Hobbiton Movie Set Day Trip from Auckland with Feast & Drinks

4.76

(154 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to feel giddy stepping off the coach into Matamata’s rolling green hills — but there’s something about seeing those round doors for real. Our guide, Mark (who actually grew up nearby), started us off with a story about how his uncle once helped build one of the fences here. The air smelled like wet grass and sheep, and honestly, it felt more like visiting someone’s quirky farm than a film set at first.

We walked along these winding paths between hobbit holes — some tiny, some with laundry hanging out (apparently that’s real fabric, not movie magic). Mark pointed out little details: the mailbox numbers, the gardens. He had this way of pausing so you could hear birds or just take in the sunlight on mossy bricks. At Bagshot Row I ducked inside one of the doors — it was smaller than I thought and smelled faintly of sawdust. Someone in our group tried to quote Gandalf but got it wrong and we all cracked up. No one seemed to mind.

The best bit? Sitting in the Green Dragon Inn with a mug of cider (included — yes!). It was warm inside, wood smoke mixing with bread smells from somewhere behind the bar. Lunch was this huge “Hobbits Feast” in a party tent — roast veggies, pies, things I still can’t pronounce. I tried everything. Mark sat with us for a while and told us which scenes were filmed right outside where we were eating. That felt special somehow.

I keep thinking about that sunlight on the grass as we left Hobbiton — kind of golden and unreal. The ride back to Auckland was quiet; everyone half asleep or scrolling through photos. If you’re even a little bit into Lord of the Rings or just want to see what movie magic looks like up close, this day trip is worth it. Even if you can’t remember all the character names (I definitely can’t).