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Hobbiton Movie Set

The lake front village

Bag End, home of Frodo & Bilbo Baggins

The Green Dragon Inn

The Evening Banquet Tour feast.

The Hobbiton Lights

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

501 Buckland Road , Matamata , New Zealand .

For your own Middle‑earth™ adventure, daily tours are available to visit the original Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and The Hobbit films.

Pricing and Conditions

Children aged 0-10 are free Youth aged 11 - 17 are $60 Adults 18+ Please note children and infants are free but must have a ticket allocated prior to arrival and be accompanied by a full paying adult. Please book a ticket for all children travelling in your group.

Refunds will be paid at 100% if a cancellation is made more than 24 hours before the scheduled tour departure. If cancellation is made less than 24 hours before the scheduled tour departure, no refund will be given.

Experience Middle‑earth™ with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. Your guided tour starts with a drive through our picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. Journey past the colourful Hobbit Hole™ doors that scatter the hillsides, including the iconic Bag End, home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, before arriving at Bagshot Row™ for a glimpse of the interior of a humble Hobbit’s home. Continue along the pathways past The Millhouse, across the double-arch stone bridge and into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will enjoy a complimentary, exclusive beverage Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ range to conclude your Middle‑earth™ adventure.

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Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

This website helps visitors connect with providers of great tourism experiences. It is not intended to give any assurance that any particular provider complies with its safety obligations. Users should seek more information from the provider concerned. While Hamilton & Waikato Tourism will do its utmost to ensure the information contained within this website is accurate, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, offers or details of any information or operator listings. Prices, timetables and other details or terms of business may change without notice. The information included in this website is not advice and does not imply any endorsement by Hamilton & Waikato Tourism.

UponArriving

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Review (Ultimate Guide)

I have seen some pretty cool movie set tours like the Harry Potter Warner Bros. studio tour in London and the Hobbiton Movie Set tour ranks up there with the best. In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour. I will cover things like ticket prices and tours and also give you a detailed review of what the experience is like.

Table of Contents

What is the Hobbiton Movie Set?

The Hobbiton Movie Set is a hilly farmland in Waikato, New Zealand where scenes featuring “Hobbiton” of the Shire were filmed for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film series. The site now offers several different tours and experiences that allow fans to enjoy the movie set in memorable ways, such as guided tours and festive banquets.

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Booking the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

Below I will go into the details for all of the prices for the different tours .

One thing I will say right off the bat is that you need to book your tickets as soon as possible because the spots will fill up very quickly. This is especially true if you want to do one of the special tours that involve a lunch or banquet. This is not an attraction that you want to wait until the last minute to book!

There are four main different tours that you can choose from. Note that the prices will be increasing for all of the tours as of April 2020.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

This is the main tour that most people will do. It takes you through the major sites like the Hobbit Holes and Green Dragon Inn and takes about two hours (I’ll go into detail on this tour below). 

You can choose to be picked up from three different locations:

• The Shire’s Rest (the tour’s main location)
• Matamata i-SITE
• The Hobbiton™ Movie Set Shop, 1235 Fenton St, Rotorua (more expensive)

The tours from The Shire’s Rest depart every 10 minutes so there are many of these tours every single day. When you go to book a tour you will have a selection of different time slots to choose from and you should see if there are limited spaces for certain slots.

Here are the prices for the tour: 

(All prices below are in New Zealand dollars. For your reference, you can click on a price below and see the US dollar equivalent. 84 New Zealand dollars is ~$55 USD as of 12/19.)

• Adult (17 years and over): $84.00 , $89.00 from 1 April 2020
• Youth (9-16 years): $42.00 , $44.00 from 1 April 2020 
• Child (0-8 years): Children are FREE but must have ticket allocated prior to arrival and be accompanied by a full paying adult.
• Tours depart daily from 9am until 3.30pm.

If you are going to be late for your tour I suggest that you contact them immediately. They will work with you to try to get you into the soonest tour but keep in mind that if other tours are all sold out they might not be able to get you in that day.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour + Lunch

This is the tour that I wish I would have done. If you want to make your tour experience a little bit more memorable without paying a whole lot of extra money, I think this tour option is perfect. There are only three timeslots though and these tours need to be booked very far in advance to secure your preferred time slot.

Here are the prices:

• Adult (17 years and over): $120.00 , $125.00 from 1 April 2020
• Youth (9-16 years): $78.00 , $80.00 from 1 April 2020 
• 10.05am departure begins with tour followed by lunch at 11.35am
• 12.05pm departure begins with tour followed by lunch at 1.35pm
• 1.25pm departure begins with lunch followed by tour at 2.25pm

Hobbiton Movie Set Evening Banquet Tours

The Hobbiton Movie Set Evening Banquet Tour is probably the coolest way to explore the Shire because it is a tour that takes place at dusk. Also, you get to enjoy the banquet at the Green Dragon which is a unique experience.

