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Waitomo Glowworm Caves & Hobbiton: Small Group Tour from Auckland
4.7
21 Ratings
Auckland
Embark on an unforgettable small group tour from Auckland to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Hobbiton Movie Set. Discover the stunning caves, explore the magical world of Hobbiton, and enjoy secret animal viewing stops along the way. Experience the ultimate Auckland day tour with Cheeky Kiwi Travel.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Auckland Central - Your tour begins in New Zealand’s largest city. As we leave the city, your guide will set the stage for today’s adventure and highlight some of the city’s top attractions.
- Waikato Region - Leaving Auckland, we head south through the picturesque Waikato countryside, the world’s largest farming area, featuring stunning landscapes, powerful rivers, great photo opportunities, impressive mountains, and various farm animals along the way.
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves - At our first major attraction, you’ll be guided through ancient caves showcasing various formations like Stalactites, Stalagmites, and Lime Columns. Descend further underground for a Glowworm experience, boarding a boat to cruise the grotto river under thousands of sparkling Glowworms. Unique to New Zealand for over 120 years, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves are a must-see for any traveler.
- Waitomo Big Bird & Miniature Animal Petting Farm - We stop outside the Big Bird & Miniature Animal Petting Farm to meet some local animals. Although we don’t have time to enter the park, the friendly animals often come to the fences for photos, delighting guests.
- Otorohanga - Leaving Waitomo and heading towards Hobbiton, we’ll pass more scenic spots, racehorse breeding areas, rivers, and lakes before entering Otorohanga, known as “The Kiwiana capital of New Zealand.” Experience all things Kiwi as you pass through this unique and charming town.
- Karapiro - This beautiful lake is home to one of New Zealand’s first hydro dams and a training ground for some of the country’s top rowers. With stunning views across the lake and countryside, it’s a perfect spot for a quick break and some photos.
- Hobbiton Movie Set - At our second major attraction, ‘Hobbiton,’ you’ll board a big green Hobbiton bus for a two-and-a-half-hour guided tour of the 12-acre movie set. A professional guide will ensure you get the most out of your visit. Explore the lush pastures of the Shire, visit 44 hobbit holes, see amazing gardens, hear behind-the-scenes stories about the movies, and enjoy a complimentary beverage at the famous Hobbiton pub, ‘The Green Dragon Inn.’
- Auckland - After Hobbiton, we head north again, but your day isn’t over yet. Enjoy a fully guided return trip to Auckland with secret stops along the way.
What's Included
- Entry ticket and fully guided tour - Hobbiton Movie Set
- Entry ticket and fully guided tour - Waitomo Caves
- Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
- Water available & snacks provided
- Optional extra - One-way option from Auckland to Hobbiton
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Lunch
Additional Information
Experience the Waitomo Glowworm Caves plus the Lord of The Rings Hobbiton Movie Set all in one day. This unforgettable combo tour takes you to the top tourist attractions in the North Island.
Highlights:
• Waitomo Glowworm Caves
• Hobbiton & Bagshot Row
• Alexander Family Sheep Farm
• Secret Animal Viewing Stops
• Waikato Farming Region
While the destinations you will be visiting are truly spectacular, Cheeky Kiwi Travel believe it is our small groups, our guides, the journey and the little details that set our tours well apart. Secret stops, wildlife viewings, specially designed vehicles and many other pleasant surprises ensure our tours are an experience to remember.
This tour is less rushed than others, making it the ultimate Auckland day tour, and is led by our passionate tour guides, notorious for bringing your journey to life by sharing their stories and rich background knowledge, and run in modern, comfortable minibuses packed with extras ensuring your comfort and safety.
- 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.
Location
SkyCity Hotel Auckland
Victoria Street West
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(21 Ratings)
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Debbie_m
Apr 12, 2024
Great excursion out of Auckland - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Aotea2013
Apr 2, 2024
Fantastic! - Fabulous day. Our driver was fantastic very informative & friendly. Made our day almost perfect despite the was long, he was full of positive energy and great vibe. Thanks a million
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole_s
Mar 10, 2024
Wonderful experience - 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
Review provided by Viator
Northstar57504306343
Feb 28, 2024
Muy bueno - Fun trip nice experience I'm glad we had pit stops on the way very long drives ,driver was very informative and fun to get along with the caves are a great experience and Hobbiton was fun
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelyp5925vh
Dec 3, 2023
awesome tour experience - Simon was our tour guide and was very friendly. He was punctual and the tours were exactly as advertised.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightseer07908840005
Jun 11, 2023
Fun, memorable, and highly recommended - Our tour guide John was friendly, funny, knowledgeable, and made sure everyone was safe and had a great experience. Hobbiton was fantastic, and the Waitomo Caves were beautiful! It was also great to learn about New Zealand and Auckland on the drive. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Secretgreg
Dec 15, 2023
Great trip but van seating not friendly in back. - I was very impressed with John and his informative information and his humor. All of the stops were well planned out and exceeded my expectations. Now for the downside of the transportation. The van was definitely not well organized as in seating. The last two rows in the back were unbearable in sitting. 2nd from the back had a leg clearance of just 7.5 inches or 19cm. The very back seat had only 6.5 inches or 16.5cm using my phone length as a guide. All other rows were around 10 inches or 25.5cm. Last two rows are definitely not enough of leg clearance to sit and I found myself and the others in the back sitting side sadle the entire driving trip of at least 4 hours total time. I'm 5'11" (180cm) and it just didn't work. The other couple struggled much more with her legs being held up with her arms a lot of the time. I kept both my legs over the seat side and leg stayed numb most of the time. My recommendations are to arrange seating with people under 4'6" 138cm to sit in the rear two rows.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dindin-13
Nov 14, 2023
Hobbiton is a must go but can skip Waitomo cave - Hobbiton was a great experience and am amazed on how well maintained it is. The tour guide was knowledgeable and well trained to show us around and everyone in the tour is patient waiting for people to take photos before moving to the next stop.
While Waitomo cave can be skipped and it’s definitely overrated where you can’t take photos inside the cave and the boat ride was a joke to me as it’s basically the guide moving the boat inside the cave and we can only take photos towards the end which was not as easy given it’s dark
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Morgan_k
Nov 4, 2023
It was alright - It was a good day out. Hobbitown as expected. The caves were a little disappointing as they’re not as glowy as you think.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_o
Oct 1, 2023
Hobbiton was great! Waitomo Caves🤔 - 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.
Review provided by Viator
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