Day Tour Hobbiton + Rotorua from Auckland in Luxury Minibus
Recommended by 90% of travelers
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Auckland, New Zealand
- 13 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore the Shire and Middle-Earth on this full-day Hobbiton and Rotorua tour from Auckland. Travel through Waikato with a guide and admire panoramic views over the Hauraki Plains. Enjoy a guided tour of Hobbiton — made famous in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movies. Learn how the set was created, and discover sites you love including the Hobbit holes, Green Dragon Inn, and the Mill. After lunch in Te Puia, enjoy a bit of sightseeing in Rotorua.
- Take a guided tour of Hobbiton and see famous landmarks from the films
- Choose to return back to Auckland or stay in Rotorua to continue your journey
- A small-group tour ensures a personalized experience
- Tour includes pickup and drop-off from your Auckland hotel
What's Included
- buffet lunch either at Hobbiton or Te Puia, vegetarian and gluten free options available
- Live commentary on board
- Hotel pickup and drop-off and other meeting points by arrangement including private addresses in the central metropolitan area
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Local taxes
- Admission Fee - Admission to Hobbiton Movie Set + Te Puia
- Food and drinks unless specified
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Please note that because of the amount of travel time this tour is not suitable for children under 2 years, as part of the group - It can be booked as a private group tour - please ask TripAdvisor/Viator to contact us for the custom price
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We pick up all customers using several vehicles. You will not be driven around the city from hotel to hotel before we leave Auckland. We can drop you off at the same location we picked you up from, or from a different location. We guarantee to travel for one person on this tour We promise quality and personal service in spacious vehicles We pickup for free at all Central Auckland accommodation, hotels, apartments, etc. We only go to the hotels/accommodation which are booked for that day. We also offer a subsidized shuttle service for people staying our of the city centre to bring them to meet the tour coach. Please liaise with us re where you are to be picked up. It is essential you get in contact with this information as soon as possible
Itinerary
1
Hobbiton Movie Set
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Te Puia
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Lake Rotorua
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Children must be accompanied by an adult - children under two years of age cannot travel on a group tour - We can arrange private tours for families travelling with children under 2
- Infant seats are required by law in NZ in private vehicles for children under 7 years. We recommend the same standard be applied for your child's safety and have them available in all vehicles for a small optional gratuity for the use of seat and child restraint for the day
- Our minimum number is one person - we build groups - do not worry of you are travelling alone or as a couple, your tour will go ahead
- Our vehicles are generally quieter. We have a solid barrier separating the main cabin from the luggage area and carpeted floors, which reduces road noise.
- We are slightly more expensive, because we keep our groups small. We are more concerned about your comfort, than fitting a high number of people in a small space
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 58 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Paulina_M, Jan 2026
This tour was the highlight of our trip to the north island!! Our tour guide Chris was phenomenal— so knowledgeable, hilarious, punctual, and compassionate. He truly went above and beyond to ensure we had a flawless experience at each sight, and even included a few bonus stops. We were a group of 5 20-30 year old Americans, and we chatted with Chris the entire day on topics ranging from New Zealand history, cultural significance, to life advice! The van was spotless and comfortable. Worth every penny. Thank you for the most memorable day!!!
Kathie_T, Dec 2025
Such an awesome experience going to Hobbiton and Te Puia! Darryl our driver was so knowledgeable about everything. It was surreal to be driving through significant history. Darryl provided great context of everything, ensured we were on time for our activities, and was transparent of every step of the various transfers between cars and passengers. Hobbiton staff were so knowledgeable and friendly! And Te Puia staff were awesome as well. Loved the experience! If only we could spend 30 more minutes in each spot due to some time constraints but understand that it would be quite a long day of travel.
Conor_C, Mar 2025
we took the Auckland-hobbiton-te puia-auckland trip. pickup was prompt form our hotel in auckland. we had a different driver for each step of the journey but everything was smooth. hobbiton was a blast, so cool to see the huge set up close. tour got us and another couple on an earlier tour than the rest of our bus since we were going down to rotorua. i mentioned to them that I wanted to see a cultural show at te puia and they went out of their way to make sure we got there on time to do it. Te puia was also a very fun time between the concert, geyser, kiwi birds, and crafts studios. such a great way to learn about the maori culture.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thanks for sharing your wonderful review! We're thrilled that this was your favorite day on the North Island.
