Waitomo Caves & Rotorua - Te Puia Small-Group Tour from Auckland
Description
This isn’t your average day trip. From secret wildlife encounters to passionate storytelling, we’ll show you the North Island like only a Kiwi can. At Cheeky Kiwi Travel, we don’t just take you to world-famous destinations, we make the journey as unforgettable as the places themselves. This small-group tour is crafted for travellers who want more than a bus ride, it’s a fully guided, immersive experience This small-group, fully guided tour combines two of the North Island’s most iconic attractions: the magical Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Rotorua’s geothermal and cultural treasures. Highlights include: Waitomo Glowworm Caves: Explore ancient limestone formations before gliding by boat through a glowworm-lit grotto. Te Puia Geothermal Park: See Pōhutu Geyser, bubbling mud pools, and experience Māori culture at the National Arts School Rotorua City Highlights: A guided drive past Lake Rotorua, Government Gardens, and the iconic Blue Baths.
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 drive south through the stunning Waikato countryside, the most extensive farming area in the world. Encounter stunning scenery, mighty rivers, great photo opportunities, beautiful mountains and several farm animals along the way. During this journey we pass through Taupiri which has many interesting sites of cultural significance including local Maori burial grounds & cultural totem poles.
Continuing our adventure we enter Otorohanga “The Kiwiana capital of New Zealand”. See all things Kiwi as you pass through this unique and charming town.
Arriving at our first 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 glow-worm 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.
Arriving at our second feature destination, Te Puia, you will receive a fully guided 90 minute tour to best experience the geothermal and cultural wonders including: Pōhutu Geyser, Māori Architecture, The National Māori Arts School, geothermal craters, geothermal events and even the chance to view a Kiwi bird in the Kiwi viewing house.
To finish off our Rotorua experience we do a guided driving tour seeing the most famous sites in Rotorua city including: Lake Rotorua, Rotorua Museum, Government Gardens, Whangapipiro (Rachel Spring) & the Blue Baths. If there is time, we may even visit a special souvenir shop for some discounted shopping and to try Manuka Honey.
Sadly we must start to head north again but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip to Auckland with 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
- Wheelchair accessible
- 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 spinal injuries
- 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 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 one a car seat one can be provided for $20 NZD (with 24 hours notice).
- Due to the delicate ecosystem within the Waitomo Caves, photography is not permitted inside.
- Due to uneven surfaces & stairs, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
- Not recommended for travelers with severe mobility difficulties - A moderate amount of walking is involved.
Reviews(739)
Our guide, John, was incredibly kind and thoughtful. Even though our group was small, he created a lively and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the tour. In addition to the scheduled itinerary, he also shared recommendations for local food, culture and charming hidden spots, which made the experience even more memorable.
The tour arrangements are excellent. We arrived the Waitomo cave at 9 am. Well ahead of crowd. We travelled in small group.
Wonderful to hear — thank you so much for the glowing recommendation! We're glad the small group format and early arrival at Waitomo made for such a great experience. We'd love to welcome you back for another adventure with us!
Great tour and amazing experience! It was an early day as there is quite a bit of driving but our guide stopped a couple of times and was attentive to what the group wanted. The Waitomo caves were so cool and a fun story and local guide. Te Puie was a great demonstration, geyser viewing and even got to see some kiwi birds. A long day but well worth it!!
Thank you Brian! We are so glad the Waitomo Caves and Te Puia both delivered on the wow factor and that those kiwi bird sightings were a special bonus. It is a big day but we think the experiences make every kilometre worth it. We would love to have you back on another Cheeky Kiwi adventure!
I had a great time during this tour! Our guide was knowledgeable, kind, and prioritised our comfort throughout the day. Depending on the time of year, your small group tour could end up being fairly close to a private tour, so even better value for money! The Waitomo caves were a dream, and learning more about Maori culture at Te Puia was exactly what I hoped for and more. We even had a chance to see a kiwi bird during our visit to the Kiwi Conservation Centre on site! I'd highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to make the most of their time in New Zealand.
Thank you Danielle! We are so glad you had such a meaningful day taking in the Waitomo Caves and Maori culture at Te Puia, and spotting a kiwi is always such a special bonus. Your tip about small groups is spot on too! We would love to have you back to explore more of New Zealand with us.
Great driver aka tour guide and service
Thank you for the kind words! We're so happy to hear you had a great experience on the Waitomo Caves & Rotorua tour. Our guides take so much pride in what they do, and it's wonderful to know it showed. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
An amazing experience, definitely recommend. Guide Jeoff was excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly. Made me feel safe and informed the whole time.
Thank you for the lovely review! Jeoff will be so pleased to hear your kind words and we are thrilled he made the day feel safe, informative and memorable. Waitomo and Te Puia are truly special places and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure with Cheeky Kiwi Travel!
Great trip with Hanoz as our guide. I enjoyed the effort to get to know the guests and the extra stops and commentary
Kiwi Cheeky Travel and its guide, Matt, allowed us to see and learn about places and their stories, visiting the Waitomo caves and Te Puia at a pace that suited us. Matt captivated us with his stories and provided tips that we would not have thought of.
Our tour guide John has a lot of fun facts to accompany our journey! He is also knowledgeable in all the places we visited or passed. I wasn’t sure that there will be lunch stop and snacks, but we stopped for lunch and snacks in a very good place. That should be added in Klook on what’s included, could be a selling point.
Our driver Ben was very good. I was disappointed that at Te puia we didnt get to see the dancers or singers or the Maori building which would have been a highlight of the tour. Instead, we spent too much time in the art gallery.