I think I would enjoy this tour but there is something special about visiting the Shire during the daytime when the sun is out shining brightly and this tour may not offer you that same type of experience.  

• Adult (17 years and over): $195.00 , $199.00 from 1 April 2020
• Youth (9-16 years): $152.50 , $162.00 from 1 April 2020 
• Child (5-8 years): $100 , $104.00 from 1 April 2020. Children must be accompanied by a full paying adult- Must also have a ticket allocated. 
• Infant (0-4 years):  Infants must be accompanied by a full paying adult- Must also have a ticket allocated.

Private Tour

The private tour is very expensive but it is probably the best option for the diehard fans and I will explain why below.

• Private tour (up to 4 people): $750.00
• Additional Adult (17yrs+): $84.00
• Additional Youth (9-16yrs): $42.00
• Additional Child (0-8yrs): Free with full paying adult

Please note: From 1 April 2020 Private Tour departures will be $1,000.00 for maximum six adults or equivalent.

Tour packages

Because the movie set tour is a couple of hours away from Auckland, New Zealand and semi-close to other attractions, a lot of people like to package together tours and spend an entire day hitting up multiple spots.

This can be an efficient use of both time and money so it is definitely something to consider. One of the popular tourist packages you can do is what is known as the trilogy and it offers the following tours:

• 45 minute Tour of Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Waitomo
• 2 hour tour of Ruakuri Cave, Waitomo
• 2 hour Tour of Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata
• 4.5 hours exclusive guided tour of Te Puia; Maori welcome ceremony and cultural performance & Māori Feast (traditional indigenous dinner), Rotorua

The Trilogy Package Prices

• Family $924 (2 adults and 2 children; extra child add $171)

Don’t forget — watch the movies!

Once you book your tickets, I recommend that you re-watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy and also the Hobbit movies so that everything is fresh on your mind. And obviously if you have not seen the movies, you need to get on that ASAP!

Getting to the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

Here is the address of the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour:

501 Buckland Road, Matamata 3472, New Zealand

Below are the approximate time frames it will take you to get to the movie set from major destinations:

• Waitomo Glowworm Caves: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Auckland, New Zealand: 2 hours
• Wellington, New Zealand: 6 hours

We stayed at the Hilton Auckland Hotel and so we were about a two hour drive away from the movie set, which we made in a rental car. 

The drive to the movie set from Auckland was very beautiful!

You will pass through many rolling green hills and beautiful farm landscapes. It reminded me a lot of driving through California when all of the hills are nice and green and full life.

Your GPS will probably take you right to the location but you will also notice several signs pointing you in the right direction as you approach the movie set. If you don’t want to drive there, you can look into getting transferred there.

Also, there are farm stays in the local area so you could stay in something like a B&B for a night and enjoy a nice complimentary dinner and breakfast. 

Arriving at the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

There are pretty large parking lots at the Hobbiton Movie Set so you shouldn’t have an issue finding a parking spot when you arrive. 

The first thing that you need to do when you arrive is to snap a photo of you underneath the Hobbiton Movie Set sign. It is a picture perfect sign and there is a little walkway that will take you right to the sign. 

The Shire’s Rest

When you arrive, you will need to check in to receive your tickets if you booked online and you will want to head to The Shire’s Rest to do this. Simply follow the signs to the Shires Rest Ticketing Centre where you can get that done. When we arrived, there was only a short line to deal with. Keep in mind that they request you to check in 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time.

If you have arrived early then you might want to spend some time at the nearby Shire’s Rest Cafe or Garden Bar. The Garden Bar offers a nice shady spot to grab a bite and craft beer before or after your tour and it’s perfect for summer days.

You can also order ice cream and milkshakes or thick shakes for around five to seven New Zealand dollars from the ice cream shop. If you really have a sweet tooth consider going with the Hobbit Crunch which is a fancy sundae that you will surely enjoy.

You can also explore the gift shop . However, a lot of visitors like to save the gift shop until the end of the tour so you might want to go that route. I will talk more about the gift shop below.

Getting ready for your tour

As the time approaches for your tour, you will want to line up where the sign indicates your tour will be taking off. I would suggest lining up about five minutes before your scheduled tour time.

Depending on the type of tour that you booked, you might be getting transported via a bus or a van. In our case, we did the bus tour.

After lining up we boarded the bus and found our seats which were in a 2-2 lay out.

Once we got going, they played some special footage related to the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies and also provided us with some insightful content about the production of the movies, the 12-acres that was used for Hobbiton, and some other really cool and interesting facts.

