Itinerary
Day 1: Auckland to Rotorua with Waitomo Caves and Rotorua experience
Stop At: Waitomo Glowworm Caves, 39 Waitomo Village Road, Waitomo Caves 3943 New Zealand
Leaving Auckland, you’ll travel south to visit the world-famous limestone formations of Waitomo Caves. Enter the subterranean labyrinth of caves to admire a magical world of stalactites and stalagmites, eerily lit by the luminescent gleam of tiny glowworms.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Te Puia Springs, Te Puia Springs, Gisborne Region, North Island
Arriving at your second feature destination, Te Puia, you will receive a fully guided tour to best experience the geothermal and cultural wonders including Pōhutu Geyser, Māori Architecture, The National Māori Arts School, geothermal craters, geothermal events, and even the chance to view a Kiwi bird in the Kiwi viewing house.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Rotorua, Rotorua, Rotorua District, Bay of Plenty Region, North Island
Continue your adventure with another fully guided journey south to Rotorua, with many more attractions to see along the way, including hydro dams, rivers, and lots more animals. Once in Rotorua, you will be guided past many of its famous and historical sites, including Lake Rotorua, The Government Gardens, Blue Baths, Thermal Springs, and Polynesian Spa.
Staying in Rotorua
Rotorua's compact city centre is ideal to stroll and enjoy the cuisine and hospitality. Rotorua sits on top of one of the world's most active volcanic regions. Below the surface, the earth's crust grinds and moves to produce heat and molten rock. Throughout the city and its surrounds, the evidence of this is surprisingly common. Steam rising from cracks in the road, bubbling and hissing water in pools along the lakes edge and the strong smell of sulphur.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: You have the choice of a Premium Motel or a 4-Star Hotel
Day 2: Enjoy a Hobbiton Movie Set tour followed by an evening Maori Cultural Experience
Stop At: Hobbiton Movie Set, 501 Buckland Road Matamata, Hinuera 3472 New Zealand
Setting out from Rotorua, your Hobbiton Movie Set tour starts with a scenic drive across the Kaimai Ranges to Matamata, a small town in the Waikato region known for its thoroughbred industry and dairy farming. Along the way, your local driver guide will provide informative commentary and share stories about the region and its history.
Just outside of Matamata is the private working farm that was transformed into The Shire for the award-winning The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie trilogies.
Take a two-hour guided tour of the movie set and learn how this picturesque farmland was transformed into a living, breathing piece of Middle-earth. Your guide will show you Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, the Party Tree, the Mill and many other structures from the movies. After your Hobbiton movie set tour, you will hop back on the GreatSights coach and retrace your steps back to Rotorua.
Duration: 7 hours
Stop At: Te Pa Tu, 1220 Hinemaru Street, Rotorua 3073 New Zealand
An awe-inspiring introduction to the indigenous Maori culture. Learn about the history of this area which was once flourished in villages. See fierce warriors in traditional dress paddle an ancient warrior canoe (waka) down the Wai-o-whiro stream. Be captivated by songs, dances and games in a rich powerful entertaining cultural concert, complete with the fiery “Haka” Maori war dance. View the uplifting of the hangi from the earth cooked oven (Hangi Pit) in the ground and learn the preparation and contents of the traditional hangi. Learn the art of Ta Moko (tattoo), Maori customs, Musical instrument, Poi dance, Carving, Flora and fauna, and the medicinal uses.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Dinner: Traditional Hangi dinner
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Accommodation included: You have the choice of a Premium Motel or a 4-Star Hotel
Day 3: Spend the morning exploring Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu before returning to Auckland
Stop At: Wai-O-Tapu, Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua District, Bay of Plenty Region, North Island
See it all, the ultimate volcanic and geothermal Rotorua Tour. Learn about the huge colourful hot springs, erupting geysers and active boiling mud pools, spectacular volcanoes and lush native forest. All on a fully guided 1/2 day tour in Rotorua. Departing daily you'll travel through forestry and farmland to NZ’s largest boiling mud pool and a series of colourful hot springs at Wai-o-tapu. Then see the Lady Knox geyser erupt.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Waimangu Volcanic Valley, 587 Waimangu Road Off State Highway 5, Rotorua 3043 New Zealand
Next a short drive to the Waimangu Volcanic valley where your guide will explain the Mt Tarawera eruption which blew open this spectacular, bush covered, geothermal park.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Auckland, Auckland, North Island
Take the non-stop, express service with Intercity this evening back to Auckland City.
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.