Yarra Valley Chocolaterie

Drive from your central accommodation in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle to the world-famous Puffing Billy steam train. Ride Puffing Billy from Belgrave to Emerald Lake Park. Enjoy this iconic steam train ride through the glorious Dandenong Ranges, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Victoria. Enjoy a leisurely walk around the scenic Emerald Lake, then explore Healesville Sanctuary where you can wander around, observing native animals like koalas, kangaroos, platypus, birds of prey, and more. Take a seat at the animal education lessons and live shows. You can also purchase lunch here. Finish the tour with a visit to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, where you can sample complimentary chocolates. Return back to your accommodation in central Melbourne.

Join a full-day wine tour in the Yarra Valley and discover some of the best wineries in Victoria, just an hour's drive from Melbourne. Stop at five venues to sample wine, gin, food and chocolate. 8.40am - After pickup from The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Flinders Street, we depart promptly at 9am for Yarra Valley. 9.30am - A two minute detour through the beautiful Warrandyte on the way to The Yarra Valley. 10am - Make your first stop at Soumah of Yarra Valley for a wine tasting of red and white wines. Learn how the cool climate allows this winery to specialize in styles and varieties typical to northern Italy and southeastern France, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 11am - Sit down at a table at Four Pillars Gin Distillery for a gin paddle. Pick your choice of mixer to help wash down the four samples of gin they give you. OR 11am - Payten & Jones for a Wine & Vermouth tasting. Or we can buy you one of their many international beers they have offer. This is a 10 second walk from Four Pillars, so we can easily split the group up here depending on your preference. 12.15pm - Lunch at Quarters restaurant at Hubert Estate where you buy your own food and drink. (This gives you more choice on what to have for your lunch). Look around their indigenous art gallery on the floor below the cellar door. If you have your own food, you can eat it somewhere away from Hubert Estate Grounds, or head to the restaurant to buy yourself a beer or a wine. - If you are quick with lunch, we will happily run you to Chandon for a photo opportunity of the beautiful view. It depends on their busyness as to whether they can offer you a seat, where you can buy yourself a quick sparkling wine. **This is a bonus stop and is NOT always possible on public or school holidays or Saturday and Sunday.** - The Yarra Valley Dairy in on route to the Chocolaterie, so you can hop out and buy yourself some cheese to take home with you. **This is a bonus stop. We do not do a cheese tasting here. We just stop here to allow cheese lovers to buy local cheese.** 2.15pm - Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery for a fantastic guided tasting of 10 of their delicious chocolates in a private room by a very knowledgeable member of staff. If the chocolates we provided aren't enough, then why not buy yourself one of their famous gelatos to enjoy on your journey to the last winery. OR 2.15pm - Yering Station where you can buy yourself a glass of wine if chocolate isn't your thing. 3pm - Yering Farm Wines for a guided tasting of four wines and a sample of their cider. The rustic tasting room, a resurrected hay shed beside the lambing nursery and orchard on the farm. The original 'Yeringa' sign was recovered and adorns the entrance. Pull up a stool or lean on the worn wooden bar as you are treated to a presentation of boutique wines, all grown and made on site. 3.45pm - We head back to Melbourne to arrive back at Federation Square for 4.45pm-5.15pm.

We put an emphasis on the social, casual and fun side of a tour by making the group comfortable with one another. The day starts by everyone contributing to a playlist via Spotify so we have music for the day. Once we are on the road we want to get to know what type of people do we have. Are you a big drinker? More of a chocolate and cheese type? Do you like wine? Do you like beer instead? The guide aims to figure out what kind of group he has and what everyone wants to do. Together, we all contribute to the itinerary and make a plan for the day. There are a lot of options to choose from, but generally there is time for 5 venues. Options range from over 100 wineries of all sizes (some of which are better at certain wines and blends than others), a gin distillery, a champagne place, a cheese place, a cider place, and more. We generally have time for 5 venues, so we can't do everything! But we aim to try and make sure we do the things that most of the group want to do. If the group want to do a bit of everything we try our best to do as many different things as possible. Sometimes groups are a little less into alcohol than others,so the tour itinerary will change everyday. Sometimes all 5 venues are alcohol related, where as some are only 1 or 2. Because everything is very close to one another,there are certain moments where we can be split up. Across the road from the winery is a gin place. Across the road from the chocolate place is a winery..etc... So you get complete freedom throughout the day. Of course, however, if we have a group that are happy to put their faith in us and are not too bothered we have a default itinerary that we like to go through. Generally speaking the day would be the following... - Wine tasting at a scenic winery (Tokar Estate) - 1 Smaller, boutique winery that also does an incredible apple cider (Yering Farm) - A restaurant, 'Quarters', which is located at Huberts Estate, one of the largest wineries in the Yarra Valley. Here you would get complete freedom of what you order for lunch. Lunch is not included in the price and this would be at your own expense on the day. Also here is an indigenous art museum -1 Gin distillery where we have a paddle/flight of Gins (Four Pillars) OR Wine tasting across the road -1 Chocolate tasting of 10-12 chocolates (Yarra Valley Chocolataire) OR a chance to keep drinking at a winery nearby. - Incredible views the entire time. Each place has tastings of 5-6 wines/gins which are all included in the price. The only additional price is lunch. All of this is done in a fun, social, laid back and non-pretentious way. This isn't a tour for people that take themselves too seriously. We want to inject a lot of fun into what can tend to be a bit of a rigid and structured tour. This isn't a tour, more like a road trip with mates!