I don’t want to give everything away but you will find out some little tidbits about the movie that you probably did not already know.

The drive through the Alexander family sheep farm over to the movie set is also an extremely scenic drive. You will wind through some beautiful rolling green pasture land dotted with sheep living a good life. 

The bus ride from the arrival area to the actual movie set took a total of 15 minutes. 

Once everybody exits the bus you will meet up at the first sign and they will go over some of the information that you need to know about the tour. Basically they just told us to stay together and to not venture into any of the areas without permission.

The way that the tour works is that you will travel as a group and your group will stop at several different Hobbit Holes throughout Hobbiton. At each stop, you will be able to check out the areas and get photos while learning some cool facts about each little site.

The biggest drawback to this tour is that they move along too efficiently.

Basically if you are in the back of the line you will feel rushed from the group behind you coming up.

It’s a very awkward experience when you are trying to get a photo and you have 30 tourists glaring at you as they impatiently wait for you to leave so that their tour guide can start showing them the site.

Therefore, if you are a true Lord of the Rings fan and you want to savor this experience, you probably want to consider a private tour. Yes, they will be much more expensive but you will be able to enjoy the sights without any pressure from the crowds.

Spoiler alert

If you don’t already know, you will find out that these little Hobbit Holes are not actually real little houses with rooms and lively corridors to explore. Some of them open up to a small area that is similar to a closet but most are just facades.

But still, it can be really fun to explore the exterior of the Hobbit Holes and the entire community.

One thing that fascinated me about the different Hobbit Holes was all of the details. Everything from the windows to the doorhandles are extremely intricate and it is really fun to explore them from up close. It really feels as if little hobbits are living inside behind those doors.

It’s really cool to see some of the sights like the detailed clothes drying out on the clothes lines.

Also the landscaping with all of the colorful flowers is pretty immaculate and a sight to see. When we visited in February, there were tons of butterflies fluttering around and it was a very magical experience.

Your tour guide will point out the residences of the most notable hobbits.

One of the coolest things to see are all of the live plants and produce that they produce on site. 

You can even find batches of raw honey.

I also appreciated the attention to detail in things like the “street signs.”

Each time you stop at a little Hobbit Hole you should have enough time to get some photos and to pose in front of them. Like I mentioned though, this is much easier to do if you are at the front of the group because you will not feel as much pressure to move along quickly.

Your tour should stop at at least one Hobbit Hole that they will allow you to step inside of and get some photos. And when I say step inside of, that literally means just taking like one step inside of the Hobbit Hole. 

Make sure you are listening to your tour guide because during our tour some of the tourists entered in one of the Hobbit Holes that was NOT meant to be entered in. This caused a little bit of commotion so just be mindful of this.

The tour will wind up and down the hillsides as you hit up the different sites. The walking required is not overly strenuous, but I would definitely bring some walking friendly shoes. 

The pathways are not wheelchair friendly but there are options for those who can’t complete all the walking.

Also, you are permitted to bring strollers on the tour but many of the pathways are cobblestone or bumpy and they also can be quite narrow so bringing a stroller can be a task.

Green Dragon Inn

Eventually you will wind up at the tavern at the end of the tour, known as the Green Dragon Inn .

According to the official Hobbiton website, “The Green Dragon Inn was the meeting place for all residents of Hobbiton, who would gather in the warm surroundings of the bar to chatter about the day’s events.” 

The Green Dragon Inn is a really cool spot where you can enjoy some grub or even some drinks from the Hobbit Southfarthing range , which I believe is brewed right on location.

Here are some drinks that you might be interested in trying:

• Girdley Fine Grain, Amber Ale
• Sackville Cider, Apple Cider
• Oatbarton Brew, Traditional English Ale
• Frogmorton Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic)

Once you find yourself a drink, head over to the fireplace and relax in a nice comfy seat.

If you have also booked a lunch tour then this is where you will depart from the other group to enjoy the lunch buffet served in the Party Marquee. The Party Marquee is adjacent to The Green Dragon Inn, with the garden bar seating overlooking the Hobbiton Movie Set.

In our case, we only did the standard movie set tour so we then headed back to the gift shop. The entire tour lasted about two hours.

The gift shop

There are a lot of interesting items to purchase at the gift shop. You will find all sorts of different collectibles, books, and some decoration items like the maps of Middle Earth which I thought were pretty awesome.

For something like a map you would be paying about NZ$35.

They also had some awesome figurines of different characters and those were more expensive — usually ranging around NZ$100-NZ$300.

Some of the items cannot be purchased at the store but they are on display and available at websites that will be shown on the display.

