Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Guided Day Trip from Auckland incl lunch
Overview
Available languages
11 hours
Mobile ticket
Join this tour to visit two of New Zealand’s most famous attractions, Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Caves, in one easy day trip from Auckland. Our tour is the new extended Hobbiton Experience (now 2.5 hours) where you can venture beyond the door to a fully themed Hobbit Hole interior. Immerse yourself in the interior with entry hall, bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, dining area, equipped bathroom, parlour and crackling fireplace. Be fascinated as the magical world of Hobbiton comes to life and take photos in front of your favourite places like the Hobbit Holes, the Shire and the Green Dragon Inn. Then journey to the World Famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves and be captivated by the thousands of magical glowworms twinkling in the Grottos, the stalactites and stalagmites as you glide silently through the cave by boat. Marvel at the stunning scenery en route as we journey off the motorways into the real hinterland of New Zealand. All admission fees and cafe lunch included.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
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
There is no photography allowed in the area of the Caves where the glowworms are as the glowworms react negatively to flashlight and will turn their lights off and they then take 2 hours to return to their full luminescence.
Tour leaves Auckland at 6:30am with everyone on board-the pickups occur across the CBD in the 25 minutes prior to that
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Auckland Central
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. Visit and explore inside the newly built fully themed Hobbit Hole on Bagshot Row. Complimentary specially brewed beverages are available at the Green Dragon Inn as you complete your tour. Afterwards, enjoy a very classic light “Kiwi” style lunch at the "Homestead" and get to share stories from Hobbiton and interact with your fellow travellers.
What‘s Included
Classic Light Kiwi café-style lunch
Hotel pickup/ drop-off from Downtown Auckland City ONLY. Closest other options if staying in suburbs
Complimentary Drink at the Green Dragon
Local taxes
Admission ticket: Hobbiton and Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Local driver/guide
Food and drinks, unless specified
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Hobbiton New Experience
Venture Beyond the Hobbit Door: Experience a fully themed Hobbit Hole Interior
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes: Enjoy an extended Hobbiton Movie Set experience with our increased tour length time to a 2.5 hour tour.
Complimentary Drink: Included in our tour will be a complimentary ale, stout, apple cider or non-alcoholic ginger beer.
Start Time: The start time of the tour with everyone picked up across the CBD is at 6:30am. The pickups occur in the preceding 25 minutes
Pickup included
Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves Day Trip from Auckland
Pickup included
Reviews
2,744 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great guide, great experience!
ivybG2706AN,,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Matt, went above and beyond. I accidentally left my ring behind when we set off from Shire’s Rest, he was so understanding about making a pit stop afterwards for me to pick it up. Note this tour otherwise doesn’t stop at any souvenir shops after Hobbiton tour - if you want gifts I recommend the browsing website ahead to expedite your shopping at the beginning of the tour. Well planned itinerary with great local information about the area. Plenty of stops for snacks/restroom. Door to door pickup with good communication. Lunch was a yummy selection of sandwiches/wraps/meat pies and desserts. Some vegetarian options.
An exceptionally well organized tour
Gregory N,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A most amazing day, well organized and professionally managed from start to end. The small bus arrangement was ideal. We were 12 people which allowed more flexibility in making convenience stops and made it easier to keep everyone on task. Hobbiton itself is not to be missed. The Waitomo caves are a natural wonder. Having a tour operator who effectively orchestrated the entire day made it easy. Shout out to Shelly our driver/leader/narrator. She was terrific.
Great guide and well-designed tour
Xuheng C,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Brenda is a great guide who is energetic, caring and considerate. She attended to us all the way and provided a lot of helpful information and suggestions. The tour is well-timed and well-designed. Very comfortable experience.
10/10 experience!!
Resort09079067791,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I recently did a tour with Auckland Scenic Tours as a solo traveller, and it was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Our guide, Brenda, was incredible. She was so warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing information about New Zealand and Auckland. Her local knowledge really made the experience special and added so much depth to everything we saw. The tour was set up well. The timing meant we avoided the big rush at Hobbiton, which made the experience even more enjoyable and relaxed. The lunch provided was great; such a pleasant surprise and a nice chance to unwind. Our tour of Waitomo was also amazing, truly memorable and beautifully organised. All in all, it was a brilliant day out. Everything ran smoothly, and I felt completely looked after as a solo traveller. I’ll definitely be recommending Auckland Scenic Tours to my friends and family!
Hobbits, glow worms, and a guide who saved the day
Carol S,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fun and efficient travel with our guide Tracey! She made traveling to each destination fascinating and efficient. And when we lost an important item, she called around, found it, and took us back to retrieve it! The details of Hobbiton are a delight and worms and eels of Waitomo are astounding!! An incredible tour—we highly recommend it!
You don't have to be a...
Matt B,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00You don't have to be a Tolkien nerd to enjoy a visit to Hobbiton. We visited on a rainy day and the Glow worm caves were flooded & unreachable. Viator adjusted the day & refunded the difference.
It was amazing !! The...
Sophiana H,,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was amazing !! The driver was on time and considerate. Everything was perfect!! Totally worth it!
Great Tour!
Diane S,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It's a full day with early morning pick up but was a fun day. Van ride was comfortable. Self purchased breakfast was good. Hobbiton was truly amazing, even if you don't know the books or movies. Danny, our van driver told us a lot of history and interesting fact along the way there. The provided lunch choices were good, however minimal for vegetarians but we made it work. The Waitimo Glow worm caves was well worth the trip. Then icecream on the way back to Aucklund. The day went as Danny had outlined at pickup and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Long day but anybody who...
DrMJ S,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Long day but anybody who has enjoyed the Lord of the Rings will find Endoras well with the effort. Knowledgeable guide with videos to watch on the coach trip.
Great Experience!
Belia,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00My family and I had a great time during this event. Both our driver, Matt, and our guide at Hobbiton provided valuable information and their knowledge of the subject matter was apparent. Unfortunately we did not do the Waitamo Worm Caves as they were closed due to inclement weather. Either way, we had a great experience! I would recommend this event for anyone, the scenery at Hobbiton is absolutely amazing!
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Operated by Auckland Scenic Tours