Small-Group Hobbiton and Waitomo Day Tour with Lunch from Auckland
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Auckland, New Zealand
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Hobbiton movie set and the Waitomo glow-worm caves are two of the most popular attractions on New Zealand’s North Island. Visit both in one day and enjoy a more personalized experience on this small-group tour. Discover behind-the-scenes of the legendary LOTR films during a guided tour of Hobbiton, then cruise the underground river of the Waitomo Caves, beneath a glittering canopy of glow worms.
- Guided Hobbiton walking tour: see original LOTR props and sets
- Delicious buffet lunch in the party marquee at Hobbiton
- Spot glow worms as you cruise through Waitomo Cave
- Hassle-free pickup and drop-off at your Auckland hotel
What's Included
- Buffet Lunch in Green Dragon Marquee
- Admission to Hobbiton Movie Set & tour
- Admission to Waitomo Glowworm Caves
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Shopping voucher at Hobbiton Gift Shop
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Inner City Auckland Hotel Pickup + Drop-Off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Start time.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
Taupiri
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Hobbiton Movie Set
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
The Green Dragon Inn
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes and suitable outdoor clothing
- Pick up and drop off from inner city Auckland accommodation included
- Please reconfirm your pick up time 24 hours before the tours departure
- Please note the tours at Hobbiton and Waitomo are walks - including stairs
- Tour available for ages 5+ - not suitable for infants
- Not recommended for travellers with walking difficulties
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 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
5.0
based on 285 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
58 reviews
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Travelers appreciate knowledgeable and engaging guides whose storytelling enriches understanding of local history, culture, and film. The Hobbiton movie set and Waitomo glowworm caves are consistently praised for their detailed craftsmanship and immersive, enchanting environments. Food and beverage offerings, particularly the buffet lunch and drinks, receive positive remarks for quality and variety, providing a satisfying end to the tour. Overall, the experience is described as educational and enjoyable.
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I had a great experience !! I am so glad that we chose this tour !! Damian Sir was such a delight !! The food was great , and everything was so smooth !! Do not even think twice !! This is the best thing you will experience in New Zealand !! I will definitely visit again ♥️ thankyou for making our dream come true !!
Lovely tour all around. Hobbiton exceeded our expectations and was great fun! The grounds are amazing and going into a "hobbit hole" was a real experience. Such attention was given to the smallest detail. I am a huge fan of the books and all of the movies so I thoroughly enjoyed every facet of this experience. The buffet lunch was quite good as well as was the beer at the "Green Dragon". The next stop was the worm cave which also was above our expectation. So beautiful and fascinating. This tour was a bit more expensive but worth every penny. The icing on the cake was our wonderful tour guide Damien. He was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic that it made the long journey to and from a pleasure. He was a charming and delightful addition to a fantastic day! Thank you!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
We really appreciate you taking the time to drop us a few lines following your trip to Hobbiton and Waitomo with Damian your Tour Guide for the day. We are so pleased this trip Damian met with your approval :), and that you were able to experience the "hobbit hole" after reading the books. We really appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback - thank you :)!
Wonderful tour. We took the tour of Hobbiton and the Waitomo glowworm caves during the off season. It was perfect because we felt like we had the places to ourselves. Hobbiton is bigger than I expected. We felt fully immersed in the village. The "Hobbit meal" afterwards was delicious. The Waitomo glowworm caves were also spectacular. It was a beautiful experience. We highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for posting a review following your Hobbiton / Waitomo Tour, we are delighted you enjoyed this experience!
We went with Bush and Beach small group tour. Damien was our driver/guide. Amazing! Super friendly and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend this tour and especially our guide!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your lovely comments about Damian your Tour Guide for the day. We are delighted you enjoyed you trip to Hobbiton and Waitomo!
This tour gave us priority treatment at both Waitomo Cave and Hobbiton but especially Hobbiton. We entered one of the very first tours and were the first ones seated in the festival tent for lunch. The buffet was fabulous and well worth it. Hobbiton was a wonderful experience even for those in our party who had no exposure to the movie or the books. It is beautiful just as a fanciful garden and lovely sheep farm. Waitomo cave was one of our favorite nature experiences. It is developed but the guides keep the guests quiet so we could enjoy the awe we felt there. Our guide Wayne was a real raconteur who gave us running commentary. At each site he made sure we got priority treatment.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for posting a review of your experience on our Hobbiton & Waitomo Tour. We are so pleased you enjoyed the day and appreciate your lovely comments regarding your Tour Guide - Wayne.
