The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies were filmed on farmland near Matamata and the Hobbiton Movie Set can be visited by tour.
The set was constructed a year prior to filming to allow weeds to grow so the set would look more realistic and lived in. It was built as a film set meaning that it was not built to last longer than the initial film shoot (like many film sets corners were cut with sets made from plywood and polystyrene). However, in 2010 the set was rebuilt in a more permanent manner for the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
The 5.5 ha (14 acre) film set features 44 hobbit holes, although it is only possible to enter a few of them. The interior shots were filmed in a studio in Wellington so don’t expect the interior of the holes to look the same as in the films.
Despite tours being relatively pricey, the set is a very popular tourist attraction attracting over half a million visitors since tours began in 2002.
The set is now home to The Shire’s Rest Cafe, where you can enjoy a second breakfast and the Green Dragon Inn (a replica of the Green Dragon that featured in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies) was opened in 2012.
Admission is by two-hour tour and tours can get booked out during busy periods so it is best to book in advance to ensure that you have space on the tour.
Çok güzel bir alan yapılmış, gerçekten filmin içinde hissediyorsun kendini, irili ufaklı bir çok mekan var. Geçerken uğrayacağınız bir yer değil, şehrin dışında bir alanda ama gezmeye görmeye değer. ♡
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Sam,
25 Nov 2018
Do the evening tour with all the food. It’s amazing to watch the sun set.
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Christopher,
16 Oct 2018
Even more impressive than I expected!
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Bana,
17 May 2018
Best LOTR and Hobbit experience
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Kateryna,
09 May 2018
Это сказка !!!! Хотите побывать в ней - вам сюда)
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Elena,
02 May 2018
Жалко, что домики хоббитов бутафорские — внутрь не зайти, можно только сфотографироваться на фоне дверей. В конце возьмите комплиментарный сидр или эль и выберете место с видом на Шир.
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Careen,
23 Apr 2018
It’s a great place to visit especially if you’re a LOTR fan 😊💕 i suggest you read or watch the movies again before coming here ❤️
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Melby,
26 Mar 2018
Would be heaps better if you read the books again before coming
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MC,
26 Feb 2018
If you’re a fan of Lord Of The Rings, you have to go!
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Matt,
14 Feb 2018
Loved the ginger beer!
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Tav,
05 Feb 2018
Great tour even though I haven’t seen any of the movies
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Valentina,
09 Jan 2018
Such a great, cute, and magical experience! Even though it’s a tourist attraction (lots of people) it’s worth it👌🏼 If you’re in NZ, this needs to be on your list 🧙🏼♂️
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Shash,
28 Mar 2017
Breathtaking landscape.. 😍
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Figen,
24 Mar 2017
Yüzüklerin efendisi film seti olmasaydı bile trek yapmak için mükemmel bir alan. Hobbit köyü de cabasıydı.
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Andy,
21 Mar 2017
The set and the place is amazing but the tour is too touristic. I rely needed more time but because of other tours behind you you have to hurry up.
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Graziela,
22 Jan 2017
Passeio lindo e maravilhoso! Pra quem assistiu os filmes e/ou leu os livros é apaixonante! Cada detalhe, cada pedacinho do cenário! ❤️❤️❤️
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Jeremy,
15 Jan 2017
If doing this tour, definitely book ahead. In peak times, it can sell out, though there is a stand-by line. Six of us went on a great sunny summer day (might not be fun if raining), & was fantastic.
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Jason,
03 Jan 2017
The whole thing, they've kept the movie set brilliantly, and the beer at the green dragon 🐉 is really good, add a pie to top off the visit
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Dalton,
27 Dec 2016
Truly magical.
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Aylin,
14 Dec 2016
Muthesem ☘️🌵🌲🍃🌳🎄🎄😍😍bir yer görmenizi tavsiye ederim
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berna,
14 Nov 2016
Muhteşem bir yer,bir masalın içinde gibi
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Roana,
06 Oct 2016
Beautiful scenery to say the least. Learn fun facts about the set and simply enjoy and appreciate the creativity and detailed work that went into creating Hobbiton. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
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Elise,
10 Sep 2016
The guides (from the bus to the set tour) are really good. They animate the whole thing and are witty and keep the visitors entertained.
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Elise,
10 Sep 2016
I highly recommend even if you're not a LOTR fan. You'll learn a lot of interesting things about movie making as well as other interesting facts you don't get to learn about by watching the movies.
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Ingvild,
13 Aug 2016
I wanna do it again! Recommend being one of the later groups as you won't have people following you directly. More time for cool photos!
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L bomb,
12 Aug 2016
Free umbrellas are offered at start of tour if rainy day. Ginger beer was good if you don't want alcoholic drink.
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Ken,
03 Apr 2016
amazing tour😀😀
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Mark,
15 Mar 2016
Highly emotional experience for a big lord of the rings fan.
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Nina,
25 Nov 2015
Charming. But if you font want to lose the magic from the movie stay far from here
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Dr Daniel,
04 Nov 2015
Increible!! Y la cerveza Pale Ale en Green Dragon fantastica!! Hay mas souvenirs que en la tienda del pueblo de Matamata y los precios son iguales
