visit hobbiton in new zealand

Hobbiton Movie Set is open 7 days. Availability is very limited. Bookings essential.

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• Departing from Tour from The Shire's Rest™ From Matamata I-Site
• Date Selected
• Group size 1
• Departing from Hobbiton™ Beer Festival - Saturday Hobbiton™ Beer Festival - Friday

Step into the enchanting village of Hobbiton™ Movie Set

• Experiences
• Venture Beyond The Door
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Experience the magic of Hobbiton Movie Set

Adult (18+ years) $120 | Youth (11-17 years) $60 | Children (0-10) FREE | NEW Family Pass (2x Adults + 2x Youth) $306 | NZ Gold Card $110

• duration: 2.5 hours

Selected weekend and weekday departures available.

Adult (18+ years) $230 | Youth (11-17 years) $177 | Children (5-10) $119 | Infant (0-4) FREE

• duration: 4.5 hours

Selected weekend departures available.

Adult (18+ years) $180 | Youth (11-17 years) $114 | Children (5-8) $64 | Infant (0-4) FREE*

• Duration: 3.5 hours

Escape the winter chill and warm up with a special feast in the Shire™ on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July 2024

All bookings $290.00

• DURATION: 5 HOURS

Join us for another Hobbiton Movie Set Beer Festival on Friday 1 or Saturday 2 November 2024!

All bookings $300.00

This event is strictly 18+.

• DURATION: 5.5 HOURS

The door has opened on a new adventure and we invite you to step inside and explore the humble home of a typical Hobbit™ family. 

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Explore Hobbiton™ Movie Set & Beyond

Getting to Hobbiton™ Movie Set

TEL: +64 7 888 1505

The Shire's Rest: 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera

Tours depart daily from The Shire's Rest and Matamata i-SITE

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The Shire's Rest™

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How to Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set in New Zealand

For any Lord of the Rings fan, visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand is an absolute must! Here’s everything you need to know about the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour…

How to Visit the Hobbiton Lord of the Rings Movie Set in New Zealand

New Zealand is a mecca for Lord of the Rings fans. It took us five years to ride our motorcycles from the UK to New Zealand. Landing on its shores marked the halfway point of our round the world ride – it was a big deal for us, but, to be honest we were more excited about nerding out on LOTR more than anything else!

Our plan was to scout out filming locations as we rode around the country, but at the top of our list was the Weta Workshop (more on this at the end of the article) and Hobbiton – and Hobbiton turned out to be the absolute highlight!

This guide will help you plan your visit there, figure out what to expect and get the most out of your tour.

What is Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is the village in the Shire where the hobbits live in Lord of the Rings. Location scouts found a sheep farm in Waikato, North Island of New Zealand in 1998, got in touch with the owner and Hobbiton was born – and then demolished.

The initial set build was for the trilogy, but was knocked down once filming was complete. However, when it came time to film the next trilogy (The Hobbit), the production team built a permanent set, which is what you can now visit today. 

What will I find at Hobbiton?

You’ll find a surprisingly large and incredibly well looked after movie set. It doesn’t feel like a movie set though due to the sheer scale. There are 44 hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn, which serves drinks.

You’ll start the tour from Shire’s Rest. This is where you park your car and buy tickets. You’ll find a gift shop, bar and café with awesome views there too. 

How do I visit Hobbiton?

To visit Hobbiton, you must join an organised tour. You can not drive there and walk around on your own.

Make your way to Shire’s Rest and park up (there’s a large car park there). You then go in and either buy your tickets there or show them the tickets you’ve bought online. You’ll then be asked to queue with your allotted group for your designated tour bus and will then be driven to the set. 

What happens on the Hobbiton tour?

Your tour starts the second you get on the bus. Expect the entire tour to last two hours. Your guide welcomes the group and explains the process. You’ll then watch a little intro on a TV at the front of the bus.

After a ten-minute drive you’ll be dropped off and your tour will start.

The groups can be large, but it doesn’t feel rushed, so there’s plenty of time to get the snaps you want.

Your guide will chat about the films, sets, hobbit holes and more as you’re led around the set. You can peer into the hobbit holes but there’s nothing inside. All of the interior scenes were filmed in Weta Workshop (more on that at the end of this article).

However, they are working on building interiors, so guests may be able to go inside from early 2024. On the outside though, the attention to detail is phenomenal.

Once you’ve walked through the entire set you’ll be taken to the Green Dragon Inn. It’s a proper pub! And you’ll be given a complimentary drink with a choice of real beer, cider, ale or a soft drink like ginger beer. You’re then given plenty of time to sit in front of the fire, buy some snacks, wonder around and chill out.

Once you’ve finished, you’ll be taken back to the bus and returned to Shire’s Rest. 

How do I book tickets for the tour?

We recommend using Viator to book your tickets. You can book your tour tickets for Hobbiton, and also find some pretty good combo deals. For example, you’ll find deals that also include a driver and pick-up or additional Lord of the Rings sights and stops along the way.

• Here’s the link to Hobbiton on viator.com/hobbiton
• And here’s the link to the official Hobbiton website: hobbitontours.com

How much does it cost?

Expect tickets to cost around £55-£60 per person for a standard tour. There are discounts for youths, children and family passes.

What do I need to take with me?

Take the appropriate clothing for the time of year you’re travelling, comfortable trainers, sunglasses and sun cream. You may want to carry a bottle of water too as there’s no drinks until the end of the tour at the Inn. And most importantly – don’t forget your camera!

What about food and drink?

There is an excellent café at the Shire’s Rest serving great food and drink. There’s also a very cool gift shop too. There is drink available at the end of the walking tour at the Inn where you will be given a free beer or cider. You can also buy snacks and extra drinks here.

When to visit Hobbiton?

The summer months in New Zealand are from December to February, but the staff on site keep the grass and flowers watered so everything looks lush all year round. We visited in May and the weather was a little drizzly in the morning, but perfect for the rest of the day.

How do I get to Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is in Matamata. Put directions into the Shire’s Rest in Google if you’re driving yourself there as this is the car park. You’ll see signs for the Hobbiton Movie Set as you get nearer. Here’s a Google Map link below.

Where to stay when visiting Hobbiton

Hobbiton is easily accessible from nearby towns. We would recommend staying in lovely Hamilton or Matamata itself.

To help, check out the below Booking.com map. It’s pin pointed on Hobbiton, so you can move the map around and easily see the types and prices of nearby accommodation.

What else can you do at Hobbiton?

The dinner banquet tour.

You’ll still get to tour the movie set (and still get your beer at the Dragon’s Inn), but will also be treated to an evening feast! After you’ve eaten, you’ll get another walking tour through Hobbiton at night.

Second Breakfast Tour

This one is just as posh. Enjoy a second breakfast in the Millhouse followed by a walking tour.

Private events

Hobbiton can also cater for private events and functions. You’ll find more info on this on their website.

Weta Workshop

We can’t talk about Hobbiton without mentioning the incredible Weta Workshop! Weta are the guys who made all the props and costumes for the Lord of the Rings films. You can tour their studio and learn about how they make everything at their studio in Wellington or their Weta Workshop – Unleashed experience in Auckland.

• We recommend booking tickets for this with Viator as you’ll find better deals. viator.com/wetaworkshop
• And check out their official website here: tours.wetaworkshop.com

More Lord of the Rings tours

If visiting the Hobbiton movie set tour and checking out Weta Workshop still hasn’t quenched your Lord of the Rings thirst, then luckily for you there’s loads more tours you can do around New Zealand. If you don’t have your own vehicle, or want a guide who really knows their stuff, we recommend joining an organised filming location tour.

The best way to book onto one of these is again to check out Viator, because you’ll find loads of examples with reviews and current prices on one page. Here’s the link to the tours: viator.com/lordoftheringstours

We may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase a product using the affiliate links on this page. We’re not sponsored, are completely impartial and don’t run ads. So this helps us keep the site running. Thank you for your support.

Read more on motorcycle travel in New Zealand

Thanks for checking out the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in New Zealand that we recommend you read next. 

• All New Zealand Guides
• Motorcycle Travel Guide: New Zealand

The Best Motorcycle Routes in New Zealand

• Motorcycle Travel Blog New Zealand: We Made it!
• New Zealand’s Motorcycle Mecca Museum Guide

Try these next…

How to Make Money While Motorcycle Travelling

The Best Adventure Motorcycle Destinations

The Ultimate Motorcycle Trip Packing List

How to visit Japan’s stunning Vine Bridges

The Cutest Place in Japan: Rabbit Island, Okunoshima

Are you planning on visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below. 

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A visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand

The Shire. Hobbiton. Bag End. The Green Dragon. It’s all REAL.

Hobbiton Movie Set invites Middle Earth fans to discover Tolkien’s EPIC fantasy world as seen in The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit trilogies.

In this travel guide, you can find helpful info & tips before visiting Hobbiton and some amazing photos from my latest visit.

What is Hobbiton?

Unless you live in a burrow deep down in the ground you must have heard about The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films. Both movie trilogies were filmed in New Zealand.

Hobbiton Movie Set represents the homeland of the Hobbits , a protagonist race in both trilogies. They live in a peaceful green fantasyland , a lush paradise on (middle) earth, called The Shire.

It’s the only movie set from the movie trilogies still standing and that’s the closest anyone can get to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. 14 acres full of farms, polished gardens and 44 hobbit holes, dug into the hillside.

Now picture this!

Colourful hobbit holes in various sizes & shapes in a region of emerald fields. The hobbit village stretches across rolling hills with spectacular views over the surrounding area.

And that’s your typical New Zealand countryside.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. “The Hobbit” or “There and Back Again”

Where is Hobbiton in New Zealand?

Hobbiton is located just outside Matamata , a small town in the Waikato Region of the North Island . The closest big city is Rotorua, 1 hour by car.

View more beautiful locations in Middle Earth!

The farm was picked by Sir Peter Jackson to represent The Shire. The picturesque 1.250-acre property numbers approximately 13.000 sheep and 300 Angus beef cattle.

The setting is miraculously untouched by the 21st century.

No matter where I looked, it was impossible to locate tall buildings, power lines, or highways. All I could see were farmlands and sheep.

What can you see in Hobbiton Movie Set?

It’s all there. The Old Mill, the Green Dragon Inn, the famous Party Tree, and last but not least, Bag End.

In total, the set has 44 hobbit homes scattered all around the landscape. Each one has its own special little details. What this place is only missing is actual Hobbits.

I found it hard to convince myself that I wouldn’t see Frodo running and leaping onto Gandalf’s cart.

I was in a group of 25 and I could also see other groups touring Hobbiton at the same time. At some points it felt crowded and rushy but there is time to take photos on your own. There’s also that one hobbit hole you can get inside so that the tour guide can take a pic of you!

The Shire’s Rest

That’s the start of your adventure!

You can find a ticket centre, a gift shop, a café and a garden bar. Grab something to eat while enjoying some amazing views over the surrounding countryside. Tours run every 30 minutes !

A bus will take you to Hobbiton and a video featuring Peter Jackson himself will get you into the mood!

You may start feeling excited now!

Taking a tour of a real Hobbit village

“ Welcome to Hobbiton, home to those amazing creatures called Hobbits ”, our tour guide said.

As soon as I entered the Hobbiton village I instantly recognised Bag End further up the hill and the gigantic party tree , where Bilbo shot his final stunt before setting off for his adventure.

Numerous hobbit-holes all around me, each one with its own garden, ponds and colourful flowers adding to the already picturesque scenery.

After the initial shock, I noticed the incredible attention given to detail. Lichen growing on the fences, cute little picnic setups by the lake, laundry lines with miniature costumes hung up to dry, fruit stands and hobbit-sized wheelbarrows.

The set is so authentic and looks like you’ve stumbled upon a small but real village .

Decide on what you want to focus on. You either stand close to the tour guide hearing most of the interesting facts and the history of Hobbiton or fall behind to get less crowded photos. I’d say go for the photos and read all the weird facts about Hobbiton here !

Roaming around the Hobbit holes

All 44 hobbit holes look aged as they have been there for years, with extreme details and numerous other touches that reflect the occupation of the actual hobbit living there.

For example, it was easy to tell the hobbit-hole of the cheesemaker due to several huge rounds of cheese spotted in a window.

Another hobbit-hole belonged to a family with two children since a pair of tiny hobbit clothes were hung out on the clothesline to dry. A florist and a baker were also on the scene with their detailed gorgeous little shop in front of their properties.

Meanwhile, a hobbit decided to spend some time on the lake. A “Gone Fishing” sign next to the door indicated it!

It’s amazing how each individual structure on the Hobbiton Movie Set has its own colour, theme and unique decoration. Gardening tools and brooms dropped on cabbage gardens, honey pots, little picket fences, butterfly catchers and hand-painted mailboxes awaiting the morning delivery.

Those adorable details really add up to the surreal setting. I was literally expecting a Hobbit party to explode at any moment.

The whimsical landscape of Hobbiton helps you immerse into Tolkien’s amazing fantasy world of tiny creatures & magical rings of ancient power.

You’ll also notice that not all hobbit-holes are of the same size. Some of them are full human-sized while others are much smaller. Our tour guide explained that they used different scales for filming, in order to create perspective between the Hobbits, Gandalf and the Dwarves.

There is such a rich collection of weird facts & stories about the making of Hobbiton Movie Set ; hopefully, we have collected almost all of them in one article.

Facts about Hobbiton the tour guide won’t tell you

Can I go inside the hobbit hole?

As of December 2022, you cannot visit any of the hobbit holes . The hobbit-holes are just facades with all the interior filming done at a studio in Wellington.

However, a new development estimated to be completed in December 2023 will bring visitors inside a fully themed Hobbit Hole interior. Expect a fully authentic experience since the Art Director of The Hobbit is involved in the concept design.

Each interior will feature an entry hall, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and dining area, an equipped pantry and a parlour complete with a crackling fireplace!

The tour will be increased by 30 minutes with the prices also increasing to reflect this new experience.

Bag End – The most luxurious hobbit hole

At the top of the Hobbiton Hill lies the most famous and elegant hobbit-hole, home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Bag End.

Truly remarkable, a highlight of the tour, it holds the best view over Hobbiton – the party tree, the Old Mill, the double-arched stone bridge leading to the Green Dragon. You can spot everything easily from up here.

The entrance to Bag End was a perfectly round green door featuring a brass knob in the centre. The entryway was a tube-shaped hall with panelled walls and a tiled floor, furnished with carpeting, polished chairs, and an abundance of pegs for the hats and coats of many visitors. […] The best rooms were those on the left side of the passage for they had deep-set round windows with a view of the garden and meadows beyond down to The Water. The Hobbit, Chapter 1 – An Unexpected Party

The elaborate dwelling features a perfectly round weathered green door with a yellow brass exactly in the middle, waiting to be knocked.

The iconic hobbit-hole is surrounded by flowers, a giant pumpkin and Bilbo’s renowned “no admittance – except on party business” sign still nailed to the front gate.

Did you know? According to JRR Tolkien, the wealthier hobbits lived higher up the hill. That’s why Bilbo lived at the top of them all!

Visiting Bag End and looking at the Hobbiton village, just like Bilbo and Gandalf did while smoking pipe-weed & watching the sunset was priceless.

Tip : The oak tree overlooking Bag End is artificial, made from fibreglass. To make it look alive, hand-painted silk leaves from Taiwan were imported and glued to the tree one-by-one.

A Hobbit hole you can’t miss

Samwise Gamgee . A gardener by trade with a great love for Elves and a gift for poetry, Frodo’s best mate and a ring-bearer. The only original member of the fellowship to make the journey till the very end at Mount Doom.

Surely you don’t want to miss that hobbit’s residence right at 3 Bagshot Row. Sam’s dwelling with its yellow round door is decorated with colourful flowers – red, purple, yellow, orange. In my opinion, this is one of the cutest hobbit-holes in all Hobbiton Movie Set.

He faced far greater […] and terrible foes than he ever should have had to face, and did so with courage. He went alone into a black and terrible land, stormed a dark fortress, and resisted the most terrible temptation of his world for the sake of the friend that he loved. That in the end, it was his actions and his actions alone that made it possible for light to overcome darkness. Sanya about Samwise Gamgee

Tip : Sam’s hobbit-hole is featured in the last film of the original trilogy; after bidding farewell to Frodo, he can be seen returning home.

Drinking brew at The Green Dragon

One of the best parts of the Hobbiton tour is The Green Dragon, a popular inn frequented by Hobbits from both Bywater & Hobbiton.

There’s only one Dragon in Bywater, and that’s Green. Ted Sandyman, The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 1

That’s the spot where Bilbo met Thorin before starting the epic quest of reclaiming Erebor from the dragon Smaug.

But here’s the best…

Not only you can actually step inside but you can also order a full human-sized beer. They are all brewed locally and you can get one for free. Ginger beer is also served as an non-alcoholic option.

