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 from 1 December 2023 will be the 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‘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
Food and drinks, unless specified
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
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. Complimentary specially brewed beverages are available at the Green Dragon Inn as you complete your tour Afterwards, enjoy a very “Kiwi” style lunch at the "Homestead" and get to share stories from Hobbiton and interact with your fellow travellers.
Options
Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves Day Trip from Auckland
Pickup included
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
Reviews
2,495 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great day trip!
michelle s,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour guide, Matt, was very pleasant and shared lots of information on New Zealand. It was an amazing drive to the attractions and the tours were so much fun. Everyone was so nice and friendly!
We had a blast
den003,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience with your guide Amethyst, she was very friendly, knowledgeable and sociable. The trip was even more than we imagined and the weather was perfect
It doesn’t get any better than this!
Phil J,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I had the pleasure to select the all day tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set Day and Waitomo Glowworm Cave Day Tour. Adil , our tour guide and driver was phenomenal! His knowledge of the tour, facts about the country were amazing and immensely appreciated. What a way to start our trip in New Zealand. Every minute was used wisely and he even added several other stops for fun and restroom breaks.
Wonderful experience.
U4541BFrobertw,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Danny was a great and knowledgeable host for this tour. It was organized both to where we could enjoy Hobbiton and the Caves tour, plus have time for ourselves and personal needs. The guides at each tour point were entertaining and knowledgeable as well. It was an enjoyable day.
The Hobbiton and Waitomo Tour is a great day out
Raewyn L,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00My daughter and I really enjoyed this experience together. It was very well organized and we had lovely, friendly, and informative tour guides who took good care of us and everyone else in our group
A must for LOTR fans
saxamophone,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great way to see New Zealand’s natural beauty and get some pop culture and ancient history in the mix. Our driver, Danny, gave us some pointers on NZ cultural & geological history first. Then James, our Hobbiton guide wowed us with his enthusiasm & knowledge. Finally, Ashton, our cave guide, gave us a very thoughtful tour experience, rounding out a full day.
5 stars, 4 stars, and 3 stars all in one excursion
Jared T,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.005 Stars for Matt! - Our tour guide, Matt, was absolutely fantastic; He was friendly, knowledgeable, and organized. He kept everything running smoothly and made the day fun from start to finish. Zero complaints about him or Auckland Scenic Tours! The vans were new and comfortable, but for anyone over 6 feet tall, just note that the legroom is quite limited and there’s no overhead storage for backpacks. 4 Stars for Hobbiton. - We’ve never read the books or seen the movies, so some of the magic was probably lost on us; but we still really enjoyed the scenery and learning about the movie set. It’s a beautiful spot and worth seeing even if you’re not a die-hard Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan. 3 Stars for the Waitomo Caves. - We’ve toured a lot of caves over the years, and while the glowworms themselves are incredible, the overall cave experience felt underwhelming. The glowworm portion lasts only a few minutes (about 100 yards in the boat) and when our guide announced the tour was over, we honestly thought he was joking! It’s definitely unique, just shorter and less dramatic than expected. Summary. - 5 stars for Matt and Auckland Scenic Tours, 4 stars for Hobbiton, and 3 stars for the Waitomo Cave portion. Overall, a solid 4-star experience; well organized, enjoyable, and worth doing if you know what to expect.
Exceptional experience. Two thumbs-up!
Love2Savor,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Exceptional experience provided us by Auckland Scenic Tours. Our driver and tour guide, Liam, was punctual, professional, very knowledgeable, and pleasant. He was an unexpected added benefit to our tour day. Hobbiton is very much worth visiting. They handle the crowds very well with onsite tour guides leading small groups around in an informative and well-executed manner. The Hobbiton site itself is a marvel. So many scenes from the books and movies come to life. And, to state the obvious, Sir Peter Jackson is both a visionary and a master storyteller with every detail considered and executed. The Glowworm Caves were other-worldly, with a strong commitment to honoring the Maori peoples sacred respect for these caves. While you can book either experience on your own and figure out how to travel to each, I highly recommend Auckland Scenic Tours as the best way to experience each and learn much about New Zealand and the various cultures as journey.
This was a wonderful day...
Emily S,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a wonderful day and way to explore a little bit of New Zealand. Matt was a terrific tour guide. We enjoyed the small group tour and all the stops.
Hobbiton and Glow Worm Caves
Monique M,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Hobbiton doesn’t disappoint. Glow worm caves were super fun and interesting. Relaxing day with our guide Shelly.
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