Rotorua and Waitomo Caves Day Trip from Auckland -Smaller Groups
Description
Choose FlexiToursNZ for a premium tour. We put less seats in our vehicles than factory standard and only 3 seats in the back row. Pay a little more to be comfortable. This tour involves a lot of driving and is more enjoyable if you are comfortable and not crushed up against other people on the vehicle. We keep the groups small with no more than 12 people on our vehicle, meaning our drivers can and will give you, personal service. Check out our reviews to see what customers say about us, our vehicles and our team of experienced and enthusiastic drivers. All meals provided on the tour are prepared in a professional kitchen and are normally served in a restaurant or café. Very occasionally Meals may be served picnic style
Tour Options
Itinerary
Within TE Puia you will find the national schools of wood carving, weaving, stone and bone carving. They have shared these treasures with manuhiri (visitors) for 170 years and proudly continue that legacy today
We have limited time in Rotorua so we quickly have a look at Lake Rotorua on our way in or way out of Rotorua
Te Puia where you will have lunch and time to explore Te Puia - total time in Rotorua approximately 1.5 hours. Te Puia spans 70 hectares within the historic Te Whakarewarewa Valley, on the edge of Rotorua. It is home to the Pohutu geyser, mud pools, hot springs, silica formations, the Kiwi bird and the national schools of wood carving, weaving, stone and bone carving
We travel to Waitomo Caves, World renowned and a magnet for both local and overseas visitors, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves occupy a high placing in the New Zealand vacation wish-list. The glow worm, Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand. Thousands of these tiny creatures radiate their unmistakable luminescent light as expert guides provide informative commentary on the Caves' historical and geological significance. You will walk into the caves and sail out in a small boat.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pickup for free at all Central Auckland accommodation, hotels, apartments, etc. We only go to the hotels/accommodation which are booked for that day. We also offer a subsidised shuttle service for people staying our of the city centre to bring them to meet the tour coach. Please liaise with us re where you are to be picked up. It is essential you get in contact with this information as soon as possible.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Small-group tour
- Infant meals not included
- Infant seats are required by law in NZ in private vehicles for children under 7 years. We recommend the same standard be applied for your child's safety and have them available in all vehicles.
- Tour is not suitable for children under 2 years to travel with group - private tours can be arranged on request
Reviews(80)
Michelle and Chris were excellent, knowledgeable, and great conversationalists. The tour was perfect for me as a solo traveler as they didn’t require a minimum number of bookings. Morning of, I needed a little help finding the meeting point, which could have been described better, BUT they were available to contact by phone and I met up with them with no delay! Long long day but I didn’t feel cooped up in the transport vehicle. Everything was paced nicely and the locations and actual tours were spectacular! Thanks FlexiTours!
Hi Caitlin, Thank you for your kind words and wonderful review. The feedback is highly valued and helps us improve our services and operations even more. We are thrilled you had a great day enjoying our comfortable vehicles and our awesome guides.
Was pretty satisfied with the one day join tour on Jan 5th , 2026. Zed, the guide/driver shared a lot about local knowledge. Through his introduction and explanation, I gained more understanding about New Zealand since it was my first visit to NZ. I was especially impressed by the Waitomo Cave. Thought spending quite some time on board, I enjoyed the ride and the landscape , very healing and comforting!
A great day exploring. Bunty our tour guide shared his in-depth knowledge & information generously as an Auckland local. Bunty created an inclusive environment that allowed the group from all walks of life and 3 different countries to share the journey, enjoy each other’s company and banter. Impeccable timing and safe travelling ensured we made every attraction on time; even with a couple of bonus highlights. Thanks again Bunty; we will see you again!
Long day but enough stops to get you through. Very worth it. Waitomo Caves were amazing. Not a problem if you don’t like closed in feeling. Rotorua very informative and geysers also amazing.
Waitomo caves is an amazing experience. Rotorua (Te Puia) was somewhat underwhelming, perhaps since I’ve been to Yellowstone many times. Daryll was a fantastic guide though and kept this tour interesting, he’s quite a history expert. He gave us lots of interesting information during the tour.
We had a great time with Bunty. We saw the two sites that I was most excited about outside of Auckland without having to drive ourselves. We learned great facts about New Zealand and the history of the Māori people.
This was a very well guided tour with Louise as the driver. The Māori guides at both sites were both entertaining and educational as they shared their history and culture. Plenty of rest stops incorporated into the day to make it a comfortable journey
So fun and culturally enriching to learn about the culture of New Zealand? See Real Kiwi birds, and see the glow worms! Downfall is not in your guides control but not being able to video glowworms or kiwi was a bummer! Peter was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Hi - If photography was allowed in the cave, there would be no glow-worms for anyone to see. The glow-worms react negatively to light and therefore anyone using a flash actively kills the glow-worms - The only was to prevent this in a cave where you are very close to the glow-worms is to forbid photography all together. Caves which allow photography have the glow-worms at a much great distance away from you.
Our guide Ellison was fantastic. He gave us so much information while on the trip. The glow worm caves were amazing but a very quick trip inside the caves. The geysers were great to see although bring some smelling salts if you have a weak stomach.The hangi was delicious by far the best food I have eaten in New Zealand. I would recommend this trip.
Thanks for your great review! We're happy to hear you enjoyed your day with Edson as your guide. He's a favorite among many of our customers for his knowledge and friendly approach. It's wonderful that you enjoyed the hangi lunch so much. Many visitors tell us it's a highlight of their New Zealand culinary experience. We appreciate your recommendation and are glad you found the trip worthwhile!
Know going into this that you will be spending lots of time in a (comfortable) van. It was dark setting out but once it got light the scenery was breathtaking. The glow worms and cave were mind blowing if you are at all appreciative of the novelty of their existence and life cycle. The Māori center was impressive although rushed at points. Geysers and mud pools fascinating. Our driver/guide was Shawn who did a great job of accommodating a diverse group of passengers.
