Hobbiton™ Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves from Auckland
Begin the day with pickup at your hotel in central Auckland and head south over the Bombay Hills and across the Hauraki Plains to a sheep farm in Matamata, better known to J.R.R. Tolkien fans as the Shire. On a guided tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, see recognizable scenes created for "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films and learn the secrets and stories behind the creation of Middle-earth. Take in stellar views of the Kaimai Ranges as you visit meticulously crafted sets including Hobbit Holes, the Mill, and the Green Dragon Inn, where you can even enjoy a specially brewed drink fit for a Baggins. After the tour, trade Hobbit trivia with your fellow travelers over a Kiwi-style lunch at a café. Next, embark on an underground adventure at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, where thousands of tiny worms illuminate the caverns. Watch the mesmerizing natural light show while gliding through the cave on a boat, and learn about the area’s natural and cultural history from a guide—likely a descendant of the Māori chief who originally discovered the caves. You also explore on foot Cathedral Cave, known for its impressive acoustics. On the return drive to Auckland, travel through some of the North Island’s most beautiful countryside, following the Waikato River (New Zealand’s longest), and passing both the Māori queen’s home at Ngāruawāhia and Taupiri, site of a sacred Māori burial ground. The full-day tour concludes with drop-off back at your hotel in the evening.
Highlights
- ✓Includes handy round-trip transport from Auckland CBD hotels
- ✓An unmissable experience for fans of 'The Lord of the Rings'
- ✓Combine natural and pop-cultural attractions
- ✓Fun for the whole family—kids over four are welcome
What you'll see & do
- ✓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.
- ✓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.
- ✓You will then travel to the mesmerizing Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Be amazed by the thousands of magical glowworms as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Your guide on this 45-minute tour will likely be a descendant of the Maori Chief who originally explored the Caves and can share with you the remarkable history of the area. Walk through the majestic Cathedral Cave famous for its acoustics Your return trip to Auckland will then take you initially through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful countryside before following northwards the majestic Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand, part of the way back to Auckland. You will pass Ngaruawahia, the home of the Maori King; Taupiri with its very sacred Maori burial ground. To complete that day, you will be taken back to your hotel in the Auckland CBD.
What's included
- ✓Later Departure of 7:30am also offered subject to availability and once earlier departure sold out
- ✓Light Kiwi-style cafe lunch; what most Kiwis would have for lunch; caters for dietary requirements.
- ✓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
- ✓Tour Start Time is NOT the pickup time; pickups are from CBD Hotels in the preceding 20-25 minutes
- ✓Local driver/guide
What's not included
- ✓Food and drinks, unless specified
Good to know
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
We offer a later tour leaving Auckland at 7:30am subject to availability and once the earlier 6:30am departure is sold out
Our Tour starts at 6:30am(pickups do NOT occur at 6:30am) heading south with everyone already picked up across the Auckland CBD and on board. The pickups, depending on location in the CBD of where you are staying, occur in the preceding 20-25minutes. We pick up from all centrally Located Auckland Hotels, BNBs, Backpacker Hotels in the Central Business District. Any of the following or others(not mentioned) in the Central Business District. We do not pick up from the suburbs of Auckland We also have only 1 pick up location in South Auckland/Auckland Airport area which is the Sebel Manukau Hotel, 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau (approx 10 minutes from the airport)t. Pick up only there is at 6:45am. Later departure of 7:30am also offered (subject to availability) once earlier departure of 6:30am sold out. Adina Apartment Hotel, 2 Tapora Street Air BNBs- we pick up from most Downtown CBD BNBs (except those with parking/access issues) Ascotia off Queen Attic Backpackers, 31 Wellesley Street West Auckland City Hotel, 157 Hobson Street Auckland Harbour Suites, 16 Gore Street Avani Metropolis Backpackers-all CBD locations Barclay Suites Chancellor on Hobson, 1 Hobson Street Choice Backpackers, 10 Wellesley Street East City Life Hotel, 171 Queen Street Copthorne, 150 Anzac Avenue Cordis Hotel, 83 Symonds St