Hobbiton Movie Set

The set sits on a sheep and beef farm in the rolling Waikato countryside outside Matamata. After the films it was rebuilt in permanent materials and now runs as a managed attraction, with the gardens kept up year round so the Shire always looks lived in.

What the visit involves

The guided visit includes the landscaped set, Bagshot Row interiors and the Green Dragon Inn. Select the exact departure point when booking; travel from Matamata is a different duration from the farm departure.

The Signature tour departing from The Shire’s Rest takes about 2.5 hours including coach transfers, with a Bagshot Row interior visit and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn. Until 31 March 2028, adults (18+) pay NZ$130, ages 11–17 NZ$65, and ages 0–10 need an allocated free ticket with a paying adult. Check in at least 20 minutes before departure. The separate Matamata Information Centre departure takes about 3.5 hours; do not confuse its transfer with the farm departure.

Official information · Checked 16 October 2026

The set is near Matamata in the Waikato, signposted off the main roads. From Auckland it is about two to two and a half hours by car, from Hamilton around 45 minutes to an hour, and from Rotorua roughly an hour. Many visitors fold it into a drive between Auckland and Rotorua, as it sits broadly on that line.

If you have no car, organised day tours run from all three cities and a shuttle links the Matamata i-SITE with the farm. There is no train or flight that gets you closer, so it is a road trip either way. Roads are sealed and easy, but allow time to reach the visitor centre before your booked tour slot.

Hobbiton runs tours year round and the gardens are kept green in every season, so there is no wrong time as such. Summer (December to February) has the longest days, the most tour slots and the biggest crowds, so book early. Autumn and spring are quieter and the rolling farmland looks good. Winter can be cold and muddy underfoot but tours still run and are less busy. Whatever the season, the Waikato can be wet, so the first or last tour of the day usually has fewer people than the midday slots that day trips target.

• Book online days ahead; tours cap numbers and sell out in summer.
• You can only visit on a guided tour, not on your own.
• Arrive at the visitor centre before your booked slot, not just on time.
• Take the first or last tour of the day for fewer people.
• Wear shoes that handle mud; the paths get wet underfoot.
• Your ticket includes a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, so use it.
• Pair it with a drive between Auckland and Rotorua to save backtracking.
• Allow the booked tour duration plus early check-in and road travel.