New Zealand · TOURS

The 15 Best Tours & Day Trips in New Zealand

1,085 tours  ·  from $12

Everything with a guide, a boat, a rotor or a minibus attached, in one list. The 15 below are the ones worth giving a whole day to, priced and timed, with the rest of the catalogue underneath.

Hobbiton Movie Set: Guided Tour Ticket - Starting at Shire’s Rest near Matamata
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Hobbiton Movie Set: Guided Tour Ticket

1.Hobbiton Movie Set: Guided Tour Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 8,167 reviews · 2h 30m · from $71Our pick

Walk through the 12-acre Hobbiton Movie Set with an English-speaking guide, visiting Hobbit Holes, the Mill, and the Green Dragon Inn. Guides such as James, Sam, Wyatt, and Melissa are praised for lively film stories. The 150-minute tour includes a drink, photo stops, and a bus ride from the car park.

“Great tour. Glad I came to see it, but the cost was really high and being a pensioner, I won't be able to afford to come back. Good day, excellent guide, thoroughly enjoyed it.”

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Rotorua Canopy Tours: 2.5Hour Native Forest Zipline Adventure - Arriving at Fairy Springs Road
Rotorua Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Zip Lines

Rotorua Canopy Tours: 2.5Hour Native Forest Zipline Adventure

2.Rotorua Canopy Tours: 2.5Hour Native Forest Zipline Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,563 reviews · from $123Top rated

Spend 2.5 hours above Rotorua’s ancient native forest with two local guides, safety gear, six ziplines, bridges, and conservation stories. Guides such as Josh, Dylan, Travis, and Emma are praised for calm instruction and humor. Free digital photos and wet-weather gear are included.

“Amazing adventure, instructors were brilliant and very reassuring. Had a fantastic time exploring the forest. Super insightful information about wildlife and just a general fab thing to do. Will book again when we come back to NZ”

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Hobbiton™ Movie Set Walking Tour from Shires Rest - Starting at Shire’s Rest
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Walking Tour from Shires Rest

3.Hobbiton™ Movie Set Walking Tour from Shires Rest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,577 reviews · from $74

Explore Hobbiton’s 12-acre Shire set with a professional guide, passing Hobbit Holes, the Mill, and the Green Dragon Inn. The 2.5-hour tour includes shuttle rides within the grounds and a complimentary Southfarthing drink. Guides such as Dan, James, Georgia, and Liam bring film details to life.

“Fabulous experience. Difficult to believe you were on a film set. The attention to detail was unbelievable.”

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Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown - From Queenstown to Lake Te Anau
Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Milford Sound Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

4.Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,001 reviews · from $216

Travel from Queenstown to Milford Sound in a small group of up to 15, with hotel pickup, live commentary, scenic stops, snacks, lunch, and a two-hour Cruise Milford sailing. Guides such as Andy, Jess, Joe, and Danny bring Fiordland’s geology and Māori stories to life.

“The day started early and it's quite a long drive there and back but we did get to stop along the way to grab a quick bite. Our guide/driver was Jess and she was awesome! She provided lots of information and history about New Zealand and tried to keep us interested during our long journey. Once we arrived, we did the Milford Sound cruise (which includes lunch on the boat). It was an amazing experience and the views are incredible. This tour provides an easy way to see Milford Sound although if you're prone to car sickness, I would recommend taking something for that as as times it is quite…”

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Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour - The 30-minute cruise across Lake Te Anau
Fiordland Tours, Guided, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waitomo Tours

Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

5.Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,611 reviews · 2h 15m · from $77

Cruise from Te Anau across Lake Te Anau, walk through young limestone caves with waterfalls and whirlpools, then ride a small boat beneath the glowworms. Guides such as Emma, Nathan, and Alex have led recent departures. Allow 135 minutes, bring sturdy shoes, and leave your camera behind.

“Enjoyed the whole experience our guide was very informative. The only downside was the sand flies but i would recommend this activity.”

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Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown - Landing at Milford Sound
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Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown

6.Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,792 reviews · from $462

Fly with True South Flights over Lake Wakatipu, the Southern Alps, glaciers, valleys, and waterfalls to Milford Sound. Enjoy a roughly two-hour cruise, then return to Queenstown by another scenic route. Pilots such as Luke, Andrew, Michael, and Tanmay provide commentary along the way.

“This experience is a must do if you visit Queenstown. The pilot was amazing. One of the highlights of our trip.”

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Hobbiton Movie Set Small Group Tour from Auckland - Arriving at Hobbiton Movie Set
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Hobbiton Movie Set Small Group Tour from Auckland

7.Hobbiton Movie Set Small Group Tour from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,380 reviews · from $183

Spend about nine hours traveling from Auckland through Waikato farm country to Hobbiton. A small Cheeky Kiwi group rides in a van, then joins Hobbiton’s 2.5-hour guided set tour, including a Green Dragon Inn drink. Guides such as Grant, Wyatt, and Geoff add local stories along the way.

“Our driver Grant from Cheeky Kiwi tours was excellent and highly recommend him! The tour of Hobbiton movie set was very good.”

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Waiheke island Wine Tours - PREMIUM wine tasting MAX 11 clients ! - Getting from Auckland to Matiatia Wharf
Food & Drink, Food and Drink Tours in Waiheke Island, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waiheke Island Tours, Wine Tours, Wine Tours in Waiheke Island

Waiheke island Wine Tours – PREMIUM wine tasting MAX 11 clients !

8.Waiheke island Wine Tours – PREMIUM wine tasting MAX 11 clients !

