Hobbiton Movie set & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour From Auckland
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Auckland, New Zealand
- 11 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Experience the best of New Zealand on full-day tour that combines two incredible destinations in one comprehensive tour. From Auckland, enjoy a scenic drive to the Hobbiton Movie Set. Once arrived, hop aboard one of the official Hobbiton buses and immerse yourself in the magic of Middle-earth. Embark on a behind-the-scenes tour of the movie set, with fascinating insights and little-known facts provided by your guide. Explore the charming Hobbit Holes, admire The Mill and The Double Arched Bridge, and enjoy a complimentary drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) at the Green Dragon Inn. Next up, journey to Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Embark on a guided tour inside the Famous Waitomo Grotto—including a boat ride along the underground Waitomo River.
- See the best of New Zealand in just one day—without having to organize a thing
- All admission tickets are included for a hassle-free experience
- Convenient pickup & drop-off from Auckland CBD
- Travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Auckland City Center
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- All entry tickets & guided tours
- Gratuities
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.6:00 am
Itinerary
1
Hobbiton Movie Set
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infant seats must be requested at least 24 hours in advance (extra charges apply)
- A minimum of 4 people is required for the tour to operate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 655 reviews
jrstiers, Apr 2026
This is an amazing trip! Our driver gave us lots of history and information on the drive to the Hopperton movie set. Our driver, Andy, was very personable and knowledgeable. We felt very safe in his care, and the entire day ran on schedule. Once we were there, the sat is magical! It was better than we expected… I highly recommend it. Then we went onto the Waitomo worm caves, which were also amazing. You’re not allowed to take pictures inside, unfortunately. I would highly recommend this excursion, it’s well worth the money.
Gregory_D, Apr 2026
Wonderful experience even though the morning consisted of pouring down rain. The rain finally eased when we arrived at Hobbiton. It is beautiful and magical. We then had an ale at the Green Dragon pub and went to see the glow worm caves. It also is amazing. We made the drive back to Auckland but stopped for some Hokey Pokey ice cream. Excellent day and there were plenty of bathroom stops. Our driver/guide was named Warren and he is excellent.
Robin_Y, Apr 2026
What an amazing day out! We had so much fun, the tour was amazing and totally worth your time. Adil our guide was informative, funny, engaging and all round amazing!
Ehsan_Y, Apr 2026
Amazing! Way better than what I thought or read about. Jeff, the tour leader was very knowledgeable and a lovely gentleman.
Laurie_E, Apr 2026
The entire experience was exceptional! Idil (may have misspelled his name) was a great driver and tour guide. The Hobbiton tour was beyond our expectations-informative, immersive, uncrowded, and entertaining). It’s the opposite of a Disney theme park-peaceful, welcoming, with an incredible attention to detail.
The cave tour was interesting and unlike anything we’ve ever experienced-very different from other cave tours due to the darkness, quiet boats, and glowing worms above you.
Overall, a highly recommended experience.
Timothy_F, Apr 2026
2 good visits. Only issue is the total driving time over 5 hours. Guide did great job keeping us entertained with knowledge.
Joy_R, Mar 2026
So if you didn't purchase Hobbiton tickets well enough in advance this is a good alternative. The pros: they drive you to and from Hobbiton, it includes Hobbiton tickets, it includes drive to Glowworm caves and tickets. LUNCH IS NOT included. You can eat lunch outside of ticketing of the glowworm caves if you bring your own. Hobbiton is AMAZING! And not to be missed. Hobbiton comes with a free alcoholic or non-alcoholic beer from the Green Dragon. The glow worms were cool too. Our driver was very nice and drove well.
Soonnam_S, Mar 2026
Jon was great 👍 I expected to get some pictures of Waitomo caves. They are not allow to take photo which is you have to buy than too expensive for
Tina_P, Mar 2026
Raymond was a great driver and was informative and very personable. He was very respectful and instructive at each location and kept the group on time.
Lyndsey_M, Mar 2026
Everything was so well organized and prompt on this tour! Our guide Warren was friendly and I learned so much about the surrounding area on the drive to and from the stops. Also appreciated the frequent stops to break up the long drive to and from the city.
