This is a must see for every die hard LOTR fan while you visit New Zealand! This is a great day trip off of seeing Auckland city and staying there. Seeing the set in real life is magic and you get a free drink at the Hobbit’s tavern with your entrance ticket to end your tour. Their company website with all information can be found here.
How to get there
Hobbiton is a 2 hour drive south of Auckland city. Once you arrive at the main office and get your tickets you board a tour bus that takes you in to the entrance of the set tour. You are led through the set of hobbit holes and get to stop and take pictures and experience the movie set.
Tour & Transportation (Auckland City)
If you do not have a vehicle while staying in Auckland, New Zealand then you are in luck. There are tours that include transportation from Auckland for you.
Tour includes:
- Sumptuous buffet lunch in the Party Marquee
- Free souvenir voucher
- Return transport with full commentary from Auckland
- Bush and Beach guide with you for the whole day (no transport changes for your return to Auckland)
- Admissions and guided tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
- Ale, cider or ginger beer at the Green Dragon Inn
- Pick up and drop off at inner city accommodation
- For more information and booking on tour with transportation from the city click here
Tour info/cost:
Adult Price: $305NZD
Child Price (5-14): $165 NZD
Duration: 8.25 hours
Departure: 7.00am
Finish Time: 3.15pm approx.
Operates 364 days of the year.
Cost
The cost ranges from $75-$195 NZD ($48-125 USD) depending on the tour package you choose and if its low or high season. The ticket fee includes the bus trip, entrance into hobbiton, a 2 hour guided shire tour and a free pint at the Green Dragon.
Tours at Hobbiton
1. The Shire’s Rest Tour
- Tours depart daily from 9am until 3:30pm.
- Duration: 2 hours approximately including transport to and from The Shire’s Rest.
- The Shire’s Rest, 501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera, Matamata.
- Additional tours at 4pm & 4.30pm may operate on all or selected dates between 1 Sep to 30 April.
- Additional tours at 5pm & 5.30pm may operate on all or selected dates between 27 Dec to 28 Feb.
- Tour & Meal combo: 2.5-3 hours approximately including transport to and from The Shire’s Rest.
- For more information on booking this tour click here
Cost
$84.00Adult (17 years and over)$42.00Youth (9-16 years). Youth 14 years or younger must be accompanied by a full paying adult.$0.00Child (0-8 years). Children are FREE but must have ticket allocated prior to arrival and be accompanied by a full paying adult.+ MealMarquee Festive Feast Lunch (9 years +) additional $36.00. Breakfast Feast (9 years +) additional $26.00pp
2. Tour & Lunch Combo from the Shire
- Morning combo departs at 9.50am and lunch starting at 11.20am
- Afternoon combo begins with lunch at 1.20pm and your tour starting at 2.20pm
- Tour & Lunch combo: 2.5-3 hours approximately including transport to and from The Shire’s Rest.
- For more information on this tour and to book click here
Cost
$120Adult (17 years and over)$78Youth (9-16 years). Youth 14 years or younger must be accompanied by a full paying adult.$0Child (0-8 years). Children are FREE but must have ticket allocated prior to arrival and be accompanied by a full paying adult.
3. The Evening Banquet Tour
- This is the guided tour at dusk of the grounds with an evening meal banquet feast at the Green Dragon. There are lanterns lit all around the grounds to see and tour the movie set and it is a different magical affair at night in the lights.
- Evening Banquet Tours depart four times per week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings all year round, with additional departures subject to demand over summer. Numbers are limited, so booking is essential. Please advise any dietary requirements you may have at time of booking in the provided field.
- Time: 4 hours approximately including transport to and from The Shire’s Rest.
- Price: $195.00Adult (17 years and above)$152.50Youth (9-16 years). Youth 14 years or below must be accompanied by a full paying adult.$100Child (5-8 years). Children must be accompanied by a full paying adult- Must also have a ticket allocated.$0.00Infant (0-4 years) Infants must be accompanied by a full paying adult- Must also have a ticket allocated.
- For more information or booking of this tour click here
4. Private Tour
- This tour is for individual people or groups for a more private and fun tour experience
- private tours are limited to 6 guests per departure.
- Tour time: 2 hours
- Visitors taking part in a private tour can also choose to enjoy a Festive Feast lunch in the Party Marquee. Catering must be booked in advance and additional menu costs apply.
