Auckland

Private Experiences

Discover a different side of Auckland on a sightseeing tour with a local guide. Meet your guide in your hotel lobby or cruise ship terminal and hop in the air-conditioned van that will take your first stop. Start your day with a short walk through the mystic rainforest in the city. Next, visit the historic Bastion Point and find out why Auckland is called the 'City of Sails'. At Orakei Marae, learn more about Maori history and the Ngati Whatua tribe. Later, stop at a seaside village and enjoy fantastic views of Auckland's largest volcano, Rangitoto, and Brown's Island. Finally, visit Maungakiekie, the second largest volcano in Auckland and a place of remembrance for both the Maori and European people of New Zealand. Enjoy incredible views over the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland City, and Rangitoto, from the peak of One Tree Hill before heading back to your hotel.

This hugely popular tour provides private transport to and from the Hobbiton movie set at a time convenient to you but as with luxury travel it also gives you options to suit your interests. On arrival at the famous Hobbiton movie set, you will go a general tour of the Hobbiton movie set itself. You get to call the ‘action’ shots as they would say in the movies! Not only movie fans will enjoy this unique experience with inside views of the Hobbit village, astonishing facts about the filmmaking and just spectacular landscape all around. On the way to Middle-Earth, drive through prime New Zealand countryside with its rolling hills and fertile pastures. The route takes you through a string of small, historic river towns and offers beautiful views onto the sacred Taupiri Mountain and Ngaruawahia, site of the famous Turangawaewae Marae (Maori meeting place) and seat of Aotearoa’s (New Zealand's) Maori King. Your destination of Matamata, commonly known as ‘Hobbiton Movie Set’ since its inception as the original setting of Peter Jackson’s world-famous “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”- trilogies, lies in an idyllic landscape with sheep farms and wonderful views towards the Kaimai Ranges in the east. During the 2-hour tour of the Hobbiton movie set (with other visitors), you will learn all about how this location was chosen (which is a great story in itself!), how it was created and which scenes were filmed here. You will get to see the Hobbit holes and Bag End, the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill and the famous Party Tree.

The sulphur city of Rotorua, over 200km south of Auckland, is known for its geothermal wonders, lakes and authentic Maori experiences. On this tour, you will travel via New Zealand’s famous Thermal Explorer Highway route taking in the special region of Rotorua. Your experience guide will tell you about New Zealand and its extraordinary places you will see along the approximately three-hour journey to the Sulphur City of Rotorua – one of New Zealand’s most visited tourism destinations. On the way to Rotorua, you will drive through some truly beautiful countryside and can incorporate a tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set into this tour as an optional extra. If time permits, the Mamaku Blueberry Farm is worth a stop – it's a lovely spot for a break at the café to see some real Kiwi ingenuity at work on this Blueberry Farm and Winery. In Rotorua, there are many attractions and activities. There is something for everyone from relaxing spa treatments, geothermal parks with bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers, hot springs, bird and wildlife encounters, natural lakes, the Redwood Forest, mountains, active volcanoes to cultural and adventurous experiences such as Maori village visits.