It's great to hear that despite having different drivers for each segment, everything ran smoothly. We're glad we could add the cultural show at Te Puia for you.
Te Puia offers such a rich experience with the concert, geysers, kiwi birds, and craft studios all in one location. It's the perfect introduction to Maori culture.
Thanks for choosing our tour for your New Zealand adventure!
Joe_S, Oct 2024
Chris was a great tour guide. Shared lots of interesting details and very funny. Very diligent about our comfort and food allergies.
Victoria_K, Oct 2024
Excellent tour and driver/guide. Hobbiton was fun, Te Puia was culturally interesting. And dropped off at hotel in Rotorua, transport from Auckland to Rotorua.
Rochelle_B, Sep 2024
Well organized tour, great comfy transportation. Guides were knowledgeable 100% recommend this tour for a stress free experience
Lynn_G, Aug 2024
Our tour guide, Pete, from Flezitours, made it a personal and memorable experience. As he led us through our day, he shared so much of his culture and experience that it made it seem like we were on vacation with a friend. The tour guides at each stop were also fabulous. The addition of an inside tour of the Hobbit house was great. The second part of our trip to Rotura was also perfect! And the buffet including traditional Hangi options was delicious. We were able to see a Kiwi bird and learn so much about Māori culture. Highly recommend this tour and Pete!
Rachel_M, May 2024
Our tour guide/driver, Louise, made our day easy, fun, and special. Louise took great care of us—we had plenty of time at both places, and Louise’s informative and entertaining commentary on a variety of subjects added tremendously to our experience. Most impressively Louise and the flexi tour team had planned the day well to work in the variables that go with the flexi tour approach—accommodating several different tour needs at once—without ever making us feel like we weren’t getting the experience we wanted when we wanted it. In fact, with a couple of extra surprise stops, and a smooth pick up and drop off, we felt like our family’s experience was always Louise’s priority. We highly recommend Louise, this tour , and seeing the Hobbiton (loved going in the homes/holes!) and cultural/geothermal sites (well integrated with each other). Also the lunch Louise/Flexi tour booked for us was delightful.
Ruth_S, Apr 2024
Hobbiton is magical and the efficiency of the tour makes for a very special experience. Rotorua was amazing also and I would definitely recommend both. We did this on the same tour making for a long day but both experiences were so different that we were constantly stimulated. Our driver Vic was local and could name almost every cow and sheep in the paddock but we really appreciated his in depth knowledge of his own city and his anecdotal stories along the way. Great tour and worth every penny!
Luisita_M, Apr 2024
Hobbiton n Te Puia are obviously fantastic tourist destinations. What captured my attention was the availability of resources of the tour and the way they are managing it so everything is well orchestrated. I was the only one of the initial team to go to Hobbiton so Herms drove me there then drove me again to Te Puia to catch the activities there with the rest of the group and back to Auckland. Chris and Herms were sharing a lot of local information which added a lot of interest to an otherwise boring trip. Kudos also to Louise for an on the dot pick up
Cynthia_G, Apr 2024
This tour is amazing and on top of that the weather was perfect! Daryl from FlexiTours was very friendly, knowledgeable and a safe driver. We learned a lot about New Zealand, the Maori culture and Hobbiton. The van was clean and comfortable.
The Hobbiton Movie Set was awesome! Another must when you visit New Zealand. The history of this movie set is amazing and the hobbit house is wonderful and so cute in the inside. Thank you to the Anderson family too for making all this possible. To end the tour you get to relax and try the beer from the Green Dragon Inn.
Rotorua is a little farther away but it’s a nice town. Buffet lunch was great at the Te Puia which served Maori and New Zealand food. Everybody was friendly. I would say that this is a good tour combination. You get to just sit back, enjoy the view and learn new stuff until you get to your destinations.
Kate_N, Feb 2024
Great experience freedom start to finish. Flexi Tours was communicative prior to my arrival in Auckland about what to expect. The van was clean and comfortable and our guide, Louise was amazing. I'd absolutely recommend this tour.
Lee_P, Feb 2024
Amazing trip to Hobbiton and Rotorua! Louise, our tour guide, shared wonderful stories and insights and made our trip perfect. Highly recommended!