What’s more, you can enjoy traditional Hobbit delicacies like beef and ale pie, cold pork pie and cheese mousetrap – whatever this last one is.

The area outside the pub is rather scenic. Here, you can find the double-arched bridge along with an operational mill, a little dock with fishing rods and picnic stuff by the lake; there is even some hobbit-themed music playing. Therefore, it’s a great idea to grab your meal and head outdoors.

Don’t forget to claim your free pint; the Green Dragon is famous for the brownest ale in all Middle-Earth.

At the back exit of the inn there some hobbit clothes for you to try! Pose with your favorite costume and take that shot!

But how is the interior decorated?

The Green Dragon is a replica of what was depicted in the films!

The wood and stone used in its construction along with the earth-like bright colours make it feel welcoming and warm. A couple of leather armchairs next to the fireplace tempt you to settle in and relax reading a book by the fire.

The slanted roofs and the round doorways, the replica paintings, the authentic kegs and the aged glass panes will take you to a different age. Unfortunately, you only have about 20 to 30 minutes to soak up the atmosphere of this old-world tavern.

Once inside the pub keep your eyes open for hidden gems like the following poem:

A wizard too clever by half, Lit some fireworks just for a laugh; But with too little care, for he singed all his hair and set fire to the end of his staff!

Tip : Make sure you take some time to read the hilarious signs posted by the bar; job vacancies, lost item notes and announcements.

The story of Hobbiton so far…

The year is 1998 .

Peter Jackson is looking for a place in New Zealand to serve as the village where the hobbits live.

That’s when he flew over Alexander’s farm in Waikato. Where everyone saw a beautiful farm, Peter Jackson pictured The Shire as described by Tolkien in his books.

A small but beautiful, idyllic and fruitful land […] with unspoiled green pastures, a rising hill (where Bag End sits) and a magnificent pine tree by a lake.

Construction of the Hobbiton Movie Set and the filming of LOTR trilogy started in 1999 and took three months. The movie set was made from temporary materials like foam and was torn down after filming.

However, as word got out and the location of the movie set was identified, fans flooded in and the Alexander family started running the first tours in 2002 .

In 2009 , when the time came to film The Hobbit trilogy, Peter Jackson asked for permission to recreate Hobbiton on the farm. An agreement was struck and Hobbiton was re-built, this time with permanent materials so it can be visited in real life and stand the test of time.

Hobbiton Movie Set officially opened to public for tours in 2012 .

Visiting Hobbiton & ticket prices

Hobbiton Movie Set can only be visited on a guided tour.

It’s really popular so book early , especially in summer. Tours are running daily from 09:00 to 16:30 and last 2 hours.

As of December 2022, the ticket price for the casual Hobbiton Movie Set Tour is $89 NZD for adults, $44 NZD for youths and free for children under 8 years old. Family passes on a discount are also available.

Feeling like you want the full experience?

For all true Hobbits there are additional premium experiences.

Evening Banquet Tour – A day walking tour followed by a banquet feast fit for a Hobbit served in The Green Dragon Inn for $199 NZD Second Breakfast Tour – A privileged early morning tour followed by a hearty breakfast inside The Millhouse for $149 NZD

There are additional seasonal experiences available but can be fully booked months ago!

• Mid-Winter Feast available on selected dates during summer (4.5 hours)
• International Hobbit Day available yearly on 22nd September (5 hours)
• Hobbiton Movie Set Beer Festival including a tour, a number of ales to taste, a buffet meal and a themed band (5 hours)

You can visit the Hobbiton Tours website for more info!

Starting from December 2023, when the new development in Hobbiton Movie Set will be completed all ticket prices will be increased.

Where to stay near Hobbiton

Wished you could stay inside those tiny hobbit holes?

Unfortunately, you can’t!

I can feel your disappointment, trust me, I’ve been there!

However, there are several accommodation options in the nearby towns :

• Matamata (15 mins)
• Hamilton (45 mins)
• Rotorua (55 mins)

Still wanna spend a night inside a hobbit house? Woodlyn Park Hotel – ideal for family fun (75 mins from Hobbiton) Underhill Valley – a rustic adults-only cave house (55 mins from Hobbiton) Both of these hobbit hole houses are the closest you can get to a stay in The Shire.

Helpful Info

How can you get to hobbiton.

Back in the early 2000s, you would have to hone your tracking skills. Printed instructions found in online forums and a map (yup, a paper one not Google Maps) were vital if you were to see Hobbiton.

Today, it’s easier than ever to visit Hobbiton as there are signs all over the North Island! You can either use your own vehicle (recommended) or book a tour from the official website , from Rotorua & Matamata.

Self-driving to Hobbiton Matamata – 15 mins. (16 km) Rotorua – 55 mins (70 km) Taupo – 90 mins (120 km) Auckland – 130 mins (170 km)

What’s the best time to visit Hobbiton?

You can visit Hobbiton Movie Set all year round but, In my opinion, spring is the best season . The hobbit village is full of colourful plants and blossoming flowers tidied up in flawless gardens and grassy paths.

What you really need to think about is the weather since you’ll be outside for the biggest part of the tour. Be ready for extreme sun during summer, cold in winter and rain, at any time of the year. Tours start no matter the weather conditions, so be prepared!

Check the official website for weather info – scroll down, and you’ll find the weather section before the website’s footer.

The paths are gravel, with several ups and downs so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

In terms of photographs, I would pick the morning or later afternoon tours, as the lighting is better.

No matter the time you are visiting, always book ahead, especially during school or the summer holidays.

Is the Hobbiton tour worth the price?

Is it crowded? Definitely!

Would I do it again? Hell, yes!

Not only it was a dream coming true but it was certainly one of the highlights of my New Zealand trip.

That little special place, located in a remote corner of the world is totally surreal; it’s exactly what Tolkien described and imagined. As I strolled through Hobbiton with its lush green hills and quaint hobbit holes, I felt worlds away from reality .

I just couldn’t believe that all the magic of Middle-Earth is alive and well preserved. It’s rare to have the opportunity to visit the exact place where one of your favourite universe comes to life!

If you are not a LOTR fan or just a hobby photographer you will definitely fall in love with the village. After visiting you won’t stop wondering what it would be like to live in one of these fairytale Hobbit houses.

If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, it’s a no-brainer. That’s a must-visit in New Zealand!

What would I do different?

I would surely book the evening banquet . Not only the movie set is less crowded during the evening but you can also take shots of Hobbiton during sunset. Not to mention, the dinner inside the Green Dragon Inn!

Who wouldn’t want to live like a hobbit?

Comfort, an easygoing lifestyle, numerous parties, pipe-weed and up to six meals per day. Ever since I became a Tolkien fan, I could easily picture myself living happily in that quaint village called Hobbiton .

The moment I stepped in Hobbiton I understood why people cross the world to visit; it simply feels like home !

Know before you go

Tours depart daily from 09:00 to 16:30. View more tour times here!

Yes, order your tickets in advance and avoid any disappointments! Here are all the available ticket options!

The evening dinner tour includes a guided tour through The Shire at dusk. As soon as the tour ends, you will be taken to the Green Dragon where you will be treated to a banquet feast. The night tour experience concludes with a walk back through the wandering paths of Hobbiton under the moonlight and your lanterns illuminating the way. View all the available tours here!

The casual walking tour takes approximately 2 hours. There are several other experiences you can book to enjoy Hobbiton to its full potential. See all the tour options here!

The best season to visit is spring. The hobbit village is full of colourful plants and blossoming flowers tidied up in flawless gardens and grassy paths. More info about what’s the ideal time to visit Hobbiton here !

You can only visit Hobbiton on a guided tour that costs $89 NZD for adults. However, there are additional experiences if you want to make the best of your visit. See all the available options here!

Unfortunately not but don’t get disappointed! There are themed hobbit-house accommodation options nearby. View them all here!

Not yet, as currently, Hobbiton consists only of facades. The only exceptions are the Green Dragon Inn, The Millhouse and an empty hobbit house! However, a new development will recreate a fully themed Hobbit Hole interior thus, allowing you to go inside.

Yes, even if there are other groups touring the village simultaneously, you have the time to get some photos! However, for those who want Hobbiton for themselves, there are other less-crowded experiences! Read all about them here!

The official website provides bus transfers from Matamata & Rotorua. However, as with every experience in New Zealand, it’s always better if you self-drive. Learn more about driving distances here!

Hobbiton is one of the places where a tiny & peaceful race called The Hobbits, lives. It’s located in the centre of The Shire, homeland of the majority of the hobbits in Middle-earth. Can’t believe it’s real? See some epic photos for yourself!

Films about Hobbiton

• The Lord of the Rings (film trilogy) – follow Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship as they embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring and ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron
• The Hobbit (film trilogy) – the adventures of hobbit Bilbo Baggins and thirteen dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug

All images are licensed under the Creative Commons  Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International  license.

Planning to visit Hobbiton? Share your plans and leave your thoughts below!

• 30 weird & fun Hobbiton facts [you never knew]

Nikos Taskos

Combine travelling, food and SEO and you'll have Nikos. A Greek with a passion for exploring, he is always game for a bit of adventure and will never pass on an opportunity to discover something new – local bites and weird drinks, unique experiences, a dark cave or that mysterious footpath down the corner.

Hope see me my friends there soon. Thank you for the update.

Thanks for the write-up Nikos. It’s an amazing place, isn’t it? The attention to detail is off the charts. Cheers!

I second that! I finally had the chance to live within the fantasyland of my childhood dreams!

Nice and detailed blog about your adventure. Great work! I specifically liked your inclusion of abstracts from the book.

Thank you so much for dropping by, I am glad you have enjoyed reading it! More LOTR film location travel stories are on the way!

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Hobbiton™ Movie Set in 360-degrees

Get a behind-the-scenes 360° tour, without leaving home.

Take a 360° virtual tour of Hobbiton™ Movie Set (opens in new window) . Meander down the famous Hobbiton™ Cutting and deep into the heart of The Shire. Step inside a virtual Green Dragon Inn and explore Bag End.

Click or tap the map hot-spots below t hen click "Take a 360 tour" to be transported behind the scenes.

Hobbiton™ Cutting

The evening banquet, inside the green dragon™ inn, the green dragon™ inn.

Begin your journey at the Hobbiton™ Cutting, follow the meandering path into the lush pastures of the Shire to see the Hobbiton™ Movie Set.

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Nestled beneath the outstretched branches of an oak tree is the iconic green door of Bag End, Frodo and Bilbo's much-loved home.

Beside the roaring fire in The Green Dragon™ Inn, guests are treated to a spectacular banquet feast.

Inside The Green Dragon™ Inn, guests can enjoy handcrafted ales, cider and ginger beer, brewed exclusively for the Hobbiton Movie Set.

The Green Dragon™ Inn is a masterful recreation from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. Step inside to visit the bar and view the evening banquet.

Visit Hobbiton™ Movie Set

If you enjoyed our 360-degree experience, try  visiting Hobbiton™ Movie Set (opens in new window) in reality.

Set in amongst the rolling green hills of Matamata, Hobbiton™ Movie Set offers daily public tours, spell-binding tales and themed events. 

Explore the  Shire™, Hobbit Holes™ and get up close to  Bag End where Frodo and Bilbo's adventures began.

Check out The Mill and the party tree and the many unique photo opportunities, then finish the day in the  Green Dragon™ Inn.  Relax in front of the fire with a freshing pint of  Hobbit™ Southfarthing™  and feast on the evening banquet which is fit for a Hobbit sized appetite. 

Matamata is just two hours drive south from Auckland. Why not make your adventure last a full day (or two) and combine the movie set tour with other unique adventures with the tours below. 

Step into the Shire

Green Dragon Inn., Waikato

By Hobbiton™ Movie Set

Hobbiton™ Movie Set., New Zealand

By http://www.hamiltonwaikato.com/

Hobbiton™ Movie Set., Waikato

Hobbiton's Green Dragon Inn., Waikato

By Sara Orme

Bag End at Hobbiton™ Movie Set., Waikato

By Bag End at Hobbiton™ Movie Set

Hobbiton House., New Zealand

By Britz NZ

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Ultimate Guide For Visiting Hobbiton In New Zealand 2024

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Where and Wander uses affiliate links on this page. When you purchase something using my links, I might earn a small fee and it costs you nothing.

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Latest Status: The Hobbiton Movie Set is currently open and operating normally in 2024. Tickets should be booked in advance due to popularity of the tours.

“Will you follow me one last time?”

If you are a fan of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings  and The Hobbit trilogies, I don’t need to convince you to put a visit to the The Hobbit movie set at the top of your must-do list when visiting New Zealand’s North Island.

I remember picking up a copy of The Hobbit  in 7th grade, introduced for the first time to this fantastical realm and joining Bilbo Baggins on his grand adventure. It was one of my favorite books growing up and seeing the world of Tolkien come to life when the Lord of the Rings came out was a true geek-out experience. When I decided to come to New Zealand, I treated it like coming to Middle Earth. And you can’t come to Middle Earth without a visit to the Shire.

My friend, Corey, and I saved this bit for the end of our grand camper van adventure exploring New Zealand. With a bit of luck, I was able to arrange access to a private walk-through of Hobbiton at sunrise to photograph the permanent set when there were no other visitors around. I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to be here and shoot when the sun was hanging high and harsh overhead. This bit of pre-planning and good fortune made my visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set an absolute highlight of my travels in the land of Kiwis.

I’ll walk you through my experience and share some of the magic of visiting this bucket list spot. Al the information you’ll need for visiting Hobbiton as well as the different types of tours and accommodations options will be below. Or you can use these quick links to jump straight to the information you need.

How To Get To Hobbiton | Where To Stay | Ticket Prices | Second Breakfast | Party Marquee Lunch | Evening Dinner

There And Back Again…In New Zealand

The morning of the shoot, I woke up well before dawn even though we had parked our camper van just 10 minutes away from Hobbiton. Empty memory card. Check. Spare batteries. Check. The elvish translation for OMGTHISISGOINGTOBEEPIC. Check. All set.

We met up with Henry, Hobbiton’s point person when it comes to promoting the location (as if it needed any extra promotion), at the Shire cafe and took a ride in his car to the set. Somehow I thought we’d be transported in via giant eagles or Gandalf’s carriage.

Hidden In The Hills

From the entrance across the street from the Cafe and ticket office, it looked so much like the same scenery we had been driving across for the last month. Endless rolling hills. And at least a handful of sheep. Henry tells us that one of the appeal of the location was that it was on a private land and Hobbiton itself could not be seen from any of the main roads in the area offering Jackson and the crew the privacy they needed to shoot.

After about 20 minutes of driving, we pulled up to a plain parking lot with a small sign welcoming us to Hobbiton. The morning fog had blanketed the hills as we drove in and didn’t look to clear anytime soon so most of it was still hidden, further heightening my anticipation. As I walked down the stone path leading into the village, Henry pointed out that this was where Gandalf first rides into the Shire. Holy Galandriel, indeed it was.

Don’t Wake The Hobbits

The sizing and the fog threw me off at first, but we had officially entered Hobbiton. And then there it was. A real hobbit hole. And it looked exactly like it did in the movie. Better even, because it was right in front of me. Most of the time, movie sets are made of some light, cheap material and then painted to look realistic. This was not that, the gates were made of wood, the walls were laid with real solid bricks and even the vegetation and tools in the garden were real.

Though the fog was still covering most of Hobbiton, I could make out the paths leading through the rest of the village. As we walked through, I found myself trying to stay quiet half-worrying that I would be waking up the hobbits still slumbering in their homes. It was just that realistic. Before we headed to the top of the Bag End, Henry took us to a small lake looking back towards the village. I was stunned.

When The Magic Happens

While Henry explained how the set was rebuilt to be a more permanent attraction when The Hobbit trilogy began filming, I took the time to capture a time lapse of this view as the fog was whipping across the scene. It’s a favorite of mine in my Time and Again video. I tried to get as clear a view as possible by getting as close to the lake as possible without falling in. Within minutes the fog was dramatically changing the landscape. Again, absolutely incredible.

And then the sun tried to peak through behind the fog. I turned around and captured this light flooding through the trees. No hobbits required for me to turn my attention away from the hobbit hill for this shot.

We continued our walk back through the village giving me the chance to get some close-up of all the “props” of this set. Whether you come as a fan of the movie series or not, you can’t help but appreciate the attention to detail that Jackson’s team put in. Interesting factoid: the hobbit houses higher up on the hill are wealthier and so that is reflected in how their gardens were kept and maintained relative to the ones at the bottom of the hill.

Real Vegetable Gardens

The vegetables grown are seasonal so they change depending on when you come to visit. I’m sure they can replace a gourd or two with some of the plastic variety to save from having to have a team of gardeners maintain the place, but the fact that they don’t should be noted. And it’s not about keeping a static vision of Hobbiton. In the wintertime, the grapes wouldn’t be hanging off the vines, so in true fashion, it doesn’t when you come and visit during that time of year.

