Giles Tours – Christchurch Wine Tours

Experience North Canterbury wine country with Giles Tours, offering intimate Christchurch wine tours through the vineyards and boutique wineries of the Waipara Valley.

Specialising in small groups of up to six guests, Giles Tours combines knowledgeable wine guidance, premium transport and personalised service with some of North Canterbury’s most distinctive family-owned wineries.

Choose the all-inclusive Waipara Wine Experience, available as a shared or private tour, or create your own private day in wine country with the flexible Limestone Limo Guided Tour.

The Waipara Wine Experience has earned well over 100 five-star reviews since beginning in 2016, with tours starting from $169 per person.

Why Choose Giles Tours?

• Small-group wine tours for up to six guests
• Central Christchurch pick-up and drop-off
• Shared and private Waipara wine tours
• Personalised Limestone Limo Guided Tours
• Passionate and knowledgeable wine guides
• Premium transport
• Visits to boutique, family-owned wineries
• Guided wine tastings
• Winery lunch included with the Waipara Wine Experience
• Flexible itineraries available on private tours
• Lyttelton pick-up available by arrangement
• Beautiful North Canterbury vineyard scenery
• More than 100 five-star reviews for the Waipara Wine Experience

Wine Tours for Every Enthusiast

Whether guests are experienced wine lovers or simply want an enjoyable day exploring North Canterbury, Giles Tours offers experiences suited to different interests and group sizes.

Tours combine personalised service with the scenery, wineries and wines of the Waipara Valley, approximately 50 minutes north of Christchurch.

Guests can choose from an all-inclusive wine experience where the details are taken care of or a completely private guided tour with the freedom to create their own itinerary.

Waipara Wine Experience

The Waipara Wine Experience is a relaxed small-group wine tour from Christchurch through one of New Zealand’s distinctive cool-climate wine regions.

Following a central Christchurch pick-up, guests travel north into the Waipara Valley and visit three boutique, family-owned vineyards, each offering its own wines, character and story.

The experience includes guided tastings across a range of varietals, an individual seasonal winery lunch platter and all transport in a premium vehicle.

With a maximum of six guests, the experience remains personal and relaxed throughout the day.

Waipara Wine Experience Includes

• Wine tastings at three boutique vineyards
• Individual seasonal lunch platter
• Premium transport
• Central Christchurch pick-up and drop-off
• Knowledgeable local guide
• Approximately 5.5 to 6 hours in total
• Relaxed exploration of North Canterbury wine country

The Waipara Wine Experience can be booked as either a shared or private tour.

Shared Waipara Wine Experience

The Shared Waipara Wine Experience is ideal for couples and smaller groups wanting an all-inclusive day in wine country.

Shared tours are generally the most cost-effective option for two or three guests and offer greater availability.

Wine tastings, lunch and transport are included, leaving guests free to relax and enjoy the wineries and scenery.

Shared tours require a minimum of two guests to operate.

Private Waipara Wine Experience

The Private Waipara Wine Experience provides the same all-inclusive experience exclusively for your group.

Designed for up to six guests, a private tour offers additional flexibility around the timing and itinerary, with the premium vehicle reserved entirely for the group.

Private tours are particularly suited to groups of four or more and can also work well for cruise ship passengers arriving into Lyttelton, as timings can be adjusted around the ship’s schedule.

Limestone Limo Guided Tour

For guests wanting more freedom over their day, the Limestone Limo Guided Tour offers a completely private and personalised Waipara wine experience for up to six people.

Following pick-up from central Christchurch, guests travel approximately 50 minutes to Waipara in a premium vehicle with a passionate and knowledgeable guide.

Unlike a pre-packaged wine tour, the itinerary can be tailored around the group’s preferences. Visit up to four boutique wineries, choose which tasting flights appeal, enjoy a quick vineyard platter or settle in for a long winery lunch.

Giles Tours can recommend an itinerary, but the final choices remain with the guests.

