Emerald farmland and river valleys
Around Waikato you'll find emerald farmland and river valleys. Ask your guide about cave visits — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Canterbury → Waikato
Lincoln to MatamataDay tours & experiences
A day out from Lincoln to Matamata is an easy way to see a different side of Aotearoa without changing hotels.
Matamata sits in Waikato — rolling green farmland, big rivers and the storybook heart of Middle-earth. Travel privately with a local driver-guide and the day becomes yours: stop for the view, take the short walk, and let someone else handle the wheel.
Waikato
South Island experiences
A taste of what a day around Matamata can hold.
Film-set landscapes made famous on screen
Around Waikato you'll find film-set landscapes made famous on screen. Ask your guide about film-location tours — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Limestone caves lit by glowworms
Around Waikato you'll find limestone caves lit by glowworms. Ask your guide about river walks — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Small-town cafés and country gardens
Around Waikato you'll find small-town cafés and country gardens. Ask your guide about garden walks — it's the kind of thing that turns a transfer into a day you remember.
Tour & experience options
Ways to travel between Lincoln and Matamata.
Full-day adventure tour
A big day out with your own guide — viewpoints, short walks and the landmarks that pull people to the South Island in the first place.
Scenic lake & mountain transfer
Move between towns the slow way, stopping at lake edges, passes and lookouts that most travellers drive straight past.
Hiking & walking tour
Guided time on foot, from gentle lakeside strolls to a genuine day walk, matched to your fitness and the conditions.
Multi-stop scenic journey
String several highlights together in one private vehicle, with the flexibility to linger where it's worth lingering.
Luxury experience
Premium vehicle, a hand-picked guide and a day shaped around cellar doors, private walks and quiet corners.
Why travel between Lincoln and Matamata
Starting in Lincoln puts you on the doorstep of Canterbury, so you can layer a local highlight into the start or end of the day.
Your driver-guide is a local. They know which lookout is clear in the morning, which café is worth the stop and which short walk is worth the shoes.
The road between Lincoln and Matamata threads through the kind of country people fly across the world to see — rolling green farmland, big rivers and the storybook heart of Middle-earth.
Gateway experiences
Make the most of both ends of your journey.
Lincoln
Before you set out, Lincoln is a good place to slow down — Canterbury is known for the Southern Alps and turquoise glacial lakes and alpine passes and high-country stations.
Matamata
Once you arrive, Matamata opens up garden walks, river walks and film-location tours in and around the wider Waikato area.
Frequently asked questions
More day trips from Lincoln
Ready to see Matamata?
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