Rotorua Highlights Tour: Waiotapu, Hot Tubs & Lunch From Auckland

It is very lord of rings like. Smoky bubbly earth with its own unique smell. Comfy transportation and friendly guide and driver. Stops are appropriately timed.

Really fun day with John! It was a small group and we were able to fit in a lot and do the secret spot hot tubs which were so cute. Easy pickup and drop off, lots of stops and interesting facts, the day flew by! Thanks again cheeky kiwi :)

Our driver Simon is a super star, friendly, kind, knowledgeable and respectful. It was a great tour and we learned a lot of the Mouri culture and how New Zealand is a different country with so much diversity and culture.

Thanks Cheeky Kiwi and our guide, Ben, for the informative and fun experience. I especially enjoyed Ben’s commentary and positive energy which he kept going for the whole day tour!

Exceeded all expectations, from on time pickup to convenient drop off. John got the group of 13 engaged and entertained with ice breakers, cultural info and games for the long drive to and from Rotorua. The activities were as promised and John wet above and beyond to add a stop to see glowworms. Definitely select cheeky Kiwi and ask for John as your driver.

We joined the small group tour of Waitomo Caves & Rotorua - Te Puia, it’s a really nice trip to see the natural side of New Zealand. The coach was very comfortable and our tour guide Matt was doing an excellent job, especially his knowledge as well as the perfect arrangement of the tour. Albeit it was an >13 hours tour, my husband and I both were satisfactory of it.

Had a great trip. The driver, Hanoz, had great information and a fun personality for the drive. Highly recommend doing the cultural celebration at the Māori village. Really unique experience.

We had an amazing day, I can’t fault anything on the trip. John was our driver and he made us all comfortable from the start. He made lots of jokes and had fun digging at us ‘aussies’ but in the nicest way, we weren’t offended lol. Lots of information, it was just a great day!

Alejandro the friendly Brazilian was an absolute delight. He genuinely loved his job and we learned so much from him. He took such good care of everyone and Made it a 5 star experience.

Excellent trip with amazing visits. Guide worked hard to ensure everyone had a great time. Highly recommended day out.

Really, really enjoyable all-day tour of a very beautiful section of the North Island. We were transported in a comfortable, air conditioned van with a stop en route each way for refreshments. Alessandro, the tour guide was outstanding. He’s very knowledgeable and personable and went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and having a good time. Once we got to Rotorua, we enjoyed a tour of their weaving, woodcarving, and other arts/crafts schools, saw the hot springs and main geyser, and enjoyed a cultural show. These were followed by a wonderful buffet lunch. After lunch people had different options for spending the afternoon, so my wife and I did the Redwoods. Wonderful walking opportunity amidst the New Zealand redwoods. Then, it return to Auckland. We recommend this tour to anyone interested in a blend of New Zealand geology and learning about Māori culture.

What a fantastic adventure my wife and I had! Our driver, John, was amazing!!!! His knowledge, fun spirit, cooperation, and willingness to adjust the schedule to make sure the tour members got the most out of their time was wonderful!! Te Puia was a great experience. We watched a geyser erupt, saw a Kiwi bird, and watched Maori craft workers make beautiful artworks out of bone, greenstone, and wood. We also saw the Maori Haka (war dance) and other cultural dances and music. Finally, we had a delicious buffet lunch included. We then went to the Redwood Sky Walk and saw the magnificent redwood trees up close and personal as much as 20 meters and higher in the trees themselves. Through it all, John kept us informed as to what was happening and going to happen so that you always felt secure and protected. He even dropped everyone off at their hotels on the way back. Further, he took photos of the group and posted them to a WhatsApp group and gave us information about restaurants and other sites to see. All in all, it was a wonderful time with our amazing driver, John!!!! GO!! GO!! GO!! Make time for this trip!!!!

Iconic new Zealand experience. Tour guide Alessandro was the perfect guy for the job, upbeat, informative and flexible to the group needs.

Ale was a legend - what a great day with him..super helpful, friendly and very accommodating ensuring everyone needed to be where they are (this got a little confusing) as lots of activities and different places in Rotorua but great exp overall and top tour guide

The tour guide was excellent and guided us well to see important sites. He communicated ver well and was updating us constantly throughout on important background of places. Thanks.

The tour itself offers 5 different options besides the Te Puia Geiser and Hot Springs. Lots of options to explore Rotorua. The Te Puia has a lot of things to see, like the Kiwi birds (that would normally be nocturnal) and the school for carving and weaving. The driver also took us to see Rotorua Caldera and then stopped by for an ice cream on the way back to Auckland. The only thing is if you're on the bigger size (which my husband is), the van seats were quite tight and uncomfortable for a long drive. Everything else about this tour is fun and the driver is attentive to everyone and offered water and snacks during the trip.

