2025 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

2024 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

2023 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

Auckland to Rotorua via Hobbiton Movie Set and Wai-O-Tapu

From NZD$429

4.9

(454 reviews)

Departs from: Auckland

Duration: 9 hours

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Travel from Auckland to Rotorua on a one-way, small-group adventure that blends movie magic with geothermal wonders. Journey through the lush Waikato countryside, step into Middle-earth at the iconic Hobbiton Movie Set, then continue south to Rotorua’s bubbling landscapes. With a fully guided experience, relaxed pacing, and unforgettable stops along the way, this tour delivers two North Island icons in one epic day. Expect big scenery, great stories, and plenty of photo-worthy moments.

Please note

While lunch is not provided on this tour, there will be several opportunities for you to purchase food along the way.

Itinerary

Why you’ll love this

Step into Middle Earth on a 2.5 hour fully guided Hobbiton tour

Rolling green hills and classic farmland through the heart of the Waikato

Surreal geothermal landscapes at Wai-O-Tapu

A seamless journey from Auckland to Rotorua with expert local guides

What’s included

Fully guided experience with our world famous guides

Small group tour in our luxury minibuses

Entry tickets to Hobbiton and Te Puia

Snacks and bottled water

Why choose us

Famously passionate tour guides

Our guides share stories, laughs, and Kiwi charm on every journey.

Travel in comfort

Small groups, big comfort. Relax in our modern Mercedes minibuses with style and space.

Award-winning tours

Thousands of five-star reviews and top travel awards - experiences loved worldwide.

Kiwi owned. Kiwi operated

Proudly local and passionate about sharing authentic New Zealand with every traveller.

Stories worth sharing

2/3/2026

Great Hobbiton experience

The experience was great, Cam was a great tour leader and he offered mamy insights, good advice and was always having a great vibe and was also very helpful and I enjoyed everything :) Would recommend though maybe from the participants to try and be a bit more well rested the night before as I was quite exhausted and couldn't fully enjoy the Wai-O-Tapu experience, but still the rest was really great, thank you very much 😊

Anca I

2/1/2026

Sit back and relax

Proper good tour, very organized, timely. Simon was great. Just sit back, relax, and they take care of the rest. Also kudos to Cheeky Kiwi team for doing everything in their power to get my daughter’s hobbiton sunglasses back to us. They went above and beyond.

Safari22051735985

1/29/2026

Best New Zealand tour ever!

OMG! Alfredo made this one of the most amazing experiences of my whole entire life! It was a long 13 hour day, but well worth the money and the time! I know a tour guide or company cannot control the weather but… It was a perfect and gorgeous day for both Hobbiton and Wai-O-Tapu! Alfredo made the drive time, interesting and entertaining while keeping the wheels moving expertly! The drive took a good amount of time, but we had ample stops and supplies of snack bars, chips and water with several chances to purchase goodies along the way. I would do this tour again in a hot minute! Thanks Cheeky Kiwi for the unforgettable experience! Kia Ora!

Michael W

1/28/2026

Great service and guide

Very professional and seamless organisation from Grant. informative and friendly throughout. Hobbiton experience was very good. Well organised and well run excursion.

Navigate19982178000

1/26/2026

Amazing Hobbiton Tour with a Great Guide

My brother and I did a tour to Hobbiton & Rotorua including Wai-O-Tapu with Jeoff, and it was a great experience overall. Wai-O-Tapu was definitely very smelly 😂 but still interesting to see. Hobbiton was absolutely amazing I really love it. Wish i can live there haha. Jeoff was a fantastic guide. He explained everything clearly and shared a lot of interesting history about New Zealand, which made the journey even better. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the day enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour, especially if you’re a Lord of the Rings fans and want to know more about New Zealand history Looking forward doing this tour again

Matty I

1/26/2026

Great day at Hobbitown and waiotapu

We spent the day with our friends seeing Hobbitown and Waiotapu. Grant was our driver and most excellent tour director. We gave us a wealth of information about the country, the places we were going to see and answered all of our questions. I highly recommend this particular tour if you have a full day to spend touring. Hobbitown had way more to see than what I expected. We would have been hard pressed to find it on our own. And Grant gave us excellent guidance re how to hike around waiotapu. Both places were better than I had expected. And the Mercedes van was very comfortable. All worth the cost.

Carol B

1/26/2026

An amazing day touring New Zealand!

This was definitely the highlight of my trip to New Zealand! I feel that I was fortunate to have Simon as my guide for the Hobbiton and Rotorua tour. He is incredibly knowledgeable about all things NZ to include the “Lord of the Rings” stories and trivia. I had never been on a tour like this and would highly recommend it to natives as well as tourists. It was a nice, easygoing pace and Simon made it a point to make the tour very personal. Trent was the assistant Tour Guide and was in training with Simon. He was additional fun surprise on my tour. I was able to see so much of the beautiful countryside of New Zealand and thank you to Simon and Trent for such a fun day!!

Scott Johnson

1/24/2026

Amazing day

Equipe pontual no horário agendado. Van de transporte nova e confortável. Guia de turismo muito amigável e gentil. Cenário Robitton é uma fazenda encantadora, para contemplação, da paz e natureza. Visita ao interior de 1 casa, com mobília completa. Wai o Tapu é um local que o percurso interno é em torno de 1 hora de caminhada entre as crateras. Incrível a Champagne Pool, agua fervente borbulha.

Marianne D

1/23/2026

Amazing tour

Simon was a fantastic guide..very engaging, articulate and helpful with practical advice and info on all things NZ. It is a long drive but definitely great value. Lots of time for stops along the way although lunch was a bit rushed. Hobbiton was amazing with Noelle sp? from Santa Monica being the star tour guide. What talent! Going out of her way to be helpful for pictures. Rotorua and the near by hot springs Waiotapu were fascinating places. Highly recommended! Thank you Simon and Trent!

Peter B

1/16/2026

Cheeky Kiwi grand day out

Thoroughly recommend Cheeky Kiwi’s trip to Hobbiton, Rotorua and Waiotapu. Dave and Liam gave us the best day from start to finish. Dave’s knowledge and passion in ensuring that everyone got the most out of the day spoke volumes and made the day exceptional. Loved the commentary and extra bits to the trip along with the drive through such amazing countryside. Thank you

Frances J

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