Whilst this is a long day from Auckland, it was thoroughly enjoyable. The caves are interesting and the guides are fun. The Maori village gives you some interesting insight into their culture, and the Geysers were amazing. Our guide Chris, drove safely and gave us plenty of breaks to stretch our legs. He was punctual as well. The lunch was generous enough. We are glad we did this trip.

We had a fantastic experience on this tour, and a huge part of that was our driver, Jason. He was truly outstanding — funny, knowledgeable, and incredibly engaging throughout the day. In fact, I enjoyed his company so much that I booked another tour with him later that week. He also gave us excellent dinner recommendations, which turned out to be spot on. The bus ride is on the longer side, but Jason made it feel easy. He was a confident, safe driver, and kept things interesting with commentary along the way. As for the tour itself, it was really well done. The Waitomo Caves were a very cool and unique experience — definitely something special to see. But for me, the highlight was the Māori village. It felt immersive, thoughtful, and genuinely memorable. Overall, a great tour made even better by an exceptional guide.

Our guide Wayne was phenomenal. His driving was smooth, he drove by several historical and natural sites not mentioned on the tour description as an added bonus, and was exceptionally knowledgeable when it came to NZ history and landmarks. Whakarewarewa Māori Village was eye opening. The chief/guide was has so much knowledge and passion to share. Hāngī was great! They boil the sweet corn and served it as part of the tour, but I also tried the hāngī beer pie as well. The thermal vents and geyser were spectacular and the Haka performance was nothing short of moving. From here we rendezvoused with Wayne and were off to Waitomo. The original site for the picnic lunch was thoroughly occupied. Fortunately, he already knew an alternative site. The lunch itself was a chicken Caesar wrap, chips, apple, and juice. Wayne pointed out some fun sites (giant Kiwi statues and the like) en route to Waitomo. Waitomo Caves was stunning. When you first arrive, you watch an informative video, then embark. The first leg of the experience does not allow photos or video due to sensitivity of the wildlife. The final stretch does allow photography. Honestly though, there is something romantic about such an unplugged tour into such a natural wonder. We also saw some eels, which was super cool. For both sites, you have limited but adequate time to shop. The ride home home was more quiet (people were tired) and waters & muesli bars were offered. A little more knowledge was dropped. Overall, this was a long (12+hr) journey and worth every mile & every penny.

Our guide Wayne was phenomenal. His driving was smooth, he drove by several historical and natural sites not mentioned on the tour description as an added bonus, and was exceptionally knowledgeable when it came to NZ history and landmarks. Whakarewarewa Māori Village was eye opening. The chief/guide was has so much knowledge and passion to share. Hāngī was great! They boil the sweet corn and served it as part of the tour, but I also tried the hāngī beer pie as well. The thermal vents and geyser were spectacular and the Haka performance was nothing short of moving. From here we rendezvoused with Wayne and were off to Waitomo. The original site for the picnic lunch was thoroughly occupied. Fortunately, he already knew an alternative site. The lunch itself was a chicken Caesar wrap, chips, apple, and juice. Wayne pointed out some fun sites (giant Kiwi statues and the like) en route to Waitomo. Waitomo Caves was stunning. When you first arrive, you watch an informative video, then embark. The first leg of the experience does not allow photos or video due to sensitivity of the wildlife. The final stretch does allow photography. Honestly though, there is something romantic about such an unplugged tour into such a natural wonder. We also saw some eels, which was super cool. For both sites, you have limited but adequate time to shop. The ride home home was more quiet (people were tired) and waters & muesli bars were offered. A little more knowledge was dropped. Overall, this was a long (12+hr) journey and worth every mile & every penny.