Experience The Trilogy With NZ’s Must-See Attractions

MEDIA RELEASE
November 2012

Experience The Trilogy With New Zealand’s Must-See Attractions

From Friday 9th November visitors can Experience The Trilogy with a tourism package that showcases to the world the best of what the North Island of New Zealand has to offer.

Start with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, home of The Shire and picturesque movie setting for The Lord of the Rings. A fully escorted tour takes visitors through a spectacular 10 acre site, allowing time to experience the fascinating detail of this world-famous film set.

Continue your adventures in Te Puia, Rotorua - the home of Maori culture and cuisine where you will experience the boiling mud, geysers and gushing waters at Te Whakarewarewa thermal valley. This experience is followed by a special evening at Te Po where you will be immersed in Maori story-telling and entertainment, then invited to a sumptuous banquet. Complete your evening beside the awe inspiring Pohutu geyser, enjoying a hot drink on our hot rocks.

Travel onwards to the magical world of Waitomo and experience Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Ruakuri Cave as you glide silently by boat along an underground river surrounded by glowworms and breath-taking cave formations beneath a limestone vaulted canopy. Become part of the story as you descend deep into the underground, down the spiral entrance in Ruakuri Cave and gaze at crystal limestone formations created over millions of years.

General Manager Marketing & Customer Experience for Tourism Holdings Ltd, Kate Meldrum says: “The Experience The Trilogy package offers a unique combination of experiences in this magical part of New Zealand, bringing the famous films into stunning reality for kids and adults alike.

“We are proud to work so closely with our partners at Hobbiton and Te Puia to create a highly engaging, uniquely New Zealand experience for local and international tourists, showcasing the best of what we have to offer in this incredible part of the world.”

Visitors should allow for an overnight stay in order to complete the self-drive trio of adventures from Hobbiton, Te Puia and Waitomo.

Notes to editors:

• To book your Experience the Trilogy package, visit www.experiencethetrilogy.com and email info@experiencethetrilogy.com or phone +64 7 3489 047
• Prices for the package, including entry fees and tours through Hobbiton Movie Set, Te Puia and Te Po (plus the banquet) and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Ruakuri Cave are: adult $277, child $128, family $728, extra child (with family pass) $116.
• Opening hours: Hobbiton Movie Set tours depart every half hour from 9:30am – 3:30pm (with extended hours in summer). Te Po combo commences at 4.30pm each day at Te Puia, Rotorua. Waitomo Glowworm Caves tours depart every half hour daily from 9am-5pm daily (with extended hours in summer) and Ruakuri Cave tours depart daily at 9.00am, 10.00am, 11.00am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm.
• Duration: Hobbiton Movie Set tour experience allow 2 hours. Te Po combo experience allow 4 ½ hours. Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour allow 45 mins and Ruakuri Cave tour allow 2 hours (allow a minimum of 3.5 hours to complete both tours).

About Hobbiton Movie Set
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In September 1998 Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema ‘discovered’ the Alexander farm during an aerial search for suitable film sites to portray Hobbiton. The fantastic views and rolling countryside of the Alexander farm closely resembled that of Middle-earth as described by JRR Tolkien. The farm was ideal. In 2009 the set was rebuilt for the filming of the two films based on The Hobbit. Now the sets have been permanently constructed and a joint venture owned by Sir Peter Jackson and The Alexander family has been established to operate tours to the Hobbiton Movie Set. The farm is still run as a commercial operation by the Alexander family.

About Te Puia
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At the core of Te Puia is the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, set up by legislation in 1963 to foster the customary art forms of Māori. Since then Te Puia has nurtured and trained hundreds of artists, first in carving, then in weaving and other skills, including kapa haka (Māori performing arts).
All that time, we have funded ourselves through the interest and support of millions of visitors drawn to our place.
Te Puia also offers the wonders of Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, our foundation as New Zealand’s most iconic tourism attraction. With this we incorporate the traditions of guiding and hospitality that New Zealand and international visitors have experienced here for almost 120 years.

About thl and Waitomo Glowworm Caves
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thl is one of Australasia’s premier tourism companies. thl owns and operates Waitomo Glowworm Caves, The Legendary Blackwater Rafting Co., Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave and Kea, Maui, United, Britz, Alpha, Mighty and Econo Campervans, Kiwi Experience and Motek.

Waitomo is only two and a half hours from the tourism gateway of Auckland and home of some of New Zealand’s most unforgettable attractions. Waitomo’s unique underground limestone formations stand as one of New Zealand's most inspiring natural wonders and a must see destination for every visitor to New Zealand.

ENDS

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