We took the Rotorua highlights tour and were pleasantly surprised by the extra activities, sights, and food beyond what we expected that it is truly worth staying overnight for a second day. Our fun driver, Cheeky Mike, impressed us with his amazing vertical panoramic photography, perfectly capturing the vastness of the redwood tree walk. Despite the long drive, the tour created priceless memories that made it all worthwhile.

Hanoz was hands down the best tour guide and driver ever!!! He was very accomodating and spiced up the atmosphere by taking several song requests, whilst entertaining us all in the process! Very informative and learned! Good group of people too!!

Rotorua was a beautiful place. Seeing the geyser was interesting, even though we weren't there on correct time to see it explode. We had a chance to Kiwi bird, which made our day! We attended to the Maori experience and watched their haka dances. Hangi lunch buffet was delicious. We also had a chance to go to Polynesia spa and it felt good. John was a very nice guide, he was funny, helpful, and friendly. He was good at arranging the group of people that had different choices. Also, they provided a couple of snacks and a water bottle for the trip.

We had an amazing tour guide/driver and loved our trip to Rotorua and Te Puia. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable. We felt safe and secure the entire trip. It was a very memorable experience that we will remember for life.

The driver and narrator was friendly and knowledgeable. Full marks. However the rating dropped because this tour does not include glow worms. The tour of the geysers, Māori dance and lunch was all top class. After lunch there was not much activity for me. I was expecting to see more as part of Rotorua highlights but saw the lake for a little time. My fault for booking the wrong tour though the right tour was shortlisted earlier. Please be careful to book the tour based on details as there are many similar looking tours costing quite similar amounts.

Amazing geothermal experience! Amazing lunch (but in a rush because of the tour) with a view of geothermal!! Will come back for more!

John was excellent as a tour guide and driver, very detailed he answered all our questions he was clear in his communication and instructions, he played a big part in the success of this day tour What I didn't like I believe the tour was incredibly expensive for the services it offered I wish there was no pressure on the photos we have to take, the description of the tour should be clearer on what is included and what is not

Our tour guide Hanoz collected us promptly and was very welcoming and personable. When all of the tour people were gathered he encouraged us to share our stories etc and get to know each other. He had a ‘magic sheet’ detailing what everyone was doing and updated it as he talked us through the options. My husband and I chose to do the guided experience at Te Puia, seeing the kiwi birds, the geothermal landscape and watched the Māori carvers and weavers demonstrate skills passed down from their ancestors. Then we watched the cultural performance in the beautifully carved meeting house, Te Aronui a Rua. It include a Pōhiri (Traditional Māori Welcome), Waiata (Song), Mōteatea (traditional chant), Poi and Haka, with my husband being selected as the ‘Chief’ to the tribe, thus taking part in the performance. This was so special and such a memorable experience. Ourselves and others from our tour group had a the delicious HĀNGĪ DINNER BUFFET, which I cannot recommend enough…it was absolutely fantastic. The food was all delicious and the selection overwhelming. Finally we relaxed in the nearby Polynesian Spa. They hire towels and swimwear and also sell these if you want to purchase your own. I was well prepared bringing my own…but my husband forgot to bring his swimwear but was able to hire them. All in all it was an amazing tour, an unforgettable experience which has been the highlight of our visit, so far. Cheeky Kiwi tours are fantastic and our tour guide Hanoz was so knowledgeable, that we learnt so much about the area, culture and history of New Zealand. I couldn’t recommend this highly enough!!!!!

Hunoz made Rotorua an enjoyable and educational experience. The geothermal pools are not to be missed, a winner of nature.

Absolutely fantastic day trip! Our guide Simon was superb from pick up to drop off he was friendly, helpful and no question was too silly, a top bloke! He gave us so much info about NZ on our journey there and made sure when he dropped us at Te Puia and the lakeside we had everything we needed. Te Puia itself was amazing the staff there again gave so much information and the walk around Lake Rotorua just stunning! Cannot recommend this trip with Cheeky Kiwi Travel enough it was just brilliant!

The driver cum guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, the geyser, moari exhibits and show, lunch buffet all was great but I wanted to see the glow worms also which was not part of this Rotorua highlights. Many tours look alike so be careful when selecting the right combination.

The hosts were polite, skilled, and very competent. We never felt unsafe. The sail was exhilarating and you get to see all of the harbor.

Overall good experience. Unfortunately there are no Vegan options except French fries and some junk food. Other than that great cultural experience.

I have to thank my tourist guides (Grant and Michael) for an exceptional day. They told us everything we shoukd know about Auckland and its history. Super attentive and friendly. The made us to have a great day.

Communication prior to tour was good, John our guide was upbeat, gave us lots of information and facts about each area we passed through. Small group and John ensured everyone was included and felt welcomed. Te Puia was an amazing place to visit all guides and staff were very friendly and lots to see. The cultural show was awesome, we loved all of it. Seeing the two Kiwis was a highlight. Lunch was great, snacks on the bus were included and coffee stops and bathroom stops were catered for. Was a great day, tour felt relaxed and not rushed. Would highly recommend this tour.

