Top Tauranga Private and Luxury

On this full-day shore excursion, take a journey deep into Middle Earth without the stress and strict scheduling of a large group tour. Drive from Tauranga into the heart of the Waikato with a small group and guide and visit Hobbiton, the iconic filming location from Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. But this is more than just a there-and-back-again Lord of the Rings tour: also spend some time in the secluded New Zealand bush at McLaren Falls Park and see the striking titular waterfall.

Easily explore the area outside the Port of Tauranga during this guided tour that includes port pickup and drop-off. First visit a New Zealand kiwi orchard, and get the chance to taste the native fruit yourself. Catch sight of natural wonders such as Okere Falls, Blue Lake, and Whakarewarewa Forest before going to taste New Zealand honey at a local farm (time permitting).

Explore New Zealand’s Maori culture, and marvel at geysers and mud pools beneath Mt Maunganui on this full-day Rotorua tour. Travel from Tauranga Port by coach with your guide and discover some of the North Island’s top attractions. Admire pristine beaches and million-dollar homes in Mt Maunganui. Visit the Kiwi 360 Visitor Centre to sample homegrown wine and fruit. Discover dense forests, shimmering lakes and rolling farmland, and immerse yourself in Maori culture in Rotorua. See bubbling mud pools and shooting geysers, and gain insight into traditional Maori crafts.

Kia Ora! Welcome to V8 Trike Tours, New Zealand As seen on Travel Guides NZ · TV Programme 2021 2021 & 2022 Traveler's Choice Award - Top 10% Attraction Worldwide! Join us for a unique and thrilling experience on a V8 Chevrolet trike as we explore the beautiful Bay of Plenty. Designed and built in New Zealand, our awesome trikes are powered by 5700cc Chevrolet motors. It’s the ultimate in power and excitement. With a low centre of gravity, our trikes provide a smooth ride with an impressive grip around corners. Suitable for ages 2+ and all abilities including disabled. Registered as cars not motorbikes therefore seatbelts are compulsory not helmets.

Make the most of a short time in Tauranga and Rotorua on a private shore excursion for up to eight people. Travelers with a range of interests will enjoy this varied itinerary, which can be customized to suit your needs. Visit beautiful beaches, sample local kiwifruit, stroll through shady redwood forests, and be amazed at Rotorua’s geothermal attractions. A mix of cultural and natural attractions are offered.

See, hear, smell, touch and taste on this full-day shore excursion from Tauranga. Experience the unique and special natural beauty of The Bay of Plenty. You will visit some out of the way spots that not everyone knows about and will go where the big buses don't. This tour is not a shuttle and will not drop you off anywhere to explore on your own. It is a fully guided small-group tour with a knowledgeable, fun and friendly tour guide. Along the way you will see and learn about the uniqueness that is New Zealand and you will learn about the geothermal region of Rotorua and its significance to the Maori people. We do not visit the commercial geothermal reserves on this tour, but we do see boiling mud pools, crystal clear bubbling hot springs, volcanic lakes and picturesque forests.  Please note that the ticket sent to you by Viator/TripAdvisor will show the standard tour departure time, we will advise an updated time when you book the tour which may be different, this is the one to use.

Visit an authentic Living Maori Village deep in the geothermal region of Rotorua on this full-day excursion including a Hangi Lunch. Tour with a local Maori guide and learn about how the villagers have adapted to the harsh geothermal environment. You tour will also include visits to the famous Government Gardens and Rotorua Lake. This is a small group tour with a group size up to 18. Please note that the ticket sent to you by Viator/TripAdvisor will show the standard tour departure time. As the ships arrival time in port varies so much, we adjust the start and end times each day to suit the ships time in port. When your booking is accepted by us, we will confirm the true start time for the day, which overrides the time printed on your voucher. We use the correct times for the ship which we take from the Port of Tauranga web site and details provided to us by the ships booking agent as we also provide some of the official tours to the ship, so trust us.

Experience the magic of New Zealand’s North Island on this evening glow-worm kayak tour in Tauranga. Begin your tour with refreshments and delicious New Zealand cheeses on the banks of Lake McLaren. As day turns to night, hop into your kayak and paddle with your guide to the glow-worm canyon at the head of Lake McLaren. Marvel at the millions of bright green glow-worms clinging to the towering cliff sides, and gain insight into the life cycle of these fascinating creatures.

Swap the Tauranga cruise port for the Shire, featured in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, on a Hobbiton Movie Set shore excursion. Your tour includes movie structures such as hobbit holes, the party tree and the Mill. Sip a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and then suit up in a favorite LOTR costume with a stop at McLaren Falls Park.

