Frequently Asked Questions
about our tours

We want you to dress comfortably so that you can enjoy your tour, and recommend that a ‘smart casual’ dress standard is the safest choice.

Wearing thongs (flip-flops) is not recommended as some venues do have dress codes in place that don’t allow these.

If you are joining us for a tour that includes a behind-the-scenes experience, such as the Swan Valley Premium Wine Lovers tour or the Cider, Wine and Whiskey tour, we recommend that you wear flat, closed toe shoes as you'll likely be heading into the working vineyard so there may be obstacles and wildlife that are encountered.

For tours that include a hands-on workshop, closed toe shoes are mandatory for OH&S as these tours go inside the winery.

We recommend:

• Appropriate ID for proof of age – an Australian Driver’s License or Passport
• Hat and sunglasses
• Light jumper/cardigan in Spring/Autumn
• Weather proof jacket in Winter
• A love of good food and local produce
• Cash or credit card if you wish to purchase anything to take away
• Your camera!

We provide SPF50+ sunscreen and some umbrellas for inclement weather.

Unless specified, venues do not allow you to bring your own food or beverages (other than water) on to their premises. 

Please note that any valuables that you bring with you are your responsibility.

For the Responsible Service of alcohol we do carry bottled water on board.

However - this isn't particularly environmentally friendly (although we do recycle the empty bottles). So to do our part for the environment, we do encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle with you if you have one, which can be refilled along the way.

Our wine-based tours can cater to most dietary needs provided these are provided to us before the tour. We can't guarantee that we can accommodate for any requests made on the day.

Our food-based tours may not be able to cater to your exact dietary needs, as these tours revolve around specific dishes, but if you have an allergy or intolerance we can certainly guide you to the foods that are suitable for you to eat.

IMPORTANT: If you have an allergy or medical condition (even if it's not food-related) please add it to the booking notes. It's important that we know these things in case something happens - for example if you have an allergy to bees, are diabetic, or are anaphylactic to nuts or seafood - amongst many other possibilities.

If it is simply a dietary ‘request’ rather than a strict requirement (ie you dislike seafood but are not allergic to it) then please let us know this by adding a comment in the ‘Booking Notes’ section of the booking form and we will do our best to cater to your request.

If you are unsure if the tour you are looking at can cater to your requirements, drop us an email at hello@upcloseandlocaltours.com.au and we will let you know if there are any issues.

Yes - tours go ahead rain, hail or shine! Our vehicles are air-conditioned (as are most venues in Perth) and we provide some umbrellas for rain or sun, plus SPF50+ sunscreen if you need it.

You are welcome to bring an umbrella or jacket if needed, and please dress light if the weather is looking warm.

Definitely! Every venue we visit is pre-booked in advance so that they are able to provide us with great service when we arrive, cater to any dietary requirements or allergies, and provide you with the best possible experience on the day.

Our cancellation policy is part of our Terms and Conditions which can be viewed here.

If there are available seats then we will absolutely do our best to accommodate you!

Depending on the tour, online bookings close 24 - 48 hours prior to the tour. There may still be seats available, so it's worth dropping us an email at at hello@upcloseandlocal.com.au or getting in touch by phone / SMS  on 0423 126 254.

We have a waitlist for tours once they are fully booked. Sometimes plans change, and seats can become available – so it’s best to put your name down just in case! You can join the waitlist online, or drop us an email at hello@upcloseandlocal.com.au with the tour name, date and number of guests you would like to waitlist for.

If you are on a waitlist and spots become available, we will contact you to check if you would like to go ahead and be booked in, but you are not committed to booking if you change your mind.

When you make a booking online you will receive an instant email confirmation.

Closer to the tour date (generally 2-3 days prior) we will send you a follow up email with the expected pick-up time. If you haven’t received this information 2 days prior to your booked date, then please contact us in case your details are incorrect or the email is not going through (note: check your spam folder as well!).

If you have asked us to help you select the best pick-up location for you, then we will contact you 3-4 days before your tour to work out your pick up location.

Each tour has slightly different pick up and drop off options depending on where the tour goes. All tours have the option of picking up at the Bell Tower (Barrack Square), near the Perth train station, and Crown Perth. Some tours will also have additional options which will be listed on the tour page.

When you book your tour, you will be given a list of options to select from our designated pick-up locations for that particular tour. No one wants to spend hours driving all over the City before starting the tour, we want the pick ups to be quick and easy to get you on your way, so logistically we cannot include every location in the metro area.

If you are unfamiliar with Perth and not sure which location to choose, select the ‘Please choose for me’ option and we contact you to work out the closest and easiest place for you to get to, and then we'll provide detailed instructions on how to get there (if you need it).

Depending on numbers, sometimes we may ask if we can change your pick-up location to somewhere nearby – if this is the case we will give you at least 24 hours notice.

Some tours do have a Fremantle pick up/drop off option for an additional fee.

Alternatively, you can get the train from Fremantle in to Perth City (approx 30 mins) and be picked up near the Perth City train station. This is called 'Perth Station'.

If you are unsure, please email us at hello@upcloseandlocal.com.au to check.

No, everything is covered in the tour cost. Of course there will be opportunities to grab a glass of wine with lunch, or sometimes a coffee or sweet treat along the way – if you feel inclined – or purchase some bottles to take home with you. If that sounds like you, then bring cash or credit card with you.

