Day Tour of Hobbiton, New Zealand
Regardless of your status as a Lord of the Rings fan or not, a day trip to Hobbiton is well worth the journey! One of the coolest tours we did while on our month long tour through New Zealand without a doubt.
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What is Hobbiton?
The village of Hobbiton is a fictional hometown of some of the most beloved characters in Lord of the Rings, located in the Shire. It also happen to be a very real destination in New Zealand!
Hobbiton is a preserved & cared for movie set on the northern island of New Zealand, outside of Rotorua, that is open to the public for tours! Regardless of your interest in the Lord of the Rings franchise, it is a beautiful set design built into the rolling hills of New Zealand’s countryside that I would put on my “can’t miss” bucket list for New Zealand!
How to Get to Hobbiton?
To get to Hobbiton you will want to drive to the “Shire’s Rest,” located at 501 Buckland Road, Matamata 3472, New Zealand. Here you will find a big parking lot with a rest area equipped with bathrooms and snacks for purchase. Parking on the site is free.
This area is the designated waiting area for your tour. All visitors to Hobbiton must sign up for a guided tour, as the set is not open for free wandering, etc. From the Shire’s Rest, a tour bus will pick up your group at your tour time and you will be transferred to the Hobbiton set!
Given that you have to participate in a guided tour either way, many people choose to book a fully chauffeured experience that picks you up right from your accommodation, brings you to the Shire’s Rest, then transports you back to your hotel in a major city after the excursion.
How to Book Hobbiton?
There are a couple options when booking Hobbiton. First, you could choose to book the Hobbiton ticket independently, drive yourself to the Shire’s Rest, and take care to find the tour bus dedicated to the time slot on your personal ticket. This is absolutely doable, but will just require more logistics and coordination.
The other option when booking Hobbiton is to sign up for a half day tour that transfers you directly from the city you’re staying in to the Hobbiton tour and back. This is convenient if you are not renting your own car during your visit, or if you are not staying in an area near the Shire’s Rest. Popular group departure locations include the cities of Rotorua (this is where we were staying when we visited Hobbiton) and Auckland (the bigger city on New Zealand’s south island).
Book Hobbiton:
- Hobbiton Group Tour from Rotorua (Transport Included)
- Hobbiton Group Tour from Auckland (Transport Included)
- Hobbiton Group Tour Ticket (Transport Not Included)
How Far in Advance to Book Hobbiton?
If you are local to the area, you may have some flexibility in booking Hobbiton tickets as you can always switch the day you would like to visit fairly easily. However, if you are visiting as part of a vacation to New Zealand and know you will only be in the area for a day or two, I would advise booking the tickets as soon as you know your preferred visit date. Hobbiton notes that their tours do often fill up, so book Hobbiton as soon as possible for your visit.
The reason it is important to book Hobbiton in advance is that all tours of Hobbiton are guided. There are timed slots every day, and the tour groups have capacity caps (meaning only a set number of people are allowed on set at a time). This staggered approach makes the experience of Hobbiton enjoyable, as it is not overcrowded since they space out the tour groups, but it does mean that if you have a tight itinerary you will want to reserve your time & date of the tour in advance if possible.
You will specifically want to reserve your time slot if you are visiting during the peak summer season (December – February), as that is when the demand is highest to book Hobbiton.
What is Hobbiton Like?
Hobbiton is like a dreamy, sustainable, magical village that feels like exactly as it does in the movies in real life! It is full of detailed creations of hobbit holes (homes for the hobbits), the Green Dragon Inn, a party field, Bag End, gardens, and countless rolling green hills with sheep grazing on them! Truly feels like it is right out of a movie – because it is! 🙂
The Hobbit Holes
Probably my favorite part of the tour to Hobbiton was getting to see all of the hobbit holes. These little homes built into the hills were colorful, adorable, and so thoughtfully created!
