Auckland to Hobbiton e o Vale Geotérmico de Rotorua

We went on the Hobbiton and Rotorua group tour with Auckland & Beyond. We were picked up on-time 6.20am and greeted by Gabrielle - our friendly driver. It was about a 2 hour drive to Hobbiton during which Gabrielle shared interesting local information, general chat, and played some music to keep us comfortable. The guides at Hobbiton were lovely, informative, and offered to take photos of us. The was well placed and the sets and scenery were beautiful. The Rotorua portion shared the magic of the area which, for me, is the local Maori culture and the Rotorua Lake. I wish we had more time to explore the area but most our time here was in the Te Puia Geothermal Park which was very exciting. Thank you to Riley our guide there for your information. It was also my first ever sitting of Kiwi Birds. Thank you to everyone.

It was an amazing experience and one that was comfortable and a lot of fun! John the driver was the absolute best that made the whole experience run smooth

Nancy was absolutely amazing. There for us every step of the way with very interesting commentary and extremely organized. We didn’t have to worry about any logistics as we were in excellent hands. Highly recommend the Rotorua/Hobbiton day tour!!

Nancy was the most wonderful tour guide. Super knowledgeable and witty and very chill. The tour was exceptional. So much to see in a day but we were relaxed and happy as Larry! Thanks Nancy from your two Irish girls ☘️

Ask for Nansy! What this previous Californian doesn’t know about kiwis is not worth hearing about 😆

John was fantastic. He made a very long day really fun. I really enjoyed his insights along the tour.

Three generations (my parents, husband, kids—17 & 15–and I) enjoyed our excursions to Rotorua and Hobbiton immensely! Our group included four others (a married couple and two sisters) as well as our guide Jon, who narrated during our drive to share interesting information about NZ and the sights we were admiring (such as the magical low mist from which Aotearoa got its name), gave updates on our progress toward our activities, and answered the questions everyone asked along the way. The van seats twelve, including the driver and front passenger seats. The rest of the seats are in a 3/3/4 configuration. I found the seats comfortable and some of us even took some cat naps during the excursion. We were provided with bottled water and snacks like crisps/chips and cookies. It’s a very full day. 12 hours is an accurate estimate (with traffic, our RT was a bit longer, but also Jon was great about allowing us all time to shop for souvenirs at our respective stops, which adds minutes here and there but made the day more personal/special). He also brought us to a wonderful lunch spot between Rotorua and Hobbiton that was peaceful and featured delicious burgers and chips/fries! Te Puia in Rotorua was fantastic. Our guide, Moi, had such charm and engaging energy—not to mention a wealth of knowledge. The tour there is about 1.5 hours. We loved seeing kiwi and were lucky to see the geysers shoot water up high, with the winds bringing the mist to us! We appreciated learning more about the natural wonders and Māori customs/traditions and history. Hobbiton was a whimsical, gorgeous dreamscape. Not all of those in our group had seen the movie or read the books—but the clips featured on the bus coupled with the incredible details of the set made permanent and the beauty of the farmland captivated us all nonetheless. It was so much fun to explore do 2.5 hours, including our time in a hobbit home that is fully furnished and made to be touched/enjoyed. Because Jon took care of everything—checking us in at the stops; pointing us to shops, toilets, places to get snacks or treats; guiding us to assembly or queue areas; giving us preview info of what to expect; gathering us after—we could simply relax and enjoy the experiences. Having him drive allowed us more rest/relaxation time, which was a treat. Best of all, Jon clearly enjoys being a guide and aims to ensure everyone is comfortable and having the best time possible. He was a definite highlight of our day (so much so that my mom gave him a thank you hug at the end). This was definitely one of the best days on an amazing vacation!

It was a great trip. Seeing the Geysers was spectacular, the kiwis we saw 2 out of 3. And being there early to watch the start of the Māori demonstration was great. Where Jon(without an H) took us for lunch was delicious. It was an unexpected treat. Hobbiton was incredible. No wonder Peter Jackson picked this site. The little houses were so detailed and the one we could go in was amazing. Jon was very friendly and approachable, very knowledgeable and gave us many interesting nuggets of information. I appreciated when he pointed out the mist hanging and how Aotearoa got its name. He was calm when a hiccup occurred, just dealt with it and moved on. He ensured that everyone had got what they wanted from the day. He drove with considerable care especially on the way home when everyone was sleeping.

I went with my family and Nancy took great care of us. She explained the surroundings amazingly and drove the van really well. Overall really good experience.

We travelled in a big group of 7 adults and 2 kids and Nancy took care of us so well. She was very entertaining and knowledgable and drove amazingly. We had a great time getting to know NZ history and local insider culture. We were looking for help in booking another unrelatted tour for the day and she went out of her way to look into it for us. Very helpful and very warm. Thanks Nancy and beyond tours team.