Crowne Plaza Dilworth Building Apartments Edit Hotel, 27-31 Victoria Street West (formerly President Hotel) Empire Apartments Fable Gallery Hotel, 58 Queen Street Gamma Hotel Goodview Hotel, 240 Hobson Street Grand Millennium Haka House, 5 Turner Street Haka House, 373 Karangahape Rd Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf Hobson Lodge, 224 Hobson Street Holiday Inn Express, Wyndham Street, Auckland CBD Hotel De Bretts Hotel Grand chancellor, 80 Wellesley Street West Hotel Indigo, 53 St. Patrick's Square Ibis City (Wyndham Street) Imagine Intercontinental Hotel on Quay Street (1 Queen Street) Jo & Joe, 16 Fort Street Kiwi International, 411 Queen Street Legacy Airedale Hotel, 380 Queen Street Lylo, 54 Cook Street Marriott Hotel, 22 Albert Street Mercure Auckland, 500 Queen St Metropolis (Avani Metropolis) Movenpick, 8 Customs Street East MSocial Oaks Auckland Hotel, 40 Beach Road (formerly Nesuto Stadium Hotel) Nesuto St. Martins, St. Martins Lane Newton Lodge, 27 Cross Street Park Hyatt, 99 Halsey Street Princes Wharf Apartments Pullman Quadrant Hotel & Suites Quest (all CBD locations) Ramada Suites, 147 Victoria Street Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Rydges Sebel Viaduct Harbour, 85 Customs Street West Sebel Quay West, 8 Albert Street Sebel Manukau, 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau-for those staying near the airport Sky City Grand Sky City Hotel Sofitel SO Hotel, cnr Customs Street and Gore Street Star Park Apartments, 30B Swanson St Star Queen Apartments, 438 Queen Street Star Victoria Apartments, 64 Federal Street Sudima, 63-67 Nelson Street Swiss bel Suites, 206 Victoria Street West The Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf Travelodge, 110 Packenham Street West, Wynyard Quarter Tribe, 40 Fort Street Voco Hotel, Wyndham Street VR Auckland City, 188 Hobson Street VR Queen Street, 401 Queen Street
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Hobbiton™ Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves from Auckland
Begin the day with pickup at your hotel in central Auckland and head south over the Bombay Hills and across the Hauraki Plains to a sheep farm in Matamata, better known to J.R.R. Tolkien fans as the Shire. On a guided tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, see recognizable scenes created for "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films and learn the secrets and stories behind the creation of Middle-earth. Take in stellar views of the Kaimai Ranges as you visit meticulously crafted sets including Hobbit Holes, the Mill, and the Green Dragon Inn, where you can even enjoy a specially brewed drink fit for a Baggins. After the tour, trade Hobbit trivia with your fellow travelers over a Kiwi-style lunch at a café. Next, embark on an underground adventure at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, where thousands of tiny worms illuminate the caverns. Watch the mesmerizing natural light show while gliding through the cave on a boat, and learn about the area’s natural and cultural history from a guide—likely a descendant of the Māori chief who originally discovered the caves. You also explore on foot Cathedral Cave, known for its impressive acoustics. On the return drive to Auckland, travel through some of the North Island’s most beautiful countryside, following the Waikato River (New Zealand’s longest), and passing both the Māori queen’s home at Ngāruawāhia and Taupiri, site of a sacred Māori burial ground. The full-day tour concludes with drop-off back at your hotel in the evening.
Highlights
- ✓Includes handy round-trip transport from Auckland CBD hotels
- ✓An unmissable experience for fans of 'The Lord of the Rings'
- ✓Combine natural and pop-cultural attractions
- ✓Fun for the whole family—kids over four are welcome
What you'll see & do
- ✓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.
- ✓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.
- ✓You will then travel to the mesmerizing Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Be amazed by the thousands of magical glowworms as you glide silently by boat in the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Your guide on this 45-minute tour will likely be a descendant of the Maori Chief who originally explored the Caves and can share with you the remarkable history of the area. Walk through the majestic Cathedral Cave famous for its acoustics Your return trip to Auckland will then take you initially through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful countryside before following northwards the majestic Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand, part of the way back to Auckland. You will pass Ngaruawahia, the home of the Maori King; Taupiri with its very sacred Maori burial ground. To complete that day, you will be taken back to your hotel in the Auckland CBD.
