We had a fantastic experience in Hobbiton. My husband and son are huge fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, while I’ve only seen a couple of the movies. I tend to fall asleep while watching The Hobbit, but I did enjoy visiting this magical place.
“I’m going on an adventure!”
— Hobbit
We were accompanied by a guide named Olivia, who showed us around the set and pointed out the intricate and challenging details of the stories.
We stopped at the most famous locations, where Olivia explained how certain scenes were made. Olivia even asked for volunteers to recreate some scenes, which was interesting and a lot of fun to see how it was done.
Where is Hobbiton?
Hobbiton is located on the northern New Zealand island, right in the middle of Waikato, in a small town called Matamata. The drive to Hobbiton is beautiful, with hills covered in vast green fields and sheep and cows scattered across them.
It is simply gorgeous.
How much cost the tour?
We purchased our tickets online in advance. Even in the winter, Hobbiton is a popular destination, so we booked the regular movie set tour.
The cost was about NZD $89 (around USD $55) per adult. We met at the Shire Rest Café to catch the bus and were introduced to our guide, Olivia, and the driver (whose name I cannot recall).
They were amazing people – down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and with a great sense of humor. They really made the tour a great experience. Although the tour is supposed to be around an hour and a half, ours took a bit longer.
“The world is not in your books and maps, it’s out there.”
— Gandalf
Hobbiton is located on 12 acres within the Alexander family sheep and beef farm. During the bus ride to Hobbiton, I had difficulty taking my eyes off the window due to the stunning scenery. It felt as if I was falling in love with the place. My husband was equally amazed by the beautiful nature. Despite the cloudy weather and occasional rain showers, I was captivated by this magical place and didn’t mind the rain at all.
Olivia took us to visit the Hobbit holes, the Mill, and the famous Green Dragon Inn. We indulged in their exclusive brewed beverages, including alcohol and non-alcohol choices, at the end of our adventure.
I took around 100 photos but cannot post them all. I selected the ones that best capture this special place’s true beauty and detail, showcasing the time and effort put into creating it.
Enjoy the magical world of Hobbiton, the movie set.
“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.”
— Narrator
“Home is now behind you, the world is ahead!”
— Gandalf