Waitomo Caves & Hobbiton Small Group Tour from Auckland

Badge of ExcellenceAuckland, New Zealand

Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Hobbiton Movie Set small group tour from Auckland

12 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Enjoy two North Island highlights on an easy day trip from Auckland. Avoid the hassle of self driving or taking public transport when you join a guided tour. Tickets to the Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Caves are included. Participate in guided tours of both attractions so you can learn more about the cultural and natural significance of these memorable places.

Snacks and bottled water will be provided
See and do a lot in a full 12-hour day
Ideal for travelers short on time in Auckland
Film and nature enthusiasts will especially enjoy this tour

What's Included

Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Entry ticket and fully guided tour - Hobbiton Movie Set
Entry ticket and fully guided tour - Waitomo Caves
Bottled water
Snacks
Optional extra - One-way option from Auckland to Hobbiton

Gratuities
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Lunch

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, motel or private property 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 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)

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Waitomo Big Bird & Miniature Animal Petting Farm

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Otorohanga (Pass By)

Karapiro

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hobbiton Movie Set

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Auckland

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Minimum drinking age is 18 years old.
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.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
Children 7 years old and under are required to travel in a child safety car seat. If you don't have a car seat one can be provided, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance to arrange this.
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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Q:During the Waitomo Glowworm Caves portion of the tour; how much is time is spent on the boat?

A:The Waitomo Glowworm caves tour takes about 45 - 50 minutes in total. You spend about 15 minutes on the boat and the rest of the time is spent on a walking tour through the caves.

Jun 2023

Q:During the time in the Waitomo caves, are there any small spaces you’re crawling through and is there a lot of walking on uneven terrain?

A:The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is accessible to those with reasonable mobility. There are sturdy handrails and paths. Please note: the Waitomo Glowworm Cave does not have wheelchair access due to the terrain.

Jun 2023

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

21 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-6 of 21 reviews

Great excursion out of Auckland

Debbie_M, Apr 2024

Excellent trip. The caves were very interesting and the worms put on quite a show. Hobbiton was wonderful. The hobbit hole you could tour was so much fun. Grant our drive was fun and informative.

Wonderful experience

Nicole_S, Mar 2024

Our guide John was wonderful, kind and knowledgeable. He catered the trip to our diverse group from around the globe and the entire group was passionate about LotR making it a great experience for everyone

It was alright

Morgan_K, Nov 2023

It was a good day out. Hobbitown as expected. The caves were a little disappointing as they’re not as glowy as you think.

Hobbiton was great! Waitomo Caves🤔

susan_O, Oct 2023

Absolutely enjoyed Hobbiton. Guide Danilo was knowledgable and entertaining. I didnt know what to expect but was very pleased with the walking tour. I was really looking forward to the Waitomo Caves but was very disappointed. Guide was informative but the underground boat ride to see the glowworms wasn’t a boat ride. We flowed for a short while, drifted back, got pulled forward and then flowed back to the entry point. Glowworms were difficult to see due to the woven holes of light overhead. A big thing was made about needing silence but other groups could be heard thruout the tour. Definitely what i expected. My original order said that a kiwi style lunch was included. But we had to pay for our own. I was disappointed in that. Driver was hard to hear - not sure if it was because we were in the back of the bus. On the plus side, he drove us safely to & from our destination.

Awesome day!

Rick_T, Jan 2023

John our guide was the best - friendly, engaging, informative, helpful and very knowledgeable. Went to the extra effort of ensuring everyone got individual and group photos. Hobbiton was much more engaging than we thought & glow worm caves were fascinating. Very highly recommended.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Thanks for joining us! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with John and hope to see you again in the future.

Great for fans of LOTR...

Linda_L, Sep 2022

Great for fans of LOTR but the real gem is the Wai-tomo cave tour. The tours were shorter than i’d like but there’s only so much time as it was a long ride from Auckland. Thankfully, our tour guide/driver Jill was highly experienced on the road and got us through safely and in time for the tours despite the heavy downpour.