What's included
- ✓Later Departure of 7:30am also offered subject to availability and once earlier departure sold out
- ✓Light Kiwi-style cafe lunch; what most Kiwis would have for lunch; caters for dietary requirements.
- ✓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
- ✓Tour Start Time is NOT the pickup time; pickups are from CBD Hotels in the preceding 20-25 minutes
- ✓Local driver/guide
What's not included
- ✓Food and drinks, unless specified
Good to know
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
We offer a later tour leaving Auckland at 7:30am subject to availability and once the earlier 6:30am departure is sold out
Our Tour starts at 6:30am(pickups do NOT occur at 6:30am) heading south with everyone already picked up across the Auckland CBD and on board. The pickups, depending on location in the CBD of where you are staying, occur in the preceding 20-25minutes. We pick up from all centrally Located Auckland Hotels, BNBs, Backpacker Hotels in the Central Business District. Any of the following or others(not mentioned) in the Central Business District. We do not pick up from the suburbs of Auckland We also have only 1 pick up location in South Auckland/Auckland Airport area which is the Sebel Manukau Hotel, 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau (approx 10 minutes from the airport)t. Pick up only there is at 6:45am. Later departure of 7:30am also offered (subject to availability) once earlier departure of 6:30am sold out. Adina Apartment Hotel, 2 Tapora Street Air BNBs- we pick up from most Downtown CBD BNBs (except those with parking/access issues) Ascotia off Queen Attic Backpackers, 31 Wellesley Street West Auckland City Hotel, 157 Hobson Street Auckland Harbour Suites, 16 Gore Street Avani Metropolis Backpackers-all CBD locations Barclay Suites Chancellor on Hobson, 1 Hobson Street Choice Backpackers, 10 Wellesley Street East City Life Hotel, 171 Queen Street Copthorne, 150 Anzac Avenue Cordis Hotel, 83 Symonds St Crowne Plaza Dilworth Building Apartments Edit Hotel, 27-31 Victoria Street West (formerly President Hotel) Empire Apartments Fable Gallery Hotel, 58 Queen Street Gamma Hotel Goodview Hotel, 240 Hobson Street Grand Millennium Haka House, 5 Turner Street Haka House, 373 Karangahape Rd Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf Hobson Lodge, 224 Hobson Street Holiday Inn Express, Wyndham Street, Auckland CBD Hotel De Bretts Hotel Grand chancellor, 80 Wellesley Street West Hotel Indigo, 53 St. Patrick's Square Ibis City (Wyndham Street) Imagine Intercontinental Hotel on Quay Street (1 Queen Street) Jo & Joe, 16 Fort Street Kiwi International, 411 Queen Street Legacy Airedale Hotel, 380 Queen Street Lylo, 54 Cook Street Marriott Hotel, 22 Albert Street Mercure Auckland, 500 Queen St Metropolis (Avani Metropolis) Movenpick, 8 Customs Street East MSocial Oaks Auckland Hotel, 40 Beach Road (formerly Nesuto Stadium Hotel) Nesuto St. Martins, St. Martins Lane Newton Lodge, 27 Cross Street Park Hyatt, 99 Halsey Street Princes Wharf Apartments Pullman Quadrant Hotel & Suites Quest (all CBD locations) Ramada Suites, 147 Victoria Street Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Rydges Sebel Viaduct Harbour, 85 Customs Street West Sebel Quay West, 8 Albert Street Sebel Manukau, 16 Lakewood Court, Manukau-for those staying near the airport Sky City Grand Sky City Hotel Sofitel SO Hotel, cnr Customs Street and Gore Street Star Park Apartments, 30B Swanson St Star Queen Apartments, 438 Queen Street Star Victoria Apartments, 64 Federal Street Sudima, 63-67 Nelson Street Swiss bel Suites, 206 Victoria Street West The Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf Travelodge, 110 Packenham Street West, Wynyard Quarter Tribe, 40 Fort Street Voco Hotel, Wyndham Street VR Auckland City, 188 Hobson Street VR Queen Street, 401 Queen Street
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.