Calling all Lord of the Rings fans (and even those who aren’t) – Hobbiton needs to be at the top of your NZ bucket list!
As you probably know, much of New Zealand was transformed into “Middle Earth” for the Lord of the Rings movie franchise. And the best and most immersive way to experience the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) magic is to visit the pristine set of Hobbiton on the North Island.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”
I remember my Dad reading The Hobbit to me when I was younger, and I was absolutely enthralled by the magical world that Tolkien created with his words. Funnily, the Hobbiton I pictured in my head as a young girl (way before the movies) was exactly like the Hobbiton set I visited on my travels through New Zealand.
For me, there’s no debate that visiting Hobbiton is worth it! Even if you’re not a huge LOTR fan. I was enthralled with Hobbiton from start to finish. I visited here twice while I was living in Nelson on the South Island. And my partner even went back up to Auckland and took the tour again (for a third time) because he loved it so much!
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my honest opinion of the Hobbiton tour and my top tips so you can make the most of your time (and money) there!
Is the Hobbiton Tour worth it?
I cannot be more genuine when I say that YES, the Hobbiton Tour is 1000% worth it! I was truly impressed from start to finish, and I learned a ton of cool things both about the movie and about New Zealand in general!
The set is massive, and the tour experience is immersive, insightful, and full of original props.
One of the first things they tell you is that they actually tore down the entire set after filming LOTR. It was only after they had to rebuild an identical set for “The Hobbit” that they decided to keep the set intact and start tours.
So while everything might not be totally original to the Hobbiton you see in “The Fellowship,” I think the history and lore around the set rebuilding adds an interesting element. I don’t want to give too much away, but on the tour, you’ll learn just how painstakingly focused on detail director Peter Jackson was when rebuilding the set.
Even if you’ve never seen the Lord of the Rings movies, I believe Hobbiton will dazzle anyone. The care and thought that went into creating Hobbition is clear as soon as you set foot on the site!
How to get there
Hobbiton is located in the small town of Matamata on the North Island of New Zealand. The closest city is Hamilton (a 45-minute drive away), next is Rotorua at around an hour’s drive away. And Auckland is two hours from the site.
And there are a few ways to get to Hobbiton from Auckland.
The first would be to drive yourself there if you have a rental car. As I said, Hobbiton is a 2-hour drive from Auckland. This is totally doable in a day’s drive! I drove from Auckland to Hobbiton and then to Waitomo all in one day.
Your second option would be to take one of the many full day tours that start and end in Auckland. You don’t have to worry about driving, lunch, parking, or really any logistics when you book the round-trip tour! If you don’t have a car, taking the tour with the Auckland bus transfer is a no-brainer!
From Rotorua – this guided tour is a good call, it includes a delicious buffet lunch and costs from $306 NZD per person. But that includes return transfers from Rotorua, a guided tour, and lunch.
💡Fun fact: Hobbiton is owned and operated by a local family (the Alexander family) who operate a sheep and beef farm in the fields surrounding the popular tourist attraction.
My booking tips
Don’t make the same mistake I did – book the tour you want at least a month in advance!
Tours sell out fast during the high season (Nov – Mar)! I had to completely rearrange my Auckland schedule because I only tried to book my tour a week in advance.
Thankfully, I got a ticket for a month later, and although it wasn’t the exact tour I wanted, we still had an incredible time. FYI, the second breakfast tour is the tour I really wanted to do – more on that below.
Anyway, a single adult ticket for the 3-hour tour we did is $120 NZD.
Our tour experience & expectations
Your tour starts at a facility with ample parking, a cafe, restrooms, and a gift shop. Once you’ve checked in, you’ll wait for your tour time to board a bus that will take you to the movie set.
The bus ride is less than 10 minutes and really sets the stage for your tour experience! You’ll meet your guide and get lots of good background information about how they chose this location during the bus ride. There is also a short video of Peter Jackson welcoming you to the tour and some clips of the movie to refresh your memory.
The tour is essentially all outdoors with minimal shade. In the strong New Zealand sun, that can mean heat fatigue and even sunburn! So, make sure to bring plenty of water and wear sun protection.
You’ll start at the very first Hobbit houses that are showcased in “The Fellowship” when Gandalf creates fireworks for the young hobbits. The tour guide will give you ample photo opportunities and time to roam around the area you are being shown.
From there you’ll get to go up to another hobbit hole where you can pose in the doorway for a fun photo! There are no “paid photo” opportunities; the tour guide will take photos of you on your own device. Which I personally appreciated!
Seeing the inside of the Hobbit houses…
After viewing the one and only Bilbo Baggins’ house, your tour will take you to the newest addition of Hobbiton – the two interactive houses.
This was probably the coolest part of the tour! You can now go inside one of two hobbit holes, where you can interact with props, sit on the furniture, marvel at the fake food, and read the books on the bookshelf.
It really is a unique moment on the tour and makes you feel a part of the magic! I cannot emphasize enough the amazing detail they put into these hobbit homes. We spent over 20 minutes going through the little house on our own.
Finally, your tour will end at the Green Dragon! This is where you’ll receive your complimentary beverage and have the chance to buy a snack. There’s ample seating both inside and out. It was nice to relax on the set and chat casually with our tour guide!
After your drink at the Green Dragon, you’ll board the bus, hear some final remarks from Peter Jackson on the TV, and be back in the real world (sad face).
