The Waitomo Caves and Rotorua rank among New Zealand’s top attractions, offering natural beauty, geothermal features, and native culture in equal measure. Ideal for travelers short on time, this adventurous tour takes in both sites in the same day, with entry fees plus round-trip transport from Auckland included. Discover subterranean stalagmites at the famous Waitomo Caves and hit top Rotorua attractions including the Government Gardens and Lake Rotorua.

Visit the Waitomo Caves and Rotorua in one action-packed day
Panoramic views over Waitomo’s subterranean caverns
Take in top attractions including the Government Gardens and Lake Rotorua
Hassle-free round-trip travel from central Auckland

What's Included

Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Entry Tickets - Waitomo and Te Puia
Bottled water
Snacks

Lunch - opportunities to purchase along the way.
Gratuities
Souvenirs (available to purchase)

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

SkyCity Hotel Auckland
72 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Please pick this location if your hotel is not on our list. We do not pick up from your hotel if it is not listed

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

06:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Pickups are from the below hotels only. If your hotel is not listed, please select your closest alternative and meet us there. If you are not sure where your closest alternative is, please contact us in advance so that we can advise you. If you have not yet booked a hotel then please select Sky City hotel as your pickup location. You can update this once your hotel is booked by contacting us or amending your pickup directly through Viator. Park Hyatt 05:40 AM Sofitel Viaduct Harbour 05:40 AM Hilton Hotel 05:40 AM M Social 05:45 AM Movenpick Hotel 05: 45 AM Adina Apartment Hotel 05:45 AM Copthorne Auckland City 05:45 AM Nesuto Stadium Hotel and Apartments 05:45 AM Pullman Auckland 05:45 AM SO/Auckland 05:45 AM JW Marriott Auckland City 05:50 AM Heritage Auckland 05:50 AM Ibis Budget Auckland Central (Pick up also for CityLife, Barclay Suites, Holiday Inn Express) 05:50 AM Crowne Plaza 05:55 AM Rydges Hotel 05:55 AM The Grand By SkyCity 05:55 AM SkyCity Hotel 05:55 AM Four Points by Sheraton 05:55 AM Grand Millennium Auckland 06:00 AM Mercure Hotel 06:00 AM Kiwi International Hotel 06:00 AM VR Auckland City, 188 Hobson Street 06:00 AM Cordis Auckland 06:05 AM Sebel Auckland Manukau 06:15 AM Passengers that miss their pick up will be required to meet the tour at the tour's first stop at their own expense to continue on the tour. No refunds will be given to late or no show passengers.

What To Expect

Auckland Central (Pass By)

Waikato Region (Pass By)

Pirongia

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Otorohanga (Pass By)

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Waitomo Big Bird & Miniature Animal Petting Farm

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Te Puia

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Rotorua (Pass By)

Auckland

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
A moderate amount of walking is involved.
Stroller accessible
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately and wear comfortable footwear.

Children aged 7 years and below are required to travel in a child safety car seat. If you don't have a car seat one can be provided (with 24 hours notice).
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours 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.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

303 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 303 reviews

Long day but worth it

revelle_b, Apr 2024

Our driver, Josefe, was on time, knowledgeable, friendly and fun. We were a little off season so had space in the bus. He was a great driver and calm when other drivers around him weren’t so calm or thoughtful. The glow worm caves are surprisingly fun- avatar-ish on a small scale. Te puau was great! The geiser goes for a solid 10 minutes so you most likely will see it. Don’t expect much from Rotorua- it’s a drive by. The countryside is beautiful and easy to sit back and relax and just watch it go by. Also… it is a long day but the restroom breaks are well planned.

Great way to start our New Zealand trip!

Lisa_S, Apr 2024

Awesome tour thank you! Great tour guide, pickup easy and on time. A full day with lots of fascinating facts about each area we visited along the way. Definitely would recommend this experience.

Things to see when you visit New Zealand

Heather_S, Apr 2024

Waitomo Caves was the reason I took this trip. Waitomo means Wai (water) Tomo (hole or opening). The caves were first explored in 1887 by local Maori Chief Tane Tinorau accompanied by an English surveyor Fred Mace. Local Maori people knew of the caves existence, but the subterranean caverns had never been extensively explored until Fred and Tane went to investigate. Glow worms have a short life as an adult. After about 10 months of being an egg, then a juvenile larva, then a cocoon, the glow worm finally gets to become an adult fly. The adult fly cannot feed so makes the most of its time by mating and laying eggs until it dies about 2-3 days later. A short life in the dark. Have been to Rotorua and done the sights many times so opted for some lunch and a cup of tea.

A Wonderful Day Trip to Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Rotorua!

Jeannie_J, Apr 2024

Matt, our friendly and informative driver and guide, picked us up within 10 minutes of our assigned time at our hotel. As we drove towards Waitomo, he told us what to expect for the day. We had a bathroom and snack stop. On arriving at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves our guide, Charlie, led us through the dry caves where we saw lots of interesting rock formations and a few glowworms. We then boarded a boat and glided silently through the river in the cave. In the darkness we were able to see many glowworms, like constellations, hanging from the ceiling of the cave! It was a once in a lifetime experience! Onward to Te Puia, in Rotorua, where we had time for lunch on our own in the cafe. We then walked to the geothermal area. We saw bubbling mud with the geyser area in the distance. Then we got to walk quietly through the kiwi enclosure and see two of New Zealand’s national birds! They were much bigger than I thought they would be. It was a short walk to the geyser area and we were lucky to see a long eruption. A little tram took us to the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute where we saw woodcarving and weaving. Matt then drove us through the town of Rotorua, showing us the highlights. Back to Auckland with drop off at our hotel.