They also had a lot of standard gift shop items like candies and various types of sweets. You could also venture into the café and purchase sandwiches for around $6.50 and beverages like iced coffee or milk for around 3 to NZ$5.

If you wanted something more substantial you could order a meal like eggs Benedict for $16.50, second breakfast for $19.50, or a Lamb burger for around $18.

There are several picnic tables for you to enjoy your meal outside and on a nice day it can be an extremely pleasant experience.

But there are also tables located indoors just in case the weather does not cooperate.

Lord of the Rings tours

If you are a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy there are other tours that you can do that will take you to various destinations and locations used in the films. Some of these tours can be up to two weeks in length so you can live your fandom for days on end!

Here are some companies to look at:

• Red Carpet Tours
• Weta Studio Tours
• Hairy Feet- Waitomo
• Tongariro Crossing- Adrift Guided Adventures
• Adventure Safari Ltd- Wellington
• Hassle Free Tours- Christchurch

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Review (Ultimate Guide) FAQ

No, the tours are all guided and require visitors to be supervised. This is probably in the best interest of everyone.

Drones are not allowed during the normal tour hours. You can contact the site owners to inquire about after our drone usage but there is no guarantee they will allow it.

Yes, they will continue with tours in the rain. They will supply you with umbrellas but this is one reason why you want to bring quality closed toed shoes with you on this trip (or a poncho ).

You will likely only be allowed to step inside of one Hobbit Hole. And keep in mind there will only be a small closet-like area behind the door.

The standard movie set tour is approximately two hours and about 30 minutes of that is travel time to and from the movie set.

Yes, you can take as many photos as you would like just make sure they are not for commercial use. I brought out my professional DSLR camera and had no issues with photos.

You don’t need to bring anything special with you on this tour. But you would probably be good with a small backpack where you can hold things like sunscreen, a jacket if you don’t need to be wearing it, water bottles, etc. As mentioned above, I would consider a rain poncho if I were visiting when rain was expected.

Overall, the movie set tour is a must see destination for any fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy or the Hobbit movies. You will no doubt be floored by the amount of details in the Hobbit Holes and surrounding areas. But while I loved the tour I do think that a private tour would be much more enjoyable for a diehard fan even with the price tag of $1,000. 

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

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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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Ultimate New Zealand Bucket List

New Zealand   i is one of the most beautiful places on earth, combining nature with adventure, ther

The Ultimate 18 Day New Zealand ​ Road Trip Itinerary

This is the route that Brit & I followed on our road-trip in New Zealand back in November 2018.

Is The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Really Worth It?

New Zealand is known as the Mecca for Lord of the Rings fans. Throughout the country you can find filming locations and all kinds of tours. One of the most popular spots is Mount Doom, which you can climb while  hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing . Another one, that’s accessible for LOTR fans of all ages and fitness levels, is the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour.

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour is pretty expensive though. Is it really worth a visit? Keep reading to find out.

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour in Short

• What? fully guided walking tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set
• How long? 2 hours
• How much? NZ$89 (~ US$56 ~ €50) per person
• Bring? camera and dress to weather
• How to get there? click here for more info
• Where to buy ticket? click here to check availability and buy your ticket

The Hobbiton Movie Set

The Hobbiton Movie Set is what you see as The Shire in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. The Shire, with its lush green rolling hills and the town of Hobbiton is in reality part of the Alexander Farm. It was scouted in an aerial search in 1998 and by the end of 1999 Hobbiton was built.

The  Hobbiton Movie Set is located in Matamata, well north of Lake Taupo, on the north island of New Zealand.

The town of Hobbiton

Hobbiton counts no less than 44 hobbit holes : 39 were built for the Lord of the Rings movies and 5 more were added for The Hobbit movies. Some of the houses are themed, corresponding with the job of the hobbit living there: a florist, a cheesemaker, a baker, you name it!

The hobbit holes are just fronts though, there’s nothing inside. We’re just managing your expectations here, because we were pretty disappointed when finding this out. Apparently the filming inside the houses was done at a studio in Wellington. The gardens have real vegetables though, which they use in their café.

There is one hobbit hole that’s decorated on the inside (or for 3 meters at least): Bag End , Bilbo Baggins’ home. This was done for just one shot made from the inside of the house with an overview over The Shire. The things they did for a couple of seconds of screen time, unbelievable!

The fake tree above Bag End is another example of the great lengths they’ve gone through to add detail and make everything seem as real as possible. Your guide will gladly tell you all about it.

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

You can only visit the Hobbiton Movie Set on a fully guided walking tour , there’s no way to wander around on your own.

The tour itself is always the same, but there are departures organised from different locations (more info in the practical info section ). You can also opt to include a lunch or dinner in your Hobbiton tour, but we’ll elaborate on that in the ticket prices section .