Mark , the driver cum guide made the trip very interesting with his commentary and constantly engaging with each passenger in the coach.

It's educational to learn the Kiwi culture as well as learning the natural geyser, the magma and the formation of thermal valley. Malcolm our tour guide and driver of Cheeky Kiwi made sure that we are comfortable and happy with our tour.

Grant was an amazing tour guide! He provided us with great local and personal stories that really enriched our experience. He even went above and beyond by offering a phone charger when we needed one and accommodating a missed item at the ice cream store. Grant was thoughtful with comfort stops and incredibly flexible, allowing us to decide what to do during the day. I genuinely think Grant is a fantastic tour guide, and I highly recommend him for your family tour in the Auckland area. His attention to detail and customer care made our day truly special.

I had a great time with Cheeky Kiwi! Not only was it a learning experience, it was quite enjoyable as well. At the end of the tour, we learned about about everyone’s home country which I thought was a nicely added touch. Would definitely recommend 🙌🏽

Our tour guide grant was amazing. From the time he pick us up at our hotel on time till he brought us back safe to Our hotel He talk the whole way going and coming back. It was a beautiful day . The drive was smooth we made couple bathroom stops before we got to our destination. Thank you so much grant!

This was a really great tour! Our driver, Simon, was a lot of fun and shared information about the history or area along the way! The Te Puia Cultural Center was really nice to visit, but we should have been given a little more time to walk through it. I felt rushed and didn't have enough time to read about all of the exhibits. The geothermal sites were nice - a much smaller version of Yellowstone.

This was a really great tour! Our driver, Simon, was a lot of fun and shared information about the history or area along the way! The Te Puia Cultural Center was really nice to visit, but we should have been given a little more time to walk through it. I felt rushed and didn't have enough time to read about all of the exhibits. The geothermal sites were nice - a much smaller version of Yellowstone.

It was a wonderful day out to Rotorua. The Te Puia Maori Centre gave us a good exposure to Maori arts and crafts as well as cultural performance. The 'big' buffet lunch that we had signed up for turned out to be very good with decent options for vegetarians. The hot geysers erupting in front of your eyes was quite an unforgettable experience. We spent some free time enjoying the boardwalk on the lake. We should have opted for a small group tour. With 16 on the van, it took a long time to pick up and drop everyone and at the end of the 13-hour drive, we were quite fatigued. Our guide and driver, Grant was extremely nice and knowledgeable about the place and the culture.

Had an awesome time! I recommend to everyone! Absolutely fantastic and I would do it again. Our guide MALCOLM was amazing love him! Very thoughtful, organized and laid back. Learned so much. It’s kind of dangerous now my daughter has fallen in love with Kiwi life and wants to move here!

Perfect! I got lost and they had someone available at 6:30am to answer my call and give me directions to find the right hotel where my guide (Grant, great guy) was waiting for me. Friendly and helpful staff. They give you lots of options of what experience to choose when you get the one of the daytrip destinations.

My family and I (total of 7) enjoyed so much on this tour. Grant, our tour guide, was fantastic. He was very accommodating and he made us feel very safe with the long drive. He was also very knowledgeable and gave us insights about the different places. This is a must visit. Even my 6 year old daughter enjoyed Te Puia. Thank you so much to Grant and Cheeky Kiwi Travel for the very wonderful experience.

It was raining so heavily so hard to experience Rotorua at its best but we got to see black swans, the lake, and made some nice stops along the way

It was raining the whole day but we still had fun. The lake was looking like an ocean. We found black swans. John tried to show a few things along the way. The group was not enthusiastic for afternoon activities as it was cold ans rainy. We made it back early and it was sunny back in Auckland! ♥️ could be better if we could stop by the Polynesian Spa or the Wai Ariki Spa 😂

John was an excellent tour guide. He was very accommodating and knowledgeable. He went out of his way to make the tour enjoyable. I highly recommend him as a tour guide.

If you are looking for a chance to understand more about the Māori culture, this is the tour to join! Lunch was great, the geyser was beautiful, and our guides, Greg and Cameron, did everything to make sure we have an awesome time!

Learning a little about the Māori culture and how they respect and preserve nature was definitely a highlight of this trip. NZ is such a beautiful country and it’s so amazing how you can run in the meadows with nothing to harm you. Visiting Rotorua must be on the list of to do things!!!

Really enjoyed seeing the geo thermal impacts across Rotorua and the native Mauri show at Te Puela. Added bonus was the sky walk in Redwood forest.

This was an excellent package that allowed us to experience the “must-sees” in Rotorua - in a day! Our tour guide/driver John was punctual, relaxed yet professional, and shared interesting historical and entertaining bite-sized nuggets of info on all things NZ. We thoroughly enjoyed Te Puia (geyser was awesome), the Māori cultural show and the delicious lunch buffet. We added the Rewoods Walk in the afternoon. Highly recommend this day trip if you’re short on time - it was so worth it! Thanks John!