Small-group day tour from Auckland · Auckland pickup
An 11-hour small-group day from downtown Auckland that pairs a 2.5-hour guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set with the 45-minute Waitomo Glowworm Cave boat tour, lunch included. Pick it if you have no car and one day for two of the North Island's best-known sights.
The day starts with a pickup from your hotel in downtown Auckland (the CBD only; there is one extra pickup at the Sebel Manukau Hotel for those near the airport or in South or East Auckland). A local driver-guide takes you south over the Bombay Hills into the Waikato, with commentary on the way. Groups are capped at 16, per the listing. The day lasts about 11 hours and returns you to your accommodation.
At the Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata, the official 2.5-hour guided tour walks you through the 10-acre site: hobbit holes, the Mill, the fully themed hobbit hole on Bagshot Row, and a specially brewed drink at the Green Dragon Inn. The set sits on the Alexander family farm and was rebuilt as a permanent set in 2010 for The Hobbit films, per Wikipedia. Then comes a light Kiwi-style café lunch and the Waitomo Glowworm Cave: the walk through the Cathedral and the silent boat through the Glowworm Grotto, 45 minutes in all. The listing says your cave guide will likely be a descendant of the Māori chief who first explored the cave. The order of the two stops can change; one guest in November 2026 saw the caves first and Hobbiton after lunch.
Included: hotel pickup and drop-off, transport, the guide, entry and the guided tour at Hobbiton, one drink at the Green Dragon, lunch, and entry and the guided tour at the Glowworm Cave. Not included: tips. Photos are fine at Hobbiton but not inside the Glowworm Cave. Drones are not allowed. A friendly tip: from 1 October to 30 April the listing also offers a 7.30am departure, subject to availability, handy if the earlier slot is sold.
Your driver-guide collects you from your downtown Auckland hotel (or the Sebel Manukau).
South over the Bombay Hills, past the Waikato River and Taupiri, with commentary on the way.
A 2.5-hour tour of the Movie Set, the Bagshot Row hobbit hole and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.
A light lunch of the kind most New Zealanders eat at midday, with vegetarian and vegan options.
The 45-minute tour: the Cathedral on foot, then the silent boat ride under the glowworms.
The drive north and drop-off at your accommodation, about 11 hours after pickup.
★★★★★Delightful trip! Our driver, Liam, was funny and gave clear instructions, expectations, and recommendations. The trip to Hobbiton was amazing, and the trip to the glow worm caves was a unique experience.
★★★★★Mike was an amazing guide. Everything was just perfectly organised, he even managed the rain to stop while we where walking through the movie set. Absolutely recommended.
★★★★★Great overall! [...] reached the Waitomo glowworm caves a while after, and it was absolutely magical and stunning and we got to learn a lot about Māori culture too. A drive down to Hobbiton after where we had lunch (excellent portions and quality). [...]
★★★★★Liam was a fantastic tour guide, enjoyed every bit of the tour
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Yes. This small-group day trip covers both in about 11 hours, with hotel pickup in downtown Auckland, the 2.5-hour Hobbiton tour, lunch and the 45-minute Glowworm Cave tour.
Yes. A light Kiwi-style café lunch is included, plus one drink at the Green Dragon Inn. It caters for vegetarian, vegan and other dietary needs.
From hotels in downtown Auckland (the CBD only). For those near the airport or in South or East Auckland, there is one pickup at the Sebel Manukau Hotel.
From $207 per person on GetYourGuide for the basic option, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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