The Limestone Limo Guided Tour costs $500 for up to six guests. Wine tastings, meals and drinks are additional and are paid directly to the wineries.

Create Your Own Waipara Wine Tour

The flexibility of the Limestone Limo experience means the day doesn’t have to be limited to a standard winery itinerary.

Depending on the group’s interests, the tour could include an in-depth winery experience, a leisurely lunch, a visit to the Iron Ridge Quarry Sculpture Park, or finish with an ale at Brew Moon.

Guests only pay for the tastings, food and drinks they choose, rather than paying for a fixed package of inclusions.

Typical wine tasting fees range from NZ$15–$30 per person, depending on the winery, with lunch options starting from around $25.

Explore Boutique Waipara Wineries

Giles Tours showcases boutique, family-owned and independent wineries throughout North Canterbury.

The Waipara Wine Experience visits three wineries, while guests on the Limestone Limo Guided Tour can choose from a broader selection and visit up to four.

Wineries may include:

• Pegasus Bay – A renowned Waipara producer known for Pinot Noir, Riesling and dessert wines.
• Black Estate – A family-owned certified organic and biodynamic winery with three hillside vineyards.
• Greystone – An award-winning certified organic North Canterbury winery producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.
• The Bone Line – An off-the-beaten-track winery producing varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
• Georges Road – A boutique family operation producing single-vineyard wines with impressive Waipara views.
• Torlesse – A pioneering Waipara winery producing a diverse range of wines from four different sites.
• Terrace Edge – An organic vineyard recognised as NZ Organic Vineyard of the Year in 2018, 2021 and 2025. Currently closed, with reopening planned for summer 2026.
• Waipara Wine House – A regional cellar door showcasing wines from more than 10 local winemakers.

Winery availability can change, so the wineries visited may vary on the day.

Winery Lunches

Food is an important part of a day exploring Waipara, with several lunch styles available depending on the chosen tour.

The Waipara Wine Experience includes an individual seasonal lunch platter.

Guests choosing the Limestone Limo Guided Tour have greater flexibility and can select a lunch experience to suit their tastes and budget, from casual deli-style options and vineyard platters through to an extended fine-dining experience.

Lunch and tasting costs on the Limestone Limo tour are paid directly to the wineries.

Discover Waipara Wine Country

The Waipara Valley is known for its warm, dry days, cool nights, limestone-rich soils and long, clear autumns.

These conditions help produce distinctive cool-climate wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and aromatic varietals.

Giles Tours provides an easy way to experience the region from Christchurch, combining local wine knowledge with transport between the wineries and plenty of time to enjoy the scenery along the way.

Christchurch Pick-Up & Tour Times

The Waipara Wine Experience includes pick-up from central Christchurch accommodation or a pre-arranged location between approximately 10:00am and 10:30am.

Allow around 5.5 to 6 hours, including lunch, with return to the original pick-up point at approximately 4:00pm unless otherwise arranged.

The Limestone Limo Guided Tour generally collects guests between 9:30am and 10:30am and allows approximately six hours, depending on the chosen itinerary.

Lyttelton Cruise Ship Pick-Up

Lyttelton pick-up can be arranged for guests arriving by cruise ship, with an additional charge of $60 per group.

A private tour provides greater flexibility for cruise passengers, allowing timings to be arranged around the ship’s schedule.

Explore Christchurch & Canterbury

A Giles Tours wine experience can be combined with more time exploring Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region.

Discover more attractions, activities, tours and places to visit in our Canterbury Travel Guide.

Book Giles Tours Direct

From an all-inclusive Waipara wine tour from Christchurch to a personalised private day exploring boutique wineries, Giles Tours offers an intimate way to experience North Canterbury wine country.

With a maximum of six guests, premium transport and knowledgeable wine guidance, each experience is designed to be relaxed, personal and memorable.

Book directly with Giles Tours for current availability, tour options and departure information.