Excellent experience from start to finish. Kelly, our guide, was affable, knowledgeable, and had a prodigious continuous banter that helped while away the drive - teaching us about the history of New Zealand and what to expect at each stop. I would absolutely ask for him again!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for the lovely comments, we are so pleased you enjoyed your trip to Hobbiton and Waitomo with your Tour Guide - Kelly :).
Excellent engaging guide with a first class experience. Good buffet was pleasant way to end the tour
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to drop us a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed you experience at Hobbiton and Waitomo.
We looked at 2 tours, but decided to do the small group with lunch, so glad we did! The lunch was excellent.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback and for posting a review :)!
Everything about this tour, from pick up to drop off, was smooth and relaxed. The tour itself was amazing and combining it with Waitomo Caves made for a really special day. Hobbiton was everything and more than could have been hoped for. Buffet lunch was fantastic and enough variety to cater for most preferences. Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback from this tour, we are thrilled you enjoyed the day and experience!
We had an unforgettable experience visiting Hobbiton and the Waitomo caves and while it's definitely a long day, the structure and pacing make it feel totally manageable. We avoided lots of crowds at the movie set by arriving early and were able to really enjoy the grounds before a very good buffet lunch. The bus ride to the caves was a great opportunity to recharge before the last leg of the tour, and we arrived back to Auckland right on time. Our guide Wayne provided lots of commentary and insights into New Zealand that were very appreciated as well. Highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to efficiently see these two amazing sites!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for posting this review and comments regarding your Hobbiton and Waitomo Tour, we are thrilled you enjoyed the experience!
It was amazing. Even if you aren't a fan of "The Hobbit" or "The Lord of the Rings," the amount of work and detail that went in to the making and building of the Hobbits' abodes, is incredibly impressive. If you *are* a fan, as I am, being in Hobbiton was like my childhood dream come true.
The Waitomo Caves were magical, quietly floating below the ethereal blue glow emanating from the ceiling above. I kind of wish we'd had a bit more time in the cave but also have to say that 4 people on a bench in the boat was a bit snug.
The ride there and back was made enjoyable by our driver, Murray. He informed us with facts and entertained us with casual chatter. I appreciated his knowledge and his sense of humor. And his patience, as I imagine driving a van with a group of strangers is much like herding cats. Thanks to Bush and Beach for a well-run tour.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your lovely comments, we are thrilled your enjoyed both experiences ! :)
Of course the ride there and back is long… you and the other passengers have to understand the schedule the drivers are on. So when they saw get a quick bite and bring it back, it doesn’t mean “dilly dally” around so driver has to chase you down.
The Town was cool, the grow worms cave was super cold, but fun. I recommend bringing a jacket. If you’re a LOTR nerd…you will be ALL EXCITED with trivia, questions about The Shire and the movies…all the movies, tv shows… etc.
The food was a surprise but enough variety for everyone. We had a hardcore Vegan / vegetarian and she was able to clean her plate. I couldn’t because I just wasn’t a fan of the flavor
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for posting a review, we appreciate you taking to comment on your experience.
Great and enjoyable so much to see and learn about the movies but also the area and history the little coffee stop was perfect and the tour of the movie set great and going to the Glowwarm Caves was interesting our driver was outstanding and knowledgeable and friendly thanks Damon I believe (sorry if wrong) but just outstanding don’t have to know the movie to enjoy this tour
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We appreciate you posting a review, and thank you for the comments made about one of our wonderful Tour Guides - Damian. Thank you!
It was a long day but we enjoyed every minute of it! We got picked up from our hotel on time. The tour guide/driver Kelly was knowledgeable and a safe driver. The lunch was yummy and a great verity of choices. Both sites are super cool. I would highly recommend the tour!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to post a review. We are so pleased you enjoyed this Tour.
Great day! Hobbiton didn't disappoint. I didn't know that there were hobbit holes now to explore. The buffet lunch was tasty.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We are so pleased you enjoyed Hobbiton, and the buffet lunch :)!