If you look closely at each hole you can discern the occupation and hobbies of the hobbit who lives there. The level of detail in this movie set is so fully of whimsy and fun, and it just makes the whole experience wonderful! Any guesses at this hobbit’s job based on what they’ve left out in their garden?
In addition to enjoying the beautifully crafted exteriors of the hobbit holes, there is also an opportunity for you to go inside one of the holes for a photo opportunity as part of the standard tour! Fun Fact: you will be designated as either a “wizard” or a “hobbit” based on your height!
The Green Dragon Inn
Another staple to the Hobbiton experience is the Green Dragon Inn, a cozy tavern full of hospitality in both the movies and the real set!
All tour groups make a stop at the pub within the inn, with free time to enjoy a drink and wander around. The drink is complimentary and included in the cost of the tour ticket. You have a choice to choose between two ales, non-alcoholic ginger beer, or apple cider!
Within the Green Dragon Inn there are tables set up for you to sit down and rest your feet, a fire to add to the atmosphere, or an outdoor beer garden to walk around and take in views of the rolling green hills.
While you may be able to buy some snacks over the bar at the inn, if you would like to enjoy a full meal on set you will have to specifically choose a combination tour that includes that activity (not offered as part of the standard tour).
Dining at Hobbiton:
- Hobbiton Tour with Festive Lunch (From Auckland)
- Hobbiton Tour with Festive Lunch (From Rotorua)
The Party Field
Also within Hobbiton is a festive party field, meant to represent the hosting space near Bag End in the films. Year round it is decorated for a celebration, and even includes some swings and a seesaw for visitors to enjoy during the tour!
Hobbiton Gardens
As part of your stroll through the village of Hobbiton, you will also get to pass by some of the lovely gardens that the hobbits tend to. This green space full of vegetables and flowers is well tended and maintained, adding to the overall cozy feel of the hillside village!
The Hobbiton Farm
Another unique part of the experience is that the Hobbiton movie set is built into a working farm, so throughout the experience you will get to look out at sheep grazing on rolling hills in the foreground! It is a lovely addition to the experience – and the sheep are great models for photos as well!
Overall, I can’t say enough good things about the Hobbiton tour. Movie fan or not, it is a lovely way to spend the day: walking through winding paths amongst beautifully fun hobbit holes and learning about some behind the scenes movie magic while taking in the great outdoors of New Zealand.
Where is the Real Hobbiton?
The movie set of Hobbiton that is open to tours is located on the north island of the country of New Zealand, within the Oceanic continent. It is situated slightly north of the central region of the island. The closest big cities are Rotorua, Hamilton, and Auckland. The address of where you can access the tours from if you are organizing the visit yourself is at 501 Buckland Road, Matamata 3472, New Zealand.
Is a Hobbiton Tour Worth It?
Yes! If not obvious from my review above, I loved everything about this experience! While the tickets are pricey ($74 – $150 or so depending on your package), I think it is worth the money given the amount of time you get to spend there and the quality of the experience (and memories!).
Can You Sleep Over in Hobbiton?
While there are a handful of trending accommodations online that are designed to look like a hobbit hole, there are no actual accommodations offered on the true movie set in New Zealand. To experience a stay in a hobbit hole, you would have to check out a privately owned accommodation designed to feel like the hobbit hole experience, some of which are located in New Zealand but others are also offered around the globe as well!
- Hobbit Hole Styled Stay in Waitomo, New Zealand
- Hobbit Hole Styled Stay in Illinois, USA
- Hobbit Hole Styled Stay in Virginia, USA
- Hobbit Hole Styled Stay in Idaho, USA
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About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.
Hobbiton is one of those places that’s on my New Zealand bucket list, even for people who aren’t huge Lord of the Rings fans. The attention to detail, rolling green hills, and the chance to visit the Green Dragon Inn make it look like such a magical experience. I also appreciate your practical tips about booking tours and getting there—they’ll definitely help first-time visitors!