All included, from departure at The Shire's Rest to returning there, the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour took about 2 hours . A 10 minute bus ride takes you and your fellow tour group members to Hobbiton. The driver will tell you about the discovery of the site, life on the set, and the Alexander Farm that’s been there since before the film fame.

It was a grey and rainy day when we were visiting. That didn’t temper the enthusiasm of our young guide though. She took us on a walking tour through Hobbiton, while passionately explaining us all about the 44 hobbit holes, the Party Tree and everything there’s to know about the Hobbiton Movie Set.

That includes  interesting facts and trivia about the techniques used and the astonishing amount of precision and detail Sir Peter Jackson (the director of the movies) demanded. A little sunshine would have made the experience even better, and the colours of the hobbit houses pop even more, but it was still awesome.

We ended our Hobbiton Movie Set Tour at The Green Dragon Inn with a complementary handcrafted ale. It was a pretty big cup and we only had about 10 minutes in there to finish it, so this last part felt a bit rushed.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour – practical info

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours depart from The Shire's Rest daily from 9:00 until 15:30 and take about 2 hours . In high season, from September to March, there are possibly additional tours available.

Another tour departure spot is the Matamata i-SITE , the town’s visitor information centre. Tours depart here daily at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, and 15:30 , and take about 3 hours . An additional tour might depart at 17:00 on certain days between December 1 and February 28.

We provide more information on how to get to these departure spots in another section below .

Note that the guided walking tour through Hobbiton is outdoors , so dress accordingly . The tours won’t be cancelled due to rain, instead you can make use of the wide umbrellas that are available for free.

TIP: Hobbiton is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of New Zealand, so best buy your tickets online beforehand to avoid disappointments!

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour – ticket prices

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour cost us NZ$79 (~ US$50 ~ €45) per person, which was the entrance fee for an adult, with guided tour, without transfer back in 2016. Now, the ticket price is NZ$89 (~ US$57 ~ €53) . This applies for departures at The Shire's Rest and Matamata i-SITE . Click here to check out availability and buy your Hobbiton tour tickets.

If you want to book the Hobbiton Tour and lunch combo , it will cost you NZ$125 (~ US$80 ~ €74) per person. Lunch will be served buffet style at the Party Marquee, adjacent to The Green Dragon Inn, where you can sit at shared tables with your tour group. There are 3 tour departure times a day for this option. Click here to check out availability and buy your Hobbiton tour and lunch combo tickets.

Probably the coolest, but also the most expensive, Hobbiton experience is the Hobbiton Evening Banquet Tour . You’ll get the same guided walking tour as any other visitor, but after the banquet feast in the The Green Dragon dining room, you’ll walk through a lit up Hobbiton in the moonlight! Ticket prices for this are NZ$199 (~ US$127 ~ €118) per person and only available on 4 days a week. Click here to check out availability and buy your Hobbiton Evening Banquet Tour tickets.

After we’ve visited, a new tour was added: the Hobbiton Second Breakfast Tour . After the guided walking tour, you’ll be served a royal second (because you probably already had one before the tour) breakfast at The Millhouse, the newest Hobbiton venue. A ticket for this tour costs NZ$149 (~ US$95 ~ €88) per person. Click here to check out availability and buy your Hobbiton Second Breakfast Tour tickets.

There are a bunch of special occasions as well, when special prices apply, but you’ll also get a special experience of course. You can celebrate the Hobbiton Summer Harvest Festival in February, the Hobbiton Mid-Winter Feast in July, International Hobbit Day in September, the Hobbiton Beer Festival in November, and a Hobbiton Christmas in December.

NEW! Starting on 1 December 2023 you can peek behind a Hobbit Hole door! Obviously, prices will go up at that time.

We bought our Hobbiton tour tickets upon arrival at The Shire's Rest , just like a bunch of others. But we were visiting in low season. Make sure you book your tickets well beforehand when visiting during high season, which is from September to March.

If you need a transfer included in your Hobbiton tour ticket, check out the section on how to get to the Hobbiton Movie Set .

TIP: Check out Bookme New Zealand for any last-minute deals on Hobbiton tour tickets. Just enter “Hobbiton” in the search bar.

How to get to the Hobbiton Movie Set

As mentioned before, the  Hobbiton Movie Set is located in Matamata, Waikato. You can book tours starting from basically every city in the neighbourhood: Auckland, Rotorua, Tauranga, and Matamata obviously.

However, we just booked the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour without a transfer . We were road tripping New Zealand in our rented Spaceships Campervan , so drove to Matamata in our own time. There’s a rather big car park at The Shire's Rest , which houses the ticketing centre, a gift shop, and a café.