The drive to Hobbiton was interesting. Wayne is an interesting guy, with many of his own life stories to throw into the mix. Still cant figure how he could tke a poll to skip the rest stop on the way in yet said no way in the world would he put people on the spot with a poll on the way out. Hm. But the group guide at Hobbiton was a truly hilarious fellow that knew everything to know about LOTR. It was a fantastic experience...certainly the highlight of our 3 week stay in NZ. Great! Note: Thoughtful drivers also carry water.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for posting a review following your trip to Hobbiton and Waitomo, much appreciated.
I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan, and I knew that this would be a fun experience, but I was unprepared for how amazing it would be. As we entered the "Shire" and Howard Shore's opening theme filled the bus along with Peter Jackson's welcome, I found myself in tears. That was quickly replaced with awe at the incredible work done by the gardeners and all the others who keep this entire Hobbiton village looking and feeling like it's being lived in at this moment. Even getting to enter and experience a complete interior of a Hobbit home! The stout is highly recommended, and lunch was delightful.
Waitomo Caves was an entirely different experience, yet beautiful, and a powerful sense of geological age and nature.
Chris was a wonderful host and guide, giving us tons of entertaining and educational information on the drives to and from Auckland. A long, but wonderful day.
Great visit to Hobbiton and surrounding territories. Traveling in smaller group made conversation and participation easier, quicker access, including Hobbiton tickets, quality lunch , touring on small town roads.
This is a DO NOT MISS adventure. Our guide was great! He worked hard to keep us entertained and informed during the entire day. Hobbit Town was such an awesome place to visit and learn about the filming of the the movies. I was impressed with the glowing caves. They were just outstanding to me.
Fantastic tour, made 100% better due to our brilliant informative, well organised guide driver Damien. Hobbiton exceeded expectations and the Waitamu Caves were beautiful... The lunch was excellent.
Very well organized and conducted.
Definitely one of the highlights of our Auckland experience.
The marquee lunch was five star and very food allergy friendly
Had a great tour of Hobbiton and the glow worm cave. Chris was a fantastic guide and made the day a lot of fun. Beautiful scenery along the way!
Wayne did a fantastic job. He gave a lot of commentary during the drive and I learned a lot. He was willing to answer any questions. You could tell he loves taking people on tours. I highly recommend taking a tour with Wayne. I wish I had time to go on another tour with him.
Everything about our experience was exceptional. Our driver and guide, Damien was a phenomenal storyteller and ambassador of not only the company and the tour, but New Zealand as well. We highly recommend this tour and the company.
This tour was a friendly and well organized experience. I loved our tour guide, Mary - she was knowledgeable and had an extremely warm personality that helped the group feel comfortable while keeping us on track timing-wise. She had fun information that she was able to share on the drive to each location. You could feel her passion when she spoke.
Pick-up and drop off was easy and convenient from my hotel in the City Centre area. Overall, it was a great experience and would definitely book with them again in the future!
OMG! This is a must DO!! Hobbiton was fantastic! My husband and I never seen the movies but we still wanted to go and we are so happy we did. Everything was fabulous!
Waitomo was amazing!
This is a long tour, but very worth while. It gives you a great opportunity to see the country around Auckland and two of New Zealand’s top tourist attractions.
The intricate details of Hobbiton and information shared regarding the making of The Lord of Rings movie(s) made this excursion worth it. The food and drink was delicious! The glow worms and caves were interesting. Our coach driver, Dameon, did an amazing job! He was very knowledgeable and engaging! The information he shared with our group helped make the day even more enjoyable.
Damien was an amazing guide. Gave us so much information about the local area, gave us time for breaks and quick photos. Knowledgeable about the tour and gave us hints and tips on when and what to do. The process of the tours was laid out well, always knowing where to be at what time.
Hobbiton was amazing so much detail (but expect nothing less from Peter Jackson) and the caves were stunning
Great time! Comfortable van ride. Murry, our Informational and entertaining guide was great! I'd love to have him again for future adventures. Both Hobbiton and the Waitomo caves were great.
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Small-Group Hobbiton and Waitomo Day Tour with Lunch from Auckland
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