Visiting Bag End

At the very top of the hill was Bilbo Baggins’ Bag End. Say that 10 times. We were first introduced to this place when Gandalf enters the gate with the now iconic “No Admittance Except On Party Business” sign and greets Bilbo at his front door only to be turned out before being recognized. Remember that scene?

Bilbo: “No thank you! We don’t want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!”

Gandalf: “And what of old friends?”

It was so familiar, I felt like I was coming home. And THAT DOOR.

This part is off limits on the tour, so don’t be too disappointed if you can’t pose in front of the door. From here, we exited out the gate and wandered down the hill back towards the old mill next to the bridge that leads to the Green Dragon Inn.

Having A Drink At The Green Dragon

The Green Dragon Inn is a real pub. With real beer, cider and ale. During the filming of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, they brewed a beer specifically for the movie and the actors, with a lower than usual alcoholic content (you don’t expect the actors to have the same tolerance as hobbits and dwarves for all the multiple takes do you?). Take 2!

When they built out the full Green Dragon Inn for the Hobbit, they came up with a range of beers and cider just for Hobbiton. And it’s included with the tour. You can choose from an Amber Ale, a Stout Ale, an Apple Cider, or a Ginger Beer. I went for the Apple Cider. Who am I kidding? I went for all 4. Let’s get sloshed Hobbit-style. I wasn’t driving.

Dressing Up As A Hobbit

I finished my visit pretty happy at this point and I really should have been satisfied  having gotten some great photos. But I wasn’t. Secretly, I wanted to dress up as a hobbit and use Bilbo Baggin’s Bag End as a backdrop to film a quick scene for my New Zealand video. I had noticed earlier that there were some jackets hanging on the rack in the Green Dragon Inn. And they looked just my size.

Maybe it was that 4th drink, but I felt like I had nothing to lose so I rung up Henry after the tour and asked if I could come back around sunset to get more photos. Somehow, he agreed to my request. So after the last of the tours left, we returned to Hobbiton.

Coming Back For Sunset

Henry asked me what I wanted to shoot and I calmly explained my idea – to dress up as a hobbit. Confident and professional on the outside. A nervous wreck on the inside. His response? A quick “sure”. Wow. If only all requests were handled with such a quick and positive answer. The reputation Kiwis have for being really really nice and hospitable people. Absolutely true. So grabbing a vest, jacket and hat along with ridding myself of shoes (only time I wish I had hairy feet), this is what I looked like.

“I’m going on an adventure!”

I spent about 10 minutes opening and closing that green door countless times filming what is hopefully the opening and closing sequence for my video. Immediately afterwards, I ran down the hill to capture another time lapse as the last light of day began to fade. Barefoot and barreling down the now familiar hobbit path, I nearly ran off an overhang into one of the hobbit’s front yard. Back down at the lake where I shot the morning sequence, I set up for the time lapse as Henry headed to the Green Dragon Inn for a little surprise.

Hobbiton At Dusk

All of a sudden, lights came on through the windows of the hobbit houses. Magic. And I refuse to believe anything else. Even if the explanation is that they had recently installed lights in all the hobbit houses to get ready for the launch of their evening dinner tours. I think people are going to love it when that happens.

Quick Tip: The first and last tour of the day are usually the best and least crowded times to go. It’s also the best time to get photos with better lighting.

So that’s Hobbiton at dusk with the grand party tree in the background. And with that my day in the Shire came to an end. I was actually pretty bummed I had to return the clothes. Sadly, it fit all too well. If you are looking for something to place on your New Zealand Must Do Activity list, this is an absolute can’t miss. It just doesn’t exist anywhere else. Check out Middle Earth and the Shire’s appearance in my around the world time lapse.

The New Venture Beyond The Door Experience

As of 2024, all tours include a visit inside a hobbit hole home. For the first time, you can visit Bagshot Row and set into one of the charming dwellings designed and crafted by the creative teams behind the movies.

How To Get To Hobbiton In New Zealand

The movie set is located in Matamata about 2 hours south of Auckland, 45 minutes north west of Rotorua, 1.5 hours north of Taupo and 1.5 hours north east of Waitomo. If you don’t have your own vehicle, there’s an option to get to Hobbiton with a pick-up from Auckland with also includes a festive lunch at the Party Marquee and special entry into one of the hobbit holes.

If you are already in Matamata, you can also book the tour ahead of time with a free bus transfer from Matamata for the same price.

In Matamata, you go south on Hineura Rd and then turn right onto Buckland Rd until you see the signs for Hobbiton Movie Set.

From the East, you go west on Highway and connect with Buckland Rd. From the South and West, you head north on Highway 1, connect north to Highway 29 and then turn left onto Buckland Rd.

Where  To Stay In Hobbiton: Matamata or Karapiro

While Matamata is the closest town to the Hobbiton Movie Set and they also do pick-ups from there, Cambridge and Karapiro is also another option since it’s only a bit more of a drive than Matamata. Both are good options. I would suggest Karapiro if you also want to couple a visit with staying along the Waikato River.

Below are a list of some recommended hotels and apartments, especially if you’re traveling as a group or a family.

Where to Stay In Matamata?

First off is Hills Vista Lodge . This is as close to Hobbiton as you can stay and it’s probably the best option if you’re traveling as a large group or a big family. This place has 3 bedrooms with 7 beds, so it can house quite a few people if necessary. Breakfast is also included. There’s only one Hills Vista Lodge, so book ahead if you can. This is a great option if you’re also doing the evening tour and don’t want to do the longer drive back to Matamata at night.

The next closest option is Cosy Country Stay B&B , which is right in the middle between Hobbiton and Matamata. The queen bed rooms are just for 1-2 people. In Matamata, I would recommend checking out these accommodations:

HOH – Chalet Frodo

Mill Corner Studio

Nights on Broadway – The House

Where To Stay In Karapiro, New Zealand

Personally, I think if you can find a hotel or apartment near Karapiro, you get more value for your money as far as accommodations. They are gorgeous and generally cost less than what you get in Matamata. The downside is that a lot of these properties are booked ahead of times.

Memory Lane Country Cottage

Maungatautari Outlook

Karapiro Blackbox

Lakeside Karapiro Downstairs Apartment

Conach House

Lakeview Lodge Karapiro

Above The River Karapiro

Kauri Lodge Karapiro

200 on Lake View

How Much Are Hobbiton Entry Tickets in 2024?

Whether you come as a fan or not, you will enjoy the tour. Dwarves honor. They offer daily tours leaving from Matamata or Hobbiton and a Dinner Evening Tour on certain evenings where you can experience Hobbiton after sunset.

A tour of the set along with a visit to the Dragon’s Inn with a complimentary beverage and a special visit into a hobbit hole:

120 NZD ($71 USD) for Adults.

60 NZD ($36 USD) for Youth 9-16 years

306 NZD ($183 USD) for a Family Pass (2 Adults and 2 Youths).

You can book tickets here with Get Your Guide as well for the same price, but with a 10% discount code if it’s your first time using the site.

The Second Breakfast Tour

This is your normal movie tour along with a second breakfast served in the Millhouse. The prices are as follows:

180 NZD ($108 USD) for Adults.

114 NZD ($68 USD) for Youth 11-17

64 NZD ($38 USD) for children 5-10

Free for Infants 0-4.

You can check for the schedule to see if there’s availability on the day you want to visit. This one is a more intimate experience than the Lunch that’s offered below.

Second Breakfast Menu

• A selection from the pastry basket : Freshly baked scones, sweet danish pastries, muffins, whipped cream, jams and butter
• Fresh seasonal fruit DF/GF/VGN
• A selection of sliced cold meats GF
• Local breakfast cheeses : with crackers and bread
• Preserves and pickles
• Fresh orange and fruit juice
• Coffee and tea
• Fluffy scrambled eggs DF/GF
• Grilled tomato relish DF/GF/VGN
• Sautéed potatoes with fried onion and herbs DF/GF/VGN
• Grilled lamb sausage DF/GF
• Streaky bacon DF/GF
• Rosemary mushrooms DF/GF/VGN

The Movie Set Tour + Lunch Combo

Three set tour starting at 10:10 am, 11:10 am and 11:40 pm include the option of a festive lunch at the Party Marquee. It’s a buffet style lunch and costs the following:

158 NZD ($95 USD) for Adults

98 NZD ($59 USD) for Youth 11-17

Free for children 0-10.

Think of this as a tour followed by a hobbit themed buffet lunch. The menu’s below. Like the Second Breakfast Tour, you will need check the schedule to see the days they are doing it and if there are availability.

• Slow roasted beef rump DF/GF
• Marinated chicken DF/GF
• Minted lamb casserole DF/GF
• Battered fish with a tartare sauce
• Creamy Pesto Pasta
• Tomato and coconut vegetable curry DF/GF/VGN
• Chefs choice of seasonal vegetables DF/GF/VGN
• Herb roasted gourmet potatoes DF/GF/V
• Bulgur wheat salad DF
• Garden fresh green salad DF/GF/VGN
• Hobbit Slaw DF/GF/VGN
• Steamed rice DF/GF/VGN
• A selection from the Green Dragon dessert kitchen including sweet slices and cakes
• Seasonal fruit salad DF/GF/VGN
• Baked apple crumble DF/GF/VGN

The Dinner Banquet Tour

Hobbiton offers a unique experience in the evening that combines a tour of the Hobbiton movie set with a dinner banquet. If you have an appetite, you will enjoy their massive selection of food fit for a Hobbit.

The tours start at 5:45 pm with a tour of the set, followed by a drink at the Dragon’s Inn before moving on to a 2 course banquet feast. After dinner, you get a special moonlight walking tour to digest and take in Hobbiton at night.

Evening Banquet Menu

• Selection of homemade breads and condiments
• Golden roast chicken
• House smoked salmon fillet
• Beef and ale casserole
• Slow cooked lamb shanks on bubble and squeak with gravy
• Cumberland sausages with tomato relish
• Selection of roast vegetables
• Garlic and thyme roasted potatoes
• Kumara mash
• Garlic and butter braised mushrooms
• Roast pumpkin stuffed with chargrilled succotash
• Fresh green salad
• Kiwi pavlova with fresh cream and strawberry coulis
• Bakewell tarts
• Sticky Date Pudding
• Seasonal fresh fruit slices
• Baked apple crumble
• Butterscotch sauce
• Honey and cinnamon yogurt
• Vanilla custard

Evening Banquet Tickets and Booking

Evening banquet prices are as follows:

230 NZD ($137 USD) for Adults

177 NZD ($106 USD) for Youth (9-16 years)

119 NZD ($71 USD) for Children (5-8 years).

Reservations are often made in advance so book early if you want to ensure a spot for you and your family on a specific date.

So nice to get this thing checked off my list of New Zealand experiences. What’s on yours? If you need some ideas, check out my bucket list and go out there and have an adventure.

Updated on April 10, 2024

Kien is an international photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He captures his adventures on whereandwander.com and believes in living for those moments that make the best stories, told or untold. He is working through his bucket list and wants to help others do the same. Follow him on Instagram @hellokien .

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[…] For fans of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, this is a dream come true. The village of Hobbiton that was used in the movies was turned into a permanent set near Hamilton, New Zealand. In the early morning, when the fog rolls through and the lights are flickering from the hobbit holes, you almost feel like you have to be quiet to keep from waking the hobbits. The set is surprisingly realistic. The gardens and vegetables are all real and you can even enter some of the hobbit holes. To see more from Hobbiton, check out my post on That Time I Was A Hobbit. […]

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Visiting Magical Hobbiton in The Shire, New Zealand

This page contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.

You can visit plenty of locations where the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in New Zealand, but none of them transports you to Middle Earth like Hobbiton does.

On the Hobbiton Movie Set you’ll find the lush rolling hills of The Shire where you can wander past Hobbit Holes and have a drink in the Green Dragon Inn.

I’m not a massive fan of the films and was visiting for Simon’s sake (as he is), but I was won over by the enchanting hobbit village and the incredible attention to detail.

You can only visit Hobbiton on a guided walking tour, but it’s fun and interesting, and you learn lots about the making of the films.

Background to the Hobbiton Movie Set

The shire’s rest, the hobbiton village tour, should you visit hobbiton, hobbiton ticket prices, where is the shire in new zealand, can you stay at the shire in new zealand, more new zealand posts.

In 1998 Peter Jackson’s team of location scouts were searching New Zealand for the perfect location for Hobbiton , the village where the hobbits live, for the upcoming Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies.

While flying over the Alexander’s 1,250-acre sheep farm in Waikato , they noticed details of The Shire described in the JRR Tolkien novels: unspoilt green pastures, a rising hill (where Bag End would later sit), and a magnificent pine tree by a lake.

A temporary set was built on the farm and the filming of Lord of the Rings began in 1999 and took three months.

Afterwards the set was demolished, but when the movies were released to enormous success, fans were keen to visit the site.

So when Peter Jackson returned to film The Hobbit trilogy in 2009, this time they decided to build a permanent set of 44 Hobbit Holes and the Green Dragon Inn.

In 2012 the Hobbiton Movie Set opened to the public for tours and became one of the most popular New Zealand tourist spots .

Back to Contents

Hobbiton tours begin at The Shire’s Rest where there’s a ticket centre, gift shop, garden bar, and cafe with beautiful views over the countryside.

We had lunch at the cafe before our tour—tomato soup and toasted sandwiches—and while it was nothing special, it was convenient and perfectly edible.

The two-hour tour begins with a short bus ride from The Shire’s Rest to the farm. On the way they show videos with behind the scenes footage.

Our group was shown around by Maggie who was bubbly and knowledgeable. The group size was a bit large, and there were lots of other groups on site, but they managed them well and it didn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded.

As we walked into Hobbiton, I was surprised by how large it is. 44 Hobbit Holes are spread over the hillside and there’s lots of green space.

It really does feel like a village, albeit a rather unusual and picturesque one.

I was also struck by how green it is, reminiscent of our English homeland, which it’s thought The Shire was inspired by.

At the end of summer, Hobbiton wasn’t as green as usual, though, due to water restrictions.

It takes a lot of work to keep the village so lush—there are a number of full-time workers whose sole job is to water the site.

The Hobbit Holes —the homes of the hobbits that are built into the hillside—are incredibly cute.

Some of the doors are large so that during filming humans looked hobbit-sized, while others are small to make Gandalf the Wizard look tall.

You can’t go inside the houses—the interior scenes were filmed at Weta Workshop in Wellington—but you can peer inside some of the windows (look out for the cheese-maker).

They are working on opening up some of the interiors, so from December 2023 you should be able to go inside some of the hobbit holes.

We didn’t feel like we were missing out, though, as there are so many details to explore.

Outside each home are props that hint at who lives inside—a chessboard, beehives, sacks of flour, wheels of cheese, a giant pumpkin, pestle and mortars, or an easel.

There’s even a real vegetable patch and orchard, and the fences are aged with authentic-looking fake mould. Colourful flowers bloom all over the village. 

It’s difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what’s a prop. 

As we wandered up the dirt path towards Bag End, Maggie shared behind the scenes details of the production.

Peter Jackson was so obsessed with getting the set to accurately reflect the books that a crew member spent two weeks turning apple trees into plum trees—and then the footage was cut from the film.

In Hobbiton the wealthier residents live higher up, and at the top of the hill we reached Bag End , home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

A large tree grows above it—although it looks authentic, this tree isn’t real and it took a huge amount of work to recreate it manually.

Back at the bottom of the hill we visited the party field, home to an immense (real) pine tree and a number of wooden games you can play.

Reaching near the end of the tour, it was time for us to head over to the Green Dragon Inn for a drink.

We were left to meander there alone through the woods, past the water mill, and over the stone bridge.

The thatched roof Green Dragon Inn feels like a perfectly-themed Disney restaurant (and that’s a compliment!).

Except unlike at Disney, a drink (beer, cider or ginger beer) is included in the tour price and the fireplaces are real (even in summer). We loved relaxing in armchairs by the fire.

After a final stroll along the lake, it was time to hop back onto the bus and return to The Shire’s Rest.

We didn’t want to leave this magical world.

Hobbiton exceeded both our expectations—Simon’s were high while mine were low.

You really do feel like you are visiting The Shire and we loved exploring all the cute homes in Hobbiton.

The level of detail is impressive and it’s a magical place to wander in beautiful countryside.

Even if you aren’t a fan of the films, Hobbiton is worth visiting as it’s so picturesque.

I do recommend at least watching the first part of The Fellowship of the Ring to see Hobbiton on the screen before your visit.

If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, the Hobbiton Movie Set is a must-visit in New Zealand.

The Hobbiton Movie Set can only be visited on a guided walking tour.

