Yarra Valley Food Tour with Chandon & Kangaroo Safari

This tour is so worth the money! Mark was an excellent guide who gave us a lot of trivia about Melbourne, Yarra Valley, and notable spots along the tour. He also made sure to get the guests as comfortable as possible with him, the stops, and each other. The trip includes a stop at the Strawberry Farm, cheese tasting at the Coldstream, a stop at Chandon, wine tasting at Yering, and chocolate tasting at Chocolaterie. All the tastings are included in the package but Mark got us something to share at the Strawberry Farm and Chandon, so each stop was really exciting. On the way home, we made stops to see some bats and kangaroos from the van. This is a well-planned, great value-for-money, lesiurely yet activity-filled tour.

The tour was absolutely wonderful. There were only six of us in the group, and our guide Kurt was amazing — very friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the Yarra Valley. During the drive, he shared lots of fun facts and interesting stories about the Yarra River, Yarra Valley, and even some cool Melbourne trivia, which made the journey really enjoyable. The schedule was well-paced, never rushed, and we had plenty of time to enjoy each stop. Kurt also took us to safely observe wild kangaroos and explained many fascinating things about them. It was such a pleasant, fun, and memorable experience — I’d highly recommend this tour (and especially Kurt!) to anyone visiting Melbourne.

We had an amazing day exploring the Yarra Valley with our wonderful tour guides Kurt and Elliot! The whole trip was well-organized, fun, and filled with beautiful views and delicious experiences. We started with wine and cheese tasting, where we learned a lot about local wines and paired them perfectly with artisan cheeses. The visit to Yering Station was absolutely stunning — such a picturesque winery with great wines and a relaxing atmosphere. Next stop was Chandon, where we enjoyed sparkling wines with an incredible view of the vineyards. The experience felt so luxurious and relaxing! To top it all off, we visited the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, and it was pure heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. The chocolate tasting and ice cream were the perfect way to end the day. Big thanks to Kurt and Elliot for being such engaging, knowledgeable, and friendly guides — they made the tour even more enjoyable with their stories, humor, and great energy throughout the trip.

When Mark found out I was traveling solo, he kindly offered me the front seat, which I really appreciated. He made conversation throughout the trip and helped create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Each stop on the tour had a reserved table and activity prepared for us. The food and drinks were of great quality, and the guides at each location were knowledgeable and engaging. We only needed to pay extra for lunch and a wine tasting package at Chandon, which was around AUD 25. But considering everything that was already included in the tour, it was absolutely worth it! The ride was smooth, and Mark even took us through areas where we could spot more wildlife, including birds and kangaroos. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience. I was lucky to be part of a small, friendly group and even made a few new connections along the way. I’d gladly go back to Yarra Valley during the summer to enjoy the views in even better weather.

If you are looking for a relaxing and no stress day trip. This is a right one for you. The tour started at 11:30 am and finished at 7pm. It was a small group of 7 people. The tour guide was very friendly and well arranged. 1. Chandon restaurant for lunch. A glass of red wine was provided and we ordered light meals at our own expense. 2. cheese tasting. 3. wine tasting at yering station. 4 Chocolate tasting. 5. Watching wild kangaroos. Although it is winter, the weather was good. It was a relaxing trip.

I got much more than I could have hoped for from today's tour!!! Unlike most winery tours which boast about their drinmingn and party bus culture, Yarra Valley Touring supply an all inclusive tour for wine lovers, foodies and history fanatics! I have lived in the valley all my life and am of French heritage and yet I learnt so much about the history (both wine and revolution) of the Yarra Valley and Melbourne. On top of this, our tour guide, Tom, made the day super enjoyable, laid back and full of laughs, in true Aussie style and took us to all the best places around, perfectly pairing Wine with cheeses and chocolates. And best of all, to finish the day we enjoyed the sights of 100s of kangaroos just around the Corner where I had no idea they hung out! Overall an incredible day, I didn't know wine tours could be so chilled and enjoyable while being so informative and interesting. 100% reccomend!!

