North Island Tours

Experience one of the wonders of New Zealand’s natural world on this glowworm caving adventure in Waitomo. Choose a morning or afternoon tour, then pull on your boots and helmet before heading through the pretty Mangapu Gorge to the Mangarongapu Cave with a guide. With your headlamp to light the way, hike around huge boulders and through shallow streams, and marvel at the millions of bright green glowworms illuminating the rocky limestone. Enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to six people.

Visit a pair of New Zealand's must-see attractions with this combo tour from Auckland to the Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Peek into Hobbit Holes, frolic in the Shire, and get a drink at the Green Dragon Inn on a guided tour of Middle-earth, followed by a Kiwi-style lunch. In the afternoon, explore Maori myths and history on a boat ride through mesmerizing caves lit by thousands of glowworms, and finish with a drive through some of the North Island’s most majestic scenery.

The fictional, yet globally famous, village of Hobbiton and the Waitomo Caves rank among the most popular sites of interest in New Zealand. On this tour, visit both sites in one day—see the home of Bilbo Baggins and explore Waitomo’s subterranean caverns—and enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour—limited to 12 people.

Get an authentic introduction to Maori culture with an evening at the Mitai Maori Village of Rotorua. See warriors in traditional dress paddle in an ancient canoe, and be captivated by the displays of weaponry. You'll watch 'haka' and poi dances and view glowworms in their natural habitat. This 3-hour experience includes round-trip hotel transport and a traditional 'hangi' feast with your admission ticket.

Indulge in the succulent tastes of Waiheke Island on a 5.5-hour food and wine tour. An informative guide picks you up from your island accommodation or the wharf — if you’ve taken the ferry from Auckland — and takes you to boutique wineries. Taste wine accompanied by locally produced specialties such as award-winning olive oil, fresh-shucked oysters and artisan cheese. Then settle in for a platter lunch at a vineyard restaurant. If you like, stay longer and make your own way back to Auckland at your leisure.

Sail away on a harbor cruise in Auckland and enjoy a 3-course dinner during a memorable tour of Waitemata Harbour highlights, including the Sky Tower and Auckland Harbour Bridge. Set out aboard a sailing yacht from Viaduct Harbour, then enjoy service in the dining room while at anchor in Westhaven Marina. As evening falls, your expert captain shares informative facts about Auckland and its iconic sights.

Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set on a full-day tour from Auckland that explores New Zealand's 'Middle-earth,' where 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' came to life on film. Travel through a landscape of lush farms, then take a guided tour of the 12-acre (4.8-ha.) Hobbiton Movie Set, from hobbit holes to gardens and the Green Dragon Inn. With free time to shop and explore, this tour includes transport from selected locations in Auckland, and it's limited to 16 travelers to ensure personalized service.

Cover plenty of ground in one day by combining several North Island highlights: Waitomo Caves, Hobbiton, and Rotorua. Ride a boat through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves to see these radiant lights. Take a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, where you find the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill and the home of Bilbo Baggins from ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ Enjoy lunch at Te Puia, home to Pohutu Geyser. You can start and finish your tour in either Auckland or Rotorua, traveling one-way or round-trip.

The Waitomo Caves and Rotorua rank among New Zealand’s top attractions, offering natural beauty, geothermal features, and native culture in equal measure. Ideal for travelers short on time, this adventurous tour takes in both sites in the same day, with entry fees plus round-trip transport from Auckland included. Discover subterranean stalagmites at the famous Waitomo Caves and hit top Rotorua attractions including the Government Gardens and Lake Rotorua.

Cruise around the scenic bays of Lake Taupo and admire the Maori Rock Carvings during this boat tour. Aboard the boat, listen to informative commentary about the ecology, volcanology, and cultural history of the area. Admire the impressive views of the snowy mountain tops of the UNESCO-listed Tongariro National Park and Lake Taupo's picturesque shores. See the Maori Rock Carvings depicting the legends of the local Tuwharetoa tribe. Choose from morning departure (includes tea) or afternoon departure (includes a fishing demonstration).

Walk into the real-world landscape of Middle Earth on a walking tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, where you get a behind-the-scenes look at ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit.’ Pause at the Green Dragon™ Inn to for a draft of Hobbit™ Southfarthing™, see the remarkable detailing that brought Hobbiton™ to life on screen, and visit the places where key scenes were created.

Treat yourself to a 1-hour therapeutic mud bath and sulfur spa package at Hells Gate Geothermal Park. Located in one of Rotorua’s most active geothermal zones, Hells Gate features mud bath treatments that leave your body rejuvenated and skin smooth. Have the option to cool off with a dip in waterfall pools after your treatment, and enjoy the ease of round-trip hotel transfers.

