Experience a flexible shore excursion tour of the Rotorua region with a friendly personal guide from ToursByLocals. Your private guide knows this area as only locals do, and is eager to give you an unforgettable tour that reflects your travel interests.

Tauranga is your entry point to New Zealand's geothermal district at Rotorua, where you can see incredible natural phenomena, including the Pohutu Geyser, which blasts 30 meters skyward 20 times a day.

See the major attractions that interest you, and make the most of your time ashore. Benefit from your private guide's familiarity with local best-kept secrets and off-beat spots, including spectacular viewpoints around the Bay of Plenty, a remarkable gold mine and fine wineries.

Book a Tauranga/Rotorua shore excursion tour offered by ToursByLocals. Ask your personal guide about customizing your private tour to include exactly what you want to see and do. Go global — tour by local!

Rotorua

The LOTR - Hobbiton Village Tour from Tauranga

Join me and discover the filming location of the village of Hobbiton from The Lord of the Rings.

Become part of the scene, experience a touch of the movie atmosphere and enjoy discovering the most famous sceneries of this fantasy.
Through this tour you will enjoy the details of the movie set and feel as if you have become a hobbit, have fun taking photos with beautiful nature and hobbit houses.

When you enter the village, you can see the house of Gandalf, Bilbo and Frodo, who knows, maybe they are there too. Knock and check!

Join me on this journey through fat and if you haven't already, I suggest you watch the movie before going to this place. That way you will have more fun.

Discover the magic of Hobbiton

Enjoy the film location of the Lord of the Rings in New Zealand.

Discover wonderful Rotorua Lakes and Whakarewarewa Geothermal Maori Village - Shore Excursion

This comfortable non physical tour takes in the beautiful sights of this region while you are given interesting tidbits on the history, culture, land development, natural environment and economy of the various areas that you pass through.
We travel in a comfortable coach from Mt Maunganui 8 km up the stunning Pacific coast into the heart of the world's largest Kiwifruit growing region, then to the Rotorua Lakes region, the most iconic and original tourist destination of New Zealand.
We will visit the Whakarewarewa Thermal Maori village where you will be entertained by th slick South Pacific cultural show, boardwalk over a mesmerising hot misty sulphuric (non-toxic) geothermal lake, immerse ourselves in a native Podocarp forest like the early settlers and pre European Maori would've experienced, view the stunning Mt Tarawera and it's surrounding lake vistas for a perfect photo opportunity.
If it's not the height of summer you may be interested in taking a dip at Polynesian Spa

This is for entrance to Whakarewarewa Geothermal village and includes a wonderful world class 40 minute concert by representatives of the local iwi (tribe) and a meandering easy walk through a natural mesmerising geothermally active area where you will be shrouded in steam from the geothermal activity and witness hot springs and boiling mud very close up, all while walking on safe boardwalks through small lakes

A comfortable tour visiting and seeing many of the wonderful sights of the Rotorua region

Lord of the Rings movie set - Private tour

We set off over the Kaimais where on a clear day you can enjoy spectacular views of both the Waikato and Bay of Plenty districts, ending up in Matamata where we enjoy a tour of the Hobbiton Movie set and Farm from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. From December 2023 onwards you can not only experience a Hobbit village, you can also enter a Hobbit house.

Then, depending on time left we can drop in for a drive around McLarens Falls park &/or travel several different routes back to your cruise ship.

NB Please note that you will need to book Hobbiton tickets online yourself.  You need to allow AT LEAST 2 HOURS from your docking time to comfortably get across to Hobbiton in time and 90 minutes to get back to the port. If you are unsure about any of this please contact me prior to making your booking

Hobbiton , see it with a private guide

Hobbiton - Magic Experience with Shore Excursion from Tauranga

We leave our stunning beaches to head over the Kaimai ranges into the Waikato. Known as one of the richest pastoral areas of the world. Home to NZ famous rich and creamy dairy products and not to forget the thoroughbred horse racing industry.