Jiae_J, Feb 2024
Very kind and quick reply.
Trip was well organized.
All was on time which was scheduled. Mini van was clean and comfortable, too.
Our quide Darren was very kind and frendly. His telling about New Zealnd, Maori, etc. was very helpful for me understanding about New Zealand.
Also lunch buffet at Te Puia was good. Of course Hobbiton and Te Puia, it was cool.
Kia ora!!!
Cathleen_T, Nov 2023
This is a long, but amazing tour! What a fantastic opportunity to get out of the city of Auckland and visit Hobbit World and then Rotorua geysers, kiwi habitat, and Māori culture center. The price seems expensive until you add up the hotel pick up, the driving to, the entrance fees, an amazing tour guide, the driving from and the hotel drop off. Worth every penny! Do take it, you all. You will not be disappointed!
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thankyou for your analysis and appreciation of what it costs for us to run these tours
Regards
Alan_D, Nov 2023
The transportation van was spacious. The tour guide/driver was attentive. Accommodating, knowledgeable and entertaining. Hobbiton and the geyser aria were very interesting.
HERMA_L, Nov 2023
The set was so real, 😍 beautiful. We were transported back to the Lord of the Rings. Felt magical. The land was green and clean. The tour guide was knowledgeable. I recommend this highly. The drivers were kind and knowledgeable.
Tung_L, Oct 2023
Great tour to Rotorua. Luch is very good. The driver is very good and always take care of us and took us back Auckland on time.
Andrea_B, Mar 2023
Part of the tour— Hobbiton—was fine. The tour there was handled by professional guides who did a great job. The rest was a giant miss. The pick up was fine, the van a bit tight but relatively comfortable. There was minimal commentary, a short bit of background at the beginning.
Once Hobbiton ended, and we got to Rotorua, it was a mess. A new driver joined the tour and while pleasant he really was clueless about the schedule. The tour broke into several different activities and time was spent retrieving them from their different locations. With so much travel time, that added to the time in the bus and made the time at the attractions shorter.
Regarding the attractions, as I said, Hobbiton was great (and I’m not a LOTR’s fan), the Māori Arts School was also interesting. The rest was mediocre. Not worth the money and definitely not worth 12 plus hours.
Do a Hobbiton tour and skip the rest. There are better ways to get Māori cultural info than this chaotic, rushed tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
I am not sure why you are one of very few people who was not happy - Our vans are very spacious with one less row of seats than factory standard and only 3 seats across the back instead of 4 we have a lot more room available per person than most - I can only assume you are reviewing one of the other companies and accidentally posting it under flexitours.
You just have to read the 100's of other reviews to know this person does not seem to be reviewing the same company
On our Hobbiton and Rotorua tour everyone does the same thing and all have a buffet lunch at Te Puia, followed by the guided tour at Te Puia including the Māori Arts and crafts institute and then as a group we look around Rotorua, so what you are describing is not what happens on our tours
Jeff_W, Nov 2022
What a great day. When you pay for a tour for the entire day, you hope to be taken care of -- and were impressed beyond our expectation of how the day went. From our tour guide, Mata, and all his great info along the way, to the comfortable minibus, to arriving to Hobbiton early and his ability to get us on an earlier tour... to the amazing details and details of Hobbiton (which is done by a seperate specific "Hobbiton" guide - but was just as wonderful). We weren't sure how our buffet lunch would be (as that can go either way), but we were quite impressed as the food and choices were great. We made a seemless switch to a new guide (Billy) for the second part of our day, who got us to our tour of the Te Puia and the geysers, kiwi birds, amazing crafts - and then drove us to some other wonderful local sites. I could not recommend FlexiToursNZ more highly. They went ABOVE and BEYOND what was expected, the personal touch and communication was beyond belief. If you want to be taken care of and see the sights of Auckland... this trip was worth every dollar spent.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Thankyou for your comments.
We want to offer tours that are different and inspire of the travel time offer something truly memorable
Kathryn_Z, Mar 2020
What a wonderful tour - really, everything you want: a nice early start to get to Hobbiton before the big crowds arrive, terrific lunch at Te Puia and LOTS to do and see there: the thermal pools and geysers, Maori crafts institute, and don’t miss seeing live kiwi birds! Well organized tour, and if you can, go with driver/guide Darryl, who is super knowledgeable, good natured, patient, and can tell you which side of the Hobbiton bus to sit on to get the best view coming into the movie set! Thanks so much for a great day!
