New Zealand is a magical landscape even at the end of hot summer, when most of the hills are burnt gold by the sun. Hobbiton is a must-see for fans. Here, the nature is supported and irrigated, so you can take a walk along the paths known from the movie between the green hills. It's a pity that the area is not bigger. Waitomo Caves provide a slightly different experience. At the very beginning of the tour, the cave in which we were surprised by its amazing formations and its size, but swimming in the dark through the cave and admiring glowing worms - priceless. I could just sit in this boat and sit and watch forever. Nature can create a breathtaking scenery and these caves are such a place. The only downside to this tour is the misleading name for small groups. We traveled by bus for about 11 people and at attractions we were connected with people from the other bus. If I had known, I would have chosen a regular bus trip, it would have been more convenient.

Our bus driver was lovely and talkative, though they don't run the two tours - we get another guide. I loved Hobbiton as I'm a big fan of the films and books. We were lucky with the weather though, if we wanted, we were invited to borrow a Hobbiton umbrella which was a thoughtful offer! The tour guide was informative and fun and happy to take photos. I loved having a drink in the Green Dragon - very tasty and really enjoyed the buffet lunch in the marquee - well worth paying extra for this tour that included this lunch if you are a big fan. I do wish we had just half an hour extra to really enjoy the drink and food and to let it settle in our stomachs as it was a tiny bit rushed towards the end. However, it is also quite a drive back to Auckland and we had yet to get to the caves! The caves part of the tour was also really good and much better than I expected. You cannot take photos in the cave so if you want a momento, bring some dollars for the photo they take at the beginning!

Had a wonderful time at Hobbiton. It was definitely a bit of a drive to get there and back though. The tour itself was extremely well organized and the grounds of Hobbiton are very lovingly cared for.