See the highlights of Rotorua on a full-day shore excursion from Tauranga. You’ll travel to one of New Zealand’s famed regions in the North Island, observing otherworldly landscapes and Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa’s thermal springs. Visit Okere Falls at the Bay of Plenty; receive a traditional welcome at an authentic Maori village where you’ll watch a 'haka' (war dance); and view the Government Gardens, a historic bath house and more in Rotorua.

Explore exquisite Tauranga in style, riding in a luxurious modern Mercedes tour-vehicle as you cruise from hilltop to seaside and sample along the way some of New Zealand’s finest honey and kiwifruit export produce. After learning about and tasting the delights of rural Tauranga this tour returns you to port comfortably, and contented - stopping at a scenic lookout to take in the natural beauty of the Bay of Plenty from above.

Take a shore excursion to the Hobbiton Movie Set and sightsee Rotorua with a guide when your cruise ship pulls into port at Tauranga. Journey to Middle-earth and The Shire of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fame, featured in the popular LOTR trilogy and ‘The Hobbit.’ Then learn traditional customs at the Maori village of Whakarewarewa before strolling past the spouting geysers and steaming hot springs of thermal Rotorua. Numbers are limited to 19 participants in this small-group tour to the land of hobbits and hot pools.

Discover the highlights of Rotorua when your ship pulls into the Port of Tauranga. You'll pass through Mt. Maunganui and learn how kiwifruit is grown. Then check out Rotorua City before a stop at the Rotorua Skyline Gondola. This 7-hour shore excursion includes pickup and drop-off by minivan.

Combine all three of Hell’s Gate most popular experiences with this package. Take part in the guided or self-guided interactive geothermal walk before indulging in our geothermal mud and sulphur waters, experiencing the healing properties local Māori have been using for centuries. It’s a Rotorua experience you’ll never forget. Lunch not included (cafe on site) * Remember to bring your old swimwear and towel* Your swimwear and towels will have a sulphur smell to them after your experience and will need to be cleaned thoroughly. We recommend using old swimwear. The chemical makeup of our muds and waters will tarnish most jewellery, particularly silver. We recommend removing it and waiting 24 – 48 hours to put it back on. More information can be found on our FAQ page at https://www.hellsgate.co.nz/faqs

Private tour: exclusive to your group only. See two world-famous attractions in one day. Te Puia Geysers: Heartland of Rotorua's geothermal activity & Maori culture. See and experience 'Pohutu' geyser the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere in action rumbling away as it erupts boiling water and steam up to 100 feet. An awesome sight. See & smell boiling mud pools, hot water pools, steam vents, a steaming volcanic landscape. HOBBITON: A Visit to Middle Earth - Escape into the enchanting world of JRR Tolkien’s famous stories. A world of enduring fantasy where the amazing films were brought to life. Set across the 12 acres Hobbit Village. See Bilbo’s house, The Water Mill, Green Dragon Inn, the Arched Bridge, 44 Hobbit houses, gardens, wandering pathways, The Party Tree, lakes. If you haven’t read the books or seen the movies you will still love it.

See and do the best of Tauranga on this easy private shore excursion that is especially designed to make the most of a short time on land. Pick and choose from the included activities, such as beaches, orchards, and bushwalks, and add on some optional extras if you like. Receive personalized attention on a private tour for up to 8 people.

Private tour: exclusive to your group only. After leaving Tauranga Port we tour downtown Mount Maunganui, a popular Kiwi holiday destination and it's stunning white sandy surf beach, voted best in New Zealand. Driving to Rotorua we pass through Kiwi fruit & avocado orchards, lush farmland, native bush, pine forest plantations and the scenic lakes district. New Zealand hinterland at its best. At Te Puia, see, smell & hear "Pohutu Geyser" the biggest geyser in the southern hemisphere, rumbling noisily as it erupts, steam and boiling water up to 100ft. Marvel at the display of bubbling mud & hot water pools in a steaming volcanic landscape! See NZ's iconic kiwi bird, pre-European Maori village, wood carving, and flax weaving. Optional: Experience a traditional Maori welcome, an entertaining cultural performance, and the fierce Haka. We explore Rotorua's lakefront, highlights, govt gardens, and historical architectural gem the Elizabethan Spa Bath House before returning to port.

Cruise around beautiful Mount Maunganui on a Harley Davidson. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the immediate area.

