Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Guided Tour from Auckland with Lunch
Recommended by 92% of travelers
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Auckland, New Zealand
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Ideal for fans of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” this tour from Auckland to the Hobbiton™ Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves starts with a scenic drive through the Waikato countryside. Take an underground boat ride on the Waitomo River, then learn about movie-making history at Hobbiton. A picnic lunch and a complimentary drink at the Green Dragon Inn are included for your convenience.
- Visit two top North Island attractions without having to self-drive
- Have your photo taken in front of a hobbit hole at Hobbiton
- An easy way to get out of Auckland and experience rural New Zealand
- Enjoy expert guided tours at each location to learn more
What's Included
- Transport by luxury coach
- LunchPicnic Lunch
- Pick up from selected hotels - please call to book
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Restroom on board
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 102 Hobson Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
The meeting point is the InterCity Bus Terminal
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.7:45 am
Itinerary
After hotel pickup in Auckland, enjoy a scenic drive through the North Island’s rolling hills and lush farmland. Listen to your guide’s commentary as you travel through the Waikato and King Country regions, and learn of the colonial history between British settlers and Māori.
Upon arrival in Waitomo, you’re taken to the noteworthy Waitomo Caves for a guided tour. Descend underground into the limestone caverns to view stunning stalactites formed over centuries. Drift along the Waitomo River during a short boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto, where a breathtaking display of tiny illuminated lights glow in the darkness. Discover the mystery behind the luminescence of thousands of glowworms before enjoying a provided picnic lunch.
Your day trip continues across the Kaimai Ranges toward Matamata, where you’ll visit the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, a working sheep farm and significant filming location for "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" movie series, all of which were filmed throughout New Zealand. Discover how the site was transformed into JRR Tolkien’s The Shire, home of Bilbo Baggins and his fellow hobbits. Have your photo taken in front of a hobbit hole and see the pond, the mill, the Green Dragon Inn, and more.
Upon arrival in Waitomo, you’re taken to the noteworthy Waitomo Caves for a guided tour. Descend underground into the limestone caverns to view stunning stalactites formed over centuries. Drift along the Waitomo River during a short boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto, where a breathtaking display of tiny illuminated lights glow in the darkness. Discover the mystery behind the luminescence of thousands of glowworms before enjoying a provided picnic lunch.
Your day trip continues across the Kaimai Ranges toward Matamata, where you’ll visit the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, a working sheep farm and significant filming location for "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" movie series, all of which were filmed throughout New Zealand. Discover how the site was transformed into JRR Tolkien’s The Shire, home of Bilbo Baggins and his fellow hobbits. Have your photo taken in front of a hobbit hole and see the pond, the mill, the Green Dragon Inn, and more.
1
GreatSights
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
3
Hobbiton Movie Set
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers
Supplied by
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 831 reviews
Jacques_O, Mar 2026
Awesome but a long day. But well worth the effort. Both the caves and Hobbiton are unique. Driver was entertaining!
Monique_C, Mar 2026
My two kids (16 & 23) and I had a great time! The itinerary was organized well, giving us plenty of time to enjoy both sites without feeling too rushed. Having specialized guides for each location was a huge plus—they were incredibly knowledgeable and made the tours more interesting Additionally, our driver/guide was great—not only knowledgeable and funny but an incredible driver who handled the traffic with ease, keeping the ride smooth and comfortable. The box lunch was just enough and satisfying. Overall, a fun experience.
Sophie_C, Mar 2026
Caves were very large once you got inside the “cathedral”. Cool inside and the ceilings in some areas are low. The actual boat ride is not very long, the whole experience takes about an hour. But feels magical
Heather_B, Mar 2026
A wonderful day with 2 varied but amazing tours. Our bus driver Kenny was knowledgeable and took good care of his passengers. The bus trip is a few hours but it was nice to sit back and watch the scenery!
Anisha_W, Mar 2026
Rachel was a lovely driver! She was very informative and was sharing fun facts and stories the entire way to the Glow Worm Cave and to Hobbiton! My husband and I enjoyed both the Glow Worm Cave and Hobbiton! When you book through Great Sites, you go straight through Hobbiton with them! No need to get on a separate bus!