Meghan_W, Mar 2026
I did the 1-day Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves tour. It was a wonderful tour with Warren as our guide. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and great at making our 11-person group feel connected. Hobbiton is a must for any LOTR fan with a 2-hour walking tour through the full set, capped off with a free drink at the Green Dragon. A few tips: shop the gift store on arrival (before the tour), and pack sunscreen; there's zero shade on the set. Highlights included stepping inside a hobbit home...truly magical! The Waitomo Caves made for a perfect second half of the day. The 1-hour tour is the opposite of Hobbiton in the best way...no cameras, no fanfare, just the serene wonder of an ancient underground world.
Aaron_P, Mar 2026
Do it. This tour, its organization and the guide were all excellent. The Hobbit tour guide was also excellent and high energy. The caves were interesting also.
Pomai_T, Mar 2026
The excursion locations were GREAT! Hobbiton and Waitomo Glow Worm Caves....The negative was the driver that we had, Raymond. From the beginning when I checked in with him at the pick up location, he asked where my 7 others were in tone that seemed to be very negative or abrupt. My group was walking over from the benches that they were sitting on while we waited for him. I told him that we were from Hawaii and later during the 11 hour experience, he negatively commented about always having problems with the Hawaiians.
He concentrated on the other guests that were not of color.
Watched us with indifference and at times made comments about how much time we had left, made unwarranted comments about being where we needed to be at a certain time and although he said to go to the restroom, didn't ensure that all guests in our group knew where to meet after the restroom break. Then came the negative comment when two of our group was trying to find where to be and had to ask the staff where our group was.
On the ride to and from the venues, he didn't update us as to how far along we were in driving back to Auckland. Three hours later, we were at our starting point.
For clarification, I would recommend the excursion BUT NOT the company with Auckland and Beyond tour group
I wish that we had a more personable driver that would've shared more of Auckland/Aotearoa to the other 20 of us on the shuttle rather that only to the two sitting in the front with him, Raymond - the driver.
Shikhar_M, Mar 2026
Hobbitton was an absolutely surreal experience with a stunning recreation and preservation of keh sets. A dream for every fan to relive a part of their favourite fantasy world. Add to that a superb scenic setup in the farmlands and a wonderful set of beers at the end, made for a dream trip.
The Waitomo Glow Worm caves in the second part were the cherry on top. A very unique experience with a must do short boat ride to see in absolute darkness and silence, the very magic of nature.
Luke_C, Mar 2026
Very good tour guide. Ran smoothly. Everybody was friendly. Well organised. Timing was also good. They allowed time for us to eat also
Nghi_D, Mar 2026
I am not very sure how to answer this question. All other people traveling with us in this trip book the trip through Viator and most of them find the trip interesting.
Neil_C, Mar 2026
Don’t miss this opportunity. It’s a long drive but well worth it. Our driver was a wealth of information and the tour at Hobbiton movie set was amazing! The tour through the Waitoma caves where you see the glow worms was also amazing. Very glad we did this tour. Would highly recommend.
Laura_L, Mar 2026
I enjoyed the Hobbiton and Cave experience however they tour company put so many people in the bus I was crammed in the back corner of the back row and it was less than comfortable for such a long drive. I actually have a bruise on my shoulder from hitting the side of the van on the bumps.
Rosalynn_W, Mar 2026
Not to be missed. Great driver with Auckland and Beyond. Hobbiton was so beautiful. It is a great context for the unusually picturesque landscape whether you are a Tolkien fan or not, but if you are, it is amazing! Waitomo caves were a really unique and beautiful native experience.
Carolyn_P, Mar 2026
This tour was so much fun! It was so nice to land in Auckland, have a day around the city then wake up and have our tour guide take us around for the day. Hobbiton is so beautiful and it’s fun to see the farm as well and learn more of the LOTR movies. Off to Waitomo Caves to see the glowworms! That was breathtaking! Being inside of the cave and cavern was something else. Seeing the bright glowworms was just awe inspiring!
