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Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Day Trip
4.9
1,728 Ratings
Auckland Central
Embark on a guided day trip from Auckland to explore the enchanting Hobbiton Movie Set and the mesmerizing Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Immerse yourself in the world of Hobbiton and marvel at the twinkling glowworms in the caves. All admission fees and lunch included.
Duration:
11 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Auckland Scenic Tours - After leaving Auckland you will travel south over the Bombay Hills as you get elevated panoramic views of the Waikato Region and travel across the scenic Hauraki Plains to Matamata, the home of Hobbiton Movie Set.
- Hobbiton Movie Set - Begin with a tour through the picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across the Kaimai Ranges. Your guide will escort you through the 10 acre site recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton Movie Set was created. Hobbit Holes, The Green Dragon Inn, The Mill and other structures can be viewed and you will see how this beautiful piece of Waikato farmland was transformed into the Shire from Middle-earth. Complimentary specially brewed beverages are available at the Green Dragon Inn as you complete your tour
Afterwards, enjoy a very \
What's Included
- Small-group tour (11-16)
- Light Kiwi café-style lunch
- Local taxes
- Admission ticket: Hobbiton and Waitomo Glowworm Caves
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from downtown Auckland City
- Local driver/guide
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Additional Information
Embark on a journey to explore two of New Zealand’s renowned sights, the Hobbiton Film Site and Waitomo Caves, with a convenient day tour from Auckland. Starting from December 1, 2023, our trip features the extended Hobbiton Experience (now lengthened to 2.5 hours), which lets you step inside a fully furnished Hobbit Hole. Explore the detailed interior, including the entrance hall, bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, a second bathroom, the parlour, and a cosy, flickering fireplace. As Hobbiton springs into existence, don’t forget to take pictures at iconic spots like the Hobbit Holes, the Shire, and the Green Dragon Inn. Next, experience the globally acclaimed Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Be enchanted by the sight of thousands of luminous glowworms in the Grottos, and the stalactites and stalagmites while you silently float through the cave by boat. Our route off the main roads offers views of stunning landscapes characterising the genuine backcountry of New Zealand. The tour includes all entrance fees and a meal at a cafe.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum age is 4 years
- A maximum of 14 people per booking (We can provide this tour to groups larger than 14 by discussions with Viator and ourselves)
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Not Wheel-Suitable Friendly as these are walking tours
- We can provide NZ Safety Approved Child Car Seats and Booster Seats. We do not provide strollers or infant back packs
- We do not pick up from the suburbs of Auckland; only the Downtown CBD and 1 location in South Auckland for those staying near the airport-The Sebel Manukau Hotel, 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau
Location
Auckland Scenic Tours
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(1728 Ratings)
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Katielull
Sep 29, 2024
Be ready to bring out your inner child! - My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour! I am not as familiar with the Lord of The Rings or Hobbit movies as he is, but I absolutely loved this excursion. I feel like the Hobbiton tour really brings out your inner child imagination and playfulness, while the Waitomo Caves felt cool and historical to experience. Our guide, Alex, was super down to earth and fun to talk to on our trip, and we learned a TON about NZ that we otherwise wouldn't have researched or found ourselves. He was also a very tentative photographer! The lunch spot was super yummy as well! Highly recommend you book this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Lstengle
Sep 28, 2024
An Otherworldly Day - We loved the movie set and are big fans of the Tolkien series, so it was a wonderful way of revisiting one of our favorite stories. The Waitomo caves were beautiful and possessed an otherworldly quality, like being in a spaceship. Our guide, Danny, was terrific and highly skilled at his role. He even gave us some wonderful restaurant suggestions, which carried us through the rest of our time in Auckland. I highly recommend Danny, Auckland Scenic Tours, and this particular day trip.
Review provided by Viator
Emma_v
Sep 27, 2024
Best tour + guides! - This was a fantastic tour that takes you to Hobbiton and the Waitomo caves in a small comfortable van. Our guide, Liam, was a gem— full of great tips and info about NZ, thoughtful and always willing to make a pit stop for food or the bathroom, and even took the time to teach us a bit of te reo Māori. He also went above and beyond with helping a few fellow travelers out on the way. Ka pai!
Review provided by Viator
Pia_p
Sep 27, 2024
We recommend this tour! - Our tour guides, Mike and Chris were awesome! Very friendly and professional. You can tell that they love what they do and the tour itself is worth it. Both Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves are wonders to see! We highly recommend this tour. Thank you for an amazing experience!
Review provided by Viator
Angelica_g
Sep 27, 2024
Awesome NZ day! - It was an awesome day. Our bus tour guide,sir Danny, picked us up and dropped us off safely. The Hobbiton has an magnificent set up and I like the energy of our tour guide, Emma . We are also fortunate to see the inside of the hobbit hole which they said just started last year. We ate pies and savory goods for lunch at Waitomo then went to the cave where we saw the glow worms :) we are accompanied by Joe who is a Maori who also sung Maori song in the cave :)
Review provided by Viator
Hanman_c
Sep 27, 2024
Good memories for us - We didn’t need to drive to this beautiful place . Matt is a good tourist guide and we enjoyed this day trip very much . Thanks a lot.
Review provided by Viator
Zeyad
Sep 26, 2024
Visitors from Qatar - We had a great time yesterday visiting the Shire and then the caves. Our guide, Matt, was informative, and a gentleman. Great guide. The food for the included lunch was not tasty. We had a great time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
403christye
Sep 25, 2024
Cinema to life ! - What a fabulous experience! Geoff was a great tour leader - very friendly and quite knowledgeable! If you are visiting NZ- this is a must!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
162tatep
Sep 25, 2024
perfect guided tour - Our fantastic tour guide, Matt, showed us a wonderful time through the NZ countryside, hobbiton and the Waitomo caves. The trip had everything we needed and he was always there to offer interesting tidbits and help us take stunning photos. Everyone should take this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yvonne_r
Sep 24, 2024
Must See!! - Every thing about this experience was excellent! From our hotel pick up to the end of the excursion, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this trip to Hobbiton.
Driving through the countryside on our way to this location was magical and our tour guide was very informational. When we got to Hobbiton, everything was arranged very nicely and our tour guide. There was excellent and explaining everything about what we were seeing. It is beautifully kept, and it’s, truly breathtaking. Everything was well-maintained and they were plenty of restrooms and snack options along the way. I highly recommend this tour!
The glowworm caves were just as magical. It was very educational to learn about this majestic event where the glowworms Eine brightly and curiously. You can’t miss it as you need to see it for yourself. We learned a lot about the caves and the culture of the Marori people And how they are associated with the caves. The glowworm site was something else and quite beautiful. I highly recommend this to you and your families.
Review provided by Viator
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