30 Mar 2024
Everything went smooth. One of the drivers was very asocial, the other was very nice and funny, but both are not tour guides, so don't expect much info from them. You get 15-20 min at Hobbiton cafe to have coffee/breakfast. Hobbiton is a beautiful place, the guide was funny and informative! For lunch there was a buffet, plenty of food (don't get the cider, it tastes like vinegar). The Waitomo Caves with the boat ride were also really nice, the guide was also very informative, but it felt a bit too short, I wish we had more time there. In general these are must-do experiences, but at both Hobbiton and Waitomo I felt like on a conveyor - there are groups just in front and behind you, so the tours felt rushed because the next group is coming and you don't have time to wander around or go back. If I had more time, I would have stayed somewhere around and done the Black Water Rafting in Waitomo.