Hobbiton & Waitomo Glowworm Caves Tour with Lunch from Auckland
Description
One day. Two worlds you won't find anywhere else. Above ground, step into the storybook setting of Hobbiton Movie Set, where rolling green hills and tiny Hobbit holes bring Middle-earth to life. Then head underground into the darkness of Waitomo, where thousands of glowworms turn the caves into a natural night sky. With lunch included and the journey taken care of, this is an easy way to fit two very different New Zealand experiences into one day from Auckland. While the destinations you will be visiting are spectacular, we at Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Led by our passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life, sharing their stories and background knowledge, and run in modern minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour starts in New Zealand’s largest city. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventure today but also point out and guide you past some of the city’s top highlights.
Exiting Auckland we travel south through the stunning Waikato countryside, the most extensive farming area in the world, encountering beautiful scenery, mighty rivers, great photo opportunities, impressive mountains and several farm animals along the way.
Arriving at the first feature attraction ‘Hobbiton’ you will board one of the big green Hobbiton buses and depart on a two & a half hour fully guided tour of this amazing 12 acre movie set with a professional Hobbiton guide to ensure you get the most out of your visit. During your tour step into the lush pastures of the Shire, visit 44 hobbit holes, see amazing gardens, hear the secrets and stories about the making of the movies and enjoy a cold complimentary beverage at the famous Hobbiton pub ‘The Green Dragon Inn’.
This stunning lake is home to one of New Zealand’s first hydro dams and where some of New Zealand’s great rowers come from. With viewpoints that have amazing views across the lake and countryside we believe it a great place for a quick break and some photos.
Time to recharge with a tasty lunch, included as part of your tour. Choose from a fresh selection of savoury bites to keep you going for the afternoon. Relax and enjoy the local flavours before continuing your adventure.
Arriving at our second feature attraction you will be guided through the ancient and amazing caves seeing many different cave formations including Stalactites, Stalagmites and Lime Columns before descending even further underground for your Glowworm experience. Board your glowworm boat for a cruise on the grotto river with thousands of Glowworms sparkling above you. Unique to New Zealand for over 120 years, Waitomo Glowworm Caves are a must see for any traveller.
Sadly after Waitomo we must start to head north again but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip to Auckland including secret stops along the way.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
*If no pickup is selected at time of booking, you will be allocated our default meeting point (SkyCity Hotel). You are welcome to update this at any time. If your location isn’t listed, please choose your nearest available option & meet us there. *Pick-ups can begin up to 20 minutes before the tour departure time, depending on location. To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside 5 minutes prior to your specific pickup time. *Pick-up locations are carefully planned for each tour and may vary by day. If your pick-up location changes, kindly inform us in advance. *Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. We are unable to wait for late guests.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 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.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- The legal drinking age is 18, and ID may be required
- Due to uneven surfaces. steps & a moderate amount of walking being involved, this tour is not recommended for travelers with severe mobility difficulties, or wheelchair users
Reviews(1,237)
Great tour! Highly recommended
Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo caves were beautiful. Scenic places. Liam is a terrific guide and driver
What an incredible day trip we had with our excellent tour guide Grant. Grant was a total professional and not only provided expert insight into the regions we drove through on our journey to Hobbiton and beyond but was full of energy and positivity despite it being a very long day. Thank you Grant and the team at cheeky kiwi!
Wonderful experience! Our guide Vicky was truly very nice and equally very knowledgeable !!! To be repeated !!!
Excellent day trip! Our guide Simon was great and informative. The locations themselves were amazing. Highly recommend.
The Hobbiton tour was great…. Caved tour was good but not great… lunch was AMAZING. Your guid was incredible, very friendly, approachable and funny. Would definitely pick Trent as our tour guide again, very informative and easy to get along with!
Great tour. Trent was very communicative and punctual, and he worked to give us the most seamless tour possible. Both Hobbiton and Waitomo were beautiful.
Really enjoyed, Trent was very locally knowledgeable and gave lots of helpful local tips!
If you are booking a trip from Auckland to Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, you literally have to request Trent. He is incredibly friendly, so knowledgeable, and infused his own Māori heritage and perspective throughout the entire trip, which completely elevated the whole experience.He totally hacked the drive down, bypassing traffic to get us there fast while still building in enough time for a much-needed coffee and breakfast stop. After the tour, he took us to a lunch spot that proved the entire world is sleeping on the Auckland food scene.To top it all off, he dropped us home right on time with a sweet treat and the absolute best low-key music playlist playing in the back. Incredible vibes all day. 100% recommend!
Great guide, nice vibe and well curated playlist. Times worked well, we followed the itinerary and food was ok.