Since 2015, Sean and his team have crafted unique Food & Drink experiences, departing daily from Melbourne to the Yarra Valley. On this package, experience the picturesque Yarra Valley with our eccentric guides on an all-inclusive carefree day trip (and exclusively for adults only!) hosted by the wonderful Dancing Kangaroo Tours. Visit three premium hand-picked wineries for wine tastings from a mix of acclaimed and boutique producers such as Yering Station, Soumah and Helen & Joey Estate. Enjoy a delightful seasonal two-course premium lunch with a glass of wine at a beautiful winery - we’re the only daily tour operator that offers this longer lunch option so you can savour the food as well as enjoy each other's company. Discover a local craft brewery and savour a refreshing paddle of beers or ciders (Wed to Sun bookings only). On some days we'll visit the iconic Four Pillars Distillery to enjoy a gin tasting paddle (Mon & Tues bookings only). We usually end the day at a renowned Chocolate & Ice-Cream Factory, self-indulging in sweet treats. This comprehensive day trip covers all expenses, including tastings, lunch, and transportation from Melbourne. Relax, savour the moments, and let us take care of everything. We welcome any special requests to make this an unforgettable experience for you and your family & friends.

Discover some of the Yarra Valley's top wineries by bus to sample delectable local wines and food. Savor quality wines at two wineries, tuck into a delicious local lunch, and top everything off with a visit to a chocolaterie for a sweet finish. Begin your day at one of the valley’s iconic wineries, Balgownie Estate, to enjoy a tasting from their extensive range of quality wines. Learn how to swirl and sniff like true connoisseurs, while sampling some of the very finest cool-climate wines. At the Coldstream Dairy the amazing products will truly melt in your mouth. The cheeses here are stunning and have your taste buds working overtime! Next, visit the prestigious Four Pillars Gin Distillery and learn a little about their award-winning gin, complemented by a tasting paddle. Stop for lunch at the fabulous Rochford Wines and choose from four different main meals, with a glass of wine, tea, or coffee. Take some time to explore the gift shop, or perhaps climb the spiral staircase to enjoy the panoramic views from Rochford’s famous lookout tower. After lunch, make your way to the amazing Yarra Valley Chocolaterie. Here, enjoy a complimentary tasting of the spectacular delights handcrafted by the chocolaterie’s French and Belgian chocolatiers.

Departs Melbourne at 11.30am Explore the Yarra Valley in this afternoon tour departing from central Melbourne. Perfect for those who prefer a later start and have the morning free to shop or brunch in the city! Visit Chandon to shop and purchase a glass or two of sparkling wine and some food if needed, then take your taste buds on an adventure with cheese, wine and chocolate tasting. We finish the day with a drive into the lower Yarra Valley to photograph Kangaroos in the wild. Hop aboard a comfortable van at the centrally-located Federation Square in Melbourne in the early afternoon and relax on scenic drive to Domaine Chandon part of Moët et Chandon where your table with a view awaits. Learn about the history and production of champagne. Purchase sparkling wine and food from the lounge menu (not included) and then visit the boutique to shop for exclusive Chandon products. Next, enjoy an indulgent cheese tasting at the Yarra Valley dairy, followed by wine tastings at Yering Station winery then satisfy your sweet tooth with chocolate tastings at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. After sampling delicious chocolates, have some time to pickup some treats with free time to explore the shop which has over 200 chocolate, truffle, and ice cream products made onsite. As the afternoon sun sets, travel into the lower Yarra Valley where the kangaroos hide out during the day. Snap pictures of wild kangaroos as the sun begins to set. Return to your meeting point with unforgettable memories in the early evening.

You will be picked up at 9:00 am in our luxury wine tour vehicle from the Melbourne CBD and whisked away to the picturesque Yarra Valley. The drive to the Yarra Valley will highlight some amazing scenery, wildlife, kangaroos, stunning homes and rolling vineyards. Our first location will see you learn about the intricate ways Yarra Valley wines are produced by the expert cellar door staff at St Huberts Estate. Two wine tastings at this award winning venue. 1 - You will be guided through 4 premium wines and receive a bottle of wine to take home. 2 - Guided tasting in Notes Wine Shop at your own leisure. Afterwards you will be given time to explore the hidden Indigenous Australian art gallery. Lunch will be served at the award winning Rochford Estate. Following a wine tasting of 4 wines, you will be served a gourmet luncheon with sharing sides and a glass of wine. You will be able to opt in to a gin tasting at the Rochford Gin Bar (not included in price....+$25.00 pp). You will be guided through 3 locally distilled gins that have been infused with wine. A sweet finish to this day will see you visit the local chocolate factory for a chocolate tasting before heading back to Melbourne.

