Rotorua in a Day: A Magical Journey Through Middle-Earth and More

by Caleb

March 29, 2024 · 1 min read

Embark on a one-day adventure in Rotorua, where fantasy and culture collide. Begin your journey at the enchanting Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours, immersing yourself for 3 hours in the lush landscapes that brought The Shire to life. Wander past hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn, capturing memories in the heart of Middle-Earth. Next, connect with New Zealand's farming roots at the Agrodome, a unique farm experience where you'll spend an hour among the sheep and learning about agricultural life. Conclude your day at Te Puia, Rotorua's geothermal wonderland and Maori cultural center. Spend an hour exploring the Pohutu Geyser, mud pools, and the traditional arts and crafts of the Maori people. Your Rotorua itinerary is a blend of cinematic magic, pastoral charm, and rich cultural heritage, all within the span of a single day.

Top 6 Hotels in Rotorua

TOP 1

Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua

4/5

63 reviews

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TOP 2

Arawa Park Hotel, Independent Collection by Evt, an EVT Hotel

4/5

125 reviews

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TOP 3

Novotel Rotorua Lakeside

4/5

57 reviews

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Regent of Rotorua

4/5

116 reviews

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JetPark Hotel Rotorua

4/5

44 reviews

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Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort

4/5

86 reviews

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Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours - Agrodome - Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

Day 1: Enchanting Rotorua - From Hobbit Holes to Geothermal Wonders

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

Begin your Rotorua adventure with a magical journey to the Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours, where the enchanting world of Middle-earth comes to life. Nestled in the rolling hills of Matamata, this picturesque movie set invites you to immerse yourself in the lush landscapes that framed the Shire in the beloved 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' film series. Spend about 3 hours exploring the iconic hobbit holes, the Green Dragon™ Inn, and the Party Tree, all while capturing memories of the film's most iconic locations.

Attraction Info

501 Buckland Road, Matamata 3472, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 3-4 hour
Open from 9:00am-5:00pm;Closed during Christmas

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

The Shire's rest cafe

2/5 · 2 reviews

0.0 km from attraction

49 min，60.99 km

Agrodome

After delving into the cinematic splendor of Hobbiton, make your way to the Agrodome, a unique farm experience just a short drive away. Here, you'll spend an hour engaging with New Zealand's farming heritage. Witness a live sheep shearing demonstration, marvel at the remarkable farm dog trials, and get up close with an array of farm animals. The Agrodome offers a hands-on glimpse into the world of New Zealand agriculture, making it a perfect stop for families and animal lovers alike.

Attraction Info

141 Western Road, Ngongotahā, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 1-2 hour
Open from 9:00am-5:00pm

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

Farmside Buffet

5/5 · 1 review

3.7 km from attraction

Wairere Cafe

/5 · 0 reviews

3.6 km from attraction

Cafe Baraco

4/5 · 1 review

3.4 km from attraction

The Brook Bar and Bistro

4/5 · 3 reviews

3.8 km from attraction

Market Kitchen

/5 · 0 reviews

3.7 km from attraction

Rod & Reel Restaurant Rotorua

4/5 · 2 reviews

3.8 km from attraction

16 min，12.57 km

Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

Conclude your day with a visit to Te Puia in Rotorua, a place where Maori culture and geothermal earth forces create a truly special experience. Within an hour, explore this beautiful village that showcases the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, famous for its spouting geysers, steaming hot springs, and bubbling mud pools. Discover traditional Maori architecture and witness master carvers and weavers at work at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute located within Te Puia. It's a fitting finale to a day rich in cultural and natural wonders.

Attraction Info

Hemo Road, Tihiotonga, Rotorua 3040, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 1-3 hour
Open from 9/24-4/6,8:00am-5:00pm;Open from 4/7-9/23,9:00am-4:00pm;Open from 5:30pm-10:00pm

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

Sichuan Style Restaurant in Rotorua

5/5 · 1 review

2.7 km from attraction

Our Backyard Pub

/5 · 0 reviews

2.8 km from attraction

Duke's Restaurant & Bar

5/5 · 1 review

3.2 km from attraction

Cobb & Co Restaurant & Bar

/5 · 0 reviews

2.5 km from attraction

Columbus Coffee

/5 · 0 reviews

2.6 km from attraction

The Paradise Restaurant

/5 · 0 reviews

2.7 km from attraction

Where to Stay Tonight

0/50 Reviews

Green View Hotels

0/50 Reviews

Whakarewarewa

|0.47km from Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

2.8/566 Reviews

Greenview Motel

2.8/566 Reviews

Whakarewarewa

|0.47km from Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

3.9/598 Reviews

Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park

3.9/598 Reviews

Springfield

|0.52km from Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

4.1/5134 Reviews

Rydges Rotorua, an EVT Hotel

4.1/5Very Good134 Reviews

Whakarewarewa

|0.68km from Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

Top Things to Do in Rotorua-2024

TOP 1

Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

4.7/5 · 210 review

Based on 8,750 review

Highlights:

Wai-o-Tapu, which means "holy water" in Maori, is one of Rotorua's most famous geothermal areas. The most famous ones in Wonderland are the beautiful Champagne Pool and the Lady Knox Geyser, which starts spewing water at 10:15 am every day. This geothermal wonderland is centered on the volcanically active Taupo Volcano area, and about 3 kilometers of walking trails lead you to interesting attractions, including the boiling and extremely photogenic Champagne Pool, the thick but always in Boiling mud, mineral-rich hot springs, and Lady Knox's geyser, which spouts water at mysteriously timed and fixed points - every day at 10.15am, it starts spewing energetically, often for an hour at a time. The water column is as high as 20 meters. In addition to watching all kinds of wonderful and magnificent natural landscapes along the walking trails (please be careful not to walk into areas with warning signs to avoid danger), you can also take a helicopter to get a bird's-eye view of the entire steamy fantasy world. This is a well-developed scenic spot, equipped with a large-scale shopping area and cafes. If you are tired from walking, you can go to the cafe to have a cup of hot coffee and take a break. Before leaving, you may wish to buy a mud mask, which can represent Rotorua. Oh special product.

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TOP 2

Agrodome

4.7/5 · 218 review

Based on 1,672 review

Highlights:

The Agrodome Farm in Rotorua, North Island, is New Zealand's largest, state-of-the-art tourist farm with an area of about 150 hectares. Here you can meet red deer, turkeys, ostriches, alpacas, cows, lambs and many other animals you have never seen before. The farm has performances such as shearing and milking every day, which are very exciting and fun. The iconic sheep shearing bronze statue and the ancient carriage frame are displayed at the entrance of the farm. The Agrodun Farm covers a large area. To visit the pastoral area, you need to take a sightseeing tractor and set off on the tractor. You will see groups of people along the way. Cows and sheep grazing leisurely by the roadside. The tractor will stop in an open meadow, and nearby sheep will come running to surround you. In the alpaca area, the tall alpaca has a very docile temperament, and you can interact and take photos with them. In addition to getting up close and personal with various animals, you can visit the farm orchard, see the kiwi fruit trees, and taste the unique taste of kiwi honey. After the farm tour, go to watch the farm show. There are demonstrations of sheep shearing, sheep auctions, shepherd dog performances, etc. The host will also invite tourists to come on stage to milk the cows and compete for feeding lambs and drinking goat milk, which is very interesting. Visitors to the farm show can also visit the animal pup nursery. Before leaving, check out the WoollenMill, ShearingShedMuseum and DogandWhistle souvenir shops.

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TOP 4

Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

4.6/5 · 160 review

Based on 5,922 review

Highlights:

Rotorua not only attracts tourists from all over the world with its rich geothermal landscape, but also with its strong Maori culture. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and are the early masters of the land. Rotorua is the epicentre of Maori culture. Visitors from all over the world can enjoy unique and breathtaking Maori song and dance performances, watch Maori or simple or exquisite carvings, and learn about Maori history, culture and traditions in the Maori Cultural Village. Te Puia Maori Cultural Village is the birthplace of the world's Puhutu Geyser, mud pools, hot springs, New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi and wood carvings. The Maori Cultural Village is a collection of ancient Maori houses after renovation, with early buildings such as conference halls, housing and storage rooms. The houses of the early Maori were made of rushes and palm branches, which were simple and low, and could not straighten their waists. All kinds of storage rooms are supported by high feet. The tool room is similar to the bamboo building of the Dai people in Yunnan, my country, but it is shorter. There is an exhibition hall in the center of the village, which displays unique Maori carvings, which is a good place for tourists to learn about Maori culture. There is not only a world-renowned indigenous culture, but also an amazing geothermal culture. Hot springs and mud are numerous; steam is everywhere, and there is a strong smell of sulphur. Being in the geothermal area, the letter is like flying through the clouds.

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TOP 5

Skyline Rotorua

4.6/5 · 67 review

Based on 6,327 review

Highlights:

The Rotorua Skyline Skyline Cable Car takes you to the mid-mountain of Mt.Ngongotaha, which is 487 meters above sea level. As the cable car climbs, the city of Rotorua and the beautiful Lake Rotorua, It's getting smaller and smaller under your nose, and the scenery is getting perfect. A well-known play item here is the scooter. After you put on a safety helmet, sit on a tricycle with a very low chassis and sprint down by gravity, which will make you scream! The scooters are divided into slow, intermediate and sprint roads, with a total length of 5 kilometers, enough for you to play, right? If that's not enough, play a few more times! In fact, many people are so addicted to this scooter that they will never let go until they play three or four times. If you have a premonition that you belong to this kind of human being, remember to buy the cable car +3 rides (or + 5 trips) combined tickets can save a lot of money for fun! If you still don’t like it, then I can only recommend the Sky Swing project with very heavy taste to you! Put on a special seat belt and rush down the mountain at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. The degree of fear is comparable to bungee jumping! Perhaps in this extreme stimulation, you have no time to take into account the beautiful scenery of lakes, mountains and cities! The food and coffee served by the cable car restaurant are very well received. After the tour, you might as well go in and soothe your over-excited body and mind with delicious hot drinks!

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* All user reviews in this article have been translated by machine.

* The information above is subject to change at any time. For the latest information, please check the websites of hotels and attractions.

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