Tracey_B, Mar 2026
Our driver Jon was amazing, he was very informative and friendly, and knew how to get the group interacting - which made the travel time disappear. He gave great food/drink recommendations, and was well educated with local knowledge. His driving was exceptional - managing to get us back home on time (through heavy traffic). Hobbiton was spectacular, the guides know there stuff - you could spend hours there exploring. Waitomo Caves were simply amazing - such a special place. Our tour guide even gave us a solo Moari randison to show off the acoustic sounds, 45m below ground level in the cave's cathedral. Highly recommend.
Thomas_C, Mar 2026
It is a lot of driving but it was so cool! So worth it if you’re traveling to New Zealand and not getting a car. Hobbiton was super cool even for someone who hasn’t seen all the Lord of the rings movies! I also very much enjoyed the glow worms. It is a bit short of an experience but was breathtaking
CHRISTOPHER_D, Mar 2026
Had a great time both at Hobbiton, and the Waitomo caves. The drive there and back is a bit on the longer side, but our tour guide Adil did a great job filling the time with interesting facts and information and the time flew by because of it. I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone, even if they haven’t seen the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings movies.
Tracy_S, Mar 2026
It was wonderful. Loved it. Friends that never watched Lord of the Rings enjoyed it too! They loved the scenery and the hobbit house. Even the hobbit bathroom ! The worm cave was cool too.
Charlie_M, Mar 2026
If you ever get a chance go. This place is amazing!! Lotr fans must see!! Had a blast. You truly submerse yourself in middle earth.
R_H, Mar 2026
This was a really good tour. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Hobbiton is everything I heard about.the caves were an added bonus. Nothing else like it
Andraya_J, Mar 2026
A really good day. Adil was a perfect guide. I wish I’d not forgotten my cash because he deserved a good tip! All aspects of the day were really enjoyable , Adil was really concerned to give his customers a good day and clearly cared . A lovely guy.
VICKI_W, Mar 2026
Great day good transport good driver and great guides tourist attractions great with the experience .
Judith_D, Mar 2026
Very well looked after by our driver. Early start to get on the road but worth it to see all
that we did. Good day out
Matthias_P, Feb 2026
This day was indescribable.
As a LOTR fan the Hobbiton tour was beautiful beyond belief and incredibly well organised. They make sure not to let too many people in at a time so it is an enjoyable experience for everyone.
The Glowworms were also, there are no words.
Our driver was very friendly and accommodating and the van was nice! Now unfortunately I don’t remember the driver’s name, but she gave us some delicious apples and figs from her mothers kitchen! Surely that’s enough for an identification. 10/10/10 tour
P.S. also as an unexpected extra we saw an ostrich and an emu (don’t count on it on your trip)
From
-20%
$217.29
per personWas $271.61
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Special Offer
Hobbiton Movie set & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour From Auckland
655
11 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$271.61
$217.29
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Half-day Tours
- Shore Excursions
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
- Walking Tours
- Bus Tours
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Day Trips
- Outdoor Activities
- Private and Luxury
- On the Ground
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Auckland
- Half-day Tours - Waiheke Island
- Shore Excursions - Waiheke Island
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Waiheke Island
- Walking Tours - Waiheke Island
- Bus Tours - Waiheke Island
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Coromandel
- Shore Excursions - Whitianga
Attractions in Auckland, New Zealand
- Albert Park Tours & Tickets
- Mt. Eden Tours & Tickets
- Arataki Visitor Centre Tours & Tickets
- Auckland Ferry Terminal Tours & Tickets
- Mt. Victoria Reserve (Takarunga) Tours & Tickets
- Great Barrier Island Tours & Tickets
- Auckland Town Hall Tours & Tickets
- Karekare Beach Tours & Tickets
- Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park (Savage Memorial) Tours & Tickets
- Piha Beach Tours & Tickets
- Sculptureum Tours & Tickets
- Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki Tours & Tickets
- Motutapu Island Tours & Tickets
- Devonport Tours & Tickets
- North Head Historic Reserve (Maungauika) Tours & Tickets
- Hauraki Gulf Islands Tours & Tickets