Disclaimer: This blog in no way sponsored by, or affiliated with Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Wingnut Films, or New Line Cinema. The commentary provided in this post falls under fair use.
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My Experience at Hobbiton
My first stop both times I’ve been to New Zealand has been to Matamata, home of the Hobbiton movie set where the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies were filmed. Hobbiton was originally built in 1999 for the filming of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, but was mostly torn down after filming concluded.
The set was rebuilt more permanently in 2010 for the filming of The Hobbit trilogy and has remained as a popular tourist destination for Tolkien fans, movie lovers, and others to visit. Matamata was once a tiny town made up of farmers and horse breeders. It’s now a booming hub for tourists because of Alexander Farm where Hobbiton is located. The only way to see the Hobbiton set is to take the official tour operated by the farm. Thankfully, the tour is amazing and well worth the money!
There are two pick-up locations for the tour, the Matamata I-Site and The Shire’s Rest. The Matamata I-Site is Hobbiton themed and has a small gift shop, but I recommend choosing Shire’s Rest to get the full Hobbiton experience! There is a large themed building, a huge gift shop, and even a great cafe.
From The Shire’s Rest, the bus ride to the set was scenic and the bus driver was knowledgeable and interesting. They even play a video on the bus of Peter Jackson and the farm’s owner introducing you to Hobbiton. Once we reached the farm, our friendly tour guide was quick to take us on our way.
We entered on the same path as Gandalf in the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring and were greeted by a beautiful garden (with all real plants!).
As you move up the hill, the hobbits are supposed to get more wealthy, so we started at the base of the hill viewing the ‘less luxurious’ hobbit holes. I don’t know about you, but I’d love to live in any of these cozy homes.
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Each hobbit hole was masterfully crafted by artists from Weta Workshop in Wellington, NZ. Everything, from the door to the mailbox to the stuff in the windows, was designed and handcrafted with a specific hobbit resident in mind. Many of the hobbits’ professions could be easily surmised from the decorations around their homes.
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If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out how Gandalf could look so huge while the hobbits looked so hobbit sized, you’re not alone. On the tour, we got to see exactly how this worked. Most hobbit holes are “hobbit sized,” meaning a human actor playing a hobbit could fit comfortably in the doorway. Some hobbit holes, however, were “Gandalf sized,” meaning the hobbit holes were made to be much smaller so when actor Ian McKellen walked by, he would appear very large compared to the door.
Not a single detail was overlooked by the artists at Weta Workshop. There were chimneys, clothes hanging to dry, windows (and even stuff in the windows!), and a mailbox for each and every hobbit hole. Some of the chimneys even had smoke coming out of them; I still haven’t been able to figure that one out. The attention to detail makes Hobbiton look beautifully lived in and as though the hobbit holes have been around in their isolated little paradise for years.
Finally, we made it to the top of the hill and to the end of Bagshot Row to Bag End, the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
Bilbo’s pipe and an open book lay on the bench in front of Bag End as though Bilbo might walk down his steps and smoke some pipe-weed at any moment. 
Unlike the other hobbit holes, Bag End has a decorated entryway so that Bilbo could be filmed entering and leaving. 
The tree on top of Bag End is the only fake tree on the set. It was handmade by artists from Weta Workshop and every year, each leaf must be individually repainted to keep the tree looking its best. According to the tour guides, you might even be able to find a stray leaf on the ground, so make sure you look once you get to the top of the hill!
After seeing Bag End, we began descending down the hill, through the edge of a forest, past the field where Bilbo had his birthday bash, towards the picturesque water mill and pond.
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My favorite part of all, however, was the Green Dragon Inn where the tour ended. With its authentic thatched roof, real fireplaces, and cozy interior, it was the perfect place to enjoy our complimentary beverages.
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What would you be most excited to see in real life on the Hobbiton Movie Set? Is Hobbiton on your must-see list? Let me know in the comments down below!
Know Before You Go
- Tickets usually need to be purchased well ahead of time. Don’t expect to show up and buy your tickets for the day there. Buy your tickets online here.
- If you can’t make it to the Matamata I-Site or to The Shire’s Rest Cafe, there is an option to get picked up from Rotorua.
- The tour takes about 2 hours start to finish.
- The tour is entirely on foot and it includes some stairs, some steep parts, and uneven terrain. Though it is not a very intense walk, make sure you have comfortable footwear and definitely steer clear of high heels.
- If you are in a wheelchair or will have trouble getting around by yourself for any reason, make sure you have someone with you on the tour to help or contact Hobbiton Tours to see if they can help accommodate you.
- A couple of times a year, Hobbiton has special events with food, celebrations, and sometimes even surprise appearances from actors in the movies! Check the special events page to see if events such as International Hobbit Day, the Hobbiton Beer Festival, or the Mid-Summer Celebration are happening when you’re visiting!
Other Things to do in the Area
- Wairere Falls
Just a 10 minute drive from Matamata, the Wairere Falls Track is a 5 km (3.1 mi) 4-5 hour hike with great views of the Wairere Falls waterfall. Though I haven’t done the hike myself, I’ve heard great things.
Source: The Mighty Waikato New Zealand - Rotorua
Rotorua is less than an hour drive from Matamata and has many cultural and geological locations to visit.
The Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park - Firth Tower Museum
If you’re interested in some local history, you might enjoy checking out the Firth Tower and the surrounding historical buildings in Matamata.
Source: Firth Tower Reserve and Museum - Various Bars, Restaurants, and Cafes in Matamata
The center of Matamata (right by the Hobbiton sign!) is full of bars, restaurants, and cafes, some of which are vaguely Lord of the Rings themed.
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3 Comments
Jono · October 16, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Excellent place experience everything you hope for and much much more great guide information and easy to travel to if you stay in lake taupo. I recommend doing the mt ruapehu round the mountain track afterwards if you have a few extra days staying at either national park or ohakune there is heaps of other lotr attractions in these parts and great views of mt doom (mt ngarahoe)
Bry · October 16, 2021 at 5:56 pm
Definitely agree about Ruapehu! Thanks for the comment!
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