Leave the planning and driving to a train conductor while you travel on the Northern Explorer, a long-distance scenic train service running from Auckland to Wellington. Experience the beauty and variety of New Zealand—from the farmlands of Waikato to the volcanic peaks of the Central Plateau and the sparkling Kapiti Coast—while riding a comfortable train. A great way to trade the grind of vacation travel for a bit of romance.

Spin and speed your way to Huka Falls during a thrilling jetboat ride on the Waikato River. Hold on tight as you zip over the crystal-clear waters past rugged cliffs and native bush on New Zealand's longest river. Feel the power of the thundering waterfall up close as it blasts into the turbulent pool. Round-trip transport is included from hotels in Taupo.

Tick off the top attractions of the Windy City on this private full-day tour of Wellington. Experience the myriad delights of New Zealand’s capital as you take in the views from Mt Victoria, spot seals at Red Rocks, then go behind-the-scenes with a 45-minute tour of the Weta Cave, where the special effects for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were created. After a scrumptious lunch at the Chocolate Fish Café (included), ride the cable car over Wellington and visit landmarks like the Botanical Gardens, the Parliament Buildings and the Beehive.

Swap the Tauranga cruise port for the Shire, featured in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, on a Hobbiton Movie Set shore excursion. Your tour includes movie structures such as hobbit holes, the party tree and the Mill. Sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and then suit up in a favorite LOTR costume with a stop at McLaren Falls Park.

As the sun sets over the Bay of Plenty, take a kayak into the hidden glow worm caves around the Rotorua Caves on this remarkable after-dark tour. Instead of trying to find your own way out to the caves, take a kayak across the lakes with a guide by your side who can help you navigate the tunnels and keep you on course. Marvel at the clusters of glowing bugs and the way they light up these underground rock formations.

This Rotorua zipline tour takes you soaring through a centuries-old forest canopy as you switch between the six zipline cables suspended 72 feet (22 meters) above the ground. Get a bird’s-eye view as two expert guides suit you up with safety equipment and teach you about the forest environment. Bonus: you can later download photos taken of you during your treetops adventure. Round-trip hotel transport is included on this small-group tour, limited to 10 people.

Discover the natural beauty of the Bay of Islands during this 10-hour private tour from Auckland. Travel in a private vehicle with a dedicated guide to the northern tip of the North Island, one of New Zealand's top destinations, famed for its fantastic scenery. Visit the Parry Kauri Park to walk among some of the largest Kauri trees in the country. Trek around Whangarei, then head for the coastal town of Pahia. Opt for a cruise to Cape Brett Lighthouse and the famous Hole in the Rock. Determine your own itinerary and enjoy personalized attention on this private tour. Light refreshments and round-trip transportation from Auckland are included.

Hover above Mt Tarawera on a helicopter tour with a landing that includes a short, guided exploration of the volcanic terrain on foot. View the geothermal landscape of crater lakes and domes from the air, then get up close to the volcanic scenery as you learn about its geologic history from your guide. Soar above the Northern Lakes district as you take off from Rotorua.

Take a shore excursion to the Hobbiton Movie Set and sightsee Rotorua with a guide when your cruise ship pulls into port at Tauranga. Journey to Middle-earth and The Shire of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fame, featured in the popular LOTR trilogy and ‘The Hobbit.’ Then learn traditional customs at the Maori village of Whakarewarewa before strolling past the spouting geysers and steaming hot springs of thermal Rotorua. Numbers are limited to 19 participants in this small-group tour to the land of hobbits and hot pools.

Visit the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie set on this small-group Hobbiton tour from Auckland. At the Hobbiton Movie Set, visit the home of Bilbo Baggins and peer inside other hobbit holes of the Shire—filming site of ‘The Hobbit’ and the ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogies. Your knowledgeable guide points out the Party Tree and the Mill. Enjoy cider, ale, or ginger beer at the Green Dragon Inn, and recharge with lunch at Party Marquee—both included.

See the untamed beauty of New Zealand’s west coast on this North Island day trip from Auckland. Travel with a guide to the Waitakere Ranges, with a stop at the Arataki Visitor Centre overlook for views of the Tasman Sea out to the Pacific Ocean. Admire Maori carvings before a guided rainforest walk, then visit giant kauri trees and one of the area’s magnificent black sand beaches. Picnic lunch and light refreshments are included.

Come visit a New Zealand attraction that’s sure to have you ‘glowing’ during this 45-minute small-group guided boat ride through the famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Glide by boat through this underground complex, enjoying a light show put on by the millions of tiny bioluminescent insects hanging above. As an added bonus, many of the trip guides are of Maori descent, adding unique historical context to your visit.

This small-group day trip from Auckland features the highlights and hospitality of Rotorua. Visit the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute of Te Puia, witness the thermal activity of the Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, and tour the city with a knowledgeable guide. Opt for additional free time to explore on your own, or upgrade for a private soak at the Polynesian Spa, a visit to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, or a Maori concert. You have the flexibility to return to Auckland or end with drop-off in Rotorua.