The 15 Best Waitomo Caves Tours

Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Guided Day Trip from Auckland incl lunch - The 6:30 a.m. departure from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,677 reviews · from $229Our pick

Travel from Auckland to Hobbiton and Waitomo with guides such as Liam, Shelley, Martin, or Matt. Walk through the Shire, enjoy a Green Dragon drink and café lunch, then glide beneath Waitomo’s glowworms on a boat tour.

“Well managed, very informative tour guide, ran on schedule, and delivered on what was promised in the viator agenda. Hobbiton was super cool even if you don’t know the movies, and having a driver to get you there was worth every penny. Only complaint was lunch - which was overall unsatisfying.”

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Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

2.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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From Auckland: Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Day Trip with Lunch

3.Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,505 reviews · 11 hours · from $221

Spend 11 hours traveling from Auckland to Hobbiton and Waitomo, with a 2.5-hour movie-set tour, Green Dragon drink, Kiwi-style lunch, and a 45-minute glowworm cave boat ride. Guides such as Danny, Shelley, Stephen, Nelson, and Mike are known for lively commentary and smooth timing.

“I loved Hobbiton, but I really would have liked more time to use the restrooms and go to the gift shop. 20 minutes to foboth for us females is NOT enough time, especially if you have lines to wait in. Waitomo caves was nice but we didn't see much once in the boat.”

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Waitomo Caves: Labyrinth Black Water Rafting Experience

4.Waitomo Caves: Labyrinth Black Water Rafting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,673 reviews · 3 hours · from $115

Enter Ruakuri Cave with trained guides such as Evie, Liv, Cole, and Molly, then scramble through limestone passages, jump small waterfalls, and float beneath glowworms. Wetsuits, boots, helmets, showers, and snacks are included. Expect cold water, slippery rocks, and no personal cameras.

“This was an incredible Indiana-Jones style adventure. Deep caverns, rushing water, going off waterfalls, and floating through the dark with an incredible ceiling of glow worms. It was more than we expected. Our guides were fantastic and attentive to everyone's needs/fears. Well done! Highly recommended.”

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

5.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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Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

6.Waitomo Glowworm Caves Guided Tour

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

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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Waitomo Caves: Ruakuri Cave 1.5 Hour Guided Tour

7.Waitomo Caves: Ruakuri Cave 1.5 Hour Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 985 reviews · from $66

Walk through Ruakuri Cave with an English-speaking local guide such as Ellen, Evie, Wi, or Aria. Expect a spiral entrance, limestone formations, subterranean water, and close views of glowworms on a small-group, wheelchair-accessible tour.

“The tour was well organized, not too many people in one group. The guide was funny and knowledgeable and gave lots of interesting information. The setting is beautiful and I highly recommend the nature walk adjacent to the visitor centre.”

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Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour

8.Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 960 reviews · from $80

Cruise Lake Te Anau aboard the Luminosa, cross to Cavern House, then follow a guide through wet, low cave passages and drift by punt beneath glowing worms. Guides such as Anne and Emmy have been praised for clear, friendly talks. Tea and coffee are included, and the tour returns to Te Anau.

“Very well run. Magical experience for the whole family. We totally enjoyed it. Highly recommend it for anyone coming to this part of the world.”

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Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Guided Tour from Auckland with Lunch

9.Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Guided Tour from Auckland with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 796 reviews · from $271

Leave Auckland at 7:45 am for Waitomo’s limestone caves and a quiet boat ride beneath thousands of glowworms, then walk through Hobbiton near Matamata. Your coach includes a morning snack, lunch, and a Green Dragon Inn drink. Guides such as David, Rachel, Nicky, and Rachael add local stories along the way.

“Tour and tour guide were excellent! I really enjoyed Hobiton even though I haven’t seen any of the movies or read the books 😅. Caves were really neat as well.”

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From Auckland: Waitomo & Hobbiton Bus Tour with Lunch

10.Waitomo & Hobbiton Bus Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 789 reviews · 11h 30m · from $261

Travel south from Auckland by premium GreatSights coach to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Hobbiton Movie Set. You’ll take a silent boat ride beneath the glowworms, explore Hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn, and enjoy a picnic lunch. Guides such as Rachel, Dave, and Kenny are known for lively local commentary.

“My husband and I had a lot of fun on our day trip from Auckland. We had a funny driver. The weather was great. Had an awesome guide at Hobbiton as well.”

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Waitomo Caves & Rotorua – Te Puia Small-Group Tour from Auckland

11.Waitomo Caves & Rotorua – Te Puia Small-Group Tour from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 681 reviews · from $253

Travel from Auckland to Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Rotorua’s Te Puia in a small group of up to 15. Expect a long but scenic day, guided cave and geothermal visits, Māori cultural displays, city sights, snacks, and bottled water. Guides such as Ben, Matt, Simon, and Jeoff have led previous departures.

“Great to be in small group, added to the fun of the day getting to know a bit about the others. Terrific sites we visited highly recommend them. Timing was great, enough time for lunch and shopping. Simon our guide was very helpful and gave us lots of info about the sites and New Zealand.”

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Nocturnal adventure Glow-worm tour

12.Nocturnal adventure Glow-worm tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 675 reviews · from $77

Join Stephen from Real Rotorua for a small-group night walk through native bush near Rotorua. After a short minivan ride, follow a 2-kilometer trail past waterfalls, wallabies, possums, and wētā to cliffs lit by thousands of glow-worms. Torches, photos, hot chocolate, and cookies are included.

“I joined the glow worm tour with Stephen as our guide, and it was a wonderful experience. He used LED and infrared flashlights to safely guide us through the forest, pointing out interesting plants along the way and showing us the glow wRead more”

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Auckland: Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small-Group Tour & Lunch

13.Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Small-Group Tour & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 607 reviews · 13 hours · from $226

Travel from Auckland in a modern 16-seat minibus with a guide such as Grant, Aled, or Sam, then tour Hobbiton, sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, stop at Lake Karapiro, and glide beneath Waitomo’s glowworms. The day includes hotel pickup, snacks, water, and advertised lunch.

“Both Waitomo cave and Hobbiton tours were worth the money and the food was good too. Kim was a great tour guide providing history of New Zealand. The tours were lovely.”

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Hobbiton Movie set & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour From Auckland

14.Hobbiton Movie set & Waitomo Caves Small Group Tour From Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 556 reviews · from $279

Leave Auckland at 6:00 am for Hobbiton’s film set and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, then take a guided boat ride beneath Waitomo’s glowworms. Auckland & Beyond guides such as Adil, Andy, Dave, John, Raymond, and Warren provide commentary, snacks, Wi-Fi, and CBD pickup.

“Hobbiton was awesome, but the visit to the glow worm caves was good, but very quick. Great knowlegable tour guide.”

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Twilight Glowworm Kayak Tour – Lake Karapiro

15.Twilight Glowworm Kayak Tour – Lake Karapiro

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 493 reviews · from $92

Paddle from Lake Karapiro into the Pokaiwhenua Stream as daylight fades. Riverside Adventures supplies the kayak, PFD, wet shoes, splash gear, and dry bags. Guides such as Daniel, Amy, Jess, and Lofty add local nature and star lore before the return trip reveals the glowworms.

“I prefer paddling the river instead of just an open lake; also the open “gorge” was amazing! We floated through a long stretch of glow worms for over 20 minutes. We had a very clear night, the star gazing was incredible. Our guides were so nice and accommodating.”

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