“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door…You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Nestled in the rolling green hills of Matamata, New Zealand (pronounced Mehtah-Mehtah, and oh yes I really butchered this pronunciation before I was corrected) is Hobbiton. Originally (mostly) dismantled after the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it was rebuilt for The Hobbit in more durable materials for our enjoyment; Hobbiton is an amazing experience for fans and future fans alike, and even weeks after my trip I’m still in awe at the memory.

We stayed the night in Matamata where the woman who checked us into our hotel room called me a “hobbit-person”, which must mean I either look like a hobbit or my excitement for being there was really evident…or both.

Built on a (still working) sheep farm, Hobbiton is easy to find and is only a quick 15ish minute drive away from downtown Matamata (just remember to drive on the left!). Just driving there felt like I was already entering the Shire, everything was green and peaceful. We had reserved tickets for the first tour, at 9:30, so we arrived a little early to grab a second breakfast, in true hobbit fashion, at The Shire’s Rest Cafe where the tour begins and ends.

To enter Hobbiton proper, we boarded a bus with our tour guide, and a short ride later arrived in an entryway enclosed by hedges with a sign pointing the way into Hobbiton. From there, Hobbiton unfurled from the fog of the morning, and it was truly magical. I would be lying if I didn’t get a little misty-eyed at the sight of it.

Going to see the Lord of the Rings movies in theatres is a treasured memory from my childhood. My father, who instilled in me a lifelong love of fantasy and sci-fi, took me to every movie armed with a backpack filled with our favorite snacks. When the first one was released I was only 11 years old, and although the orcs were scary I couldn’t take my eyes away from the screen. We would talk the whole way home about the film, and he bought me a gorgeous hardback set of the books that Christmas. So, obviously, visiting an important location from the movie was a highlight of my New Zealand trip.

The tour walked our group through expansive, beautiful fields and by meticulously detailed hobbit holes. I’m not sure if the pictures do it justice. The morning remained foggy throughout the tour, but it only added to the ambiance. One of my favorite people in our group was an older woman who marveled at the smallest aspects of the surroundings, from a surprisingly geometrically perfect spider’s web that happened to be on a bush with droplets of dew shining like little crystals, to the beautifully maintained plants, to how each hobbit hole had unique characteristics showing the personality of the hobbits who lived there. She absolutely gushed over everything, it was pretty fun to witness.

Some points of interest were the Party tree, Sam’s house, and (of course) Bag End – which sports the famous sign from Bilbo’s 111 birthday.

Our tour ended past the mill at the Green Dragon Inn with a complimentary ale (or cider) for our elevensies meal and we had some time to relax and enjoy the scenery. The detail throughout the movie set was incredible and immersive: from the beautiful gardens to each individual hobbit hole to the barrels of ale outside the Green Dragon with names from around the Shire written across the fronts. The only thing I could wish for was more time to explore.

Overall, the tour is about two hours long, and though it can feel a little rushed, the tour guides stop in certain prime locations to give you time to take in the view or shoot photos. I was glad to be the first tour of the day, as there were no other tour groups around and it allowed me to feel more enthralled with the overall experience. Tour groups are large, and with a lot of excited people vying for the best photo, it can understandably get a little hectic. We mostly stayed at the back of our group to make sure we got some photos without anyone in the background. The tour guide discusses different areas featured in the movie and some small anecdotes about the filming while walking through. And best of all they take a photo for every group standing inside the door of one of the full-sized hobbit holes (favorite keepsake ever!)

“Hobbits have been living and farming in the four farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years. Quite content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the big folk; middle earth being after all, full of strange creatures beyond count, hobbits must seem of little importance. They are neither renowned as great warriors, nor counted among the very wise. In fact, it has been remarked by some that hobbits’ only real passion is for food. A rather unfair observation, as we have also developed a keen interest in the brewing of ales and the smoking of pipe weed. But where our hearts truly lie, is in peace and quiet, and good tilled earth. For all hobbits share a love of things that grow. And yes, no doubt, to others our ways seem quaint. But today of all days, it is brought home to me: It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”

Getting to Hobbiton:

Booking in advance is essential, tours sell out fast!

Website: https://www.hobbitontours.com
Cost for the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour: $84 USD
There is also an option for an evening tour including a meal for $195 USD

Hobbiton is about 2 hours from Auckland and 45 minutes from Rotorua. There are options for pick-up in both cities, more information is on their website.

Accommodation: We stayed in Matamata, which has a cute downtown (and their i-SITE tourist info building is designed like a Hobbit house!). We had drinks and food at the Redoubt Bar & Eatery (https://matamata.redoubtbarandeatery.co.nz/), and I would highly recommend them! Some of the cast and crew of the films also ate there, so for the fans, it’s even more worth the visit.

Have you traveled to Middle-earth? Or want to? Share a comment below, I’d love to hear about your adventures!