Top Auckland Bus Tours - page 17

I had the pleasure of being driven by Nata who was an absolute pleasure and made the drive so enjoyable/ hilarious and welcoming Learnt more about the history of NZ, history of his ancestors and so many wonderful things (including the length of his name) Would recommend this tour and Nata to anyone who asks Thank you so much Aside from Nata - hobbiton was absolutely stunning / the views/ the shire itself and the food at the end 10/10

Understand the itinerary and know what you are getting into. These sites are a long way from Auckland, so be prepared for a long day on the bus with short stops at the sites (the Hobbiton tour part is only 2 hours). I was told by another on the tour that the Hobbits are very proud of and competitive about their gardens, and it shows here because the plants are amazing, the pumpkins and gourds are gigantic. The sulphur smell at the volcanic pools is quite strong. There are 3 walks to choose from, ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. We did the middle one, which was 50 minutes and sufficient to get a real take of the place.

Awesome trip. Hobbiton was a marvelous experience, but importantly so well organized by the tour operator. Rachel the guide was extremely knowledgeable and imparted a huge amount of information to us on the history and geography of New Zealand. Lunch was excellent as well and the whole experience very good.

Great tour, if you’re wanting two and one tour, this is a great . The tour guides were fantastic, the tree walk was fantastic and a little scary if you’re a great height, but it’s well worth it. The Geysers & Maori cultural tour was also the thermometer and great to see.

Relaxing sail on the harbor!!! Captain was VERY INFORMATIVE, had a wonderful disposition, and we appreciated his hard-working/charming first mate. Learned about racing, history of area, the Harbor bridge construction, and fundamentals of sailing. My husband took the helm for a short time!

This was a very good excursion. It was raining but it didn’t stop anything we did. It just rained on /off. The Geysers were very cool Lady Knox blew her top as scheduled and then we went to the park of countless volcanic craters. After that we went to the Redwood forest which was outstanding and finally to the Blue Springs which were truly blue. The triple deal was well worth it. Beware, it’s a long day!!

My husband and I had a great time at Hobbiton! If you’re traveling around New Zealand, first know that from Tauranga is a shorter drive (50min) to Hobbiton than from Auckland (2.5hr). However this tour was very well organized and I highly recommend it. Our tour guide was Arman, and he was very friendly and knowledgeable. After you pickup the guests from various hotels you have a 2:15hr drive to hobbiton through the beautiful countryside. Once you arrive, you’ll be able to use the restrooms, order coffee and/or food at the cafe and peak into the shop. Then you will go on your 2.5hr Hobbiton tour. Another short bus ride to the set, where you’ll disembark, and walk through the Shire. Our tour guide in Hobbiton was Andrew and he was delightful. There are an abundant of photo opportunities & Andrew does not hurry you through. However, Andrew also does not wait for you to catch up to talk at certain spots, to ensure the tour keeps moving. So if you are busy taking photos, you may miss a few of the facts he has. I did not feel upset by this though, so it’s your prerogative! You get to walk through a hobbit home and are encouraged to touch, sit, etc all of the items. Then you end the walking tour at the Green Dragon for a complimentary beverage (beer, cider, or ginger beer). There are also some snack for purchase here as well. Once that’s completed and you make your way back to gift shop, you’re loaded back on the bus to Auckland. We were given the opportunity to make a detour to ice cream and a quaint town in Cambridge. Highly suggest saying yes to both if your group has time.

Our hotel was a block from the Sky Tower, but we didn't go up until our last night. It is a well organized operation. We purposefully waited until the end of the day so we could watch the sunset. I wish they would have let us stay a little longer to see the last moments of light but understand their timeline they have to stick to. We found the Cafe level offered the best view.