We arrive for our magical adventure at Hobbiton. This is a number 1 attraction and a must see if you are a Lord of the Rings fan. Enjoy a 2. 5 hour guided movie set tour and quench the thirst with an Ale or Ginger beer in the Green Dragan Inn.

The magic and unequivocal beauty of this original sheep farm makes the trip a must. You don't need to have seen the movies to enjoy the whole Hobbiton experience. There are little hobbit houses and gardens weaving through Hobbit paths, all left from the original movie set for the public to enjoy.

Learning and experiencing how a movie is made makes your day become the magic of Hobbiton and I never tire of visiting this special place.

Stopping for an Ale at the Green Dragon Inn

Discover the Enchanting Hobbiton Movie Set Tour with your Local Guide

Tauranga - Rotorua : Te Puia Geysers, Boiling Mud &amp; Hot Pools - Māori Culture: Private Shore Excursion.

Your adventure begins when I pick you up from the Tauranga port entry/exit gates.
I will show you our best hot spots, highlights/hidden secrets, starting with a tour of Mount Maunganui surf beach, voted best in New Zealand, passing through picturesque countryside, lush dairy farms, Kiwi fruit orchards, pine forests, lakes district as we make our way to Rotorua.
We take an easy stroll through the Redwoods Forest under awesome 75-feet high redwoods &amp; giant tree ferns. 
Arriving at "Te Puia" Geysers a steaming volcanic landscape we are greeted with a fierce-some welcome by Māori warriors.
Your professional Māori guide takes you on this amazing tour as they explain the wonderful history of the tribe and geothermal activity
See the native kiwi bird, wood/greenstone carvers working in traditional ways.
Surrounded by, boiling mud, hot water pools see the thrilling sight of "Pohutu" geyser erupting boiling water &amp; steam 100 ft high, an amazing display of force.
Plenty to see &amp; enjoy on this tour!

"Te Puia" a steaming volcanic landscape - see the biggest erupting geyser in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tauranga-Rotorua "Te Puia Geysers" Boiling Mud-Hot Pools-Māori Culture. Private Shore Excursion.

All passengers will be met with a Welcome Sign to identify myself to you.

We take a scenic tour along the Pacific Coastline of Mt Maunganui before heading inland to pass through Kiwifruit Orchards. Continuing on we pass through part of the largest man made forest in the Southern Hemisphere on our way to Rotorua, we pass over the Kaituna River which is a Grade 5 Rafting River.

The next stop is Te Puia, where you will see the largest natural geyser "Pohutu", boiling mud pools, kiwi birds, Pre-European replica Maori Village, weaving, carving and cultural concert.

After leaving Te Puia, we take in the city sights including Government Gardens and Lake Front. If time permits we will visit the Blue and Green Lakes, Lake Tarawera and the Redwood Forest, before heading back to the Port of Tauranga via the Scenic Highway.

Oh and we do make time for lunch, we have a variety of cafes to suit your taste. We will have you back at the ship at least one hour prior to sailing.

Explore the Most Popular Sights with a Private Guide Full Day Tour

Private Shore Excursion from Port of Tauranga to Rotorua

Hell's Gate Geo-Thermal Hot Pools & Redwood Canopy

Your Private Tour will start with a comfortable drive along Pilot Bay and proceed along the wonderful Mount Maunganui beach - our Eastern Coastline.

​Visiting Hell's Gate Wonderland you will see the warmest waterfall in New Zealand, the varied landscape of Geothermal land. It is here you will bath in Mud Pools and Geothermal Waters (towels provided).

Once we have finished your relaxation our journey shall lead us to Redwood Forest and their magical canopy walk. Here you shall explore the forest from treetops during the suggested 40 minute adventure on suspended platform.

Refreshments shall be provided during your journey with me in a modern European Vehicle. Group sizes from 1 person to 18 people.

Ticket/entrance costs to included activites. Towels provided.

