Rotorua and Waitomo Caves Day Trip from Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand

The geothermal area of Rotorua and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves are must-see destinations for any traveler to the North Island of New Zealand. Your guide accompanies you to the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Puia for an immersive cultural experience, then takes you to Lake Rotorua after a cafe lunch. You'll experience the awe-inspiring magic of tiny glowworms on a boat ride into the caves and learn about their natural history.

Your small-group day trip to Rotorua and Waitomo begins with an early morning pickup from your hotel in central Auckland between 6:30am - 7:30am. On arrival at your first destination, visit Te Puia and its key attraction: the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. After you watch the cultural demonstrations, you're served a hot lunch at the cafe, then taken to Rotorua highlights such as the Rotorua lakefront and Government Gardens.

Next up are the ever-popular Waitomo Caves, famous for their tiny inhabitants — the arachnocampa luminosa, more commonly known as the New Zealand glowworm. See thousands of them radiating their unmistakable glow in the dark as your guide provides informative commentary on the caves' historical and geological significance. A boat ride takes you deeper into the caverns for a look.

If you opt to upgrade your full-day tour, gain admission to the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland to explore the geyser, mud pools, and geothermal area. 

Your tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel in Auckland, with the option to stay on in Rotorua.

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   Ibijoke A,    December 2015
Smooth booking , knowledgeable pilot, great views from the air. Highly recommended. Only drawback was the cost of getting there and back by taxi- helipad is not easily accessible by public transport.

Review by:   Patricia S,    November 2015
What we saw was great however, we thought that if we kept our tours to two that we would spend more time at Rotorua. The tour company is called Flexi-Tour and they pride themselves on being flexible. We spend most of our time dropping off and picking up people who were doing other tours instead of spending more time at Rotorua. Would not have booked this tour if we had realized that we would not be spending more time at Rotorua and just more time in the van.

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