Susan_G, Mar 2026
I booked a tour for two over three months ago. A day before the tour I asked if I could add two more people. They said no, as the tour was full. Then they cancelled my original reservation, without my knowledge. We got to the meeting place to find out it was cancelled. Viator said the tour company cancelled it, and the tour company said Viator cancelled it. We are from the United States and visiting New Zealand with no tour. I asked if they could book us a the tour the next day, only to be told no as it was sold out. This has been nothing but a blame game. I am so upset and so disappointed. Now I have to see if I receive a refund, as both companies are pointing at the other one as to who will issue the refund. I rat them 2 thumbs down 👎👎👎👎
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora Susan_G,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We hear how disappointing this must have been and would appreciate the chance to look into it further. If you’re able, please email your booking details to info@greatsights.co.nz. Wishing you safe travels ahead.
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Caitlyn_H, Mar 2026
This was really incredible. The bus to get to the caves and Hobbitton was clean and comfortable. The bus driver was lovely. The Waitomo caves are unlike anything I have ever seen before. If it wasn’t so beautiful, I would be totally freaked out by being on a tiny boat in pitch black. After the caves we went to Hobbitton. The tour guide we had was so good. Everything was super well organized.
My ONE complaint is that I requested a vegan option for lunch and it was lettuce and tomato on a soggy bun and it was inedible. If you’re vegan, bring your own food.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora,
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad you enjoyed your visit to the Waitomo Caves and really appreciated your guide at Hobbiton. We are sorry to hear about your lunch experience, if you’d like to discuss it further, please get in touch with us at info@greatsights.co.nz with your booking details.
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Tammie_S, Mar 2026
Rachel was such a great guide. So informative. Gave us so much information on the way to our destinations.
Valerie_C, Mar 2026
The Waitomo Glow Worm Cave was a very cool experience. The luminescent worms covered the cave ceiling in different patterns and it was like looking at constellations in the sky. Hobbiton was so enchanting. It really felt like we experienced LOTR & that Hobbiton was quite real
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora,
Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed visiting the Waitomo Caves and stepping into the world of Middle-Earth. We really appreciate you choosing to travel with us!
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Michael_C, Feb 2026
A fantastic visit. This would be a must see in my opinion, it is exceptionally well done. Beautiful scenery.
Brad_B, Feb 2026
The Caves tour was good. I’ve been on other more extensive cave tours, but none with glowworms. Guides were excellent.
The Hobbiton tour was excellent! Sebastian was our top-notch guide, and the set is incredible, especially for a non-LOTR fan like me.
The box lunch was mediocre, and we found the coach seats stiffened us up for the walking. Our driver was great, though it wasn’t their normal coach… no WiFi and some riders had condensation dripping on them at times.
Brian_C, Feb 2026
Well run. Long drive from Auckland but our driver kept us entertained. We enjoyed Rachel’s commentary
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora Brian_C,
Thank you for your kind words! We’re so pleased that Rachel made such a positive impression, and we hope you took away some new knowledge during your day with us. Thank you for choosing to travel with us!
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Dianne_S, Feb 2026
We did this tour out of Aukland, it might have been smarter to do it out of Hamilton, time wise......
Jennifer_K, Feb 2026
We were told the bus would be locked as we went to the Shire/Hobitton. I visited the Hobbiton store and the doors to the bus were wide open. I discovered $1000 USD missing from my possessions.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora Jennifer,
We’re disappointed to hear about your experience, as it does not reflect the standard of service or experience we strive to provide and are actively looking into the matter. For any updates or further comments, please continue to correspond with info@greatsights.co.nz.
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Douglas_M, Feb 2026
The tour takes a whole day with lots of time on the bus. It well worth it. The bus was comfortable and the driver was very kind and helpful.
Alice_B, Feb 2026
Even though the bus ride was long, the bus driver was funny and informative. Love touring the glowworm cavern and walking thru the Hobbiton movie set.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora Alice_B,
Thank you for your lovely feedback! It’s wonderful to hear that your driver made your trip to and from Hobbiton and Waitomo both entertaining and informative, and we hope you learned some new things along the way. Wishing you safe travels ahead!
Many Thanks,
Madeline
wendy_a, Feb 2026
Highly recommend perfect day! The glow worm caves we so cool! You couldn’t take pictures inside but they sold pics for like $10-15 usd really not bad for all of them. The hobbiton was amazing!! You get to go inside one and drink at the green dragon.
Faye_M, Feb 2026
Absolutely amazing day! Our driver Todd kept us amused with facts and funny tidbits about New Zealand and his dad jokes! A 12 hour day went by very fast, loved the caves and Hobbiton didn’t disappoint! Our tour guide for Hobbiton (Jess) shared her knowledge and jokes, very entertaining lady!
