Ultimate Hunter Valley Wine Trail 3D2N, Self Drive

The start and finish point for this package is Sydney, New South Wales.

The Sydney Airport (SYD) receives flights from all Australian capitals and international locations including New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, China, the USA and more.

Driving from Sydney to the Hunter Valley takes approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes. Over Sydney Harbour Bridge and follow the A1 (Pacific Highway) towards Hornsby. Before Hornsby (at Wahroonga) take the M1 (Pacific Motorway) north towards Newcastle and take one of three exits to the Hunter Valley Vineyards.

• ROUTE 1: After 120km (1 hour 15 mins), exit the M1 at the Newcastle Interchange and take the M15 (Hunter Expressway) and follow the M15 until you reach the Lovedale Road exit (24km), the Wine Country Drive exit (36km) or the Hermitage Road exit (48km).
• ROUTE 2: After 100km (1 hour), exit the M1 at the B82 (Freemans Drive) exit ramp and follow the signs along the B82 to Cessnock/Hunter Valley Vineyards.
• ROUTE 3: After 40km (20 minutes), exit the M1 (Pacific Motorway) at the Calga Interchange (Peats Ridge) and follow Tourist Drive 33 (TD33). This route will take you through scenic mountains and into the Hunter Valley at the historic town of Wollombi.

The Hunter Valley’s climate is similar to a Mediterranean climate with lovely balmy days in spring and summer and brisk nights in autumn and winter when wood fires are roaring. In summer the average daily temperature is between 28 to 30 degrees Celsius and in winter 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, dipping to lows of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius overnight. January is the hottest month and July the coldest. The heaviest rainfall is in summer, similar to a subtropical climate, with a secondary peak just before winter with an average annual rainfall of 750 millimeters.

Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard and Cellar Door is one of the oldest wineries in the Hunter Valley wine region. The 270-acre vineyard is named after one of Australia’s early wine pioneers.

Established in 1970, Brokenwood Wines has become one of Australia’s most reputable wine labels. The stunning new cellar door is the largest complex in the Hunter Valley wine region, featuring unique circular tasting ‘pods’, an expansive outdoor terrace, private tasting and dining rooms and a wine museum overlooking the working barrel hall.

Discover over 160 years of family winemaking with a trip to Tyrrell’s, one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Australia. Visit the cellar door and taste some of our award-winning wines, take a tour and experience first-hand the old oak vats and historic red cellar still in full operation.

Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.

Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.

A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.

Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.

General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance

Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.

Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.

Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.

Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.

Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.

Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.

Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.

For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.

Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.