Private tour pricing:
Private tour (up to 4 people) $750.00
Additional Adult (17yrs+) $84.00
Additional Youth (9-16yrs) $42.00
Additional Child (0-8yrs) Free with full paying adult
Marquee Festive Feast Pricing:
Adult & Youth (9yrs+) $36.00
Child (0-8yrs) Free with full paying adult
Please note all rates are displayed in NZD
Activities
1.Mid Winter Feast– SATURDAY 20 JULY 2019
- A tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
- Hobbit Southfarthing beverages on tap throughout the evening
- Specially brewed mulled wine
- Themed entertainer
- Hearty Hobbit sized canapes and a fully themed mid-winter buffet dinner
- Evening lighting tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
$230/person, 4 hour tour Book here
2. International Hobbit Day- SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2019
This celebrates the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins in The Shire.
- A fully guided tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
- Hobbit Southfarthing beverages on tap throughout the evening
- Marketplace entertainment
- An array of dinner and dessert served from three different venues
- Access to our retail shop throughout the evening
- Best dressed, raffle and Hobbiton game prizes
- A 15 minute evening lantern tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
- Surprises throughout the evening
$295/person, 5 hour tour Book here
3. Hobbiton Beer Festival– SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER + SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2019
- A tour of Hobbiton Movie Set
- Hobbit Southfarthing beverages on tap throughout the evening
- Three special ales only being poured for this one off beer festival
- A specially made Hobbiton stein for you to drink from
- Themed interactive oompah band
- Hearty Hobbit sized canapes and themed German inspired platters
$275/person, 5 hour tour Book here
Hobbiton Weddings/Venue Use
Capacity :
Green Dragon Inn Seated: 80 Cocktail: 150
Party Marquee Seated: 220 Cocktail: 250
Green Dragon Inn & Party Marquee Seated: 300 Cocktail: 400
Cost:
Venue hire for wedding and reception $6000.00
Wedding ceremony hire $3000.00
Wedding reception hire $3000.00
Hobbiton™ tour and admission $84.00 per person
Green Dragon™ Inn up to 80 guests
Party Marquee up to 200 guests
Wedding Photography Price: $1,000 for up to four members of the bridal party and a photographer. This includes time on set for a two and a half hour photoshoot, photographer not included.
For more in depth information, cost and inquiries for personal use click here
Green Dragon Brews
1. Girdley™ Fine Grain, Amber Ale
Colour: Light Brown
Smell: Caramel, tangelo, herbal
Taste: Light, malty, sweet
We brewed our Amber ale with a classic English bitter in mind. This beer is about rich caramel malts and is the perfect ale to relax with after a long journey.
ABV: 3.7%
2. Sackville™ Cider, Apple Cider
Colour: Golden delicious yellow
Smell: Vinous, Granny Smith apple
Taste: Tart, sweet, refreshing
This cider bursts onto the palate with a balance of fruity succulence and subtle tartness. The finish is crisp and will satisfyingly quench any thirst after a hard day in the field.
ABV: 4.5%
3. Oatbarton™ Brew, Traditional English Ale
Colour: Black
Smell: Chocolate, coffee, vanilla
Taste: Roastieness, chocolate
Intended to emulate the beer styles of Olde England, this dark ale has strong malty tones. With a balance of cocoa and coffee, our traditional ale is enough to beer hair on anyones feet.
ABV: 5%
4. Frogmorton Ginger Beer
Colour: light bronze, cloudy
Smell: spicy ginger, zesty, sweet
Taste: sweet, tart, crisp
Spicy ginger perfectly balanced with sweetness and tartness. This non-alcoholic brew is ideal for those driving the cart home.
Hobbit holes Photo Diary
Auckland
This is the coolest city to explore and a great launching pad to see Hobbiton. This city is filled with amazing food, restaurants, coffee shops and art installations.
The lighthouse art instillation
This is an Auckland waterfront art installation house. This is such a cool piece of art as one out of countless artistic pieces to this city. In this harbor area there are free ping pong tables and gear that is such a fun open warehouse open to the public use. This is a very fun waterfront area with lots of seating.
Auckland Market
This place covers a couple miles that is filled with the coolest open air market, restaurants, coffee shops and the best cheese shops and everything in between. This is hands down one of my favorite city markets I have been to yet and is so cool.