Since 2015, Sean and his team have crafted unique Food & Drink experiences, departing daily from Melbourne to the Yarra Valley. On this package, you’ll join us for an unforgettable journey through Yarra Valley's finest flavours on our ultimate tasting tour, featuring wines, cheeses, chocolates, and gins. This tour offers a day filled with delightful tastings and memorable experiences. Guided by our fun and knowledgeable local guide, you'll enjoy tastings at a chocolate factory, a cheese producer, two unique wineries, and a gin distillery. Gin not your thing? On most days, you can switch this option to another winery or *brewery (*if whole group agrees on select days - Thurs - Mon). To keep this experience budget-friendly (yet very carefree with all the lovely regional tastings includes), lunch is at your own expense. This allows you to enjoy a meal at our selected winery restaurant “Quarters” that suits your taste and appetite. Join us for a day of indulgence and discovery in Yarra Valley. Book your spot now for a truly exceptional experience! Below is our usual itinerary (though subject to change in order/schedule so please contact us if you like to make sure): 8:45am - please meet up in front of the Arts Centre Melbourne near the Protagonist Cafe 9:00am - departure to the Yarra Valley. Enjoy our friendly tour guide and commentary along the way 10:15am - visit Soumah Winery for guided tastings of 4-5 wines. 11:10am - visit Helen & Joey Winery or St Huberts Estate for guided tastings of 3-5 wines. 12:15pm - visit Quarters Restaurant at Hubert Estate for lunch. Please note the lunch will be at your own expense. 1:30pm - visit Yarra Valley Dairy or Coldstream Dairy for guided tastings of 3-4 local cheeses. Please note Yarra Dairy specialises in soft style cheeses such as Persian Feta. 2:20pm - visit Yarra Valley Chocolate Factory for a guided tasting of 10-12 chocolates 3:15pm - visit Four Pillars Distillery for a paddle tasting of 4 gins with a mixer 4:15pm - depart Yarra Valley 5:15-5:30pm - return back to the CBD and drop off in front of ACMI, Federation Square Important notes: - Lunch time is at approx. 12:30 pm so it’s advisable to eat breakfast before you join this tour. You are most welcome to bring some dry “low-aroma” snacks and water on the bus - Dress appropriately for the weather - At the Yarra Valley Dairy, they may split the group into two smaller groups for the cheese tasting which goes on for approx. 8 minutes. During this waiting time, consider grabbing a coffee, wine, snack or do some shopping.

Depart from Central Melbourne and get ready to explore the Yarra Valley wine region. Create your own schedule and then sit back and relax without having to worry about transportation during the day. Explore the very best of the region and its natural beauty as you taste some of the very best food, wine, gin, beer, and local produce in the country. Please note that some venues require bookings and have also implemented paid tastings (regardless of group size and whether you are driving yourself or with a tour operator). As a hop on hop off service you will be responsible for booking your tastings but do not worry our venue guide and helpful staff are here to give you lots of recommendations if you are not sure where to hop! Please refer to the map in the image gallery to view both routes. A copy of the timetable will be sent to you via email. Hop-on-hop-off stops (Bus loops around every hour): RED ROUTE - refer to timetable for arrival/departure times • Coombe Estate • Helen & Joey Estate • St Hubert's • Meletos • Napoleon Cider Bar & Punt Road Wines • Domaine Chandon • Oakridge Wines • Tokar Estate • Dominique Portet • Levantine Hill Estate • Rochford Wines • Four Pillars/Payten & Jones Wine (Jayden Ong Winery, Watts River Brewery) • Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander (Matilda Bay Brewery, Beechworth Bakery) • Boat O'Craigo GREEN ROUTE - refer to timetable for arrival/departure times • Coombe Estate • Helen & Joey Estate • St Hubert's • Napoleon Cider Bar & Punt Road Wines • Meletos • Yering Farm Wines • Yarra Valley Dairy • Yering Station • Yarra Valley Chocolaterie • Yarrawood Estate • Balgownie Estate • Mandala Wines • Fin Wines • De Bortoli Wines • Sutherland Estate • Steels Gate Wines

Leaving the CBD early morning and be taken straight to Lake Mountain with spectacular views as you drive up. Once at the top of the mountain enjoy 3 hours of snow play. Make a snow man, hire a toboggan, throw some snow balls or take a cross-country ski lesson.  In the afternoon take a visit to the wonderous Steavenson Falls, one of the tallest in Victoria with 5 cascades and a total descent of 122 meters. Enjoy a nature walk along the river to the base of this majestic waterfall. On your return to Melbourne make a stop at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice-creamery where you can watch the chocolatiers at work and sample some of the free chocolate!