Largest Hot Waterfall in Southern Hemisphere 40°C

Your Private Journey to Hell's Gate and venture through Redwood Treetops

Visit magical Rotorua, its waterfalls, colourful thermal parks - Shore Excursion

Rotorua is a popular location for its bubbling mud pools, geysers, and natural hot springs, as well as for showcasing our fascinating Maori culture.

On this tour, you will experience hot baths with crystal clear mineral water and enjoy geothermal hot springs but you will learn and experience the Maori history of New Zealand, and visit natural healing places like a redwood forest, blue lake, etc.

When we arrive in Rotorua, you will visit Hamunara Springs which is a nature reserve and we will walk around this reserve before we continue to the redwood forest to walk the red line path before we take the break for the lunch.

Later we will visit the Maori village of Wakarewarewa to see a traditional village with Maori performances. After that, you will have an hour-long hot tub experience before going back to Tauranga

Entrance with the performance ticket of the Maori Village 

Enjoy Geothermal hot springs and Maori Cultures - Private Tour from Tauranga

Explore Tauranga, coastal Bay of Plenty, stunning photo opp. sites, Elms Historic Homestead, Kiwifruit, Maori battle sites

This intriguing tour with an captivating narrative about the colonisation of this region, by the English in the 1800's, and the Maori who had sailed down here from Hawaiki-Nui (Tahiti/Rarotonga) in their waka hauroa around 1200 AD, and visits to relevant sites of the conflict, such as Gate Pa and Elms Historic Homestead ($USD12), between these two Alpha races from, opposite ends of the world.
Another popular stop, is to a Kiwifruit farm.
We view the landing place of 6 of the 9 wakas (catamaran offshore sailing vessels), travel to a stunning elevated photo opp location that looks across a large slice of the 25, 000 km region of Waikato in the centre of the North Island which is the hub of our dairy farming economy, and where many images of our "green" New Zealand come from.
At this point we can choose to travel another 20 mins to Hobbiton where you can enjoy the option of a 2 hour guided tour of this famous movie set.
On our return we visit beautiful McLaren Falls and walk amongst the Unique native forest

Easy half day to 6 hour tour in the near vicinity of Mt Maunganui, Shore Excursion with local guide

Rotorua Geothermal Springs and Spa - Shore Excursion

The stunning Bay of Plenty with its pristine inviting beaches and geothermal highlights around Rotorua and Tauranga. Your ship will dock at one of the most popular holiday destinations in New Zealand. One of the best surfing beaches for the locals to enjoy.

We leave the beaches traveling past Farmland, Forestry, Kiwi Fruit and Avocado Orchards heading towards Rotorua.

Rotorua is fueled with boiling mud and bubbling hot springs where you will experience a unique wonder of the world, the first of its kind in NZ at Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa. Set on the foreshore of Lake Rotorua you will bathe in the healing waters, moving from heat to cool, mud to water and air to steam. You will indulge your senses on this restorative journey with waters from the earth and warm mud from our ponds.

From here we will take a stroll through the Redwood Forrest, a wonderland for nature lovers, visit government gardens and see boiling steam ponds before returning back to your ship.

Private Tour of Rotorua including a Soak at the World only Wai Ariki Thermal Hot Springs and the Famous Redwood Forrest Walk

Tauranga - Hobbiton : A visit to Middle Earth. Lord of the Rings &amp; Hobbiton Movie Set. Shore Excursion.