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,378 reviews · from $155

Meet guides such as Oliver, Glenn, or Melita at Matiatia Wharf for a six-hour Waiheke tour with scenic commentary, three boutique vineyards, premium tastings, and a food pairing. Lunch and ferry fares are separate, but island transfers and the ride back to the 4 pm ferry are included.

“Great day with or guide/driver Oliver. Great communication with the company from start to finish. Oliver was at the dock to pick us up just as described. As a resident of Waiheke Island he was knowledgeable of the area and gave us insight inRead more”

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Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown - The drive to Glenorchy sets the tone
Lord of the Rings Filming Location Tours, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown

9.Lord of the Rings Scenic Half Day Tour from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,285 reviews · from $123

Ride from central Queenstown to Glenorchy and Mt. Aspiring National Park with guides such as Amy, Tristan, Max, Dan, and Solomon. See real Lord of the Rings locations, enjoy a picnic, walk to Twelve Mile Delta, visit Isengard, and try costumes and swords.

“Excellent LOTR half-day tour. Lots of information and details for fans and non-fans. Go on it and enjoy!”

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Queenstown Segway Tour - Getting comfortable before the ride
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Queenstown Segway Tour

10.Queenstown Segway Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,235 reviews · from $61

Join guide Kevin for a 1- or 2-hour Segway tour from One Mile Car Park. After safety training and practice, ride Queenstown Bay, Lake Wakatipu, Marine Parade, and Queenstown Gardens. The longer route adds hillier paths, farther lakeside views, and a short off-Segway activity.

“A really great way to see around Queenstown quickly, we did this on our first day and covered so much more ground than walking we could then go back on foot to explore any bits we wanted to see more of. The Segways are a little tricky at first but it doesn't take long to get the hang of riding them. Kevin is a fantastic guide and gives you a quick lesson in the car park before heading off, we went through town and into the Queenstown gardens covering about 10km in 2 hours, we highly recommend this tour - I'm so pleased we did this (moto X bike family)…”

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Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau - Mirror Lakes and the first views of Fiordland
Boat Tours in Fiordland, Cruises & Boat Tours, Fiordland Tours, Full-Day, Milford Sound Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

11.Award Winning Milford Sound Full Day Tour & Cruise from Te Anau

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,198 reviews · from $185

Travel from Te Anau to Milford Sound in a small group of up to 16, with guides such as Tania, Andy, Gary, and Allan sharing local stories along the Milford Road. Stop at Mirror Lakes, The Chasm, and mountain viewpoints before a two-hour cruise past waterfalls, seals, dolphins, and penguins.

“We got picked up from our airbnb on the outskirts of town and taken to several stops along the route to Milford Sound. Allan was very informative which made the trip fly by. The packed lunch was more than just a sandwich with a packet of crisps, apple, crackers and chocolate also provided. All in all, this was a very good tour and would highly recommend.”

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Auckland Explorer: Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Tour - Auckland Museum, Parnell, and the city’s grander side
Auckland Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Auckland Explorer: Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Tour

12.Auckland Explorer: Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,180 reviews · from $43

Explore Auckland by air-conditioned hop-on hop-off bus, with optional open-air seating, English commentary, and stops at the Sky Tower, Auckland Museum, Mount Eden, Parnell, Bastion Point, Kelly Tarlton’s, and Auckland Zoo. Choose a one or two-day pass and build your own route.

“Easy to redeem voucher at one of two places in the city. Great way to get around and learn about a new city.”

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Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small-Group Tour W Lunch from Auckland - Hobbiton: more than a movie souvenir
Auckland Tours, Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waitomo Tours

Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small-Group Tour W Lunch from Auckland

13.Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small-Group Tour W Lunch from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,117 reviews · from $235

Travel from Auckland in a small group of up to 15 with guides such as Timmy, Pearl, Ari, or Simon. Visit Hobbiton for a guided walk through the 12-acre movie set, enjoy lunch, stop at Lake Karapiro, then take a boat through Waitomo’s glowworm caves.

“Great trip. Simon was a perfect guide and very knowledgeable. We got to see a lot of the countryside via back roads. Stopped for some really good ice cream on the way back.”

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Half-day Discover Auckland City Sightseeing Tour - Starting at the Ferry Building and Queens Wharf
Auckland Tours, City Tours, City Tours in Auckland, Half-Day, Half-Day Tours in Auckland, Tour Reviews, Tours

Half-day Discover Auckland City Sightseeing Tour

14.Half-day Discover Auckland City Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,080 reviews · from $46

Spend four hours touring Auckland in an air-conditioned vehicle with a local guide such as Josh, John, or Paul. Cross the Harbour Bridge, stop at Mt Eden, Shoal Bay, Westhaven Marina, and Achilles Point, then return downtown with useful city commentary and pickup options.

“A knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. A good length, not too quick, not too long. Covers the main areas. Plenty of chances for pics.”

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Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour - Walking through the limestone chambers
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Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

15.Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,027 reviews · from $50

Walk through Waitomo’s limestone caves with a local guide, then take a quiet boat ride beneath thousands of New Zealand glowworms. You’ll hear about Māori connections, cave geology, and Arachnocampa luminosa. The 45-minute tour suits most people, but dark stairs and slippery floors require care.

“Beautiful place, awesome experience for kids. Feel like we were in the Jurassic movie where dinosaurs lives there. Awesome 💓”

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Milford Sound Cruises106Hobbiton Movie Set Tours105Māori Cultural Tours83Helicopter Tours98Wine Tours184Waitomo Tours104
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