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2 Day Waitomo Caves, Hobbiton Movie Set and Rotorua Tour from Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
From $962.79
Price varies by group size
Select Date and Travelers
up to 3 days in advance
- 2 days
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the otherworldly beauty of New Zealand’s North Island, from Rotorua’s geothermal pools and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves to the Shire at the Hobbiton Movie Set. Enjoy standard (3 star hotel) or superior (4 star hotel) overnight accommodation in Rotorua.
- 2-day tour of Waitomo Caves, Hobbiton and Rotorua from Auckland
- Visit the famous Waitomo Caves and learn how the glowworms radiate a magical luminescent light
- Discover Rotorua's cultural heritage and geothermal activity on a relaxing duck tour by amphibious vehicle!
- Experience real Maori culture at The Maori Village with rituals, ceremonies, performances, storytelling and a traditional feast
- Admire Te Puia with its thermal mud pools and impressive geysers
- Enjoy a scenic drive across the Kaimai Ranges before you head to the Shire and Middle-earth on a Hobbiton Movie Set tour
What's Included
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Meals unless specified
- Travel insurance. We recommend travel insurance for all tours
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Pick up from your inner city accommodation. Please advise your Auckland accommodation at the time of booking.
Start time
06:30 AM
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Day 1: Auckland – Waitomo – Rotorua (L, D)Following hotel pickup, depart Auckland aboard your air-conditioned coach, heading south to the North Island’s renowned Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Enter the otherworldly limestone labyrinth with your guide, observing the stalactite formations and phosphorescent shimmer of tiny glowworms during a tour of the caves.
After you emerge from this subterranean marvel, re-board the coach for a boxed lunch served while you are driven east to Rotorua. Enjoy free time to explore before a duck tour of Rotorua’s scenic lakes by amphibious vehicle.
Discover New Zealand’s Maori heritage during a cultural evening including a traditional Maori hangi — a feast of meat and vegetables cooked in an earth oven — before retiring at your hotel for the night.
Overnight: Standard or superior hotel accommodation in Rotorua
Day 2: Rotorua – Hobbiton – Auckland (B)After breakfast, head to Te Puia for an otherworldly geothermal experience. Stroll the walkway past bubbling mud pools and spouting geysers on display before you enjoy more cultural performances by the local Maori people.
Next, your guide takes you to Rainbow Springs Nature Park for a rare glimpse of the kiwi, New Zealand’s signature bird.
Continue on with a scenic coach drive across the Kaimai Range to a farm near Matamata. Here, you’ll explore the fairytale landscape of the Shire featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. During your Hobbiton Movie Set tour, stop for photo ops in front of Bilbo Baggins’ house and other hobbit holes, and visit the Green Dragon Inn.
Your tour concludes in the early evening, with the option to be dropped off in Auckland or Rotorua.
After you emerge from this subterranean marvel, re-board the coach for a boxed lunch served while you are driven east to Rotorua. Enjoy free time to explore before a duck tour of Rotorua’s scenic lakes by amphibious vehicle.
Discover New Zealand’s Maori heritage during a cultural evening including a traditional Maori hangi — a feast of meat and vegetables cooked in an earth oven — before retiring at your hotel for the night.
Overnight: Standard or superior hotel accommodation in Rotorua
Day 2: Rotorua – Hobbiton – Auckland (B)After breakfast, head to Te Puia for an otherworldly geothermal experience. Stroll the walkway past bubbling mud pools and spouting geysers on display before you enjoy more cultural performances by the local Maori people.
Next, your guide takes you to Rainbow Springs Nature Park for a rare glimpse of the kiwi, New Zealand’s signature bird.
Continue on with a scenic coach drive across the Kaimai Range to a farm near Matamata. Here, you’ll explore the fairytale landscape of the Shire featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. During your Hobbiton Movie Set tour, stop for photo ops in front of Bilbo Baggins’ house and other hobbit holes, and visit the Green Dragon Inn.
Your tour concludes in the early evening, with the option to be dropped off in Auckland or Rotorua.
Day 1
Depart Auckland for Waitomo and Rotorua followed by a Maori Cultural Experience
4 Stops
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Te Puia
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Rotorua
12 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Accommodation: You have the choice of a 3-star or 4-star hotel
Meals: Dinner
Day 2
Rotorua to Auckland including Hobbiton Movie Set Tour , either morning or afternoon departure.
2 Stops
Hobbiton Movie Set
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Auckland
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: BreakfastLunch
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 3 full days before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 3 full days before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 3 full days before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Reviews
4.5
55 reviews
Mark_K, Feb 2020
Our bus drivers were very entertaining and informative. The tours were arranged well, and all the sites were worth visiting. The multiple changes from one bus to another between tours was a little unexpected, but for the most part the drivers did well explaining where to be for the next pickup. Had a great time and enjoyed it all.