✨ This is the exact tour we did as we stayed in Matamata – so, we didn’t need transfers. We just met our guide at the entrance gate to Hobbiton at our selected time. We paid $120 NZD per person.
When to visit (weather and seasonal events)
Of course, the best time to visit Hobbiton is whenever you’re in New Zealand! But if you have the opportunity to plan your trip around a season, here are some considerations for Hobbiton.
Summer in Hobbiton:
December – February is the height of summer in New Zealand and the busiest time at Hobbiton! I went in February, and while it was obvious there were a ton of people taking the same tour that I was (tours of 30 people left every 30 minutes), the tour guides do a great job of staggering so you don’t feel right on top of another group.
One thing I hadn’t considered about taking the tour in the summer was that the grass was dead! On set, they do a great job of keeping the lawns looking fresh as well as the on-site gardens. But the surrounding hills of the neighboring farms had yellow grass. Not exactly the lush green rolling hills you picture for The Shire.
Winter in Hobbiton:
June – August is the low season at Hobbiton. My partner took his second tour in early June, and he said it was totally different! Not only was it less crowded, but the grass was green and the surrounding countryside really looked “shire-esque.” You also won’t have to hide from the sun as much in the winter.
Spring in Hobbiton:
September to November is actually one of my favorite times to visit Hobbiton. Everything is in bloom and the area is very green. It’s also a fairly quiet time to visit, so you won’t have to compete with too many crowds. Although I would still suggest visiting on a weekday for a more peaceful experience.
Fall in Hobbiton:
Fall (from March to May) is another very pretty time to visit Hobbiton – later in the season, you’ll have the beautiful fall foliage that will make for very pretty photos.
Special Events:
There are a number of special seasonal events at Hobbiton throughout the year. They even have a middle earth half marathon!
- Hobbiton Christmas Tour – This is a special 5.5-hour tour with live music and food only in December. There are only 2 tour dates, so get your hands on tickets well in advance.
- Summer Harvest Festival – Another specialized 5.5-hour tour with a full themed dinner and dessert, live entertainment, and games!
- Mid-Winter Feast – After you conclude the standard set tour, you’ll continue on to have a magnificent buffet feast, enjoy live music, and dance the night away.
- Hobbit Day – September 22nd is International Hobbit Day! Come dressed up and enjoy the interactive marketplace with food vendors, games, and music. Bring your appetite for the feast that follows. There’s even a prize drawing at the end of the night!
My top tips for a guaranteed great time at Hobbiton:
- Book FAR in advance if you plan to visit between November – March
Like I said, I wasn’t able to get a tour slot until 4 weeks out when booked in January. If you plan to be there Nov-March, I’d book 4-6 weeks in advance.
- In summer, the grass will be dead
Not a major consideration, but something to think about! If you want to see picturesque green rolling hills, it may be better to visit in winter or spring.
- Be prepared to be on your feet all day
This is a walking tour of a 12-acre movie set with limited shade. You absolutely need a water bottle, hat, and sunscreen on the tour! There are also limited opportunities to sit, so wear comfy shoes you can stand in.
- Bring a valid form of ID
You’ll need a valid form of ID (that means a passport if you’re from overseas) to participate in the complimentary beer at the end of the tour. They also have a non alcoholic beverage if you’re not planning on drinking.
- There is no self-guided option – you must book the tour
The movie set is on a private family farm; there is no way to access the set without taking the guided tour. Thus, you must book a tour (and do so in advance). But the guided tour is truly amazing, and it’s great to be able to ask questions to someone who knows the ins and outs!
- Consider doing the second breakfast tour
Lastly, consider booking one of the food tours, such as the second breakfast tour. This tour includes a guided tour of the movie set as well as a delicious breakfast spread served up in the Millhouse. I am truly so bummed that this tour was sold out when I booked! I would have loved to participate in a hobbit feast.
Where to Stay for Hobbiton
In the town of Matamata (where Hobbiton is located), there are limited accommodation options, but there are a couple of great B&B’s. We like the look of Matamata Lodge, a recently-renovated B&B that has great reviews – it’s also very close to Hobbiton.
And Walnut Lodge is another good option here. They offer stand-alone studio units with a wraparound balcony.
Renting a Car in New Zealand
For Hobbiton, we really recommend hiring a rental car, as public transport in this part of the North Island is limited! Luckily, driving here is fairly straightforward – there are no big motorways, just single-lane highways, and it’s considered a safe place to drive.
We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars – which is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after. I’ve tried many times to rent directly with the companies, and it took me a long time to filter through each company.
Be sure to check out our detailed guide to renting a car in New Zealand!
Final thoughts!
This is truly a magnificent tour any time of year! The detail, lore, and fanfare behind it all make the tour a must-do for any fan, and truly enjoyable for those who aren’t.
I was blown away from start to finish – I mean, they even have a team of gardeners in charge of maintaining the “hobbit gardens.” They included every detail!
I hope you find this guide and my helpful tips useful in planning your Hobbiton adventure!
Author bio: Bree is an outdoor adventure travel blogger who is currently living in New Zealand and backpacking there as much as possible! Check out her free adventure guides & itineraries for nature-filled destinations in New Zealand, The South Pacific and Central America on her blog: Breeze Around the World.
You may also enjoy reading –
11 Cafes with the Best Views On the North Island
Two Week South Island New Zealand Road Trip (By a Local)
The best beaches in Northland, New Zealand
The Ultimate Travel Guide to Northland, New Zealand
PIN THIS:
Last Updated on November 22, 2025 by snaphappytravel