Response from Host, Mar 2020
Thankyou for your great review! I’m glad you enjoyed your day with us. Our aim is to ensure you have
the best day possible! Thankyou for your kind words about Darryl I will let him know. We look forward to
having you travel with us again in the future. Kind regards, Serhan
Xin_X, Sep 2019
after two times of cancellation of my hobbition and rotorua trip booking , this one is telling me they NEVER cancel and booking and I feel " previlige " and impressed. even only by myself during the whole trip , they still start the trip for ME only, exclusive for me. really appreciate for driver and guide Vic entertain me the whole trip. He is awesome!
Response from Host, Sep 2019
We have a policy we do not cancel. On the day of your tour 2 other people did not arrive in the morning but we will NOT cancel. We treat you like we would like to be treated on holiday. We know you have limited time.
We believe the companies that accept a booking and cancel because they have low numbers do not deserve to be in business.
Once we accept a booking we will run.
I am glad you found us, a professional company who do what we promise.
We very seldom have to take only one person but our policy is the customer comes first and on the rare occasion there is only one person we will run. It is low season and there are not many tourists around right now i am happy that you had a good day on tour
Elisabeth_N, Aug 2018
The coach picked me up in advance in front of my hotel and the car ride was approximately 2 hours to go to Hobbiton. It was super sunny for a winter day and got so lucky. Hobbiton is a great thing to do while in Auckland, whether you are a huge Tolkien fan or not. The guided tour was very instructive and complete. It takes 1 hour to go from Hobbiton to Rotorua. I had only booked the guided tour of Rotorua and was very happy with it ! Our guide Carla was amazing, giving us so many details about the site and the maori culture she belongs to. I would recommend this tour to anyone who would like to see quite some of the country in just one day. Moreover, the drivers were great and showed us a lot of sites during our journey !
Michael_N, Jul 2018
Had a great time with this full day tour. We only had a couple of days in NZ and we're glad we booked this tour.
Teena B, Oct 2017
It was an amazing trip to the Hobbiton movie sets and we enjoyed every bit of it. Thr rotorua trip was good but felt like we could see more. It was too short and not worth the money. The coach drivers were very kind and good. Will definetly recommend the Hobbiton tour.
Bruno A, Aug 2017
It was amazing! Everything was beatiful! The only negative thing is that they say you can enter in one of the houses, but its not really the inside of a house as you thing. Its just a small dig up they made so you can take a picture on the inside of a window, to pretend you are inside of a house. AMazing as it is, they shouldnt say you can enter a house or they should build the interior of one and say you can enter.
Roger_H, Mar 2017
Long Day bus rides 8 hours. Rained all day but Hobbiton was great-Green Dragon Inn with fire to dry out.
Geysers were worth the visi. Overall well organized and value for money
Barbara_S, Jan 2017
Makes a great day tour combination from Auckland. The tour company provides transport from Auckland and ticket purchase, the tours are then provided by on site guides at Hobbiton and Rotorua who were great Stunned at how magnificently maintained Hobbiton is and the efficient way they ran tours and the Maori guide at Rotorua was terrific as was our Hangi lunch. Tour company Bus driver was not great - she could well do to keep her opinions of immigrants, Asians and her negative comments about staff at the sites to herself. This was a real turn off for me.
belinda_A, Aug 2016
hobbiton and rotorua were great , what's not is by 3pm we were finished and had to wait for the people who went to waitomo caves, we also had to drop off a couple at a hotel. We were literally waiting in a parking lot for a total of 1 hr doing nothing and an additional 30-40 mins going around town checking some lakes etc but obviously it's to burn time so we don't have to wait longer at the parking lot. If you can't amend this then I suggest you add wine tasting or some other activity. I keep thinking we could have been back in the hotel by 6pm but instead we got home 8pm super tired!
yk_a, Jul 2016
Thanks to our tour guide Mike, it was a very good experince. Hobbitton is like a wonderland : However we wait on the bus by wasting time for 2 hours as some other customers were on Caves Tour. It is unacceptable:
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