the question that matters: is the ferry included?
| Photo | Trip | What's in it | Rating ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Ferry + hop-on hop-off Explorer bus | Ferry INCLUDED · return crossing + 16-stop Explorer bus day ticket (Apr–Nov: Wed–Sun only) | ★ 4.6 (3,939) | NZ$ 104 per person | Book now |
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Return fast ferry Auckland–Waiheke | The ferry itself: return crossing, 40 min each way, ticket valid 1 month | ★ 4.7 (1,248) | NZ$ 65 per person | Book now |
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EcoZip zipline & native forest | Ferry NOT included (Matiatia pickup is) · 3× 200-m dual ziplines + forest walk · 3 h | ★ 4.9 (787) | NZ$ 149 per person | Book now |
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Scenic wine journey (4 vineyards) | Ferry NOT included · 4 wineries, tastings at 3, lunch stop at own cost · 5 h · 18+ | ★ 4.8 (336) | NZ$ 190 per person | Book now |
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Essence of Waiheke wine tour | Ferry NOT included · 3 boutique wineries, lunch + glass of wine · 5 h · 18+ | ★ 4.9 (128) | NZ$ 285 per person | Book now |
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Premium wine tour (max 11 guests) | Ferry NOT included · 3 wineries incl. Casita Miro food pairing, small group · 6 h · 18+ | ★ 4.8 (30) | NZ$ 249 per person | Book now |
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Wine tastings & lunch half-day | Ferry NOT included · 2 wineries, winery platter, Onetangi Beach if time allows · 4 h · 18+ | ★ 4.8 (21) | NZ$ 255 per person | Book now |
Prices in this table come live from GetYourGuide or Viator and include taxes and booking fees. They pay for the trip itself; the ferry costs extra unless the row says it is included. “What’s in it” summarises the product title and states whether the ferry is included. The full list of inclusions is on the product page.
Read off each trip’s own product page. When a page is silent on a point, the cell tells you.
| Trip | Ferry | Programme | Food | Age | Starts at | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return ferry + hop-on hop-off Explorer bus, day ticket | Included | Bus loop with 16 stops | Not included | Not stated | Auckland ferry terminal | 1 day |
| The Essence of Waiheke wine tour, three boutique wineries + lunch | Not included | 3 wineries | Lunch with a glass of wine | 18+ | Matiatia wharf, Waiheke | 5 h |
| Wine tastings & lunch, the half-day tour | Not included | 2 wineries | Vineyard platter lunch | 18+ | Matiatia wharf, Waiheke | 4 h |
| Premium wine tour, small group of at most 11 guests | Not included | 3 wineries | Food tasting, lunch extra | 18+ | Matiatia or your island stay | 6 h |
| Scenic wine journey, four vineyards, lunch stop at your own cost | Not included | 2 or 4 wineries, by option | Not included | 18+ | Matiatia wharf, Waiheke | 5 h |
| EcoZip zipline & native forest walk | Not included | 3 ziplines and a forest walk | Not included | No age limit, 30–125 kg | Matiatia (pickup optional) | 3 h |
From the GetYourGuide product pages, checked in October 2026. The duration is the provider’s figure; on the zipline, anyone aged 15 or under rides with a paying adult who zips too.
Of the trips above, only the ferry + Explorer bus combo carries the crossing in its ticket. The wine tours and the zipline start on the island, and their listings say the ferry is extra, so book the crossing as well. From December to February, ferries and tours fill up around weekends and public holidays; book ahead and take the earliest ferry you can. From April to November the Explorer bus runs Wednesday to Sunday only. And ferry punctuality is a recurring local talking point, so leave slack before fixed commitments back in Auckland.
Real traveller reviews from GetYourGuide.
★ 4.6 (3,939 reviews)
“The Waiheke Island trip was an amazing way to spend the day. … Once on the Island, it was easy to locate the bus. Our drivers, Nicole and Simon, were wonderful and a lot of fun to talk to. … The route had many great stops to hop off and explore on your own. I spent all day on the island and didn’t get bored for a second.”
“For us, this was a perfect option. We wanted to explore on our own and this option let us do exactly that. … If you prefer more structure and a defined tour, this probably won’t be for you. However, if you want to make your own way but don’t want to have to put together the ferry and local transportation, this is a very convenient and affordable way to go”
“We pre booked our tickets unfortunately the bus was so packer had to stand very dissatisfied”
The pattern in these reviews is clear. Reviewers praise the freedom, the views and drivers who chat rather than recite. Most of the criticism is about capacity and frequency. Buses can be full enough that you stand, in the extreme case a full bus passes a stop, and with buses up to an hour apart a missed connection costs real time. Two planning facts defuse most of it: take an early ferry (the buses and the wineries wind down by early evening), and remember that from April to November the bus runs Wednesday to Sunday only.
★ 4.9 (128 reviews)
“My husband and I loved the winery tour with our guide Nick. At each winery they were ready for us and gave us a beautiful location to have our tastings at. The food was delicious at the restaurant plus being right on the beach. Part of our group didn’t make the ferry so Nick added another winery stop so they would still get to see three wineries!”