For us, Hobbiton was a stop between our stay in Rotorua and Waitomo . The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are another crazy popular tourist attraction that tours often combine with a visit to Hobbiton. If you’ve had enough of the crowds after The Shire though, we recommend heading to the Waipu Caves for a free glowworm alternative to the Waitomo Caves .

How to get to Hobbiton from Matamata

If you’re staying in Matamata, the town where the Hobbiton Movie Set is located, you can book a tour including a transfer from the Matamata i-SITE , the local visitor information centre. Ticket prices are the same as if you’d leave from The Shire's Rest , but the tour (including transport) will take about 3 hours in this case. Click here to check out availability and book your Hobbiton Movie Set tour ticket from Matamata.

How to get to Hobbiton from Auckland

Auckland is located about 180 km (~ 112 miles) northwest of Hobbiton , a drive that’ll take over 2 hours. There are several companies offering tours that include a transfer from Auckland to Hobbiton and back, like these:

A Hobbiton tour from Auckland takes at least 8 hours , as the drive alone takes over 2 hours one way. These tours usually depart early, around 7:00. Prices vary, depending if lunch is included or not. Note that if lunch is at The Shire’s Rest Café, that’s not the tour and lunch combo mentioned above. This café is not on the Hobbiton Movie Set itself, rather at the edge of it.

While you’re in the neighbourhood, you might want to check out some other tourist attractions as well, like the Waitomo Glowworm Caves , or the geothermal city of Rotorua . You can find several day tours or 2-day tours combining these with a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour:

How to get to Hobbiton from Rotorua

Rotorua , known for its geothermal activity, is just 1 hour or 70 km (~ 44 miles) southeast of Hobbiton . Check availability for a Hobbiton Movie Set tour including a transfer from Rotorua and back:

Where to stay near Hobbiton?

If you’re planning on spending the night near Hobbiton, you can check these Hobbiton accommodation options . This is a good idea when you’re joining the Hobbiton Evening Banquet tour for example, or want to explore Matamata as well.

Is the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour worth it?

For us, the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour was definitely worth our money! We’re not Lord of the Rings geeks, just fans at best. OK, honestly, I’d only seen the movies a couple of days before our visit, under slight pressure from Brecht. It isn’t obligatory to have seen them, but it adds to your experience in our opinion. At least you’ll know what you’re looking at and posing with.

It was an interesting tour, and we loved to hear about the neat tricks and tremendous effort put into the filming of the movie. It wasn’t really busy during our visit (a rainy day in the off season), but I can image it’s hard to look past the hordes of tourists and really enjoy Hobbiton in high season. Anyway, if we had to do it all over, the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour would still be on our New Zealand bucket list!

Have you visited Hobbiton? Do you agree it was worth the money you paid for it? We’re looking forward to reading all about your experience in the comments!

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16 thoughts on Is The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Really Worth It?

My fiance and I are going to honeymoon in New Zealand next year just for the sole purpose of visiting hobbiton!! This makes me even more excited! 🙂

Haha, that’s awesome, Bri! And congratulations on the wedding. 😉 Hope the sun will be out on your visit, the colours will pop even more! We have a lot more posts on New Zealand if you’re interested. How long are you going for? And will you be campervanning?

Ahh I’m a huge LOTR fan so I’m happy to hear that it’s worth visiting. Thank you for the insightful post!

You’re welcome, Kim. Looking forward to reading about your experience when you make it there one day!

Yes, totally worth it! Hobbiton was our “splurge” in NZ. I am a LOTR fan and Tim a The Hobbit fan so it suited us both. It’s wonderful learning about the little things that were done in order to make the movie loved by millions. So much hard work but it all paid off. Glad that they decided to rebuild Hobbiton for fans to visit. Glad you enjoyed it too!

Haha, glad to read you agree Hobbiton is worth a visit, Pam! We love to learn about the little fun facts that were behind making a movie great too. So interesting!

It is expensive but it’s the only way to see the set and I think well worth it. We also got a free drink at the end which was pretty cool! I went in the middle of summer and was somewhat astounded by the dried off paddocks in Matamata in contrast to the constantly watered, green grasses of the shire!

Haha, yup, we’re paying for all that water, Sarah! 😉 Would have loved to see the set in sunlight instead of beneath a cloudy and rainy sky. You were more lucky! Or planned better. 😉

My dad is obsessed with LOTR and I’ve watched the movies with him numerous times as a child – I didn’t realised it’s a tour and not like a theme park. Thanks for the practical information 😀

You’re welcome, Nam! You should definitely take your dad to New Zealand one day. There’s a bunch of spots that were featured in the LOTR or Hobbit movies. 😉 Like Mount Doom, which you can see from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing . Pretty impressive!

