Name: Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours
Address: 501 Buckland Road, Matamata 3472, New Zealand
Telephone: 07 888 1505
Rating: 4.7

Picturesque sheep farm used for filming Shire scenes, with guided tours, a gift shop, cafe & inn.

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The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour lasts approximately 2.5 hours, including transportation between The Shire's Rest and the movie set.

Tour Duration

All tours now include exploring the interior of a Hobbit Hole on Bagshot Row, offering a deeper immersion into the Shire.

New Experience

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour is a fully guided walking tour, ensuring you get the most out of your experience and learn fascinating insights.

Tour Type

Sensible footwear is recommended for the tour, as you will be walking through the picturesque Shire landscape.

Recommended Attire

The Shire's Rest, the starting point for the tour, is located approximately 15 minutes from Matamata town centre.

Distance from Matamata

From The Shire's Rest, it's a 10-minute bus ride to the Hobbiton Movie Set, included in the tour price.

Bus Ride to Movie Set

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours offer an immersive journey into the meticulously crafted Shire from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The experience transcends a simple set visit; it's a living, breathing landscape where 44 individually designed hobbit holes nestle into the rolling Waikato hills. Each hobbit hole boasts unique landscaping, reflecting the personality of its fictional resident, from the gardener's overflowing flowerbeds to the beekeeper's buzzing hives. The level of detail extends beyond the visible facades; many holes feature miniature chimneys that actually emit smoke, adding to the illusion of a lived-in village. The Green Dragon Inn, a fully functional pub, offers exclusive beverages brewed specifically for the set, allowing visitors to savor a Southfarthing cider or a Hobbiton ale. Did you know that after filming, the set was initially intended to be dismantled, but its potential as a tourist destination was quickly realized, leading to its permanent preservation?

Introduction

The Green Dragon Inn, a pivotal highlight of the Hobbiton Movie Set tour, offers an immersive experience into the heart of Hobbiton's social life. Included in every tour, the Inn's interior has been meticulously reconstructed to mirror its cinematic appearance, allowing visitors to fully appreciate its splendor. Here, guests can indulge in a complimentary beverage from the exclusive Hobbit Southfarthing range, encompassing traditional ales, apple cider, and non-alcoholic ginger beer, all crafted specifically for the Movie Set.

Beyond the complimentary drink, a range of traditional fare is available for purchase, enhancing the experience. Guests can choose to relax in a comfortable armchair by the fire or enjoy the Beer Garden overlooking the enchanting village. Note that valid identification is required for alcohol service, with accepted forms including a current passport, New Zealand driver's license, or Hospitality New Zealand 18+ card.

The Green Dragon Inn is also a key feature of the Evening Banquet Tour, where a Hobbit-style banquet feast is served. Moreover, the Tour + Meal option extends the visit to the Party Marquee, adjacent to the Inn, offering exquisite views and a festive atmosphere, where visitors can enjoy a buffet-style meal with fellow tour members. Access to The Green Dragon Inn is exclusively available through the Hobbiton Movie Set tour, ensuring an intimate and complete experience of this iconic location.

The Shire's Green Dragon Inn

For enthusiasts of Middle-earth, the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand, offers an immersive experience into the real-world filming location of the Shire. Chosen for its private, rolling hills on the Alexander family's 1250-acre sheep and beef farm, the location provided the ideal setting for Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, as it could not be seen from any main roads.

Visitors can explore the meticulously detailed 12-acre movie set, rebuilt permanently in 2010 after initially being dismantled post-Lord of the Rings trilogy. Guided walking tours reveal the intricate craftsmanship behind iconic locations such as Bag End and other Hobbit Hole exteriors, scattered across the landscape. A glimpse inside a humble Hobbit’s home is offered at Bagshot Row, designed by the creative teams behind the film trilogies.

Several tour options cater to different interests, including the standard Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, combo tours with lunch, and evening banquets. Tours depart daily from The Shire's Rest and the Matamata Information Centre. Special events like the Summer Harvest Festival further enhance the Middle-earth experience. Located in the heart of the Waikato region, the Hobbiton Movie Set allows visitors to step into the lush pastures of the Shire as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies.

Middle-earth Filming Location

The Hobbiton Movie Set tour provides a unique perspective on Hobbit Hole architecture, showcasing the intricate details crafted by artists from Weta Workshop. Each hobbit hole was designed and handcrafted with a specific hobbit resident in mind, with decorations around their homes hinting at their professions. The tour reveals the forced perspective techniques used in filming, where some hobbit holes were built to "Gandalf-sized" proportions to make Ian McKellen appear larger than the hobbits.

Visitors can explore the exterior and interior design elements of the Hobbit Holes, including Bag End and those within Bagshot Row, gaining an authentic glimpse into the dwellings of Hobbits going about daily life in the Shire. The tour guides explain how the wealth of the hobbit is reflected in the location of their home on the hill, with the less luxurious homes at the base. The level of detail extends to the doors, mailboxes, and window displays, all meticulously created to enhance the immersive experience. The garden at Hobbiton features real plants that complement the hobbit holes. Ongoing maintenance and restoration work ensures the preservation of these architectural details for future visitors.

Hobbit Hole Architecture

The Alexander family's 500-hectare (1,200-acre) sheep and beef farm, established in 1978, was chosen as the location for Hobbiton in 1998 due to its resemblance to "a slice of ancient England." Initial negotiations led to the New Zealand Army constructing 1.5 kilometers of road to the site in 1999, marking the beginning of the farm's transformation. The original movie set construction involved creating facades for 37 hobbit holes, gardens, a mill, and a bridge.

After the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the set was initially dismantled, but the land's incomplete restoration and growing tourist interest led the Alexander family to start guided tours in 2002. When Peter Jackson returned in 2009 to film The Hobbit, the agreement was made to rebuild Hobbiton using permanent materials, ensuring its longevity as a tourist attraction. More hobbit holes were added, bringing the total to 44, though only a few are accessible inside.

The Alexander family's commitment to sustainability is now a key part of the Hobbiton experience, with initiatives aimed at minimizing environmental impact. The farm continues to operate alongside the movie set, with approximately 13,000 sheep and 300 Angus beef cattle. The transformation of a portion of their land into Hobbiton has not only created a unique tourism destination but also highlights the family's adaptation to new opportunities while maintaining their farming roots.

Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours

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Tour Duration

New Experience

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