“An absolutely amazing tour- the vineyards were stunning and felt like they were really hand picked and special. Our guide Janis was amazing- he really catered to our level of knowledge on wine (not much!) and we left the day having learnt so much. It was also so appreciated that we were picked up and dropped off at our accommodation rather than the ferry port- nothing felt like too much trouble.”
“Unfortunately our 10 am ferry left at 9.45 and was fully loaded so couldn’t get on another till around 10.45 and missed first winery because of the lateness (which was made up at the end) & then the other 2 wineries (although lovely) were quite rushed … Despite this the tour tried very hard to accomodate everyone’s needs and the wineries we did visit were very nice.”
The praise across these reviews is consistent: guides who know the island, wineries that expect you, a lunch spot right on the beach. The most concrete criticism concerns one structural point: the ferry is not under the tour's control. One review describes a full ferry that cost winery time, because the tour starts on the island and plans around the 10:00 boat you book yourself; one older review also complains about a changed lunch venue. For context, all critical text reviews date from 2019, and the recent reviews we collected are all positive.
★ 4.9 (787 reviews)
“This trip was great fun and so well organised. Obvious signage to be collected off the ferry and very well organised zipline experience. The perfect blend of having time to relax and take it all in without feeling like you were waiting around! … To be told your helping with their conservation cause whilst they explain the forest around you is the icing on the cake!”
“If you want a bit of an adrenaline rush as well as a ferry pick up and convenient drop off, do this! If you want to find out some history of the island and experience some real 'kiwi' bush, definitely do this!!”
“The actual zip line was for around 15 mts in total, with 3 zips each zip lasting only for seconds…the waiting for the group and trek was about it all. The zip could have been longer :(”
The guides carry this experience: four of the six five-star reviews we collected mention them. The criticism worth taking seriously is about proportions: the riding itself is three runs of a few seconds each, and much of the three hours is the island mini-tour, the group taking turns, and the guided bush walk back up. If pure adrenaline minutes are what you are buying, know that going in; if you read the ziplines as the exclamation mark on a forest-and-views outing, the reviews suggest you will be happy. The one-star report is a meeting-point failure. Pickup at the ferry is signposted, but without mobile coverage a missed connection is hard to repair, so fix the meeting details before you travel.
Reviews collected from the tours' GetYourGuide pages. Shortened for length (marked with …), wording unchanged; names reduced to first name and country.
No sales calls, no callbacks, no login. We show you the Waiheke day trips in our comparison with the same facts for each, above all whether the ferry is included, so you can compare them in one place. When you book through a link on this page, GetYourGuide pays us a small commission. It comes out of their margin, not out of your ticket price.
The questions people ask before, during and after they book.
Usually not, and this is the classic surprise cost of a Waiheke day. Of the trips we compare, only the ferry + Explorer bus combo includes the crossing. The wine tours and the zipline start on the island: you book the ferry separately and the operator meets you there. Their product pages list the ferry ticket as not included. Look at the inclusions at checkout once more before you pay.
About 40 minutes each way, from downtown Auckland to Matiatia. Departures run every 30 to 60 minutes, and the return ticket stays valid for a month, so you are not locked to a specific boat coming back.
It depends on the shape of your day. If the vineyards are the point, take the full-day small-group tour or the five-hour tour with lunch. If the wine tour is one chapter of a wider island day, the four-hour half-day version runs from the 12:00 ferry into the late afternoon and leaves the morning free. If you want to see four wineries and choose your own lunch, the five-hour scenic four-vineyard tour fits. Each of them is guided, visits Waiheke wineries and is for ages 18 and up. The comparison on our wine tours page walks through the differences, including which one includes lunch and what happens about the ferry.
Easily. The ferry + hop-on hop-off Explorer bus covers beaches, villages and several cellar doors in a 16-stop loop, and you pay your own tastings where you get off. Or take just the ferry and hire an e-bike on the island. Tastings at the cellar door are paid locally and are not part of these tickets.
Not in the winter half-year: from April to November the Explorer bus runs Wednesday to Sunday only. From December to March it runs daily. Booking ahead is required; it is not a walk-up ticket. The loop starts at Matiatia at 10:00 and takes about 80 minutes over 16 stops.
Within limits: riders must weigh between 30 and 125 kg, and under-16s take part only together with an adult who is also ziplining. The ziplines are dual cables, so two people ride side by side. Note that the ferry is not included; pickup from the ferry terminal is.
Yes. All guided wine tours in our comparison are for ages 18 and up, because tastings are the core of the programme. For a family day, the ferry + Explorer bus combo and the zipline are the better fit; check age and child-rate notes on each product page before booking.
The southern summer, December to February, is the island at its best and also at its busiest. On summer weekends and public holidays, ferries and tours fill up: book ahead and take the earliest ferry you can face. If you visit between April and November, plan around the Explorer bus running Wednesday to Sunday only.
Yes. Every trip in our comparison table offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The policy shown at checkout is the binding one, so give it a quick look before you book.
All trips in our comparison in one table, with the ferry answer in every row.
See the comparison