Join the thousands of Hobbit fans who come to experience this remarkable movie set where their favorite stories and characters were brought to life.
Escape into the enchanting world of JRR Tolkien's famous tales as you walk the wandering paths where these amazing stories were filmed by New Zealand's own Peter Jackson.
Recognize the landmarks you know, stand under the party tree, see all your favorites, hear behind-the-scenes stories.
Journey past the colorful Hobbit hole doors, Bilbo's house, browse through the new Hobbit homes on Bagshot Row, see The Water Mill, Double - Arched Stone Bridge, 44 Hobbit Holes, gardens &amp; Green Dragon Inn.
Listen to your guide's wonderful stories of Gandalf, Frodo, Bilbo and the villagers.
The set is very realistic, you can imagine the Hobbits living there, going about their day to day chores, tending their gardens and catching up with their neighbor's at the Green Dragon Inn for a quiet ale.
Even if you haven't read the books or seen the movies you will still love it

Your middle earth adventure starts when we meet at the Tauranga Port.

Tauranga-Hobbiton : Visit Middle Earth. Lord of the Rings-Hobbiton Movie Set. Private Shore Excursion.

Exclusive Tauranga Tour and Hobbiton Movie Set

Your Private Tour will start with a comfortable drive along Pilot Bay and proceed along the wonderful Mount Maunganui beach - our Eastern Coastline.

​Visiting McLaren Falls Park you will see native New Zealand fauna, a lovely waterfall and a variety of wildlife including some native birds. With a lake setting this 190-hectare park truly is a magical place to visit and appreciate the New Zealand landscape.

​As a trained and current Hobbiton Tour Guide, we shall continue to my second home. Making our way to The Shire, home of Bilbo Baggins his nephew Frodo and 300 of their family and friends.
Your Hobbiton journey with me would not be complete without our actual set props and additional behind-the-scenes information.

Once our journey through Hobbiton is complete, we shall make our way back to where our day began.

Refreshments shall be provided during your journey with me in a modern European Vehicle. Group sizes from 1 person to 18 people. Children's seats are available upon request.

Sandyman Mill House at Hobbiton Movie Set

McLaren Park Waterfall at end of Glow Worm Track

A tied up dingy on Hobbiton's Lake edge by The Green Dragon Inn

View of Fern bush taken at the Matamata Piako Plains viewing point

Hand carved Green Dragon. Single piece of Macrocarpa took 200 hours with traditional Maori Carving method.

Come on a Hobbit journey with me your official Hobbiton Tour Guide

Explore Hobbiton Movie Set with Waitomo Cave with your local guide

With this tour, I take you to visit the most popular places on the North Island and as New Zealand is also known for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it is essential to visit the most popular Lord of the Rings filming location, which is the Hobbiton movie set.

Hobbiton covers 12 hectares and offers an incredible glimpse into another world.

With 44 hobbit holes as well as the great experiences of the Red Dragon Inn Hobbiton is the place where magic and reality are merging together offering an incredible insight into another world and you will enjoy the scenery of the movie set very much and capture nice photos for great memories.

After enjoying the set, in front of you is the most beautiful hidden location, which is 'Bluespring'.

The very serene location of beautiful colors, it is a liver of crystal clear water, where the beauty of nature will surprise you and when you have fully enjoyed nature, you will be delighted by the beautiful view of the candlestick in the cave and piles of glow worms.

Beautiful photo at one of the hobbit holes

2 combined small group tour at Blue Spring

Enjoy the highlights of North Island on a Private tour from Tauranga

Private Full Day Tour of Katikati and Waihi - Shore Excursion

Within an hour of Tauranga, there are a host of things to see and do. If I know the things you are interested in I can organise a complete day around these sights and activities.

Katikati, the Mural Town of New Zealand is just a half an hour down the road & is the only planned Irish settlement in the Southern Hemisphere. There's a museum, murals along the main street depicting characters & scenes of early Katikati. Other experiences can include a short bush walk to a magnificent native Kauri tree, bird gardens, hot pools, beaches & that's all before we get to Waihi 15 minutes away.

Waihi boasts the only working goldmine in New Zealand! Mining began in 1878 and there's loads of history and relics in the township & surrounding area. There's choice from museums, mine tours (both old & new), steam train rides, an alpaca farm, great cafes, a winery, walks around the mine rim or along the tracks in the Karangahake gorge.

Let me know what you'd like to include and the day is yours!

