Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton

Travel from Auckland to Rotorua on this one day sightseeing tours. Explore the magical underground splendour of Waitomo Caves, before discovering Hobbiton Movie Set, made famous by the Lord of the Rings films. On the way travel across the green King country and Waikato farmlands on an escorted tour.

Learn all about the region's fascinating history as your experienced local driver / guide points out various sights along the way.  The small town of Waitomo will be your first stop.  Here, you will be taken on a 45 minute guided tour through the internationally acclaimed Waitomo Glowworm Caves.  As you travel through these limestone caverns that were discovered in 1887, you will learn all about how such breathtaking structures as stalactites, stalagmites and other structures were formed over an amazing 30 million years.  Complete your underground tour with a brief but memorable boat ride through the Glowworm Gotto that is lit up by thousands of little glowworms.

Then journey to Matamata, the home of Middle-earth. Here you will see a private farm that has been transformed into the famous home of the Hobbits, The Shire.  Enjoy the set where Sir Peter Jackson filmed the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies as you explore the place Bilbo, Frodo and all their friends call home.  Learn all about how the sets were created and more fascinating secrets that led to the phenomenal success of these films.  You will have the opportunity to visit such structures as the Mill, Hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn, to name a few.  Once your movie set tour of Hobbiton is complete, you will then continue on to Rotorua, where you will be dropped off at your Rotorua accommodation.