2025 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

2024 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

2023 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

Tours from Auckland Rotorua Tours Waitomo Caves Tours North Island Tours

Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves

From NZD$309

4.9

(92 reviews)

Departs from: Tours from Auckland

Duration: 9 hours

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Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves — photo 1

Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves — photo 2

Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves — photo 3

Auckland to Rotorua via Waitomo Caves — photo 4

Travel from Auckland to Rotorua on this unforgettable small group, fully guided day trip that takes you through the heart of New Zealand’s countryside and into the magical underground world of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. With engaging guides, scenic landscapes, and plenty of photo stops along the way, this one-way journey combines nature, adventure, and authentic Kiwi storytelling in one seamless experience.

Why you’ll love this

Journey through the lush Waikato countryside, New Zealand’s largest farming region

Explore the world-famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves with a guided tour and boat ride

Marvel at thousands of glittering glowworms unique to New Zealand

Enjoy a relaxed small group experience with comfort, care, and local insight

End your day in Rotorua, ready to explore its geothermal wonders and Māori culture

Itinerary

What’s included

Small group guided one-way tour from Auckland to Rotorua

Entry to Waitomo Glowworm Caves with guided tour and boat ride

Comfortable, air-conditioned transport with water and refreshments

Engaging local guide with live commentary

Complimentary bottled water and snacks

Why choose us

Famously passionate tour guides

Our guides share stories, laughs, and Kiwi charm on every journey.

Travel in comfort

Small groups, big comfort. Relax in our modern Mercedes minibuses with style and space.

Award-winning tours

Thousands of five-star reviews and top travel awards - experiences loved worldwide.

Kiwi owned. Kiwi operated

Proudly local and passionate about sharing authentic New Zealand with every traveller.

Stories worth sharing

9/13/2026

Good experience with Vicki / cheeky kiwi tours.

Most impressed with tour guide and driver Vicki. Very accomodating and friendly person. We enjoyed her excellent service.

michael c

9/12/2026

Waitomo glowworms to Rototua

The glowworm caves were spectacular! Cheeky Kiwi's transit was quick, clean, and comfortable. Our driver/guide, Grant, was outgoing and knowledgeable, and made the trip from Auckland to Rototua an extra pleasant experience. He kept is all on track without making the journey feel rushed out short of time. 5 stars for the experience and our driver.

Marc

8/22/2026

Everything perfect!

Very good service both from SeeAndDo when responding quickly to an issue I had when booking the tour, and from the tour guide. The tour is worth it, the caves are beautiful!! The communication and coordination with the guide was perfect, adding to the enjoyment of the experience. As well as the attention provided during the trip and the vehicle in impeccable condition.

Lucía F

7/26/2026

Vixann Awesomw

It was one of the my Best Experience. SPECIAL Thanks to Vinaxx Driver Cum Guide, really you make this so fantastic for all of us.

Connector01911213540

7/26/2026

Best tour ever

Trent was an amazing, kind, lively guide and brought excellent information about New Zealand and the Maori people! The walk is well worth it! In a single day it was possible to see glowing warms, kiwi birds and geysers, as well as learn about the ancestral techniques of trimming in wood, bones and stones! Simply unforgettable! I recommend traveling with Trent and Cheeky Kiwi!

Louisi d

7/6/2026

Great Travel!!

We had an amazing experience with Cheeky Travel! Our guide, Grant, was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable. We travelled to the Waitomo Caves, and he made the whole journey enjoyable by sharing lots of interesting information about New Zealand and the places we passed. He also provided us with water and snacks, which was a lovely touch and made the trip even more comfortable. The bus was very clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. Thank you, Grant, for making our trip so enjoyable. We would definitely recommend Cheeky Travel to anyone looking for a great travel experience in New Zealand!

Thea M

6/29/2026

Great one-way tour to Routoura from Auckland

Recommended tour. Pick-up at hotel at 5:40 am. Coach was comfortable with Wifi and usb charging ports available. Breakfast granola bars, cassava chips, and bottled water were complimentary. Our tour had 8 people, so the bus was not squeezy. Space in the trunk for our big luggages. Grant's driving was smooth and he was perfectly friendly. Stops for breakfast and coffee, glowworm cave, te puia, and lake Rotoura sulphur point. Not very tiring for a 12 hr+ tour, quite well-timed provided all passengers were on-time. Dropped off at Rotoura around 4 pm ish while others on the tour returned to Auckland ETA 6-7 pm.

Eve S

6/13/2026

Relax with Cheeky Kiwi!

We had such a lovely time touring with Vicky from Auckland to Rotorua via the Waitomo Caves! She was very knowledgeable about the region with plenty of history and fun facts. The luxury van was very comfortable with WIFI on board (keeps teens happy)! The caves are definitely worth experiencing. The cave formations are mind boggling and the glow worms are fascinating to learn about and see. Look no further to book this portion of your trip!

Tammy L

6/11/2026

Excellent experience at Waimoto and Rotokua

A great experience seeing the stunning constellation of glowworms at Waimoto, learning about Māori culture, and getting close to multiple geysers. Alessandro was knowledgeable and helpful, giving great recommendations and dropping be off at my accommodation at Rotokua.

louistee

6/11/2026

Great Guide, Good Vibes, Beautiful Scenery, Informative Experiences

Alessandro was genuinely an amazing guide who was very kind to me and the other solo traveler on our trip, incredibly knowledgeable and informative about the region and New Zealand in general, and overall helped make this a great day! The fee was a bit high but a good deal for both Waitomo and Te Puia, particularly when you account for the additional transit and accommodation costs non-drivers would have to pay in time and money otherwise. The glowworm caves were stunning, the countryside scenery beautiful, and te puia interesting with a good amount of time for both attractions.

Caroline M