Private tour: exclusive to your group only. Two of New Zealand's most spectacular Geothermal Parks. Small Groups, Max 4 people. Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland ... A self-guided tour following demarcated tracks through a stunning variety of volcanic phenomena. You’ll see fantastic naturally colored hot and cold pools, the world-famous Champagne Pool, massive craters and New Zealand’s largest boiling mud pool; Wai-O-Tapu was formed over thousands of years of continuous volcanic activity. Te Puia Geysers ... Heartland of Rotorua's geothermal activity & Maori culture. See and experience 'Pohutu' geyser the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere in action rumbling away as it erupts boiling water and steam up to 100 feet. An awesome sight. See & smell boiling mud pools, hot water pools, steam vents, a steaming volcanic landscape.

Optional: Buffet lunch at Skyline Gondolas "Stratosphere" Restaurant with panoramic views See Mount Manganui's surf beach, island walk, water falls, geothermal activity, boiling mud & hot water pools. We take a short walk to beautiful Mototuriki Island. On this tour, you will see kiwifruit & avocado orchards, lakes district, lush farmland, native bush, and pine forest plantations as we pass through different regions. See and experience Rotorua's most famed hot spots and highlights as well as its hidden secrets as your tour guide takes you from place to place, I know the area like the back of my hand. A visit to Kuirau geothermal park, boiling mud, hot water pools, steam vents and visit a Maori ancestral house. A short walk through the enchanting giant 75 ft high Redwoods Forest. Explore Rotorua lake front and the wonderful Govt Gardens, Racheal's boiling hot water pool and an architectural gem, the Old Spa Bath House before return to Port Plenty to see and do on this tour.

Private tour: exclusive to your group only. The amazing Waitomo Glow-Worm Caves. Want to do something different? Take this awesome day trip to explore these deep underground glow worm caves that will take your breath away. After an early start from the Port, we travel over the Kaimai Ranges into the Waikato region through New Zealand's best farmland, dairy farms, horse studs, and hydro dams - plenty to see on this trip! As you descend into the world-famous caves you can only marvel at the thousands of tiny glow worms and the wondrous display as your boat glides silently along the subterranean river. In the dark of the cave, their radiant luminescent lights give the impression of an amazingly clear night sky. An awesome sight! On the return journey, we stop at the rural township of Otorohanga to view our iconic national bird, the Kiwi at the Otorohanga Kiwi and Native bird sanctuary. Please note there is an approx. 2 + hour drive each way through wonderful picturesque country side.

Private tour: exclusive to your group only. A living Maori village. The villagers have built their homes amongst erupting geysers, boiling mud, steam vents, and hot pools. They use natural geothermal resources to cook, bathe and heat their homes. Walk amongst the wonders of the Whakarewarewa Valley, our guide explains the history of the village, where the Tuhourangi / Ngati Wahiao tribe has lived for over 200 years. See Pohutu the biggest active geyser in the southern hemisphere erupting up to 100 feet. Amongst this steaming volcanic landscape, generations of villagers have made Whakarewarewa there home. On this tour, you will see NZ’s best surf beach, stunning scenery, kiwifruit orchards, the scenic lakes district, beautiful farmland, native bush, pine plantations & dairy farms. We take a short stroll through the breathtaking, giant, 70 ft high, 118 - year- old Redwood Forest and wonder at its natural beauty. Explore Rotorua’s lakefront, hotspots and pristine Government Gardens.

Fans of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” will enjoy this private transfer service to the Hobbiton Movie set from Tauranga. It has been especially designed for cruise ship passengers, with port transfers and start times coordinated with ship arrival times. Get behind-the-scenes insight into the movies on the two-hour guided tour. Even travelers who haven’t seen the films will enjoy the fantastical set and the guide’s stories.

V8 Trike Tours NZ offer a unique, fun and thrilling experience exploring the Bay of Plenty on a V8 Chevrolet Trike. Built in New Zealand, powered by a 5.7L 350 (330 bhp) Chevrolet Edelbrock motor, our trikes are the ultimate in power and excitement. With the low centre of gravity the trikes are stable, have less roll and amazing grip around corners. NO HELMETS REQUIRED –Our trikes are operated under a TSL with NZTA and registered as cars (not motorbikes) so helmets are not required. They are fitted with bucket seats complete with compulsory 3-point seat belts. Our drivers are NZTA passenger endorsed and are knowledgeable offering a fully guided tour. From the age of 2 to 102 we cater for all - disabled and special needs can also take these rides as they are stimulating and fun. Acreditted with an Excellence Award, V8 Trike Tours NZ are Qualmark, ISS, Tourism NZ & Tourism Bay of Plenty endorsed.