Hawkes Bay Tours

Hawke's Bay tours cover the vineyards of the Heretaunga Plains and the Pacific coast, and most start from Napier, Hastings or Te Awanga. Wildlife trips on the coast and self-guided rides between cellar doors each fit into a morning or an afternoon, which leaves room to build a day around them and the rest of the things to do in Hawke's Bay.

Wildlife tours on the Hawke's Bay coast

Cape Kidnappers holds the largest mainland gannet colony in the world, and a guided 4WD trip is the easy way in. A Cape Kidnappers bird watching tour starts from the operator's base on Clifton Road at Te Awanga at 9.30am or 1.30pm, so guests drive there themselves. The guide talks through the geology and the history of the cape before introducing the gannets, and morning or afternoon tea is included.

Without a car, guests can join a Cape Kidnappers bird watching tour with transfers, which includes pick-up from the Napier or Hastings i-SITE information centre. The cape is cold and exposed, so a warm jacket and sunglasses are the things to bring.

Winery tours by bike from Napier

A self-guided ride is the slow way to see Hawke's Bay wine country. The Cape Coast winery ride on a standard bike meets at 9 Nelson Quay in Ahuriri, Napier, or collects guests from their accommodation, then shuttles to Black Barn Winery to start. From there a 16 km limestone trail follows the Tuki Tuki River to the coastal villages of Haumoana and Te Awanga, with up to seven wineries along the way. Te Mata Estate is close to the start for an early tasting, and a detour to Craggy Range adds about 4 km there and back on a new bike path.

The self-guided e-bike winery tour follows the same route with an electric bike and a return transfer to Ahuriri or your accommodation. The day runs from 10am to 4pm either way, with a helmet, pannier bag and map supplied, and lunch at coastal cellar doors such as Elephant Hill, Clearview Estate and Te Awanga Estate. Those wineries and more sit under wine tasting and winery tours in Hawke's Bay.

Choosing a Hawke's Bay tour

Pick by pace first. A bird-watching tour is guided and fixed to a start time, with the commentary on the cape included, while a bike ride sets its own speed between tastings and lunch. The trail is flat, mostly off-road and graded easy, so a standard bike works for most riders, and the e-bike option adds electric assistance.

Then pick by season. The gannets can be seen from September to early May, arriving in September to build nests, with chicks hatching in December and January, and the bird-watching tours do not run from May to August. For a day that suits wet or cool weather, Hawke's Bay zoos and aquariums in Napier are the indoor alternative.

Getting around Hawke's Bay between tours

Napier and Hastings are a 20-minute drive apart, and both are close to the cape and the coastal trail, so either works as a base. Te Awanga and Haumoana, on the coast within reach of Hastings, are where the cape tours start and the bike rides finish. Families planning a full-day outing can look at things to do with kids in Hawke's Bay for tours that suit them.

Frequently asked questions

What tours can you do in Hawke's Bay?

Hawke's Bay tours include guided 4WD bird-watching trips to the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers and self-guided winery rides on a standard bike or an e-bike along the Cape Coast trail, with shuttles at the start and end of the day.

When can you see the gannets at Cape Kidnappers?

The gannets at Cape Kidnappers can be seen from September to early May. They return in September to build nests, and the chicks arrive in December and January. Bird-watching tours do not run from May to August.

How long are Hawke's Bay tours?

Bird-watching trips to Cape Kidnappers are 3-hour tours, and the version with transfers runs longer because of the drive from Napier or Hastings. The winery bike tours are 6-hour days, running from 10am to 4pm.

Can you get to the Cape Kidnappers bird watching tour without a car?

Yes. The Cape Kidnappers bird watching tour with transfers includes pick-up from the Napier or Hastings i-SITE information centre. The standard tour starts at the operator's base at Te Awanga, so guests need to drive themselves.

Do you need to be fit for a Hawke's Bay winery bike tour?

No. The Cape Coast winery bike ride is a 16 km trail along the Tuki Tuki River on flat, mostly off-road limestone, and the e-bike option adds electric assistance. Guests set their own pace between wineries.

Where do the Hawke's Bay winery bike tours start?

The Hawke's Bay winery bike tours start at 9 Nelson Quay in Ahuriri, Napier, or with a pick-up from your accommodation. A shuttle then takes guests to Black Barn Winery, where the ride begins.

What should you bring on a Hawke's Bay tour?

For the Cape Kidnappers bird watching tours, bring a warm jacket and sunglasses. For the winery bike rides, wear comfortable clothing and enclosed shoes, and pack sunscreen, swimmers and water.

Hawke's Bay tours fit around a base in Napier or Hastings, with the coast in the morning and the vines in the afternoon, or the other way round. Pick the coast or the vines to lead and add the rest of the region around it.