It’s very popular so it’s best to book as far in advance as possible, especially in summer. Tours depart daily at a number of times.

Tickets cost NZ $89 per person for the two-hour tour. You can book the Hobbiton tour in advance here.

Next time, we’re keen to do the Evening Banquet Tour which costs NZ $199, as you can see the village lit up at night after a feast. They currently run on selected weekends and weekdays—check the Hobbiton website for the latest schedule.

You can also join the Second Breakfast Tour which costs NZ $149 and includes a second breakfast spread in the The Millhouse . The tour departs on selected weekend days at 8.45am.

From December 2023 the Second Breakfast Tour will cost NZ $180 and include the new Venture Beyond the Door experience which will include exploring the interior of a Hobbit Hole on Bagshot Row.

Make sure you wear sensible shoes as the tour does involve a gentle uphill walk on unpaved paths.

Hobbiton and The Shire are located in Matamata on the North Island . To visit you’ll need your own vehicle or you can take a tour from Rotorua or Auckland .

The drive from Auckland to Hobbiton takes 2.5 hours. You can also join a full-day bus tour to Hobbiton from Auckland . 

The Shire is 1 hour from Rotorua and 1.5 hours from Taupo , two other popular destinations on the North Island. 

Hobbiton is easy to fit in on most North Island road trips—see our detailed North Island itinerary for suggestions.

We only had two days to travel between Wellington and Auckland, and we visited Hobbiton on our second day after staying overnight near Turangi (at the lovely B&B Omori Lakehouse) on the southern shore of Lake Taupo . The tour was a good way to break up the journey.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to stay onsite at the Hobbiton Movie Set, but you’ll feel like you’re in The Shire in the surrounding countryside of the Waikato region. 

You can even stay in a hobbit hole inspired cave at quirky Woodlyn Park Motel . The motel is a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Hobbiton, but it’s close to the Waitomo Caves , which are well worth a visit. 

If you’d prefer to stay closer to Hobbiton (especially if you do the evening banquet tour), the nearest option just down the road is Hills Vista Lodge , which has a beautiful Shire countryside setting.

There is also plenty of accommodation in Matamata, a 15-minute drive from The Shire. Denchys B&B is an affordable and highly rated guesthouse on the edge of town or the one bedroom apartment Chalet Frodo gives you a home away from home feel.

Top tip: Don’t forget travel insurance for your New Zealand trip. We recommend SafetyWing , which is ideal for long term travellers, available worldwide, and can be purchased even after you’ve left.

North Island

• The Ultimate New Zealand North Island Itinerary
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South Island

• 17 Relaxing Things to Do in Queenstown
• 20 Unmissable Things to Do in Wanaka
• Best East Coast South Island Road Trip
• 24 Best Things to Do in Nelson
• The Ultimate Guide to Abel Tasman National Park

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Yes, I’d love to visit Hobbiton. I loved the movies. Keep writing Erin. I enjoy it. I related well to your comment (in your update post on the pandemic) about not planning travels presently during the Covid19 self quarantine. I had hours of planning into 2 trips that were canceled and I grieved. Others kept saying to use the time to plan trips, but I just can’t not knowing when places will open up again.

Reply ↓

Thank you so much for the encouragement – it does help! I’m so sorry you had to cancel your trips. It’s awful when you’ve done so much planning and then it doesn’t happen. Hopefully you’ll still make it there when this is all over.

This was such a charming read! Thanks for adding some lovely escapism to my day.

It’s such a weird time to write about travel, so I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Stacy!

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Ultimate Guide: How to Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set

All that is gold does not glitter; Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither; Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

There are plenty of bucket-list worthy,  magical places to visit in New Zealand , including numerous Lord of the Rings filming locations (don’t forget about Hobbit’s Hideaway in Wellington ), but nothing quite hits like Hobbiton. 

Despite my 2 road-trip buddies not being the biggest fan of Tolkien, I still managed to convince them to take a trip to Bag End with me. 

Here is my guide on how to visit The Hobbiton movie set, including where to stay nearby, what to see and do, as well as some other top tips.

Disclosure: This post may contain some affiliate links, meaning that if you click one and purchase/book something, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a little commission. Read more here . 

How to Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set

IN THIS POST:

The history of the Hobbiton Movie Set

How to get to the Hobbiton Movie Set

Where to stay near the Hobbiton Movie Set

The experience 

Hobbiton Movie Set Tickets & Events

Tips on visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set

Hobbiton History

J. R. R. Tolkien had a very specific idea of what Hobbiton would look like: “iconic rolling hills and lush green pastures”. In 1998, Sir Peter Jackson was on the hunt for such a place. Jackson’s team stumbled upon Alexander Farm – a 1,250 acre sheep farm in Waikato.

It was the perfect place for Jackson to “leave the 20th century behind… and fully submerge himself in the fantasy world of Middle-earth”. 

A year or so later, the dream started to come alive, and 39 temporary hobbit holes were built. After finishing The Shire, the holes were demolished, leaving 17 empty holes. The site opened to public guided tours in 2002 ran by the Alexander family.

In 2009, Jackson returned to film The Hobbit trilogy, and left behind the stunning movie set you can see today. The movie set features 44 permanently built hobbit holes in the same incredible detail as the films. To add to this already magical experience, The Green Dragon™ Inn opened in 2012. 

How to get to Hobbiton

Please note that bookings are essential , the movie set is only accessible via a guided tour which departs from The Shire’s Rest, which is around 15 minutes drive from the town of Matamata. 

It’s easy to fit Hobbiton into any New Zealand road-trip . The drive from Auckland to Hobbiton takes 2.5 hours, it’s 1.5 hours from Taupo, and just 1 hour from Rotorua. 

There is a car park (even for campers) if you are driving yourself. But, if you are without a car, there are numerous ways for you to get to Hobbiton from wherever you are.

There are a variety of tours   available from different parts of New Zealand, all including different things. The movie set also offers its own transfers .

Where to stay near Hobbiton 

My favourite – kaimai sunset bed & breakfast .

Although you can’t stay in Bag End itself or any of the other famous hobbit holes, there’s a B&B located just a 20 minute drive from the Hobbiton Movie Set which has it’s own hobbit hole, as well as gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains, and a cat that wakes you up!

Other options

Matamata Lodge – Featuring a 9.7 guest rating on Booking.com, Matamata Lodge is a popular choice for Hobbiton visitors. This B&B offers modern decor, a free continental breakfast, as well as being close by to hiking and cycling opportunities. 

Villa Walton Bed & Breakfast – A 20-minute drive from the movie set, this B&B offers a unique stay within a historic homestead, established in 1904. This Victorian villa overlooks local Dairy Farms and the Kaimai Ranges.

The Hobbiton Movie Set

Hobbiton Movie Set tours begin at The Shire’s Rest, where you can grab a coffee, pick up your tickets, and check out the gift shop. 

The tour begins as soon as you step onto the bus; videos are shown including interviews with Peter Jackson and the family who own the farm – the Alexander’s, as well as a few movie excerpts and behind the scenes footage to get you feeling magical. 

The first stop is the “Hobbiton” sign. Here, your guide will talk about rules such as not straying away from the group, what you can and can’t touch, and a few more like avoid stepping on the grass, etc. 

I found it really overwhelming at first, and it was really hard to take in everything that the guide was saying whilst taking in the fact that I was literally stood in Hobbiton itself. 

The set looked exactly how it did on the films, and that blew my mind. As you can imagine, this means that the farmers and other workmen work extremely hard to keep the details up to scratch 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The are three different sized hobbit holes in order to cater to Gandalf, the hobbits, and the dwarves. I found it funny to learn that Gandalf’s was made to make him look tall. 

The only hole you can go inside is the one next to Bilbo’s, 40 Bagshot Row. The rest of the holes are just bare, this is due to the scenes inside being shot at Weta Workshop in Wellington. This didn’t really affect my experience, nor do I doubt it will affect yours, as the outside details really do make the experience one not to forget. 

Towards the end of the tour, you are left to explore by yourself before heading into the Green Dragon Inn. 

The tour includes a drink from Hobbiton’s own Southfarthing range, brewed by Good George Brewing. There are four drinks for you to choose from: Girdley Fine Grain Amber Ale, Sackville Apple Cider, Oatbarton Traditional English Ale, and Frogmorton Ginger Beer. 

There’s an open fire and comfy armchairs for you to enjoy your brew. You have around 20 minutes to relax before being rounded up and taken back to the Shire’s Rest.

Top Tips for visiting 

• Take photos quickly – The tours have strict times, so the guide won’t wait around for you to get the perfect instagram photo. Grab a quick pic and catch up to hear more behind the scenes facts and info!
• Visit the gift shop – there are many souvenirs here that you will only be able to buy in very specific rare stores, so take advantage whilst you’re there! 
• Prepare for the crowds – Hobbiton is New Zealand’s third largest tourist attraction. In peak season, up to 3,000 people visit in a single day.
• Don’t get burnt – New Zealand’s weather is very unpredictable, so you should be prepared for whatever. Make sure to bring sunglasses, suncream, and a hat. Umbrellas are provided by the tour guides if it does rain. 
• Prioritise – It is best to choose whether to stay at the front of the tour group within good earshot of the guide, or to stay at the back so you can 

You must buy tickets in advance. 

There is a variety of tickets available: 

• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour + Meal Combo
• Hobbiton Movie Set Evening Banquet Tour
• Second Breakfast Tour
• Private Tour 

The Hobbiton Movie Set also runs occasional events including the Hobbiton Beer Festival (October 2022), A Hobbiton Christmas, and the Summer Harvest Festival (February 2023). 

The iconic Millhouse has opened for small events for up to 32 guests. A new building, The Hub, has also been built at The Shire’s Rest for larger events up to 130 guests.

NEW FOR 2022 : Hobbiton is hosting it’s own marathon: The Middle-earth Halfling Marathon. The marathon has two distances: the Halfling Marathon of 21.1km and the Eleventyfirst at 11.1km. Both courses will journey through farmland, visiting areas used for filming that aren’t accessible any other way. The set will also be brought to life, with hobbits on set drinking or playing music, and possibly even some on horseback. 

More information about tickets and events are available on the official Hobbiton Movie Set Tour website . 

All in all, Hobbiton is 100% worth a visit, and an absolute must visit when travelling New Zealand. 

I hope this post has helped you to plan your visit, and inspired you if you were unsure about adding it to your New Zealand itinerary. 

As always, don’t hesitate to comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!

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How to Visit Hobbiton Village in New Zealand, the Lord of the Rings Movie Set

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Have you always wanted to visit Hobbiton in New Zealand?

Frankly, I’m not a huge Lord of the Rings fan (don’t hate me!) but I absolutely loved visiting The Shire.

Within 5 minutes of strolling the grounds I wanted to live here and was parading around singing, “A hobbit’s life for me!”

Located on the Alexander family farm, this was a place that Peter Jackson spotted from above when scoping out potential movie sets. He could not have picked a better location.

The lush, green hills and pristine setting span for 12 acres and make you feel like you’re in Middle-earth, worlds away from all your problems and about as far as you can get from Mount Doom.

Today, the movie set remains and is a popular tourist attraction in the North Island of New Zealand.

Read on to learn more about how you can plan your visit to Hobbiton Village.

RELATED POST: A ONE WEEK ITINERARY FOR THE NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND

Where is Hobbiton located?

Hobbiton is located in Matamata, about 2 hours from Auckland, New Zealand and one hour from Rotorua.

You can rent a car and drive here on your own or you can get a guided tour to shuttle you back and forth.

Often times tour companies pair this visit with the Waitomo Glowworm Caves on a day trip from Auckland.

You can also take a bus from Auckland for about NZ$50-60, but this is your slowest option taking approximately 3 1/2 hours.

You will need to arrive at the main Hobbiton entrance and check in before taking a shuttle bus to the Alexander Farm.

The address is  501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera, Matamata 3472, New Zealand.

The main entrance has a gift shop, small cafe and bathrooms, which I recommend you use before beginning your tour.

How much does Hobbiton cost?

While you can drive here on your own, it is not possible to tour the movie set without a guide and ticketed entry.

You need to pay for a guided tour and pick a time of entry.

The tour is costly at $89 for an adult ticket and $44 for a youth ticket, but well worth it. Children under the age of 8 are free.

Click here to book your ticket directly through their site.

Tours are scheduled from 9am until 3:30pm and last approximately 2 hours. You need to arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour.

Depending on the season there may be extended hours.

You can also choose to supplement your ticket with breakfast or lunch ($26 and $36 respectively) and extend your visit to 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

If you don’t want to prepay for your meal there are also snacks for sale upon arrival in the cafe, including meat pies and muffins, ranging from NZ$3-$6.

What does a ticket to Hobbiton include?

Your tour includes a leisurely walk around the movie set, with an explanation about the buildings and the characters that were meant to live in each home.

The guides are very skilled at taking pictures and happy to help you get the perfect shot.

Tours are scheduled between 10-20 minutes of each other so there will be other groups coming behind you.

In addition to the walking tour, you are treated to your choice of a drink at the Green Dragon Inn at the end, either cider, beer or a non-alcoholic drink.

I highly recommend opting for the cider — it’s delicious!

There’s also a video by Peter Jackson on the shuttle bus over to the farm explaining more about how he found the place and why he picked it to be the home of the hobbits.

Can you go inside the hobbit houses at Hobbiton?

There are 44 hobbit holes on the premises , so it looks like you’re entering the Shire.

They are just the facade, however – mainly doors and landscaping. They’re great photo opportunities but are not built out inside, with the exception of Bagshot Row .

All tours to Hobbiton now include an “inside the Hobbit Hole” experience where you can visit and tour inside one of 3 dwellings built out to look like functioning hobbit homes.

You get 16 minutes inside one of the homes, chosen by the guide.

Can you have dinner at Hobbiton?

In addition to the day tours, Hobbiton offers  Evening Banquet Tours four times a week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings year-round.

These tickets cost $199/pp but include a tour of the set at dusk and again at night on your way out.

At night, the set is lit up and looks completely different than it does during the day, with a tinge of magic.

The food is meant to resemble a traditional hobbit feast and includes slow cooked lamb shanks, beef and ale casserole and roast pumpkin.

The dishes are set in the middle of the table for everyone to share and dig in. You will not leave hungry. The meal takes place in the Green Dragon Inn as well.

The whole experience lasts 4 hours and you need to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.

What is the Hobbiton Second Breakfast tour?

Available on weekends , this tour includes a visit to the movie set, a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and a breakfast spread served at the Millhouse.

Hot breakfast is included, like scrambled eggs and potatoes, as well as cold dishes like fruits and pastries.

The cost of $149/pp. You should reserve this in advance.

What is the best time to visit Hobbiton?

Hands down, the best time of day to visit Hobbiton is on the very first tour of the day . This way, you have minimal people on the set and you feel much less rushed.

If you go in the middle of the day, it can get crowded. You need to make reservations far in advance so the moment you know you’re going to New Zealand, pick a day and book the first available tour.

There are many details on the outside of the homes like clothing lines with hobbit clothes hung up to dry, mini-hobbit wheelbarrows and fruit stands.

It was raining when I arrived but the rain cleared up as we started walking. Bring an umbrella or hooded sweater with you just in case.

Can you spend the night at Hobbiton?

You cannot currently spend the night at Hobbiton, but there have been some new developments.

There have previously been Airbnb experiences allowing you to spend the night and talks of developing the hobbit holes out further, but nothing open to the public as of yet.

Knowing all this, is Hobbiton worth it?

It’s a splurge for sure, but truly a one-of-a-kind place that is worth visiting while in New Zealand.

After all, it’s not every day that you get to experience life in Middle-Earth!

RELATED POST: 7 BEST tHINGS TO DO IN ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND

Till next time, safe travels.

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Monday 2nd of August 2021

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Friday 20th of August 2021

Unfortunately they only accept service animals :(

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Saturday 22nd of February 2020

Amazing story Jen, thanks for sharing! Visiting Hobbiton Movie Set was certainly the highlight of my trip!

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Home » Blog » How to Visit Hobbiton in New Zealand – Yes, It’s Real!

How to Visit Hobbiton in New Zealand – Yes, It’s Real!

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The Lord of the Rings has been a popular book series for 70 years, but until recently, if you wanted to go visit any of the locations mentioned in the book, you’d have no luck. The best options available to you were landscapes in Europe and the UK, where Tolkien lived. For example, you could visit Sarehole, the location in England where the Shire was largely based upon. Though, truth be told, any pastoral farm-focused rural countryside would fit the bill. It isn’t as though hobbit holes and the hobbits themselves are actually running around out there to be seen and visited.

All of this changed in 2001 when Peter Jackson released the first of the immense, award-winning series of movies based on the books. Through novel filmmaking techniques and liberal use of practical effects, Jackson created an astonishing set of films that are impressive to watch even today, over 20 years later.

