Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour from Auckland inc Lunch
Overview
Available languages
12 hours
Mobile ticket
Discover two of New Zealand’s top attractions in one unforgettable day. Our small-group Hobbiton & Waitomo tour gives you more - more time to explore, more comfort, and thoughtful touches that set us apart.
With a maximum of 15 guests, enjoy a relaxed pace, surprise photo stops, and secret encounters along the way. Led by passionate guides and including a delicious lunch, this is the ultimate North Island adventure
Due to the delicate ecosystem within the Waitomo Caves, photography is not permitted inside. This policy helps protect the glowworms, ensuring the preservation of this unique environment.
Additional Info
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 poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children aged 7 years and below are required to travel in a child safety car seat. You can hire seats ($20NZD per seat) or you can provide your own
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.
Not recommended for travelers with severe mobility difficulties, 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.
If you are visiting off a cruise ship, please be aware we cannot guarantee to be back in time for a 6:30/7:00/7:30 PM cruise departure
The legal drinking age is 18, and ID may be required
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Lunch
Small Group & Fully Guided Tour
Optional extra - One-way option from Auckland to Waitomo
Gratuities
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Auckland Central
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.
Waikato Region
Exiting Auckland we travel south through the stunning Waikato countryside, the most extensive farming area in the world, encountering beautiful scenery, mighty rivers, great photo opportunities, impressive mountains and several farm animals along the way.
Options
Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour from Auckland inc Lunch
Pickup included
Reviews
45 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A wonderful experience.
SharronS101,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This day trip from Auckland was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I'm not a big fan of Lord of the Rings but the Hobbiton movie set tour had me smiling all the way through. The tour operator Cheeky Kiwi with Mike & Anahea (sorry if misspelled) got us there early before the masses of crowds, with commentary of the local history along the journey. Onto Waitomo caves and again what an experience. The family that still own the caves and our expert and comical guide made this a day to remember. I highly recommend Cheeky Kiwi and this day trip from Auckland
Wonderful experience
X9689HOwarrenc,
Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful trip with our guide Simon. We had a great time with the group and Simon gave us lots of good tips for the rest of our travels and took us through some very scenic areas during the drive to the different spots.
A wonderful Journey in Aotearoa North Island into the Shire (Hobbiton) and more
j r myl667,
Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This small group tour was great with two very friendly and interesting guides to drive us through the amazing region of Auckland, Cambridge, Hamilton and Waitomo. The journey to the first stop in the Alexander Farm in Watamata to get to the movie set Hobbiton was extraordinary accross the countryside, with our two guides full of anecdotes about the history of the land. The visit of the movie set itself, with a great guide, was incredible, with a story to every Hobbit hole of the set and many fun stories of the behind the scenes of the movie shooting. The visit ends with the exploration of two remodeled Hobbit holes in which it is so fun to take photos among the furnitures. The Hobbiton tour is followed with a drink at the tavern the Green Dragon. After the movie set, it was fine having a well deserved lunch at a local authentic restaurant, and to the next step: the exploration of the mysterious Waitomo Glowworm Caves, a wonder of Aotearoa, with a passionate local guide. The way back to Auckland, though a bit long, was still enjoyable with the stories and joke of our two guides. Pick up and drop out at the hotel was pretty convenient. The tour also included a coffee break for breakfast and an ice cream break at Pokeno. The atmosphere was cheerful all the day and the small size group was great to have fun. I recommend Cheeky Kiwi Travels for a fun time, great value for the price tag, and thank you to our two guides, Joeff and Arahia for the amazing day spent together.
A well-organized tour with friendly guides and a great atmosphere!!
carolcN5731NT,
Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were a group of six who joined the one-day tour from Auckland to Hobbiton and Waitomo. Thanks to our guides, Jeoff and Arahia, and to the wonderful people who joined the tour from around the world, we had a great time getting to know each other and chatting along the way. As for the tour itself, the pick-up location was easy to find, and the pick-up was punctual. It took around 2.5 hours to reach Hobbiton from Auckland, but the ride didn’t feel long at all because Jeoff shared lots of interesting background stories and local knowledge throughout the journey. Both Hobbiton and Waitomo are absolutely worth visiting. At Hobbiton, you can see the actual filming locations and iconic scenes from the movies — it really brings back all the memories! Our Hobbiton tour guide, Sam H, was also fantastic and made the experience even more enjoyable. Waitomo was even more amazing and beautiful than I expected. The glowworms were magical — a truly unforgettable sight. Overall, it was a well-organized tour with friendly guides and a great atmosphere. Highly recommended to anyone visiting Auckland!
Great tour and great company. 100% recommended. Jeoff was a truly great guide
Daniel1ESP,
Oct 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour and great company. 100% recommended. This was part of our honeymoon. Jeoff was a truly great guide, he owes me a Kiwi from a bet we did but that’s fine he’ll give it to me next time :)
Wonderful day with Cheeky Kiwi tour
E4328WZannak,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jeoff was our guide for the day and we couldn’t have a better one. He was very experienced and shared much about our tour and NZ history and culture. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day! Very highly recomm Cheeky Kiwi and esp kudos to Jeoff.
Great day out
Navigator11857892849,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great day visiting middle earth. Jeff our tour guide was absolutely fantastic. His restaurant recommendations were spot on!
Beautiful scenery and fun day
Shelby T,
Mar 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Dave was very serious about keeping a schedule. I’m a person who’s early everywhere I go but dave was a little excessive. We’d have 20 minutes at a stop and he’d be pushing us to get back on the bus at the 10 minute mark. Having said that we were able to see a lot of stuff and Dave did keep things moving. We truly enjoyed Hobbiton. We had a lovely tour guide there. The hobbit homes were so cool and the fact that it’s still on a working ranch is awesome. Even if you weren’t a fan of the LOTR movies, it’s worth seeing. The Waitomo caves were very cool and the staff there were knowledgeable and I was impressed by the boat guides ability to navigate the boat
Loved the trip to Hobbiton and the Caves
Deborah T,
Jan 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour. Professional and friendly guide, Grant. He was personable, confident , experienced and made every bit of the tour comfortable and easy! Got the tickets, prepared us for what would happen next, where to meet, where everything was located, etc. He gave informative talks interspersed through the day, but not too Much information. Let us know where and when to meet, and made the entire day go smoothly. The group was lovely, fun to interact with some of the passengers from all over who were traveling alone, and with the groups and couples. Everyone was respectful, ready for pickup and ready at each designated time, so made the group aspect easy and pleasant. We loved Hobbiton and the glow worm caves also exceeded our expectations- both great experiences!!
Hobbiton Tour
bjoneslee,
Feb 17, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was excellent. Our tour guide and driver, Jason, was informative and fun! I would recommend this tour company and this tour. Hobbiton was magical as were the Glow worm caves. We weren’t able to enjoy the BBQ lunch that day due something with the restaurant. Cheeky tours refunded the amount immediately and we were taken to a very nice little town to explore and buy lunch.
From NZ$409.00
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