The Top Auckland Tours & Day Trips

Auckland tours cover everything from a 3-hour city loop to 13-hour days that reach Hobbiton, Waitomo and Rotorua. This page groups the things to do in Auckland that come as guided tours by where they go and how long you want to be out, so you can match a tour to the days you have.

Hobbiton tours from Auckland

Hobbiton is the set where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films were shot, and the Hobbiton tours from Auckland range from a straight Hobbiton run to days that add Waitomo or Rotorua. The Hobbiton Movie Set Signature Tour is an 8-hour day with a 2-hour scenic drive into the Waikato, a 2.5-hour guided walk through the set and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn. The Hobbiton Express Tour leaves at 7am, with a buffet lunch and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.

Waitomo and Rotorua day trips

Waitomo and Rotorua are both a long drive south, so these tours start early. The Waitomo Glow Worm Caves Tour is a 7-hour day with a 2.5-hour drive, a 1-hour guided tour inside the cave and a flat-bottom boat ride on the Waitomo river. Combined, the Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves tour is a 12-hour small-group day with pick-ups from 5.40am and lunch in a local café.

Rotorua is about a 3-hour drive from Auckland. The Rotorua Geothermal Valley Day Tour spends its 9-hour day at Te Puia, a 60-hectare site with the Pohutu Geyser, a kiwi enclosure and a carving school.

Waiheke Island wine and walking tours

Waiheke Island is a ferry ride from downtown Auckland, and most tours meet you at Matiatia Wharf on the island. The Waiheke Island Premium Wine Tour runs from 10am to 4pm in a 12-seat minibus with tastings at four or more wineries, and More Than a Wine Tour adds craft beer, olive oil and chutney tastings. Lunch is at your own expense on both.

Walkers have a run of Terra and Tide guided options that start at 9.45am at the Matiatia ferry terminal, with groups of up to 12 plus the guide on the longer routes. The Vineyards and Bush Walk includes tastings at Mudbrick and Cable Bay, and the Waiheke Island Art Walk visits galleries, sculpture parks and artists' studios with lunch at an artist's property.

West coast and city tours

The west coast is close enough for a half-day. The West Coast Discovery Half Day Tour starts at 9.00am and takes in Arataki Visitor Centre, Piha Beach and Lion Rock, and Karekare Waterfall. Walkers can pick the Full Day Coast and Rainforest Walk, which fits up to three 1-hour walks, a black sand beach and a kauri tree over 800 years old between 10.00am and 5.00pm.

In the city, the Auckland City Discovery Tour visits Ponsonby, Mt Eden, One Tree Hill and Mission Bay with pick-up from the CBD or airport. For a Māori perspective on the city, the Auckland Maori Culture Day Tour is an 8-hour day with a Māori guide, lunch included, through the Auckland Domain, Parnell and the Waitākere Ranges.

Further afield: Coromandel, Matakana and the Bay of Islands

The Coromandel Full Day Tour is a 12-hour day that visits Driving Creek Railway, Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove, with timings set by the tide. Matakana is closer: the Matakana Art and Wine Tour is a 6-hour day from 9.00am through Matakana Village and the Sculptureum gardens, with lunch and boutique wine tastings.

North to the Bay of Islands, the small group Bay of Islands tour includes a 4.5-hour Hole in the Rock cruise and a 1.5-hour island stopover.

Choosing between Auckland tours

Length is the quickest filter. The city and west coast tours finish by early afternoon, Waiheke wine tours fill a day on the island, and Hobbiton, Waitomo, Rotorua and the Coromandel each take 8 to 13-hour days with early starts. Many of the day trips include pick-up from central hotels, but the Auckland region page is the place to compare tours with cruises and activities before you pick a day.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Auckland to Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is about a 2-hour drive from Auckland, as on the Hobbiton Movie Set Signature Tour, which goes south through the Waikato before a 2.5-hour guided walk through the set.

Can you do Hobbiton and Waitomo in one day from Auckland?

Yes. Several Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves day tours run from Auckland in one day, taking an 11 to 12-hour day with a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set and a boat ride through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

Can you visit Rotorua as a day trip from Auckland?

Yes. Rotorua day tours from Auckland involve a 3-hour drive each way and visit geothermal sites such as Te Puia, with some tours adding Wai-O-Tapu or Hobbiton for a 13-hour day at most.

How do you get to a Waiheke Island wine tour from Auckland?

Take a ferry from downtown Auckland to Matiatia Wharf on Waiheke Island, where the guide meets you. The Waiheke Island Premium Wine Tour suggests the 9.30am Fullers ferry for its 10am start, and the ferry fare is extra.

Do Auckland day tours include hotel pick-up?

Many do. The Hobbiton, Waitomo, Rotorua, Coromandel and city tours listed here offer pick-up from central Auckland hotels, while Waiheke Island tours meet at Matiatia Wharf, so check each tour's departure details when you book.

Pick the destination that suits your time in Auckland, check the pick-up details on its page and book your tour online with Experience Oz.