Victoria_H, Jul 2019
This tour was fantastic in the sights it went to and in its guides. It is a very full on tour with very little down time except for waiting for fellow travellers who do not respect that the tour has to be at specific places at specific times. However the drivers did do all they could to move those guests along. The other issues were the last bus driver who returned us to Auckland and seemed very tired and the uncertainty of knowing what was happening next as different tours had combined and we all had different itineraries. But all iin all an excellent value for money tour. Thank you
Michelle F, Apr 2018
Overall the trip was excellent. We saw a lot, learned a lot and had a great two days! My only comment is about the buses- going to the dinner and the return to Auckland part. Going back to Auckland- we were left at a bus station for about an hour and a half waiting for the bus after leaving MataMata. We had no idea what was going on. Going to the dinner we had one time in our itinerary for the bus - but when we went to get on they said we were on the next one, they didnt have our names. We were grateful for the extra time since the day was rushed and we wanted to change but it was a bit of a confused scramble. There are many drivers and routes and tours taking place on any given day so we were always questioning a little what bus we were supposed to be on. Also- the buses at the end of the day were very crowded that we had to sit at opposite ends of the bus if we wanted seats.
Viney K, Jan 2018
Excellent tour -fully recommend to future travelers!
Laura T, Oct 2017
One of the best organized trips I've ever been on! Everything ran on time, and when my husband and I were super impressed by how well we were looked after by everyone. Even when there was a change in schedule the staff organized it all in the background so my husband and I didn't have to worry about anything. The staff went above and beyond to make sure that we were looked after.
My greatest fear on these types of trips is that I'll be forgotten by the tour bus, but this never happened. I easily could have spent more time in each of the places we stopped, but I was okay with this quicker pace as it meant we got to see more of the highlights.
The only complaint my husband and I had was on the trip home we were picked up at a later spot than the majority of the tour group those who did the one day trip instead of the two day trip and remained on the same bus all day, and by that point the other guests had spread out across all the remaining seats, meaning that we were forced to sit apart. On the way out from Auckland, our bus driver had asked single travelers to sit together to allow couples and families seats together, but the bus driver on the way home not only refused, but started yelling at the person who asked her to do this, which put guests in the awkward spot of either having to ask other guests to move to a different seat, or splitting up for the drive home. A small annoyance amidst a wonderful trip, and I felt that particular bus driver was the exception rather than the rule. I would definitely book a tour with Viator again. I was very impressed with how well organized everything was.
Allen R, Oct 2017
Fabulous trip, pity it was a bit rushed in Rotarua. Hobbiton out of this world. Fabulous guide called Sarah
Andra_M, Sep 2017
The tour was really nice and everything work on time. The places are unbearable! Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton movie set were the best!
alyssa h, Sep 2017
Amazing tour!! I loved every part of this trip. Everything was planned out very well and the staff were awesome! There are other places they take you during your tour which was an added bonus for me. Highly recommend this trip!
salvam, Aug 2017
My son and I really enjoyed this tour package. Cost of tour based on time spent in each site, qualities of tour guides who went with us and the number of places visited is so worth it! A real value for money.
Heather F, Jul 2017
We really enjoyed this 2 day tour to see so many sights in New Zealand. We only had a few days in New Zealand, so this was the best way to make the most of our time there. Everything was well coordinated for us in our itinerary and we were surprised that this tour is really a compilation of several separate tours/experiences with different guides/buses/groups of people on each part of the trip. I was glad that I had printed out the overall itinerary ahead of time so we had a good idea about the sequence of events and timing. At one point we called the Great Sights phone number with a question about a bus pick-up time and they were very helpful and responsive.
Each part of this tour was incredible! The pick-up and drop off in Auckland was easy and the coach bus was comfortable with gorgeous views of the rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. On the first busride we also enjoyed the informative commentary about New Zealand. The glowworm cave tour was fascinating and definitely a unique experience. The duck boat tour was a fun way to view the lakes of Rotorua. That evening we really enjoyed visiting the Tamaki Maori Village where we learned a lot about Maori culture, had a fantastic buffet meal lots of meats, seafood, veggies, desserts, and loved the performances as well as the very entertaining busdriver Mark! Mark had everyone on the bus laughing and singing along with him to all kinds of songs. He was like a stand-up comic and so talented at impressions/accents! That night our accommodations were great enjoyed the heated pool and the next day we had another busy day full of interesting and fun experiences. The tour of the geothermal lands of Te Puia geysers, hot springs, mudpools, the sheep demonstration at the Agrodome, the tour of the bird sanctuary at Rainbow Springs Nature Park, and the tour of Hobbiton were all wonderful. We highly recommend this tour!
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