Private Truffle Hunting in Chianti: Morning Hunt & Tuscan Lunch

Search the forest floor with a dog, then sit down to eat the truffles you found

A private truffle hunting tour in Chianti's woods with a local expert and trained dog, starting from Castellina in Chianti. You'll learn how truffles grow and how the dogs are trained to find them, then head to a farm for a three-course lunch built around the truffles you've hunted, paired with wine and local specialties. The full morning takes five hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Truffle hunting and Tuscan lunch

• Meet guide and truffle hunter
• Search for truffles in forest
• Enjoy wine tasting and lunch

The experience

The hunt starts at the office in Castellina in Chianti, where you meet the truffle hunter and his dog before heading into the forest. The dog does the real work (trained to smell out truffles buried under the soil), while you learn what to look for and how the biological cycle works. The hunter explains the environment these fungi need and how the dogs are trained to find them. It's not a passive walk: you're actively searching, watching the dog work, and understanding what makes a truffle worth finding.

Once the hunt wraps up, you move to a local farm where a three-course lunch waits. The menu centers on the truffles you've just found, paired with other local specialties and wine tasting. This isn't a restaurant meal dropped in front of you. It's the direct result of your morning in the woods, connecting what you hunted to what you eat.

The whole experience runs about five hours. Wear tennis shoes and long pants. The forest has mosquitoes and wild vegetation. A moderate level of fitness helps, since you'll be walking through the woods and bending to look at the ground where truffles hide. The guide speaks English, Spanish, or Italian depending on your preference.

What’s included

• Truffle hunt experience with local expert and trained dog.
• wine tasting.
• three-course lunch based on truffle specialties.
• tour escort and driver/guide.
• transportation to and from the forest.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Tuscany Private Tour

Is this one for you?Pick this if you're staying nearby without a car. We collect you from Castellina in Chianti and drive you to the forest, so you can hunt and eat in one outing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly does the truffle dog do during the hunt?

The dog is trained to smell out truffles buried underground and alert the hunter to their location. You'll watch the dog work and learn how the training happens, so you understand what you're seeing as it happens.

Will I actually find truffles, or is this more about learning?

You hunt for real truffles with the expert and dog. What you find becomes part of your lunch at the farm afterward, so the hunt has a direct outcome you'll taste.

How do I get to Castellina in Chianti if I don't have a car?

Public transportation options are available nearby the meeting point. Transportation is included in the tour once you arrive, so you'll be driven to the forest and back to the office.

What's included in the three-course lunch?

Lunch features truffle specialties built around what you've found that morning, paired with wine tasting and other local dishes. The meal is at a traditional farm and is part of the full five-hour experience.

Do I need special shoes or clothing?

Tennis shoes and long pants are suggested because of mosquitoes and wild vegetation in the forest. You'll be walking and bending to search the ground, so comfortable, practical clothing works best.