The Winemaker's Lost Journal – a Winery Treasure Hunt by bicycle

Step into the story of legendary Hawke’s Bay winemaker, Elias Thorne, whose secret journal went missing among the vineyards. Your mission? Follow his cryptic clues through the Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle wine districts, and find the location of his hidden journal.

THE ADVENTURE: Cycle through the stunning Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle wine country. Visit local wineries by bike on this immersive, self-guided treasure hunt. Along the way, solve puzzles, answer quiz questions about wines and winemaking, and, perhaps, taste world-class wines. The Winemaker’s Lost Journal is a self-guided outdoor treasure hunt — part cycling tour, part mystery, and entirely unforgettable.

Perfect For
- Groups of friends or couples looking for something different
- Hen's parties or birthday adventures
- Corporate team-building days
- Visitors wanting to combine wine tasting with a puzzle adventure
- Families can do it, but there must be two adults present and no wine tasting for minors – it is aimed at ages 18+

6 GAME EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Choose from the Bridge Pa or Gimblett Gravels routes, each edition visits different wineries - each edition covers four wineries for specific days as not all wineries are open 7 days a week.

WHAT TO EXPECT
This is an immersive winery treasure hunt. Follow the trail by bike around the vineyards, visiting local cellar doors, solving puzzles, and piecing together clues hidden across the Bridge Pa Triangle and Gimblett Gravels wine districts.
No special wine knowledge is needed — just logic, curiosity, and teamwork. You’ll be guided step-by-step via your phone, using QR codes, riddles, and cryptic notes left behind by Elias Thorne, the fabled master winemaker.

How it works
When you book, you’ll get instructions with a link to open up the app with a browser on your phone. You will also receive an access code to log into the game. There is also a map for you to download and print off. On game day, enter the access code on the phone of one player – you can send a link to one other player - two devices per team.

Start at our location next to Ash Ridge Wines, pick up your bikes and a spare map if needed. From there read the story and follow instructions in the game.

ROUTE & DURATION

Routes cover between 12–24 km of easy cycling through scenic Hawke’s Bay wine country.
Expect 4 winery stops, each featuring multiple puzzles to solve.
Average completion time: 4–5 hours, including wine tastings and a lunch break.

START TIMES
Choose your start time — 10:30 AM, 11 AM, or 12 PM — and finish by 5 PM when bikes are due back.

PEOPLE PER GROUP
Recommended for 2–6 people per game voucher - you can connect two mobile phones to one game.
If more people are playing, purchase two or more game tickets and play as teams against each other.