Much like how Tolkien based the Shire on his childhood village, so too did Jackson base his version of the Shire and Hobbiton itself on his homeland, New Zealand. And, really, why not? New Zealand is a fantastic island nation covered in vibrant green pastoral landscapes, as many sheep as there are people, and a sense of fantastic wonder you can’t find much of anywhere else in the world.

As part of creating the sets for the Lord of the Rings and later Hobbit movies, Peter Jackson created actual hobbit holes – the hillside homes of our hairy half-size heroes – and, in a brilliant stroke of foresight, left those sets in place after filming was complete. Now, whether he did so because he planned to use them later or for other reasons is something only he can answer.

Note : This isn’t actually quite true. Peter Jackson built Hobbiton in 1999 for the Lord of the Rings films, but when he was done, the temporary construction was torn down and removed; good practice for any filmmaker. That didn’t stop people from coming to the area, and the property owners started giving tours of the largely clear landscape in 2002. In 2009, when it came time to start The Hobbit trilogy, Jackson struck a deal to rebuild Hobbiton with more permanent materials to create what exists and thrives today. It officially opened once more for full tours in 2012.

What matters to you, and to us, is that New Zealand thrives on the tourism brought in by the world’s Real Life Hobbiton, the combination of the movie set and surprisingly realistic village for the hobbits built into the countryside.

Where is it, how can you visit it, and what should you know? Read on to find out more.

What and Where is Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is, as mentioned, the movie set for the Shire, the home of the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings movies. Though it has seen much use in six films, it’s the only set that hasn’t been torn down and removed, and it remains in good condition. It’s maintained by local keepers who encourage visiting it as a tourist destination.

The real life Hobbiton is a 14-acre expanse of landscape with 44 different, distinct hobbit holes (the homes with the iconic round doors built into the hillsides), as well as pastoral farms and well-kept gardens, all of which are necessary to feed the hobbits who live there.

To ensure pristine, largely untouched wilderness to be used for filming, Jackson chose a location in rural New Zealand for his hobbit holes. Hobbiton can be found along Buckland Road, just off Highway 29, about halfway between the villages of Matamata and Cambridge. For larger cities to use as landmarks, it’s more or less in the center of the triangle drawn by Tauranga on the coast, Hamilton well inland, and Rotorua on the lake. For the outsiders who have likely only heard of a handful of New Zealander cities, it’s roughly a two-hour drive from Auckland. All of this is on the North Island of New Zealand, one of the most picturesque places in the world.

Truthfully, though, anywhere you go outside of a city in New Zealand is liable to look more or less just like Hobbiton. The rolling green hills, the bright blue skies, the crystal-clear waters in streams and ponds are all already there, and that is why Jackson chose New Zealand for his filming in the first place.

What is There to See in Hobbiton?

Hobbiton is New Zealand, but it’s also a fantastic world created for the films. Fans of Lord of the Rings can see many famous locations from the movies. The most prominent of them are:

• Bag End, the home of the Baggins family and site of many of the hobbit-centric scenes in the movies.
• The Party Tree, the large and impressive tree that stands tall over the countryside, though as trees are living things, the original had died and has been replaced by a fiberglass and steel construction with silk leaves.
• The Old Mill, a water mill that featured prominently in many scenes in the movies.
• The Green Dragon Inn, the largest and most impressive fantasy structure in the Shire portion of the movies. It’s no Minas Tirith, but unlike Minas Tirith, it exists in real life.
• 44 different hobbit holes, each distinct in some way.
• One hobbit hole open to entry, typically so the tour guide can snap a photo of you in the scene for your social media and memories. It’s not in the Bag End complex, though; you have to go elsewhere for it.
• Real, in-operation fields, tended by full-time gardeners. The produce they grow is even used in the café!
• Pickles the cat, the resident mouser of Hobbiton, the one and only beloved resident of the set.

There are also trappings of modern tourism scattered throughout. There’s a gift shop, a café, and a garden bar to whet your appetite and sate it at the same time.

There are official organized tours throughout Hobbiton, which run every 30 minutes. Given the immense and enduring popularity of the Lord of the Rings, the Shire, and Hobbiton, it should come as no surprise that these are very frequently full and that Hobbiton is usually full of tourists and tour groups. There’s a reason why most blogs covering Hobbiton are full of close-up pictures of hobbit holes and not panoramic landscape shots: those people would be in those photos and break the illusion.

Just about the only thing Hobbiton doesn’t have is the hobbits. Unfortunately, hobbits aren’t real, and the people in charge of maintaining Hobbiton haven’t seen fit to invent them yet (or hire actor impersonators, which would be tricky given the size of the hobbits, canonically speaking.)

There’s a lot to see in Hobbiton. The place is full of tiny details , from the individualization and personality of each hobbit hole to the details of the set building and the practical realities that went into making Hobbiton as much of a reality as possible. For example, the many hobbit holes vary in scale; some are small, as they would be if hobbits were real. Others are fully human-sized to account for filming with human-sized actors.

Are There Rules for Hobbiton to Follow?

Of course. In order to keep the area pristine, there are quite a few rules you should follow.

Obviously, you want to be as careful of the sets and the environment as possible. No littering, no touching, no taking; consider it just as valuable as pristine nature and practice Leave No Trace.

You can cosplay if you like, whether you want to dress as a hobbit native, as your favorite grey wizard, or another character you would like to have seen in the Shire. However, there’s no reenactment allowed. No hopping in a cart and being pulled by Bill the Pony, no loud scenes of the party, and certainly no magical dragon-shaped fireworks.

Photography is allowed; in fact, the record is 3,500 photos taken in one tour if you’re interested in trying to beat it. However, drone photography is not allowed unless you talk to the property owner ahead of time and get explicit permission. We’ll save you the trouble; unless you’re a national marketing agency, you’re probably not getting permission. Similarly, any photos or videos you take are for personal use only, not commercial or resale use.

You are required to take a tour to access Hobbiton. To keep the crowds to a minimum and ensure every visitor gets to see the full set (and to keep people from wandering where they shouldn’t), guided tours are the only way to experience Hobbiton. Tours range from two to four hours, with the longer tours including meals.

Tickets for the tour are $120 per adult or half that for children between 11 and 17 (free for 0-10 year-olds). That’s for the basic tour; any of the longer tours with banquets are more expensive, of course. There’s also a family pass with two adult and two youth tickets, which essentially gives you one youth ticket free.

It’s also possible to book the venue for a private event. They even allow weddings, though, of course, it’s one of the more expensive venues you can book for a wedding.

One of the biggest tips we can give you is to book early. Tours go quickly, especially in the summer. Make sure to check the weather before your tour when it’s getting close, as well; tours run in rain or shine, and it’s up to you to be prepared for the weather. No one likes having their tour rained on, but it’s just a fact we travelers have to deal with from time to time. For our money, mid-spring is the best time to visit, as it’s when many of the most vibrant flowers are blooming, though the chance of bad weather is a little higher than if you visit during the summer.

Since only one hobbit hole is real and it’s only available for photos on a tour, there’s no hobbit hole to stay in. That said, other enterprising businesspeople in New Zealand have taken it upon themselves to provide, and places like Woodlyn Park have the next best thing available to book for a night or two around your tour. Or, of course, there are plenty of more modern accommodations to be found in any of the villages and cities on the North Island.

Other than preparing for the possibility of rain or whatever the weather may be, you don’t actually need much to prepare for a trip to Hobbiton. It’s a well-worn path and well-booked tour, so all you really need is whatever is comfortable enough for you to walk around in. Good shoes, comfortable clothes, a bit of sun protection, and maybe some water are all you really need. Since the tour is only two hours and change, you’re not going to be going for long without access to food or water, and with the café on site, you’ll be fine either way.

That said, we definitely encourage spending time visiting the rest of New Zealand. There’s a ton to do, with all manner of hiking, exploration, and adventures to be had from the north island all the way to the south. It’s almost a waste to go all the way there and do nothing but see a movie set, isn’t it? It’s impressive, and it definitely feels like being part of the fantasy Peter Jackson put together, but there’s a lot more to the country than just this small set of acres.

If you’ve ever been to Hobbiton, tell us about your experiences! We love to hear the stories of our followers. More than that, let us know what else you’ve found to do as an adventurer throughout New Zealand. It’s a nation full of stunning nature and unearthly beauty, and you could spend a lifetime exploring, but it never hurts to have a bit of a guide, right? And, as always, if you ever have any questions, please feel free to let us know! We’ll gladly help you out however we can!

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I don’t plan on doing Hobbiton ? Would it be okay? I mean everyone who goes to NZ does this but I have so much else to do I feel I don’t have time for this set. Moreover I just feel a little guilty of not doing. Though I am not an ardent fan of LOR. Can you suggest if it’s okay to skip?

If you’re not super into it, don’t worry about trying to squeeze it in!

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Going Awesome Places

Detailed itineraries + travel guides

How to Visit the Hobbiton Movie Location in New Zealand

Last Updated April 21, 2023 William Tang

You are here: Home » Attractions & Experiences » How to Visit the Hobbiton Movie Location in New Zealand

It’s all real. The Shire. Hobbiton. Bag End!

My first trip to New Zealand was back in 2010 and for the life of me I didn’t understand why we never went to visit Hobbiton on our way down to Rotorua.  Turns out, The Hobbit had just gone into production at that time and they were re-building Hobbiton but this time doing it permanently. A trip to Hobbiton Movie Set is a Lord of the Rings fan dream come true.  It’s exactly what you see in the trilogies but so much more.

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

Read More on Going Awesome Places!

• Top 10 things to do in the North Island
• What to pack for a trip to New Zealand
• The ultimate NZ travel guide
• Comprehensive 3 week itinerary
• Tongariro Alpine Crossing hiking guide

Where to stay near Hobbiton?

• More details below but if you’re hoping to stay in Matamata, our favourite accommodations to choose from are Matamata Backpackers for those on a budget or Matamata Central Motel .

In This Article

A little bit of LOTR history

Where is the location for hobbiton, how your visit to hobbiton starts, exploring the hobbit holes, drinking at the green dragon, overall hobbiton film set experience, where to stay near hobbiton.

When Sir Peter Jackson and his crew were scouting locations for The Shire and Hobbiton, they had no idea where to go.  It was a tall order because J.R.R. Tolkien had a very specific and detailed description of what it looked like.

To help with the hunt, the crew took a helicopter and flew it around the well-known rolling green pastures of New Zealand’s North Island .

You could say it was love at first sight because they flew over this particular area and spotted the perfect hill, lake, and big tree which is exactly what they were looking for.

Belonging to the Alexander family 1,250 acre working sheep farm , they reached out and before they knew it, they were bringing in the New Zealand military and other crew in to build the very first iteration of Hobbiton.   Since they expected it to be broken down after filming, they set construction was primarily of foam, and other temporary materials.

When filming for the Lord of the Rings trilogy ended, Tolkien’s fantasy land of Hobbiton was taken apart and they did their best to restore the land to what it was before.  Due to poor weather, they weren’t able to fully restore the land back to a farm and so the facade remains of the hobbit holes sat there for awhile.

Soon after, word got out that this was the location of Hobbiton and so local neighbours started coming and then tourists flooded in.  The Alexander family ended up turning it into a business and started running their first tours in 2002.

2009 came around and they were starting to film The Hobbit trilogy and naturally Peter Jackson came back to ask for permission to rebuild Hobbiton on the farm.  It was a no-brainer except this time, they struck an agreement to re-build the set using permanent materials, and build it up to New Zealand safety code to stand the test of time.

In 2012, the film set open to tours again for the public and that’s how everything you see there today came to be.

How to visit Hobbiton, the movie location

So where is this place?  Well if this was back in the early 2000’s, you’d have to have to follow obscure instructions printed out from the internet but today, it’s quite easy because there are signs everywhere for Hobbiton.

Located in the Waikato region of the North Island, a district of rolling grassy hills known as Matamata is where you’ll be able to visit the Hobbiton Movie Set.  The closest big city is Rotorua but can also be easily accessible from Taupo to the south or Auckland in the north.

Heading south on the SH27 from Matamata city centre, you’ll eventually make your way on Buckland Road where you’ll see big signs for Hobbiton and Shire’s Rest .

Since the actual set is on private property, you can’t exactly drive or walk straight into the movie set.  This is a fully guided experience that you have to book and it all starts across the street in a staging area of sorts which centres around a giant parking lot, cafe, and gift shop.

“I’m going on an adventure!”

If you’re like me, you’ll be amped up with energy when you get here – that same kind feeling you get when Bilbo finally decides to join the company of dwarves and runs out of Hobbiton with contract in hand.  Well this is kind of the same except you’re going to be whisked into Hobbiton.

The operation itself is extremely smooth and well-run.  They have to be especially when they kick off new tours every 30 minutes in the summer.

Once you get your tickets from the main office, you’ll have a chance to take photos in front of the Hobbiton sign, sit around outdoors on the picnic tables, grab a bite at Shire’s Rest Cafe, make a last minute trip to the bathroom, or peruse around the gift shop.

30 minutes prior to the start of the tour, you should start heading your way to the gazebo where the queues start to form up.  On the top you’ll see tour times listed and once your tour time is put up, you can start getting in line.

TIP :   There’s really no advantage in getting in front of the line.  In fact, if you get in line early, that just means you’ll have to stand for a good 20-3o minutes.  Only the left lane in the queue area has a bench to sit down so you might be better off sitting elsewhere.

When it’s time, the green coach bus will roll in and everyone will have their tickets scanned and you’ll be able to board.

Something I was really impressed with the tour is how they leverage every moment of the tour to make you feel immersed.  Your guide and driver will introduce themselves on the bus and after a short bit of commentary as they drive into the grounds of the farm, they’ll play a video introduction from Peter Jackson himself along with a montage from a movie and a few behind the scenes footage as well.

It’s the perfect hype-video and I was even more hopped on excitement at this point.

Once the bus stops, everyone will unload and converge on the “Hobbiton” sign.  This is when the tour on the ground starts.

At this point, you will kind of need to make a call on what you want to focus on.  Since the group is a good 30-40 people, you can either try to stay in front of the pack to get the most of the commentary that your guide will be providing throughout or you can be one of the stragglers behind to get better photos with less people in the way.

It will definitely feel a little chaotic at first because there’s so much to take in once you enter into Hobbiton with hobbit holes to your left and right, the garden in front, Bag End above, and the movement of clothes blowing on laundry lines.

Take a moment to breathe and while you’re taking all of the photos you want, pay attention to the small details.

Through jumping in and out of the main group and hearing our guide talk about the development of Hobbiton, there were a lot of interesting facts and stories you get to learn about.

One thing you’ll notice is that not all the hobbit holes are the same size.  Some are full human sized and others are much smaller.  Turns out they had to create these different scales for filming when they needed to create perspective between Gandalf, dwarves, and hobbits.

You’ll also learn about the man power it takes to maintain Hobbiton even today with full time gardeners that keep everything perfectly groomed.

The tour continues spiralling upwards until you end up on Bagshot Row.  One thing you learn is that despite the construction being permanent, it’s really just the outer facade which is real.  Behind each of the doors is nothing but bare framing and beams.

In order to keep things moving along, there’s only one hobbit hole that you’re allowed to step into to take a photo in.  That would be 40 Bagshot Row, the hole just before Bag End.

You then finally get a chance to get up close to Bilbo and Frodo’s home where time seems to have been frozen with Bilbo’s party sign still nailed to the front gate, the steps leading up to the door and the perfectly weathered green circular door.

PHOTOGRAPHY : You’ll be tempted to take photos in front of every hobbit hole but be careful not to fall too far behind with your group as the proceeding group will soon be nipping at the bud.  The most effective way to get clean photos is to ask other travellers for help and offer to take their photos as well.

From the top of the hill here, you get the most magnificent view of Hobbiton below with the party tree, glistening lake, and stone bridge leading to the Green Dragon.

Surreal is probably the main word I’d describe the feeling we had while on tour.  I just couldn’t believe that it was all there.  It was an honour to also see all the insanely detailed work the set builders put into every detail of the fictional hobbit community from what the beekeeper’s hole would look like versus the lumberjack hobbit.

There are plenty of more secrets revealed on the walk through Hobbiton but you’ll just have to come and find out yourself.

TIP :   Pay attention to Samwise’s hobbit hole as that one is easy to miss especially if you’re not following your group closely.

Feeling a little but rushed at this point, it was nice to be able to get down to the Green Dragon inn and pub.  You’ll have roughly 20 minutes here so not exactly the most amount of time but follow your guide in to get your pick of beverage to drink as you explore the area.

All the beers are brewed by their own Southfarthing Range (through Good George Brewing) and you can get one free pint (full human-sized) of either the Girdley™ Fine Grain (Amber Ale), Sackville™ Cider (Apple Cider), Oatbarton™ Brew (Traditional English Ale), or Frogmorton Ginger Beer (only non-alcoholic drink).