We travelled with 2 children in early June. Our guide Steven (also our driver) was extremely friendly and engaging. We learnt loads about history and kangaroos!!! The itinerary was packed with happiness. Enjoyed the Cheese and Wine tasting. Really loved the unique “up close with wild kangaroos” along the kangaroo trail at the end before heading back to Melbourne.

The day before the trip, you will receive an email reminding you of the meeting place and time for the next day. The map link is very convenient. 👍On that day, a group of 10 people took a comfortable minibus. The first stop was Yara Valley daily to taste 6 kinds of cheese. There was a tour guide who prepared cheese tastings for us and introduced them one by one. Cheese and crackers are a great combination. The second stop was Chandone Winery to taste Chandone sparkling wine. We thought the wine tasting experience was included in the itinerary. After waiting for nearly 30 minutes, someone confirmed with the store clerk and found out that the wine tasting experience (a set of 3 glasses of sparkling wine with different flavors, about AUD25~29, you need to order and pay by yourself, it is not included in the itinerary! The store provided us with free fries. The winery is very large and beautiful, and you can take more photos outdoors. The third stop was Yaling Winery, where a young and handsome sommelier prepared 6 bottles of grapes with different flavors for us. Wine 🍷, tasting wine while listening to the explanation is very good 👍 If you like the wine, you can go downstairs to buy it after the end. The fourth stop is the chocolate factory. The guide will introduce 10 different flavors of chocolate in the small classroom. From original to flavored chocolate, you can try them. After the end, you can go to the mall to buy them. You can try the rich Italian gelato. The last stop was approaching dusk. The tour guide took us to the golf course to see wild kangaroos 🦘, reminding us to watch quietly. You can see many kangaroos in groups at a close distance. The tour guide is very kind and suitable for friends who like wine tasting. It is a very relaxing trip!

Highly recommended this tour for anyone who visit Melbourne but not driving! The tour usually starts at 11am in early March. The tour guide is so nice and we are just a small group of 8. We had cheese tasting first in Yarra Valley and then we had to Chandon for wine tasting. There was free flow fries and you could order your own drink. Personally recommended the sparkling Shiraz. It’s interesting! After chilling in Chandon for awhile, we had a proper wine tasting in another winery. The staff there was so nice and gave us very detailed information about the wine that we tasted. Before going to meet kangaroo, we had a short stay in the small Chocolate factory. The tour guide drove us to a private golf course with tons of kangaroo having their dinner at! We were back to Melbourne Flinder station at around 7pm. What a day!

Our friendly guide (and driver), Craig, was full of facts and involved everyone in the day. Though advertised as a half-day it’s a full day out. It was about 1.15hr drive to our first stop at the Yarra Valley Dairy for a cheese tasting menu of 10 local cheeses, the Persian Feta won cheese of the year in Australia and was the most popular purchase. Next onto Chandon, the Australian arm of Moet et Chandon owned by Luis Vuitton. Chips were provided as part of the tour and we paid for two tastings, of three sparkling wines, the Exceptional Chandon ($27) and Adventurous Spirit ($26). Keep your eyes open for kangaroo’s amongst the vines. Then to Yering Station, the oldest vineyard in Australia, which won the world’s best burgundy in Paris in 1889. Here we sampled 5 excellent wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz amongst them. Bottles to take home started at $30 but make sure you sign up for a 10% discount. After another short drive we had a tasting of 10 different chocolates at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. Whatever your taste, dark, milk, sweet… you can guarantee they’ll have something here for you. The ice creams also look delicious. We didn’t think the prices were so cheap, but everything is well packaged and can make ideal gifts - as long as they don’t melt. Our final stop was late afternoon, on the edge of a golf course and natural park where mobs of Roo’s and Joey’s came out to graze. A lovely sight. We had 12 in our group on a comfortable bus, and the stops were 10-15mins apart, with regular bathroom breaks if needed. Expect to pay around $85 each. For more follow me on Instagram @jellyburr62