Vaitomo - Rotorua Tour (13 hours)
Located 233 km south-east of Auckland, Rotorua’s spectacular geothermal wonders have long provided a mecca for visitors and the city’s reputation as a spa town is legendary. The city is sited inside the rim of a volcanic crater on the southern edge of Lake Rotorua, one of the region’s largest lakes. Rainbow and brown trout swim in the region’s 12 beautiful lakes. The local indigenous Maori are from the Te Arawa tribal confederation and they offer visitors a number of authentic Maori cultural experiences.
A visit to the world-famous Waitomo limestone formations and cave systems to see the shimmering lights of thousands of tiny glow-worms is a magical subterranean experience. The Arachnocampa luminosa glow-worm is unique to New Zealand. Hundreds of limestone caves lie beneath the craggy King Country hillside. Created by geological and volcanic activity, the caves have evolved over 30 million years. The area originally lay on the seabed and over millions of years became caked with shells and marine skeletons. The movement of water reduced this matter to dust which set hard, in the process creating limestone.
Visitors can view prehistoric limestone formations and crystal lacework and marvel at the exquisite colour variations in the stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones.
This action-packed full day tour visits a number of leading attractions in the Waitomo and Rotorua regions.
Travel to Waitomo where you will enjoy a guided tour through the galleries of the world famous Glowworm Caves. Tour includes a boat ride through the glowworm grotto.
On arrival in Rotorua see New Zealand's agricultural industry in action with sheep dog trials at the Agrodome, plus an organic farm tour. Then continue to Te Puia where you will see the mighty geysers and boiling mudpools for which this thermal area is famous. Following your guided tour of Te Puia, sit back and enjoy a Maori cultural performance. Return to Auckland in the late afternoon.
The tour includes morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack all served on board the coach.
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