Each tour itinerary states what is included, and where possible we have noted where there are opportunities to make additional purchases – however please note these are totally optional!

All tours that are available 'by the seat' have a maximum of 11 people, with the exception of our Swan Valley Premium Wine Lovers tour which is a semi-private tour limited to just 6 people.

By keeping numbers smaller, we can ensure you get a unique and more personalised experience. It also gives us access to smaller boutique businesses that are not able to accommodate the larger bus groups, which means you often get a one-on-one tasting experience with the people who make the products and run the business.

The minimum required numbers are;

• Bickley Valley half day is a private tour with guaranteed departure for any number
• The Asian Street Food walking tour requires a minimum of 6 people
• Hands-on wine tours require a minimum of 8 people
• For all other tours, a minimum of 4 people booked is required for the tour to go ahead.

If it looks like minimum numbers may not be met, we will contact you with advance notice to let you know so that you have time to find another tour.

No specific level of fitness is required. Some tours will have small amounts of leisurely walking (for example a vineyard tour) included but this will not be strenuous activity. Participation is not mandatory so you are more than welcome to sit this out if you prefer.

If you have any issues with mobility please put this in your booking notes, or contact us at hello@upcloseandlocaltours.com.au if you would like to check if a tour is suitable for you.

Our wine-based tours are strictly for adults 18+ only. This is a point of difference on our tours and means that you can relax and enjoy an adults-only day out with like-minded people.

Our food tours are suitable for 16 years +.

If you would like to bring children, please take a look at our private tour options, where we can create a custom tour that is more family-friendly and suitable for your group.

For our public tours we need to stick to the tour as advertised so it is fair for everyone that is onboard. If you want to deviate from what is in the tour description then we recommend doing a private tour where we will craft the itinerary to suit your taste.

Absolutely not! Locals will enjoy our tours just as much as a visitor to Perth.

Perth has so much to offer that there is sure to be some new discoveries for everyone, with plenty of hidden gems along the way. Plus you get access to experiences that are not necessarily available to the public, and you can relax and enjoy the day without the stress of driving.

On our public tours space is limited for carry-on items, so this will only be able to be accommodated by prior arrangement and will depend on how full the tour is as we need to factor in that people may make purchases while out on the tour.

You can also check if your hotel can store your bags, most Perth hotels do offer a luggage storage service free of charge for guests when they check-out.

Our aim is to showcase the best of what Perth offers, and we will only take you to places that we would (and do) go to ourselves. We have spent a lot of time researching and selecting the places to be included on our tours, and working with these businesses to create unique experiences that are exclusive to us. We have a quality over quantity approach, and our small group sizes also gives us access to the venues that can't - or won't - accommodate big tour buses.

We hope that everyone discovers something new and walks away knowing something they didn’t know yesterday!

We sure do. Any of our public tours can be booked as a private tour, or we can create a customised tour to suit your group's taste.

Our vehicles can take a maximum group size of 11 guests, so if you have a corporate group, social group or simply a group of like-minded wine or food lovers drop us a line at hello@upcloseandlocaltours.com.au and we will work together to get you touring!

There are no minimum numbers for a private tour, we run many private tours for just two people.

The maximum for private tours is 11 guests.

The cost of a private will depend on the number of people, what area we are going to and what the itinerary is.

We include all of your tastings, entry fees and sometimes meals in the tour cost, so every private tour is different.

To get a quote for your specific requirements, email hello@upcloseandlocaltours.com.au with some information about what sort of tour you want, the number of people and date/s you are interested in.

Yes, we definitely do. Private tours can be tailored to suit the experience you are after, it does not need to include food or alcohol if that is your preference. We can run sightseeing tours in Perth, Fremantle and Swan Valley, or to the Margaret River region.

Our private tours allow you to have a tour tailored to the experience you are after. We can either tailor one of our current itineraries with a few tweaks to make it suit you, or if you want us to create a totally unique tour then that’s fine too.

Pricing for customised tours will vary depending on the day, number of people and the destination. Contact us at hello@upcloseandlocaltours.com.au and we can work together to meet your needs.

Children are welcome on private tours. They are not allowed to sit on an adult's lap so will need to be allocated their own seat.

Note that younger children will be required to be seated in a fitted car seat as per West Australian road rules. If you are not bringing your own with you, we can arrange for a seat to be supplied and fitted prior to your pick up (a fee may apply).

Yes - we do!

We only run these as private tours so that we can tailor the tour to suit the experience you want. Being a three-hour drive from Perth, we want you to get the most out of the time you have and there as there are many different ways to explore the region. By taking a private tour, you get to focus only on the activities that interest you.

Take a look at our Margaret River tours for more information, or drop us an email for a quote and tailored itinerary.

For private tours we can pick up at your hotel/accommodation or a private address. Pick up within 10km of the Perth CBD is included in your private tour cost, for further distances a small fee may apply if it is not on route to the destination.

For some private tours we may be able to accommodate wheelchairs if they are able to fold down.

We do not have a ramp or lift to enter the vehicle, so all guests will be need to be mobile enough to get in and out of a van with little or no assistance, and be able sit in a regular car seat while travelling.

Contact us to check if we are able to cater your needs.