Rotorua, Hobbiton & Waitomo Holidays

Where are Rotorua, Hobbiton & Waitomo?
Rotorua is in the North Island’s Bay of Plenty region and lies at the southern end of the lake with which it shares its name. It is 40 miles south of Tauranga on the coast – the area’s main city and New Zealand’s fifth largest. It has a small airport, with connections to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, which is handy if your time is limited. Hobbiton is roughly halfway between Rotorua and Hamilton to the north west; the driving time is around 60 minutes. The journey to Waitomo, west of Rotorua is longer again – just under two hours by road.

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City vibes
Rotorua has been a popular resort since the 19th century, a fact reflected in its buildings, which include a Mock Tudor former bathhouse, now home to the Rotorua Museum, and the Spanish Mission-style Blue Baths dating from the 1930s. Take a stroll through the Government Gardens, which include croquet lawns and a bandstand, or take to the water on a stand-up paddleboard for a different perspective. As well as ubiquitous hot springs – there are even free footbaths in Kuirau Park – Rotorua also has a lively food scene. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a meal cooked in a steam box powered by natural geothermal steam or in a hāngī, a traditional Māori underground oven.

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Geothermals & wellness
Don’t be alarmed if you detect a hint of sulphur when you first arrive here. Navigating its volcanic valleys, billowing clouds of steam and multicoloured lakes will have you feeling like you’ve stepped foot on an extra-terrestrial film set. The orange-hemmed Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu is one of the main draws of Rotorua, so definitely pay this a visit. Other impressive sights include the Pohutu Geyser, which explodes 30 metres into the air; you’ll find it among the seething mud pools in Whakarewarewa Reserve on the city’s southern fringes. For a scenic soak, Kerosene Creek has naturally heated pools beside a waterfall, with lush forest all around; or take your pick of one of the city’s many stylish thermal spa resorts.

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Māori culture
Rotorua is one of the country’s best places to dive into the rich culture of the island’s indigenous Māori people. Beside the lake, the village of Ōhinemutu is still home to families whose ancestors arrived here centuries before the arrival of the first European settlers; we recommend visiting with a guide who will show you things you’d miss by yourself, from soda pools to the meaning of particular carvings. There’s more to experience at Te Puia in the wonder-filled Whakarewarewa Valley. There are daytime and starlit walks through the geothermal areas and native bushland, complemented by a range of performances – traditional ceremonies, dances and the like – along with bone carving and flax weaving demonstrations.

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Hobbit holes
A trip to New Zealand wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Hobbiton, the superb 12-acre site near Matamata which was transformed into The Shire from Middle Earth in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Book a private tour to experience sites including The Hobbit Holes, Green Dragon™ Inn, Mill and other structures, as a local guide explains the fascinating history behind this now iconic film set.

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