TIP :   Pay close attention to the hilarious signs posted by the bar and also the sign post by the water mill.

What makes the Green Dragon special is that it is the only building in Hobbiton that is completely built from the inside and out.  From the colourful banners hanging outside to the delicately carved wooden beams of various motifs, authentic kegs, fireplace, replica paintings, and aged glass panes, it truly feels like you’ve stepped into the world of Middle Earth.

TIP :   At the back exit of the Green Dragon are a few hobbit clothes on the hanger.  Our guide said these are free for us to try on and so OF COURSE we did.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

 Address:   501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera, Matamata 3472, New Zealand

Hours:   Tours depart daily from 9am until 3:30pm. (Extra 4PM and 4:30PM tours between September 1 – April 30, and 5PM and 5:30PM between December 27 and February 28).

How long is the Hobbiton tour?:   The whole tour takes 2 hours.

 Price:  NZ$84 for adults, NZ$42 for youth (9-15), and free for children 0-8

Parking:    There’s plenty of parking in Shire’s Rest (where you wait for your bus pick up across the street from Hobbiton)

• Reservations in advance  are recommended.
• If you have the time and spots are available, I highly recommend booking the evening banquet tour which lets you tour Hobbiton at dusk (best lighting) and a dinner feast in the Green Dragon.
• Note that there are also pickups from the Matamata I-Site (info centre) or Rotorua .
• There’s a Hobbiton Movie Set Store in Rotorua (1235 Fenton St, Rotorua).
• If you’re looking for a day trip from Auckland, this is a good option .
• Hobbiton is one of the few places in New Zealand where you can buy Weta Workshop products so take advantage.

Check out all available tours

As touristy as it all was, I have to say that alongside Black Water Rafting , visiting Hobbiton was definitely one of the main highlights of our 3 week trip to New Zealand .

It was a completely immersive experience in that you could see the whole Hobbiton movie set come to life.  It’s rare to be able to go to the exact place where one of your favourite films was created and to have it all intact from a wide and macro perspective.

If I were to do it again though, I’d definitely book way in advance the evening banquet .  I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t get any photos of Hobbiton at sunset with less people.  That evening feast looks incredible as well!

MATAMATA BACKPACKERS

14 minutes drive to the Hobbiton Movie set and located in the heart of Matamata.  They have free wifi, bbq facilities and a garden.  Each unit has its own patio and are divided into 4-bed mixed/female-only dorms, or 3 person private rooms.

TripAdvisor

Booking.com

MATAMATA CENTRAL HOTEL

Located 20 minutes drive from Hobbiton Movie Set, this is a comfortable and affordable property that has free parking and free 110MB internet access.  Rooms are fully furnished with microwave, fridge, and stove.

Are you planning a trip to Hobbiton?  Do you have any additional questions about the experience?  Drop a comment below.

What you should read next

• The Ultimate 3 Week New Zealand Itinerary
• The Comprehensive New Zealand Travel Guide – Read Before You Go

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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Miles with Vibes says

February 22, 2020 at 9:29 AM

Awesome story Will, thanks for sharing. Visiting Hobbiton was really a dream coming true for me!

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What It’s Like to Visit the Real Hobbiton Movie Set in New Zealand

Lisa Jackson HOME July 25, 2020

Photo: Sara Orme/Tourism New Zealand

“Would you like your picture taken next to Bilbo Baggins’ house?”

It’s not a stress dream. I’m standing in the emerald green fields of  the  Hobbiton   movie set for Sir Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Just outside Matamata, the Kiwi director transformed a 1250 acre sheep and beef farm into The Shire, digging 44 hobbit holes into the undulating hills. After filming concluded, the set was converted into what’s arguably the most popular tourist attraction in New Zealand , drawing over 1.5 million visitors since first opening.

Photo: Ian Brodie/Tourism New Zealand

Believe it or not, Hobbiton is just the beginning. Jackson used more than 150 locations across New Zealand for filming, many of which you can now visit. There are even “Middle Earth” itineraries that Tolkien buffs can follow across the North and South Islands, with one spanning 21 days for mega fans.

Of course, you can’t just freely roam Hobbiton like a villager. The only way to get that prized selfie by Bilbo’s home is to take a two-hour Hobbiton movie set tour departing from the Alexander farm. Wandering the 12 acres, you hear mesmerizing stories about the set’s creation, learn obscure facts about the production, and see real sights that appeared in the films. Even non-fans (like myself) are captivated.

“Anyone here for Harry Potter?” jokes our guide. “Wrong country!”

Strolling along the Shire’s pathway, it feels surreal to wander a mythical village filled with Munchkin-sized houses. Each has mossy roof and a round door painted with a lively colour, as well as windowsills filled with flowers, foods, and impish ornaments. One tourist tries to open a door.

“You can’t go in,” says the tour guide. “There’s actually nothing inside.”

The hobbit holes were designed for exterior filming, and a separate set was constructed for the interior shots (which now permanently resides at Jackson’s home in Wellington). Even if there was something to see, good luck fitting inside: at 3 feet by 6 inches, the houses are sized to fit hobbits.

“The houses were dug out just a little inside,” says our guide. “They had to keep the roof stable for actors running on top.”

One of the few hobbit holes that you can step inside for a photo (Credit: Sara Orme/Tourism New Zealand)

Nearby is the Party Tree, where Bilbo celebrates his “one hundred and eleventieth birthday.” Here, our guide explains that this tree is a crucial reason Jackson chose to film on this property.

“The Alexander farm had everything they needed,” says our guide. “Even the ‘nice rounded tree’ described in Tolkien’s book.”

Of course, it took some finagling to get. Back in 1998, Mr. Alexander was watching rugby when he heard a knock at his front door. On the doorstep was a film location scout, asking to inspect his property. Peering through binoculars at the tree and the gently sloping hills, the original plan to film across several locations was quickly tossed out.

“Peter Jackson did an aerial tour of the farm,” says our guide. “And then he came back to Mr. Alexander with a proposal to build the Hobbiton set on the farm.”

“Lord of the what?” Mr. Alexander purportedly responded to Jackson’s request.

Despite the farm’s suitability, it took some serious magic to transform the fields – normally used for sheep grazing – into the Hobbiton from the films. With endless rolling hills and emerald green fields, it functioned as a working farm even during production. In fact, Jackson often had to call Alexander when sheep strayed into shots, asking him to move the flock. Overall, the set took nine months to build, digging hobbit holes into the hills, removing marshland, and creating elaborate props to match Tolkien’s tales.

“See that oak tree above Bag End?” says our guide. “Is it a real or fake?”

I wager a guess, but I’m wrong. Turns out, the tree is a replica, painstakingly bolted together and with artificial leaves wired onto the branches. But it sure looks real.

The replica oak tree above Bag End (Photo: Sara Orme/Tourism New Zealand)

Faux trees aside, Jackson also faced the enormous feat of accommodating 400 people onsite every day on a limited budget. He requested a loan from the New Zealand government to build the roads and infrastructure, but it was rejected. Instead, he got the New Zealand Army.

“The Prime Minister loaned him soldiers to help build the road into the site,” says our guide. “In return, Jackson cast the soldiers as extras in the Orc army.”

Apparently, the soldiers were completely immersed in their roles: the director actually had to tell them to settle down because they were injuring the actors during the battle scenes.

Around the pond and past the Watermill, our guide leads us to our final stop at the Green Dragon Inn. Sitting by crackling fireplace, I marvel at the enchanting décor (the pub is an exact reproduction of the one in the films) and sip my foamy pint of Hobbiton ale. To be honest, I can’t think of a better way to end this unexpected journey.

The Green Dragon Inn (Photo: Sara Orme/Tourism New Zealand)

Where is the real Hobbiton movie set?

The  Hobbiton Movie Set is located in Matamata, New Zealand, which is 2.5 hour drive from Auckland.

How do I get to the Hobbiton movie set?

There are bus operators that offer transfers to/from various Kiwi cities across the North Island. Get more ideas for planning your Middle Earth Adventure at Tourism New Zealand .

A member of the Star Alliance,  Air New Zealand   features non-stop, overnight flights from Vancouver to Auckland, and connects to most major Canadian cities.

Where to stay in New Zealand near Hobbiton?

To really holiday like a hobbit, sleep in the Shire under a grassy roof at Woodlyn Park , a hobbit-themed inn near the Waitomo Glowworm Caves (another essential stop on the Middle Earth journey).

Can I visit Hobbiton without a tour?

No. You must tour the Hobbiton movie set with a guide. You can book a tour on the Hobbiton Movie Set website .

About Lisa Jackson

Lisa Jackson is a freelance journalist and the editor of Eat Drink Travel Magazine. She contributes to The Globe & Mail, The Toronto Star, CAA Magazine, Travel Life, The Food Network Canada, Eater, Huffington Post Canada, Islands Magazine, and many others. Lisa is a proud member of the Yukon's Sour Toe Cocktail Club , which she joined by letting a dead toe touch her face.

September 16, 2016 at 5:43 pm

I loved reading this! Fantastic post!!!

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From glowworm caves to hobbiton: discover new zealand on a campervan for your next family adventure, navigate north island’s diverse landscapes and rich food culture with this handy travel guide, complete with tips for safe driving.

From Auckland’s vibrant streets to the dramatic mountains of the Waikato region  –  home to the mythical world of Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings –   New Zealand is an adventure playground waiting to be explored.

There is no better way to experience this majestic country and its multifaceted states than behind the wheel of a campervan . Ideal for families, campervans give you the freedom to discover the country at your own pace and easy accessibility to attractions. Imagine stopping to hike through lush rainforests, marvel at cascading waterfalls, or channel your inner Hobbit.

As you roll down the open road, you will do more than simply travel, you will collect unforgettable memories and create a family vacation that will be treasured for years to come. Here are some must-see destinations to add to your road trip.

Things to do in Auckland: Visit an interactive aquarium and indulge in waterfront dining

Fly into New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, to start your holiday. A treasure trove of family-friendly delights are waiting to be discovered here. Stroll along the picturesque Viaduct Harbour, a thriving waterfront community teeming with an array of restaurants where everyone can indulge in some leisurely seafront dining.

Next, dive into the wonders of the SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium , where your little ones can explore an underwater world brimming with marine animals. As you walk through the Shark Tunnel, look around to spot the Sand Tiger, Broadnose Sevengill and 2m-long School shark. Then pat starfish at the Rockpool, peep at the seahorses and visit adorable penguins.

For a deeper dive into Auckland's culinary scene, join a food tour with The Big Foody where you will be introduced to some of the city's best purveyors of fresh, seasonal ingredients, visit coffee roasters and farmers markets and indulge in plenty of tastings.

For a more hearty meal, head to the Akarana Eatery to taste gourmet offerings such as fresh oysters and chicken liver parfait waffles while the kids frolic on the front lawn overlooking Okahu Bay waterfront and feast on tempura fish and chips, margherita pizza, and mini-Nutella donuts.

Where to stay in Auckland:

Check into  Hotel Britomart ,  JW Marriott Auckland  or  Four Points by Sheraton

Things to do in Hamilton-Waikato: Spend the day as a Hobbit and cosy up with glowworms

Next, hop aboard the Northern Explorer train which will whisk you away to the charming city of Hamilton, located in the heart of the Waikato region. Here, you can pick up your campervan rental from one of the operators in the area, such as Maui , Britz , Thrifty or Avis .

With your home-on-wheels ready to go, kick off your Waikato adventure at the renowned Hamilton Gardens . This award-winning attraction has been recognised by TripAdvisor, ranking in its top 1 per cent of must-see global destinations.

The most notable attraction here is the Story of Gardens, a series of themed gardens, each representing a specific civilisation or historical period. This includes the Fantasy Garden known for its Tudor-inspired designs and the Paradise Garden which includes the Indian Char Bagh Garden, Italian Renaissance Garden and Chinese Scholars’ Garden.

Next, visit the enchanting Hobbiton Movie Set , where families step inside the Hobbit Holes of Bagshot Row, meticulously recreated by the creative teams behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Experience the daily life of Hobbits in the Shire as you navigate the snug, Hobbit-sized interiors, and cap off your adventure with a delightful Hobbit-style lunch feast.

Transition from the fantasy world to the natural wonders of New Zealand with a boat ride through Waitomo Caves for an intimate encounter with luminescent glowworms. This unique experience highlights the natural beauty hidden beneath the surface of Waitomo.

Animal-loving families should also visit Cornerstone Alpacas . If you are visiting in Spring ( September to November) , you might even get to meet baby alpacas.

If you are missing home by now, head to Madam Woo , known for its vibrant Asian-inspired cuisine. Stars on the menu include tomato and coconut fish curry, five-spiced fried chicken, squid tossed in honey and soy and grilled satay.

Where to stay in Hamilton-Waikato:

Park and stay in your campervan at any of these holiday parks , or check into the Distinction Hamilton Hotel .

Things to do in Rotorua: Race down the world’s longest luge track and tuck into hearty Kiwi fare

As you depart the Waikato region and set your sights on Rotorua, get ready for a scenic drive that promises to delight the entire family. The 105-kilometre journey will take you through some of New Zealand's most breathtaking landscapes, so be sure to keep a keen eye out for stunning vistas and pull over whenever a photo opportunity strikes.

Upon arriving in Rotorua, your first stop should be at Te Puia , New Zealand's geothermal wonderland. Get ready to be mesmerised by the dramatic geysers and bubbling mud pools. Drop by the Kiwi Conservation Centre to catch a glimpse of the active nocturnal Kiwi birds in their natural-like habitat. Observe as they forage and explore, delve into their intriguing history, and gain insights into the ongoing conservation efforts aimed at safeguarding their future.

Next, gear up for an adrenaline-fuelled time at the Rotorua Skyline complex. Race down the world’s longest luge track, “fly” through the Redwood Forest treetops on the Zoom Zipline –  and if you dare – take an exhilarating leap through the air on the Skyswing ride.

When you have worked up an appetite, treat yourselves to a delectable buffet dinner at the complex’s Stratosfare Restaurant with stunning views to boot. Or make a beeline for Patrick's Boutique Bakery , where you can indulge in the quintessential Kiwi delicacy: A perfectly flaky mince-and-cheese or steak-and-cheese pie.

For a final taste of Rotorua's vibrant culinary scene, head to Fat Dog Cafe & Bar for some hearty fare which includes spicy Turkish eggs and corned beef with shredded potato hash, plus child-friendly picks such as french toast and waffles. It is the perfect way to refuel before continuing your unforgettable New Zealand campervan odyssey.

Where to stay in Rotorua:

Park and stay in your campervan at any of these holiday parks , or check into the Ramada Resort by Wyndham Rotorua Marama .

Things to do in Wellington: Take a retro cable car ride and meet a prehistoric reptile

Conclude your New Zealand vacation in Wellington , located approximately 452.3km from Rotorua, a journey of around six hours.

Once there, unwind in the heart of the city at Hannah’s Laneway, celebrated as the world's tastiest laneway. This culinary haven is perfect for families looking to try local delights and pick up unique gifts. With famous spots like Leeds St Bakery and the Wellington Chocolate Factory , it is a gourmet paradise waiting to be explored.

Hop on the iconic bright red Wellington Cable Car for a quintessential city experience. Starting from the bustling Lambton Quay shopping district, the cable car ride ends at the lookout point where stunning panoramic views of Wellington make for a memorable family snap.

For a deep dive into the country’s culture and natural wonders, spend your day at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa . Engage with interactive displays that celebrate the country’s Māori heritage and fascinating history.

At Zealandia nature reserve discover New Zealand's unique wildlife, including the prehistoric three-eyed tuatara reptile and the elusive kiwi bird, all amidst the backdrop of a picturesque reservoir.

Wrap up your stay with a visit to the Harbourside Market on Sunday, where local growers from Manawatu – a farming town –  showcase a variety of fresh produce. Visit the food trucks lined up along the waterfront and indulge in everything from homemade Indian chai to Chinese pancakes, making every bite a discovery of Wellington’s eclectic food scene.

Where to stay in Wellington:

Park and stay in your campervan at any of these holiday parks , or check into the Novotel Wellington .

Campervan driving 101

Follow these tips for a smooth and safe road trip experience in new zealand.