Faye & Marc
Aliette_D, Feb 2026
It was amazing. Very knowledgeable guide the caves were incredible something we have not seen before. Was well organized and we were able to enjoy it. Hot meal for lunch would have been my preference but the lunch was fine.
Dianne_R, Feb 2026
The drive was long, Waitomo caves are spectacular and Rachel our guide was incredible and very knowledgeable
Stephanie_S, Feb 2026
The experience and tour guide were amazing, but the bus was dirty and not clean! Was not expecting to eat on a dirty tray on the bus for my lunch.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed your day with us visiting Hobbiton and Waitomo. However, we’re disappointed to learn about the cleanliness of the bus and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further if you’re willing to contact info@explorerbus.co.nz with your booking details.
Many Thanks,
Madeline
David_G, Feb 2026
This excursion was terrific. The caves were fascinating and Hobbiton was beautiful. The coach was comfortable and our guide/driver (Rachel) provided a fun, safe, and cozy drive.
For the drive to the caves and then from caves to Hobbiton, Rachel provided a running commentary on the sights, stories, and history of Auckland and New Zealand. While this was interesting and informative, I would suggest finding a way to make this more of an optional option. Perhaps it runs through a system that requires head phones? While most of the time, the commentary was welcome - after a bit of a drive, it's nice to close your eyes and relax without the constant talking.
JaniceHayley, Feb 2026
This is a must when visiting New Zealand. It was just Amazing. Staff were so friendly. And very informative
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Kia Ora Janice,
Thank you for your kind words! It’s wonderful to hear that you consider visiting Hobbiton and Waitomo with us a must-do experience in New Zealand. We really appreciate you traveling with us and wish you safe travels ahead!
Many Thanks,
Madeline
Norma_L, Feb 2026
That when bus stops by the gift store that the your does not begin there, but continues after you board the bus again. We were very confused about the itinerary. Clear communication would have relieved our stress. Once we met our delightful guide, we had a wonderful tour of The Shire and loved every minute of it including the complimentary beverage at the end👏👏👏
Brittany_H, Feb 2026
All day experience, and worth it! Loved the peaceful caves and Hobbiton experience was fun. Enjoyed our time!
Gail_E, Feb 2026
An all day excursion on a very nice bus with a very personable and knowledgeable host. Waters, a cookie, and a very nice lunch was provided. The glow worm caves were fascinating. There was a very nice little coffee shop and gift shop at the entrance to the caves. Our tour group was accommodated swiftly for the tour. You must be exceptionally quiet on the boat in the caves so as not to disrupt the habitat for the glow worms. I would not recommend small children that are loud or crying to go on the tour.
Hobbiton was so neat. Such a display of artistry in the recreation of this amazing movie set. The Anderson family Ranch was beautiful in and of itself. There is a bit of uphill and downhill walking involved. Would not be able to accommodate wheelchairs or handicap situations I don’t think. We absolutely loved the tour and are now ready to go home and watch all the hobbit movies again.
Only complaint was that we were toward the back of the tour bus and could not hear a lot of what the bus driver and tour guide were saying.
JamesEdward_t, Feb 2026
Cave experience was great and Hobbiton was fantastic! Pay attention to your driver. Ours was having a bad day. He rambled almost mumbling into the mike (couldn't understand him) and confused the whole bus with his directions for Hobitton. It wasn't hard, he just explained it badly. Well worth attending, just get a good driver!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Kia Ora James,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves. However, we’re disappointed to learn about your experience with your driver and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further if you’re willing to contact us at info@greatsights.co.nz with your booking details.
Many Thanks,
Madeline
William_M, Jan 2026
Our guide Marty was great, he was very informative and knowledgeable about everything we drove past.
Glenn_S, Jan 2026
A long but worthwhile day to see the caves and the the countryside around Hobbiton. A great tour guide kept the tour interesting and on time.
Brenda_R, Jan 2026
Tour and tour guide were excellent! I really enjoyed Hobiton even though I haven’t seen any of the movies or read the books 😅. Caves were really neat as well.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Kia Ora,
Thank you for your kind words! It’s great to know that you enjoyed visiting Hobbiton, regardless of being a non-fan of the films, and also enjoyed the Waitomo Caves. Wishing you safe travels ahead!
Many Thanks,
Madeline
From $256.76
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