The Cornish pumphouse with Waihi township behind

Katikati's original Post & Telegraph - just one of Katikati's fabulous murals

The steam train that runs between Waihi & Karangahake

The Tuahu Track - a gentle 20 mins walk through the bush to the giant Kauri

Private tour of Katikati and Waihi

Discovering Rotorua Eastern Lakes on a Walking Tour

This active day excursion from the Port of Tauranga takes you to the Rotorua Lakes region, iconic in New Zealand for over a century as a tourist destination due to it's natural unique podocarp forests (bush), 11 lakes, mind-blowing geothermal activity, &amp; Māori culture.

This sojourn, you are driven past vast tracts of Kiwi orchards, through some typical NZ farmland with green grass plateaus where dairy cows and sheep graze at leisure, hike beside the Kaituna river to Okere Falls, &amp; tramp through some original native Podocarp bush that borders a famous volcanic Caldera.

We stop to dine on delicious fish and chips, then continue to view the now dormant volcano of Tarawera (and lake) that had catastrophic effects on the surrounding landscape when it erupted in 1886, burying the so named eighth wonder of the world, the Pink and White Terraces.

Returning via Rotorua, we may have time to take a short hike to view the famous Pohutu geyser (no guarantee, but reputedly gushing 20 times per day) Return to Mount

A happy customer at the Government Gardens in Rotorua

The trail to the hidden lakes at Okataina

Toby and French customers at the top of the Gondola in Rotorua

Natural mineral boiling Hot pools at Kuirau Park, Rotorua

A view of Mt Maunganui from the city of Tauranga

View when walking around iconic Mt Maunganui

A winters day at one of Rotorua's 8 lakes (Rotoma)

Another great scene from the Rotorua area

New Zealand is perfect for great photography

Pilot Bay, a sheltered bay between the ships berth and Mt Maunganui

A happy Japanese tourist being farewelled by our guide Whare

The Prince of Wales Feathers geyser at Whakarewarewa

Geothermal activity in the Rotorua region

Naomi and child at The Redwoods in Rotorua

Toby, your guide and a local TV celebrity

Toby's Outrigger canoe friends at Lake Rotorua

A typical scene over the largest Lake of the region (Rotorua)

Local boys soaking up the warmth at naturally heated pool

Beautiful lakes region hiking tour with local guide

Discover Tauranga, the Bay of plenty - Shore Excursion

Come with me on a half day tour around Tauranga, highlighting this fast growing city and its surrounds. Drive the beautiful coastal scenery with sandy beaches, lush countryside and abundant kiwi fruit and avocado orchards. We take a stroll to the Mclarens Falls Waterfall and through NZ native Forrest while enjoying our bird life.

With our easy relaxed lifestyle you can see why "kiwis" are making this place home. The locals enjoy a spot of fishing and Surfing at the famous Mount Maunganui beach.

We stop to take photos before leaving 'The Mount' - as the locals call it - and head to McLarens Falls. This could be a good time to have a taste of NZ food delights before our next adventure if you choose to have lunch. From here we head to the Minden Lookout before making our way back towards town to take in the sights of our city that is based around the Harbor front.

"This is a great little local tour"

Tauranga tours

Explore with 32 tours and 7 guides.

Steven H.

$ 1,490 (USD)

Toby L.

$ 720 (USD)

Julie C.

$ 600 (USD)

Wendy B.

$ 895 (USD)

Patrick L.

$ 638 (USD)

Anne N.

$ 1,120 (USD)

Stephen A.

$ 825 (USD)

Steven H.

$ 1,344 (USD)

Toby L.

$ 675 (USD)

Wendy B.

$ 995 (USD)

Patrick L.

$ 623 (USD)

Stephen A.

$ 806 (USD)

Steven H.

$ 1,640 (USD)

Julie C.

$ 600 (USD)

Toby L.

$ 800 (USD)

Wendy B.

$ 745 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Tauranga

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