• Begin with the Tiaki Promise : Educate yourself on how to travel responsibly in New Zealand, preserving its natural beauty for future generations.
• Choose designated campsites: For a worry-free night's sleep, stay only at official holiday parks as mentioned in this article. 
• Use handy apps: Download the CamperMate or Rankers app to find camping necessities like dump stations, petrol stations and supermarkets.
• Plan ahead: Keep your fuel tank full and stock up on essentials to avoid hiccups during your travels. Design your itinerary to ensure you arrive at your destination well before it becomes dark.
• Pack smart: Remember, space is a premium. Pack efficiently to avoid clutter and make your trip more comfortable.
• Safety is key: Familiarise yourself with New Zealand’s driving laws, adhere to speed limits and stay vigilant of weather changes. Adjust your driving speed to suit weather conditions, particularly in winter. Due to your campervan’s larger size, allow extra space when making turns on the road.
• Take regular breaks: Given the length of some journeys and the winding nature of New Zealand roads, it is crucial to schedule regular stops. This keeps the drive enjoyable and safe, especially in less populated areas where amenities are sparse.

Ready for your campervan road trip? Start planning your New Zealand itinerary today. And get more tips on how to drive safely in New Zealand .

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Jordan Gassner Travel Blog

There and Back Again: A Visit to Hobbiton New Zealand

August 3, 2022 by jordangassner

“ It’s a dangerous business, Frodo , going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to”

Those famous words, originally written by J.R.R. Tolkien, were again quoted in Sir Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It’s these very words that kick off Frodo and Sam’s unlikely journey from their home in Hobbiton to Mordor. But what made their journey so unlikely is arguably how charming their home, Hobbiton, is.

Enter Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, New Zealand, the real-life filming location for Hobbiton in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. What was once a former movie set is now a beaming travel bucket list location. If you’re interested in stopping by Hobbiton on your journey through New Zealand, here’s all you need to know. I’m sharing the history, ticket types and exactly what to expect on one of their tours!

hobbiton, new zealand

History and The Films

Endless rolling hills of emerald green grasslands and a striking tree towering over a lake. This was the rough vision that The Lord of the Rings location scouts had in mind for Hobbiton back in 1998.

And it was exactly this vision that landed them in Matamata, New Zealand on the Alexander family’s remote sheep farm – literally. Having scouted the farm by helicopter , one of Sir Peter Jackson’s location scouts landed to ask local farmer and property owner, Ian Alexander, about using the land in their film.

As the story goes, Ian shooed the scout away on account of watching a rugby game , telling him to return once the game had finished. And luckily, the scout did, with Ian only finding out the name of the films after having signed the contract .

Filming began at the end of 1999 and continued for 3 months before wrapping and demolishing most of set. For the next ten years, only 17 bare plywood “Hobbit Holes” remained.

In 2009, Sir Peter Jackson returned with a crew to reconstruct the infamous set and film The Hobbit trilogy. This time, he left a more permanent build behind: 44 beautifully-crafted Hobbit Holes .

Joining them in 2012 and fully rounding out the experience is The Green Dragon Inn , a fully-functioning bar and restaurant on the property modeled after the one from the story.

Four Main Ticket Options

Today, you can visit the 12-acre movie set, journeying around the Hobbit Holes, infamous Mill and Green Dragon via multiple tours :

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour – The base tour package lasts 2 hours , includes one beverage and costs up to $89 per person *.

Evening Banquet Tour – Approximately 4 hours in length, I chose this tour to max out my Shire experience and LOVED it! This option includes the same base tour package inclusions, a 2-course banquet feast (allergy restrictions are accommodated!) and a lantern-lit walk . Costs range from $104 – $199 NZD per person *.

Second Breakfast Tour – A more budget-friendly alternative to the Evening Banquet. This tour lasts 3 hours and includes the same base tour package inclusions and a “second breakfast” spread (allergy restrictions are accommodated!). Costs range from $49 – $149 NZD per person *.

Private Tour – The ultimate solo experience. If you’re a photographer or are traveling in a small group , this might be the option for you. This tour lasts 2 hours and costs $1000 NZD for up to 6 people *.

*Ticket prices at time of writing

Special Events

Hobbiton also hosts special ticketed events throughout the year, such as:

• International Hobbit Day – September 22
• Beer Festival – October**
• Christmas – December**
• Halfling Marathon – April**
• Mid-Winter Feast – July**

**Dates vary each year

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hobbiton Movie Set (@hobbitontours)

Transportation

The Hobbiton Movie Set is located in Matamata, a small town about 2 hours south of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island.

Address : 501 Buckland Road, Matamata

Since Hobbiton is one of the country’s most popular travel destinations, there’s a few transportation options available for visitors:

Rental Car – My recommendation . Renting a car from the Auckland airport is the quickest way to get to Matamata. Keep in mind that Kiwis drive on the left side of the road and right side of the car!

Transfer – If opposite side driving isn’t your style, consider taking a transfer! Hobbiton’s website lists all the companies offering day tours and transfers to the set.

Matamata & Accomodations

Matamata , where Hobbiton is located, was the first place I went after touching down in New Zealand. 

The town itself was very small , but full of people. It reminded me of a historic mining town built around the late 1800s to early 1900s with not a whole lot going on, but with an adorable main street . The main source of income for the town is definitely Hobbiton tourism, and you’ll see that reflected just about everywhere you go – even the grocery stores .

Accommodations

Broadway Motel – $

Camellia Cottage – $

Chestnut Lane Cottage – $

Matamata Central Motel – $

Arriving at Hobbiton

The Shire’s Rest

All tours depart from The Shire’s Rest which is part cafe , part gift shop, part ticketing office . Address for The Shire’s Rest can be found above in the Transportation section.

During our visit, my friends and I parked our car in the nearby lot and spent a good 30 minutes perusing the gift shop before the tour. I ended up taking home a painting print , t-shirt , coasters and a few magnets !

Attending the Evening Banquet Tour? The Shire’s Rest gift shop closes before the tour ends so make sure to grab souvenirs before departure .

Bus into Hobbiton

After our allotted time, we lined up for the bus that would take us across the main road from the gift shop and into the farm and Hobbiton. Our driver took us slowly along country road, while our guide explained a bit about the land and how this area ended up being scouted for the films. Circling downward and to the right, we were alerted to our first glimpse into the Shire! Unfortunately, our seats were along the left side of the bus, so our view wasn’t as clear as those seated to our right, but I made a mental note that I’d try to sit along the right hand side of the bus on future visits. 

Secret Tip:

Sitting along the right side of the bus on the way down will afford you the best first views of the Shire from slightly above.

The Evening Banquet Tour

Entering Hobbiton

Barely containing our excitement, we exited the bus and made our way to a large map of the grounds. Our guide told us a brief history of the set and we continued on. 

We walked through that ever so familiar pathway from the film, the one carved between two hedges and held up by small rocks. It was here Gandalf rode through on horse and buggy in Fellowship of the Ring and here that we got our first glimpse of the set.

A Winding Path of Hobbit Holes

Colorful round doors, pristine green gardens and thoughtfully placed props dotted the neighborhood. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be signs of “ life “, making it feel all the more real. Hobbit-sized laundry on a clothes line, a table of faux cheeses outside a cheesemonger’s home , and gardening tools galore.

It was hard to stop us from lingering at each individual Hobbit Hole. There was so much detail and every new sight made us so giddy my cheeks hurt from laughing. I still don’t know how many photos we took or how many times we skipped and danced around the winding pathways between the bright doorways and lush gardens .

We snaked our way through the neighborhood; purposely trailing the pack so we would have the most time to have fun and just be in the experience without feeling the rush of anyone waiting behind.

Of course, the highlight of the tour is the stop at Bag End , which is located at the very top of the Hill overlooking the rest of Hobbiton.

Here, we learned a bit more about the physical construction and what the filmmakers did to best replicate the home’s description from the books .

Dinner and Supper at the Green Dragon

After the main tour of the town, our group gathered inside of the Green Dragon for drinks while the finishing touches of our dinner were laid out in the next room.

Food allergies or dietary restrictions ? Make those known when you book the Evening Banquet or Second Breakfast tours online. With advance notice, Hobbiton Movie Set can accommodate you.

The food was spectacular – a true Hobbit feast . Having visited around the end of November, the meal reminded me of a traditional American Thanksgiving style feast , albeit with more fresh vegetables .

Although shared with the larger group, the kitchen staff informed me of what I could and could not eat with a dairy allergy . And there was still plenty for me to choose from, having put in a note about my allergy before the tour.

A Night To Remember

After an amazing dinner, we began the lantern tour. And on the way, we were given the most magical surprise ! One that any fan of the films would absolutely love. While I won’t spoil it in case you’re planning an Evening Banquet Tour visit, I’ll at least hint that music is involved !

We next made our way back down through the Hobbit Holes. I felt very much like Frodo and Sam coming home from a late night at the Green Dragon, particularly on the night when Gandalf surprised Frodo with a hand on his shoulder, and rushed question of, “ Is it Secret? Is it Safe? ”. That particular night in the story marked the official start of Frodo and Sam’s journey, and in a way, this moment in Hobbiton marked mine as well.  

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Visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand

If you’re ever wanted to visit Hobbiton in real life then the good news is you can. The Hobbiton film set (where the movies were filmed) is open to the public and it is with little wonder this has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand. Located on the North Island of New Zealand just a two hour drive from Auckland, the rolling hills are a warm welcome from city life and with the film set on a currently operating farm, it is easy to feel a world away. Here’s how to visit Hobbiton along with tips to make the most of your visit!

Getting to Hobbiton

Hobbiton is a popular day trip from Auckland given it can be reached by car in just a little over 2 hours. There are daily departing tours if you don’t have a vehicle.

Another popular embarkation point is nearby beach cities and towns respectively, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. The drive to Hobbiton is just one hour from these beach towns.

The Story of Hobbiton

The Hobbiton film set is located in a small farming community called Matamata – largely used for grazing sheep across the idyllic rolling landscape that appears to stretch as far as the eye can see. It was years ago when a Lord of The Rings location scout flew over the farm in search of a tree beside a lake, but soon enough realised he had found the perfect film location for the whole of the Shire.

So the story goes – the location scout landed from his helicopter to inquire about the land being available to rent for the film series, however was told by the owner to return at a later time when the rugby was over (and so he did).

Years ago when the Shire was first created, the film set was mostly made of polystyrene and torn down after filming. However it became apparent that fans were intent on arriving to the farm to see where Hobbiton was filmed and so years later when the location was used again for The Hobbit,  the Shire was recreated and this time in permanency so it could be visited in real life. Fast track to today and there are up to 2,500 visitors per day in the summer months!

Tips for Touring Hobbiton

There are a handful of ticketing options to enhance your experience at Hobbiton – depending on how much of a die hard fan you are!

Outside of the main movie set tour ($84) you can choose ticket prices to include meals (a special breakfast tour that starts at 7:30am prior to opening or a banquet dinner) or if you’re really interested in an enhanced experience, there are private tours for $750 (up to four people). Private events are even possible and year after year the Hobbiton film set welcomes a number of weddings on site!

Tickets are limited and since you must visit with a guided tour, I would recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

There are loads of details to take note of: each of the 44 houses inside the village have their own unique detailing such as the cheese merchant and the baker with gorgeous little shop stand at the front of their properties. There is a cute little picnic set up by the lake and numerous clothes hangers with miniature costumes.

The Green Dragon is open for visitors with a few brews and non-alcoholic ginger beer for those who prefer something on the lighter side (and especially if you’re visiting before noon!)

A very warm thank you to Hobbiton tours for welcoming us to explore Hobbiton prior to opening hours for a private tour! This is not a sponsored post – all opinions and photos are my own.

Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.

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5 Reasons Why You Need To Visit Hobbiton On Your Trip To New Zealand!

Posted on Last updated: December 15, 2023

Categories New Zealand

Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.

We all know that Lord of The Rings was essentially a nine-hour, three-movie-long advert for the beautiful landscape that is New Zealand.

JRR Tolkien’s Lord of The Ring’s books have so far resulted in a total six films, seven if you include the most recent movie about his life ‘Tolkien’ (set for release in 2019).

All of this incredible film and book content means that chances are that if you’re under the age of thirty, the first you heard of New Zealand was from the Lord of The Rings franchise.

Although many of the locations featured in the films are real, and the sprawling landscapes remain untouched to this very day, many of the locations had to be created. NZ is host to one of the greatest special effect’s studios in the world, another product of the success of the Lord of The Rings movie universe.

Some locations, however, were truly created and remain a relic of the cinematic history of the country. Hobbiton, the town that both Bilbo Baggins and Frodo called home is one such place. This mythical location became open to the public in 2002, and since has become one of the most visited attractions on the two islands, garnering around 300,000 visitors every year.

Here are 5 reasons why travelers keep flocking to Hobbiton , year after year…

#1. You Don’t Have To Be A LOTR Movie Fan To Enjoy Hobbiton.

Hobbiton is an incredibly beautiful town, that just so happens to have been built for use in Lord of The Rings. It’s hard not to feel like you’ve just walked into an incredibly beautiful little country village. Even in you haven’t seen the movies, the idyllic village setting may feel familiar to you.

Tolkien’s inspiration for the Hobbits came from old English country villages, with small little cottages and green rolling hills. It is supposed to be a fantasy version of a cute sleepy village town. With so much of the world built in the 21st century, there aren’t many places, and even fewer outside of Europe , where you can experience that kind of building, atmosphere and culture.

You can find fully working and functional carts filled with hay bales ready to be attached to the back of ponies and shire horses. Hobbiton is a fantasy reality of what life could be like if we all slowed down, stepped away from technology and went back to the land.

It’s not every day that you get to stumble into a fully imagined world, and it’s hard not to be impressed and dedication that went into the fully realised creation of one man’s imagination. The guided tour gives all sorts of secrets and details into the making of the films and the sets and some of the facts and figures will astound you.

Every single piece of Hobbiton comes from one man’s imagination. When standing amongst the green hills, flowers and little round wooden doors you consider that it’s the result of something written one hundred years ago, well that’s quite something.

#2. It Just Happens To Be Parked In One Of The Most Beautiful Locations In The World.

Matamata, the town closest to Hobbiton is two hours south of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island. To the East lies Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park. Hobbiton and Matamata themselves are in the region of Waikato, a region famous for its nature-based tourism and underground mysteries.

If cinema magic isn’t enough for you, then there a host of other activities within a two-hour drive of Hobbiton that range from beautiful to downright incredible. On the eastern coast, you can find the town of Raglan. The town has developed into a surfing hub in recent years but is also famous for its black sand beaches and incredible coastline.

Slightly closer to the hobbit town you can find the Te-Waihou walkway that follows the Waihou river up to the simply magnificent Blue Spring. The blue color is produced by the water is almost completely clear creating a strange ethereal effect. Just another otherworldly mystical location to be found in Waikato.

The final thing to visit whilst around Hobbiton is the Waitomo Caves in the Northern regions of Waikato. Visitors can opt for a variety of different tour options ranging from friendly to adventurous. Whatever you choose, you’ll see stunning stalactites and the glowing thread of New Zealand’s native glow worm, which lights up the caves rooves. Now, none of the Lord of The Rings series was actually filmed here, but you never know what you might find in the dark.

#3. We All Know Hobbit’s Loved To Party.

It’s well known amongst LOTR fans that hobbits will find any excuse to put together a party and find time for a drink. That’s why the full Hobbiton movie set tour includes not only a 2-hour tour but also a visit to Green Dragon Inn.

The Green Dragon Inn is the very popular local watering hole in Hobbiton, and a must-see for any who plan on visiting. You’ll be able to taste some of the finest hobbit ale, handcrafted and available exclusively in Hobbiton, the only place in the world where you can get a true taste of Lord of The Rings.

If you arrive at the right time, you may be able to catch some of the special events held at Hobbiton throughout the year. The Hobbiton beer festival arrives in town at the end of October bringing with its specialty Southfarthing drinks on tap all evening. For two days a year, Hobbiton celebrates its beer festival.

The standard Hobbiton set tour tickets are $NZ 84 for Adults and $NZ 42 for children aged between 9-16 years old. Any children that you bring along under the age of nine go free!

IF you’re looking for an immersive or festival experience, check the website for details on dates and ticket prices. Or we recommend these advanced ticket purchase options which are normally even cheaper than going direct…

#4. The Hobbiton Film Location Has An Incredible History.

There is no other place like Hobbiton. New Zealand is the only place in the entire world where you can visit and be a part of Lord of The Rings in such a way. With 44 hobbit holes spread over the 12-acre site, as well as the immersive experiences of the Red Dragon Inn and guided tours, Hobbiton offers an incredible insight to another world.

The area around Hobbiton is relatively untouched, and the lack of power lines, roads or evidence of any human activity is the reason why Peter Jackson, the director and producer of the films, chose Alexander Farm as its location. The town began construction in 1999, and the crew took nine months to fully create the village. The New Zealand army was even drafted in to complete the building.

The whole creation of the project had to be kept secret. This was helped in part due to the remote nature of the village, but strict security was maintained to make sure news of Hobbiton didn’t reach the outside world. Filming finally began at the end of 1999, and the tiny hobbit town that was built over nine months had all of its scenes filmed after only three.

