Hobbiton — The Shire

On a lush green sheep farm near Matamata in the Waikato, Peter Jackson built the Hobbiton Movie Set for "The Hobbit" in permanent form in 2011 — and it is now New Zealand's most visited attraction with over 650,000 visitors annually. The 44 Hobbit holes with their round, colorful doors, manicured gardens, tiny clotheslines, and mailboxes are designed with a level of detail that leaves both Tolkien fans and non-fans speechless.

The Tour in Detail

The guided tour (approx. 2 hours, groups up to 40 people, starting every 10–20 minutes) begins with a bus ride from the Shire's Rest Café across the sheep farm — past the real sheep grazing between the hills (the farm still produces wool and meat). The guide tells how Peter Jackson's team discovered the farm during a flyover in 1999 and the farmer initially thought it was a joke.

You wander through the entire Shire: past the mill and the double-arched bridge over the artificial pond (all built, including the waterfall). Sam's vegetable garden really grows — a gardener tends sunflowers, cabbage, pumpkins, and herbs year-round. The Hobbit holes are built in three sizes: small (for Gandalf scenes, to make Ian McKellen appear huge), medium, and large (for the Hobbits themselves). Each hole has its own personality: colorful doors in green, yellow, blue, and red, mailboxes with Hobbit names, tiny chairs on tiny porches.

The highlight: Bag End sits atop the hill under a real oak tree — its leaves individually attached to wire frames and renewed in autumn to keep the tree looking green (Jackson had the tree flown in from Taiwan and each of the 250,000 leaves hand-attached). The round green door, the lantern, the mailbox with "Bag End" — this is where Gandalf knocked. Unfortunately, you can't go inside — the holes have no interiors (all interior shots were done in a studio in Wellington).

The tour highlight is the Green Dragon Inn by the lake — an authentically recreated Hobbit pub with a fireplace, wooden furniture, beer barrels, and small round windows. Here you get a freshly tapped exclusive beer (only available here!): Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic, refreshing), Amber Ale, or Apple Cider. You sit by the fire, look over the lake, and truly feel like you're in the Shire. One beer per person is included in the tour price.

Evening Banquet Tour

The evening Evening Banquet Tour (199 NZD, limited to about 80 guests) is the premium experience: Hobbiton at sunset, illuminated by hundreds of lanterns and candles — an atmosphere impossible to achieve during the day. The holes glow warmly, mist drifts over the hills, and the silence is magical. In the Green Dragon Inn, a lavish feast awaits you: lamb rack, spit-roasted pork, vegetable pies, mashed potatoes with herb butter, and desserts inspired by the books — Seed Cake, Honey Cake, Berry Crumble. Plus unlimited beer, cider, and wine. The tour lasts about 4 hours and is the most popular option — often booked out months in advance.