Try Sweden’s first hobbit hotel next time, and stay in a replica of the Frodo and Bilbo Baggins-house – super cool! http://blog.wearenodes.com/grand-tour-of-swedens-first-hobbit-hotel/

Haha, that’s sounds awesome indeed, Yasmin! 😄 Noted for when we ever make it to Sweden. 😉

Do you know which film the Hobbiton set is seen mostly in? I, like you, have purchased the movie to see just before I visit. and what I thought was the trilogy… is just a super extreme edition of one of the films! Doh! But I would like to see it in the movie and then in real life too…

I’m not sure which movie Hobbiton is featured mostly in, but I’d recommend starting with the first movie: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”. It has a few famous scenes in Hobbiton!

Hobbiton is such a unique place! Highly recommended!

We totally agree!

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Hobbiton Movie Set Experience + Banquet Feast

Experience hobbiton movie set as you have never seen it before with a guided tour through the shire at dusk. making the most of the remaining daylight, your tour guide will escort you through the 12 acre site, recounting fascinating stories and anecdotes about the trilogies..

The tour concludes at The Green Dragon™ Inn with a complimentary beverage from our exclusive Hobbit Southfarthing range. The guests will then be moved through into The Green Dragon dining room and treated to a banquet feast fit for a Hobbit . The tables will be heaving with traditional Hobbit fayre and, as is the tradition in the Shire, second helpings are encouraged.

Hobbit , Lord of the Rings

• Private tour

From € 671 per adult

Tour details

A minimum of 2 persons are required to book this tour.

You must be at least 18 years of age and present a valid photo ID in order to consume alcohol.

Meeting point

Mövenpick Hotel Auckland , 8 Customs Street East, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010 – OR – free pick-up from Auckland city centre (CBD)

Tour departs

Daily at 3:00 pm (Jan – Dec)

Free drop-off to Auckland city centre

Live guide speaks

Max group size, tour operator.

ExperienceKart

Cancellation policy

48 hours  or more before start: full refund less 5% booking fees. After that time or no-show: no refund .

Accessibility

All ages welcome Suitable for children Children must be accompanied by an adult Not wheelchair accessible

A two-course banquet feast served inside The Green Dragon Inn Complimentary Hobbiton beverages at The Green Dragon Inn Bottled water Admission to a 4-hour fully-guided experience at Hobbiton movie set Pick-up from Auckland city centre Drop-off to Auckland city centre Vehicle with air condition

Infant or booster seat WiFi on Board

Things to bring

Appropriate clothing Comfortable shoes Sun protection

Film series

Full description.

Experience the Hobbiton Movie Set as you have never seen it before with a private guided tour through The Shire at dusk . Making the most of the remaining daylight, your tour guide will escort you through the 12 acre site, recounting fascinating stories and anecdotes about the trilogies.

The tour concludes at the Green Dragon Inn with a complimentary beverage from our exclusive Hobbit Southfarthing range. The guests will then be moved through into The Green Dragon dining room and treated to a banquet feast fit for a Hobbit . The tables will be heaving with traditional Hobbit fayre and, as is the tradition in the Shire, second helpings are encouraged.

To conclude this premium Hobbiton Movie Set experience, after dinner the guests will re-join their guide to make their way back through the wandering paths of The Shire. The trails will be illuminated by path lighting and handheld lanterns will be provided amongst the guests to help light the way.

This stunning journey under moonlight will travel through the village breathtakingly lit up, with Hobbit Hole chimneys smoking and lanterns glowing in the darkness.

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• Lord of the Rings , Hobbit
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Hobbiton Movie Set Private Tour from Auckland

• Approx 9 hours
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Hobbiton Movie Set Experience from Auckland

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Join us on an unforgettable tour to Moscow, the capital of Russia. Imagine visiting Red Square, St. Basil’s the Kremlin and more. Moscow is one of Europe’s most vibrant cities and one of Russia’s most historical. All of our tours to Moscow are fully customizable and can be adjusted to fit any budget. Our most popular tours are listed below. Please click on the tour details to learn more or contact us for more information about our Moscow tours using the form at the side of the page. You can also schedule a call with one of our Russian travel specialists to learn more.

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Take this opportunity to learn more about the Russian writer Lev Tolstoy. During the visit to the museum you will see part of a vast collection of exhibits connected to Tolstoy...

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What is the best time to visit moscow.

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If you plan your itinerary strategically and aren’t averse to a packed schedule, you can cover Moscow’s main sights over a long weekend. Most popular attractions are in the city centre, and the Moscow Metro allows you to cover much ground in a small amount of time. Ensure that your accommodation is fairly central and book tickets in advance, so that you can make the most of your days. For an informative and well-organised day out, check out our Moscow day tours with options to suit all interests.