Sensational

Brendan_D, Apr 2024

Well thought out and great locations. Dom is a legend, his stories and knowledge provide awesome insight into NZ

Trip was a bust unhappy

Sharon_R, Apr 2024

Company that Viator used for trip, did not pick us up at hotel that was listed, sent a email I didn’t get saying go to another hotel for pick up. So left without us and would not refund money. Have used Viator many times in my travels, lost my 662.00 on this one so not happy at all.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Sharon, you selected the wrong hotel to be picked up from on the opposite side of town. We confirmed the location with you twice. We will not inconvenience other guests by cutting their tour short because you were waiting at the wrong hotel. That would not be fair.

Amazing Sites

AnaPaula_G, Apr 2024

You Just go to see rotorua lake, may be stay more time in Rotorua, no just pass to see the lake, and more nice places to breaksfast

Fun day outside of Auckland

Janna_w, Apr 2024

The drive, seeing the countryside was fantastic. And the restaurant where we stopped for lunch was delicious! Both locations were gorgeous- the cave, the geysers and Te Paui center. Great way to spend a day outside of Auckland

Wonderful tour

edward_n, Apr 2024

It was the wonderful tour and the tour guy was so knowledgeable. The distance between 2 locations is little long but this tour is worth it.

Nice for a day tour from Auckland

Ezequiel_F, Apr 2024

Nice if you only have one day and you don’t fancy hobbiton. Both places are magical and definitely recommend

Waitomo Caves & Rotorua

Ruben_K, Mar 2024

We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for the incredible experience. It was truly unforgettable! John the tour guide was not only knowledgeable but also passionate about the environment, which made the trip even more enriching. The attention to detail in planning the itinerary was evident, as we got to explore a diverse range of ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Thank you for providing such a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature and learn about the world around us. Ruben & Nune

Waitomo Caves Tour

Manya_W, Mar 2024

Seeing all of the feed lines of the glow worms was amazing! And when we boarded the boat to see all of the glow worms, everyone was dead silent and made it an ethereal experience. The geysers at Te Puia were magical. I loved everything about this tour and our tour guide was so awesome! I highly recommend this tour!

A wonderful tour with a great guide!

Wendy_H, Mar 2024

Our driver Josefa was friendly, very helpful, and accommodating to all of us on the tour. He gave us information about the areas we traveled through and kept the travel fun. He also played wonderful music while driving. We loved our tour of the glow worm caves, it's boat tour, and Te Puia.

Very good and informative

yamuna_p, Mar 2024

The tour was so comprehensive. Covered a lot. Drive was absolutely stunning. The cave experience was magical. Rotorua was fascinating. The transport was very comfortable. The only suggestion would be to give us more time for lunch. There is not time bulit in to have 30 mins for lunch. Plenty of stops for us to grab a snack etc, but lunch was very rushed. Our guide was so caring and really made sure that we enjoyed the trip. It's a very long day, so come prepared.

Fantastic journey!

christopher_c, Mar 2024

We were picked up on time and made our way to the Glow Worm caves. It was a 2 hour journey, but well worth it. The cave and glow worms were just amazing. We then went to the geysers and mud pots. We were surprised to find we could see kiwi! They had two that were very busy looking for food. We then visited the village and school. Overall, this was a well planned and fun trip. Our guide, Hanoz, did a great job and even let us stop for ice cream on the way back. New Zealand is a beautiful place.

Several once in a life experiences on this tour. Worth the long drive

Charlotte_M, Mar 2024

Long drive to and from Rotorua. However, the driver/guide was knowledegable and friendly. Pickup and drop off near hotel much appreciated, as was the small tour group. Waitomo cave and glow worms were a cool experience. Te Puia cultural center and the geysers and mud pools were a great experience. Loved watching the artisans practicing their craft (stone cutting, wood carving, basket making). We were shocked to learn Te Puia had two live kiwi in their care and enjoyed viewing them in the dark room.

Awesome tour - highly recommended

Oiling_y, Mar 2024

Here are my favorite moments: 1. Watching Gloworms on a boat. 2. Seeing Kiwi the first time. 3. The hot spring Most importantly, I learned a lot about the culture and nature in NZ. Seeing Kiwi for the first time was my favorite. Where can you see them than here?

It’s a long day! However...

Charles_G, Mar 2024

It’s a long day! However it is worth it. The glow worms were surprisingly bright and their story interesting. The geyser and mud pits were quite aromatic. The te Puia school for woodworking and carving was good to see the skills being passed down. Our driver/ guide John was full of knowledge and entertainment the whole time

Glow worms!

Dawn_R, Mar 2024

This was a fabulous tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaged. Would highly recommend this.

Unmissable attractions

Ricardo_P, Mar 2024

Both attractions are great and the guide was very good. The distances are long but the tour was very pleasant

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