The initial plan was to demolish the site; however, guided tours began in 2002, just as well as seven years later Peter Jackson would be back to begin filming on the prequel to Lord of The Rings… The Hobbit trilogy.

#5. Lord Of The Rings Is Genuinely An Important Part Of New Zealand Culture.

Although of course there is more to New Zealand than Lord of The Rings, it’s impressive the extent to which the fantasy world has penetrated the country’s culture. Lord of The Rings has projected New Zealand on to the world stage and made it an international centre for excellence for animators and special effects artists.

The film franchise has even found its way on to New Zealand’s national air carrier Air New Zealand. The airline shows a Lord of The Rings themed safety briefing, featuring Gandalf, a flying eagle and a host of other characters. If that doesn’t get you excited for a visit to Hobbiton, we don’t know what will.

To miss out on Hobbiton, is to miss out on an important chapter of New Zealand’s cultural history, and how it stepped into the 21st century.

So there you have it, our thoughts on why the town of Hobbiton really is a must see whilst stay in New Zealand. Not only do you get to enjoy a truly unique place, but you have the chance to learn two stories. Tales of Lord of The Rings and how it came to be, but also stories of New Zealand, it’s geology and history. An incredible history lesson in a truly beautiful environment, with great pubs and fantastic beer! Hobbiton provides something for everyone.

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Maximizing LOTR sites on a cruise and Rotorua - New Zealand Forum

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Maximizing LOTR sites on a cruise and Rotorua

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The one thing we most want to do OTHER than LOTR sites is to swim in the hot springs and see Rotorua . But it looks like Tauranga is the best port to see Hobbiton and Rotorua.

Is there a way to do both in one day from that port? We also want to see any other LOTR sites possible. Anyone have suggestions for us from any of the following ports:

Dunedin , Wellington , Tauranga, Napier , Auckland?

5 replies to this topic

Kia Ora Scubadoc1, welcome to the Kiwi forums.

Napier , wineries and the art deco architecture, or Cape Kidnappers gannet colony.

Wellington , Mt Victoria an LOTR site, plus Weta Workshop /Weta Cave.

Dunedin wildlife, including a visit to the Royal Albatross conservation centre. Larnach Castle and stunning gardens if you enjoy settlement history.

Thanks so much! This was very helpful.

The ship will berth at Mount Maunganui (eastern suburb of Tauranga) . Princess tour buses will depart through port gates at Nikau Street. Walkers exit though the gates onto Salisbury Ave. where "private tours" meet their clients.

If want a "swim in the hot springs" try the hot pools (heated saltwater) located in Adams Ave about 1 km north of where the ship's berth.

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50 Reasons Everyone Should Visit New Zealand

Posted: October 10, 2023 | Last updated: October 10, 2023

Kiwi experiences you've been missing

Sailing Auckland's harbor

Charter a sailboat or join a cruise to experience Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour from the water. The City of Sails, as it's also known, has a rich maritime heritage and when you’ve learned all you can about Polynesian and European history in its museums, nothing beats seeing Auckland’s skyline with the wind in your hair. There's even an option to book an ex-America's Cup sailing yacht.

Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The central North Island region features the one-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Famed for its views of magnificent lava fields, smoking craters, volcanic lakes and Mount Ngauruhoe (known as Mount Doom in  The Lord of the Rings ), it's lauded as one of the world's best one-day hikes. In winter, the track is covered in snow and ice. The hike takes six to eight hours to complete and covers around 12 miles (19.4km). Note that it's a point-to-point hike, so travelers are advised to arrange pick-up at the end of the trail.

Sandboarding Giant Sand Dunes

Braving a skydive

Queenstown in the South Island is the adventure capital of New Zealand. Braving a skydive from 15,000 feet (4,572m) is the ultimate high-octane experience and after an exhilarating (and terrifying) 60-second freefall you can enjoy a scenic parachute ride over beautiful and dramatic scenery – drop zones include the base of the Remarkables mountain range.

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Visiting Hobbiton Movie Set

Kiwi film director Sir Peter Jackson shot much of The Lord of the Rings trilogy on location in the epic landscapes of New Zealand. Hobbiton, however, was built from scratch (and rebuilt for The Hobbit ) on farmland just outside the small Waikato town of Matamata. The movie set is now one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions and offers guided tours, dinner feasts, special weekend breakfast experiences and more.

Riding the New Zealand Cycle Trail

The New Zealand Cycle Trail is a series of 22 mostly off-road cycle routes that take anything from a couple of hours to several days. Alps 2 Ocean (pictured) is an epic route that follows glacier-carved valleys from the foot of the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean on the South Island and takes four to six days to complete. It's mostly pretty easy but can be lumpy with steep drop offs in places.

Touring world-class wineries

A flight over an active volcano

In northern New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, White Island – or Whakaari in Māori – is an active marine volcano that last erupted in December 2019. There were 47 people on the island at the time and 22 tragically lost their lives when rock and ash was exploded into the air. Visitors can no longer set foot on White Island, but you can take a scenic flight from Whakatane, Rotorua, Tauranga or Taupo to see the often-smoking crater up close.

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Visiting a marae

Driving Ninety Mile Beach

The far north’s Ninety Mile Beach is officially a highway – but one that's only suitable for 4WD vehicles. Beefed-up minibuses regularly run tours up and down the sands from Kaitaia to Scott Point, while more adventurous travelers tackle the sands in their own vehicles (though rental motors don't allow you to drive on the beach). A seemingly never-ending stretch of sand, Ninety Mile Beach, which is actually 55 miles (88.5km) long, is famed for spectacular sunsets and one of the best left-hand surf breaks in the world.

Exploring Farewell Spit

There are plenty of spots other than Ninety Mile Beach where you can take a drive on the sands, though. At the far north of the South Island in Golden Bay, narrow Farewell Spit is a protected nature reserve and bird sanctuary with bar-tailed godwits, knots, curlews, whimbrels, turnstones and breeding blue penguins. Just one tour company has permission to operate here, allowing visitors to explore the 21-mile (34km) stretch of windswept sands backed by ever-moving dunes on a 4WD minibus.

Jet-boating on the Shotover River

The unbelievably blue waters of the fast-flowing Shotover River are a mesmerizing spot for jet-boating on the Shotover Jet. Your heart is in your mouth as you race through the rocky and narrow canyon, skimming rocks and spinning through sharp turns. The jet is owned by the Ngāi Tahu, the Māori people of this land, and is the only company allowed to operate in this area of the river.

Bungy jumping in Queenstown

Queenstown is the home of the bungy and seems to bring out the adventurous side to every visitor. There are plenty of opportunities for bungy jumping from lofty bridges and ledges in and around town – be like the pros and throw in a flip or twist as you hurtle off. Pictured is the 154-foot (134m) Nevis Bungy – the highest in New Zealand, offering an incredible 8.5-second free fall.

Bathing on Hot Water Beach

Join the throngs of people as the tide rolls out on Hot Water Beach on the east of the North Island. Grab a spade (you can hire one from a nearby café) and head to the southern end of the beach where you can dig your very own hot pool and immerse yourself in naturally heated water. It's one beach experience that's even better on a rainy day. 

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Discovering Wai-O-Tapu thermal wonderland

The Wai-O-Tapu thermal wonderland is close to Rotorua, a place revered by Māori (Wai-O-Tapu means sacred waters). The geothermal playground has mud pools, geysers and sulfur pools. Although there's a distinct rotten egg whiff in the air, the views are nothing short of stunning.

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Feasting at a Māori hāngi

Māori traditionally used the natural geothermal heat of Rotorua as a subterranean oven. At the Te Puia Māori cultural center you can enjoy a hāngi buffet lunch that includes chicken and lamb dishes cooked in a pit dug in the earth. As New Zealand reopens, hāngi experiences are also expected to return at Whakarewarewa and Tamaki Māori Village.

Being dazzled by Cathedral Cove

Exploring Waitomo Glowworm Caves

The Waitomo region on the North Island has plenty of limestone caves to explore and a boat ride through the dimly lit Waitomo Glowworm Caves is unmissable. Gliding along in silence with the cavern lit by what looks like thousands of stars is a magical experience.

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White-water rafting on Kaituna River

New Zealand has some of the best white-water rafting in the world and Kaituna River near Rotorua is no exception. The river – one of the warmest in New Zealand – can be rafted year-round, but spring (September, October and November), is when the waterfalls are particularly epic. Kaituna Cascades offer 50-minute Grade 5 rafting tours tackling 14 rapids along the river.

Riding the TranzAlpine Express

The stupendous scenery of the TranzAlpine rail route between Christchurch and Greymouth takes in the Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps (jump off to explore Arthur's Pass), lush lake valleys and native beech forests. The train goes through short tunnels and crosses dramatic viaducts on its five-hour journey. Currently, face masks are required, even in the open-air viewing carriage.

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Cruising Cook Strait

Crossing the Cook Strait on the Interislander ferry between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island is a scenic ride. On the laid-back three-and-a-half-hour crossing, you’ll have unparalleled views of the Marlborough Sounds (pictured) and might spot seals, penguins, whales and dolphins.

Stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere

For an invigorated sense of wonder at the galaxy, enjoy a night-time visit to the Aoraki-Mackenzie Dark-Sky Reserve, which includes Canterbury University’s Mount John Observatory (pictured) above Lake Tekapo, or travel to the southernmost Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world on Stewart Island/Rakiura. It's a truly magical experience.

Skiing the Southern Alps

Kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park

The outstanding coastline of Abel Tasman National Park is the main reason to visit and paddling the picturesque islets and islands is an unmissable experience. From a kayak, you’re able to access secluded golden sand beaches that can’t be reached on foot. This might be the country's smallest national park, but it's perfectly formed for fabulous adventures that are not too strenuous. 

Tramping in Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Viewing the world’s clearest freshwater springs

Golden Bay’s Te Waikoropupu Springs (which translates as 'place of the dancing sands') is a serene spot to visit. While you can’t swim (the springs are a taonga, or treasure, to Māori), the stroll through the forest follows the stream and emerges at a viewing platform over the crystal-clear waters, some of the clearest in the world.

Immersing in art at Auckland Art Gallery

Auckland Art Gallery (Toi o Tāmaki) impresses from the outset. The building has a strong connection to Albert Park, which was once the site of a Māori pā (village site or hill fort). Māori commissions form part of the fabric of the building and exhibitions are world-class.

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Discovering giant kauri trees

Kauri trees can grow to more than 164 feet (50m) tall and once dominated the forests of the North Island. However, logging wiped out huge swathes of land and only a few kauri still stand. Waipoua Forest is one of the best places to have a close encounter with a kauri tree, several of which are more than 2,000 years old. Footprints Waipoua offer tours to visit these ancient giants from Opononi in Northland.

Whale watching off the Kaikoura Peninsula

Surfing Raglan, Waikato

The 1966 surf classic Endless Summer was filmed in Raglan and it’s a popular spot with surfers. The long peeling left-hand break at world-famous Manu Bay (five miles, or 8km, from Raglan) can get a little crowded, so Ngarunui (Ocean) Beach might be a better choice for beginners.

Ice climbing on the Southern Alps

Getting up close to penguins

The world’s rarest species of penguin, the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes), or hoiho, can be spotted at Curio Bay in The Catlins. The southeast corner of the South Island is home to these protected birds and it’s estimated there are only around 6,000 to 7,000 of them left in the wild in New Zealand.

Paddleboarding Poor Knights Island

Cruising Milford Sound

South Island’s Fiordland National Park is one of the most pristine and spectacular places on the planet. The vast fiord known as Milford Sound, or Piopiotahi in the Māori language, has sheer rock walls rising 5,522 feet (1,683m) and a daytime or overnight cruise gives a unique perspective.

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Paddling a waka

More than 800 years ago Māori arrived in New Zealand on waka (canoes) from eastern Polynesia. Learning about Māori heritage while paddling as a team along the beautiful Abel Tasman coast in single or double-hulled outrigger canoes is a special experience. Visitors learn the etiquette (tikanga) associated with waka before beginning the journey along the coast to Split Apple Rock. All trips also begin and end with a blessing (karakia) for protection.

Soaking in hot springs

There are plenty of hot springs in New Zealand, but Kerosene Creek (around a 30-minute drive from Rotorua) is totally free. Here, the tumbling waterfall and naturally heated hot pool is at the end of a short track and surrounded by native forest. For a more commercial experience, visit Ngawha in Northland, where 16 geothermal pools have recently been redeveloped and reopened in 2021. The Parahirahi Ngawha Waiariki Trust owns and operates Ngawha and upholds the cultural and spiritual values of the springs.

Visiting Cape Reinga

Standing at the lighthouse at the far north of New Zealand looking out at the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean colliding, you can feel why it’s such a special place for Māori. This sacred site at the end of the road marks the point from which Māori wairua (spirit) return to their traditional homeland. While it's not the most northern point of the country (North Cape is, but it's not open to public), this is as far as you can get by road. There are guided coach tours departing from Kaitaia and Paihia daily too.

Walking the Pancake Rocks track

Fishing in the Tongariro River

The Tongariro River is the most important spawning habitat in the Great Lake Taupo region. The river runs through Turangi, which makes a great base for anyone keen on fly fishing for world-renowned rainbow trout. Tongariro Lodge has been offering guided experiences to over 40 rivers and three lakes since 1982 in the Lake Taupo region, including in the Tongariro River.

Cruising through the Hole in the Rock

The Bay of Islands is a watery wonderland with more than 100 offshore subtropical islands to explore. The talisman of the region is the Hole in the Rock (Piercy Island) – a spectacular rock formation that is possible to cruise right through on a calm day. Half-day tours leave from Paihia.

Touring “Wellywood”

Wellington is the capital of the New Zealand film industry and Miramar peninsula, 20-minutes from downtown, is where all the action happens. You can tour the digital workshop to get insight into the special effects that turn fantasy movies like The Lord of the Rings  and District 9 into reality and visit Wētā Cave (pictured) to buy props and merchandise made by the artists who work on the movies.

Stocking up at a farmers' market

On weekend mornings locals in every part of the country flock to their local farmers’ market to pick up fresh local produce. Buzzing markets include La Cigale French Market (in Auckland), Harbourside Market (in Wellington), Nelson Farmers Market, Christchurch Farmers' Market and Matakana Village Farmers' Market, pictured, which is zero waste.

Taking in an All Blacks haka

The haka is a complex dance and traditional Māori challenge that tribes built their reputation on. The intensity and ferocity of the All Blacks performing either Ka Mate or their own haka Kapa O Pango before a game is not easily forgotten. Catch a game at one of the international stadiums across New Zealand, from Auckland to Dunedin.

Hot air ballooning over the Canterbury Plains

Floating over the panoramic Canterbury Plains landscape is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. Hot air ballooning here is at its most magical and peaceful at sunrise. Ballooning Canterbury offers hour-long flights and balloon fiestas where you have the opportunity to float among other balloons.

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Carving pounamu (New Zealand greenstone)

Wood, stone and bone carving are prestigious art forms practiced by master carvers. Spending a day or more learning traditional Māori skills is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about all aspects of Māori culture (and you take home something you made with your own hands). You'll find many places that offer carving experiences all across the country.

Riding the streetcars in Christchurch

 A devastating earthquake in 2011 changed the skyline of Christchurch, on the South Island, forever. Luckily, the city's quaint heritage streetcars remain. They operate a hop-on-hop-off tour of the inner city, taking in all the major tourist sites (17 of them). Cathedral Square, where Christchurch Cathedral is being rebuilt to look much like the 1904 original, sits along the route as does the new Riverside Market on the banks of the Avon River. It has sprung up as part of the regeneration of the city.

Embracing freedom camping

Sure, there are restrictions on where you can camp, but New Zealand has many beautiful untouched spots where it’s possible to pitch or park up for free. Nothing beats the freedom of driving off the beaten track to set up a remote camp under the stars. Travel New Zealand has lots of valuable information when it comes to freedom camping. "While it is free of charge, it is not free of responsibility," they say, so read up before planning a trip.

Check out these brilliant camping and RV hacks

Hiking New Zealand's newest Great Walk

A new edition to the famous Great Walks of New Zealand, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track is set to open at the end of 2022. This three-day, 38-mile (61km) loop through Fiordland gives access to sensational southern coastline, native forests, limestone tors and historic viaducts. Trampers must book the two backcountry lodges in advance – Okaka at 3,281 feet (1,000m) and Port Craig at sea level.

High-altitude heliskiing

New Zealand has some stunning high-altitude destinations for heliskiing. Take a chopper from Queenstown or Wanaka to the Southern Alps or to Aoraki Mount Cook, where you'll land in the best dry powder snow and can take a number of runs. You need to be a strong skier, but there's a wide range of terrain so it's possible to be dropped somewhere a little less advanced. Powder skis or all-mountain skis are recommended. Tourism New Zealand offers a handy guide to companies offering heliskiing experiences.

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