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• Guided tour

Moscow: City Sightseeing by Car/Bus

• Description
• Choose date

Visiting a new city is akin to going on a first date, it is something you will never forget. Many people imagine Moscow as just a bunch of sporadic landmarks: Red Square, the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum and GUM. There is so much more to this wonderful city than that and even though we only have a few hours, we will do all we can to show you everything we know and love about our capital in one fell swoop. We will take you on a journey through the ages, from centuries ago, right up to the modern day, soaking in the sights of this vast and bustling metropolis. Bright, luxurious and both ancient and modern at the same time, Moscow invites you on a date you’ll never forget!

On our sightseeing bus tour of the city, you will see:

• The wonderfully historic city centre and its unique museums, magnificent cathedrals, the exquisite Chambers of the Romanov Boyars and of course, the famous towering red brick walls of the Kremlin, The charming beauty of the Alexander Garden awaits the capital's guests - a lush green oasis in the midst of the glass and concrete clad metropolis, basking in the etherial aura emanating from the whitewashed stone walls of the restored Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the world- renowned fairytale onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral and other impressive monumental buildings such as the library built in Lenin's honour - the Russian State Library - and the State Duma.
• The Lubyanka KGB headquarters is notorious to members of older generations and although nowadays, the face of the secret police has changed dramatically, the looming enigmatic building on the waterfront maintains its aura of mystery, shrouded in a variety of murky rumours and dark myths. Then, there’s another of Moscow's main attractions - the marvellous Bolshoi Theatre, yew simply cant leave Moscow without taking in its breathtaking architecture. Engrained in the fabric of Russia's cultural heritage, virtuoso performers such as prima ballerina Galina Ulanova, opera singer Feodor Chaliapin and pianist, composer and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff once stood centre stage of this vaunted institution.
• The memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill was constructed in the glory and honour of our heroes who defended our nation in the many crucial battles of the Great Patriotic War (WWII). This is a place that embodies a particularly acute and inextricable link between older ancf younger generations. Moving on to the Moscow International Business Centre, not dubbed ‘Moscow City' for nothing, a true glimpse of the future in the present. This incredible, rather jaw-dropping project in the capital has shown that Moscow has come to accept the age of the skyscraper. Finally, the stunning views from the observation deck at Sparrow Hills will leave professional and amateur photographers alike itching to capture them. How could one resist?

The most beautiful of all the world's cities - lady Moscow invites you out on a date!

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Meeting point We'll pick you up at your hotel

St. Basil's Cathedral

House on the Embankment

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Vorobyovy Hills

Poklonnaya Hill Poklonnaya Gora

Moscow-City

Alexander garden

Russian State Library

Bolshoi Theatre

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Select time, who's going.

• Excursion Moscow: City Sightseeing by Car/Bus
• Date and time:
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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

• Private Tour

Private tours of Hobbiton™ Movie Set can be organised for individuals or groups for a more intimate experience. 

Private group tours of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set can be organised for individuals or groups. Experience the real Middle-earth™ with a private tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, the bucolic setting for The Shire™ that featured in the Peter Jackson directed films, The Lord of the Rings  and  The Hobbit  Trilogies.

Your tour starts with a drive through the picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. Your personal guide will escort you through the twelve acre site recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton Movie set was created.

The Hobbit Holes™, Green Dragon™ Inn, Mill and other structures created for  The Lord of the Rings  and  The Hobbit  films can be viewed and you will see how this beautiful piece of Waikato farmland was transformed into The Shire from Middle-earth. 

Private tour pricing:

Please note all rates are displayed in NZD 

Tour time approx 2.5 hours. 

Bookings essential

Enquire below

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a private tour.

A Private Tour is two and a half hours in duration.

Will we be the only group on the Movie Set?

There will be other tours on the Movie Set at the same time as your Private Tour, however we have tailored our Private Tours so that other tours will not interfere with your experience. You can find more information on our Private Events and Functions here.

Is there anything we can add to our Private Tour?

We can offer a buffet lunch as a part of your experience. Adding lunch to your experience will be an additional cost per person. Please let the team know when enquiring if you would like more information on this option.

We unfortunately cannot offer any breakfast or dinner experiences with your Private Tour.

If you would like to explore our other private experiences and venues, you can find information here .

Can I take Wedding Photos at Hobbiton?

Yes, we have a dedicated Wedding photoshoot experience. You can find more information here .

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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

Tour Experiences

The Green Dragon™ Inn

The Shire's Rest™

PRIVATE EVENTS

Host a Private Event

Venue Information

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