Upper Moutere

Upper Moutere is a small rural community in the gently rolling Moutere Hills. From some places, you can see Mt Arthur. Wine experiences, cycling options, local food and historic sites add different dimensions to a stay. When looking for holiday accommodation, you might first consider whether you want to focus on cycling, wine and regional cuisine, or the history of the area.

Cycling in the Moutere Hills

The cycling tours on offer pass through vineyards, apple orchards and hop gardens. Along the way, gently hilly terrain alternates with flat valleys. More challenging climbs lead up from Mapua or Motueka. This means different types of landscapes are central to choosing a tour: routes through agricultural land and valleys on the one hand, and more challenging climbs on the other. If you’re weighing up different preferences within your travel group, these differences can help you decide what you’d like to focus on during your time in Upper Moutere.

A shared concrete and gravel path adds a separate connection to the village’s cycling options. It is 1,300 metres long, was completed in October 2025 and runs along the Moutere Highway. The path connects the village with the Moutere Hills Community Centre and the sports fields. It provides a direct link between these places, while the cycling tours lead out into the landscape through vineyards, apple orchards and hop gardens.

Wine and local produce

Neudorf offers a bookable experience in its vineyard, with a glass of Neudorf and picnic baskets containing selected local produce. It also offers a seated tasting of organic, single-vineyard Moutere wines. The experience includes explanations of the influence of terroir and of viticulture and winemaking methods. The two experiences have different focuses: one includes the vineyard and a picnic basket, while the other centres on the tasting and explanations about the wines.

Moutere Hills Vineyard also brings wine and regional cuisine together: it offers artisan wines made from its own grapes, as well as homemade dishes featuring local ingredients, prepared by award-winning chefs. At the Old Post Office Country Store, you’ll find Moutere Gold preserves made locally; the store also sells fresh local pastries and bread. Upper Moutere’s culinary offerings therefore include both wine experiences and everyday regional produce.

Historic sites in Upper Moutere

The Moutere Inn was established in 1850 and is considered New Zealand’s oldest pub still operating in its original building. Its history therefore dates back to the mid-19th century. St Paul's Church (Lutheran) is listed as a Category 2 Historic Place. It is privately owned and not open to the public. If you’re interested in local history, the pub and church are different historic points of interest in Upper Moutere; note that the church is not open to the public.

Discover more destinations: Owen River, Wakefield, Ngatimoti, Richmond, Takaka, Mahana, Mapua, Nelson Lakes National Park.

For the broader travel overview: Tasman District.