As a self-confessed Lord of the Rings geek, it’s safe to say
a trip to the Hobbiton film set was quite high up on my list of must visits. Whether
or not you are a keen ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘The Hobbit’ fan, this is a must
visit spot if not just for some beautiful scenery and a great day out.
The Hobbiton movie set was created to be the location of ‘the Shire’ in Peter Jackson’s adaption of The Lord of the Rings. It became a
popular tourist spot for fans of the film. It was never intended to be a permanent
fixture, in fact the owner of the land insisted that it would not be. However
the making of The Hobbit series and the popularity among fans alike allowed the
set to be completely rebuilt and now remains a permanent location and is a huge part of what attracts people to New Zealand.
Located near the town
of Matamata, around an hour away from Rotorua, the set is easily accessible with
a total of 3 pickup points around Matamata. There are regular tours all day so
you can pick when you wish to visit, though there didn’t seem to be a time that
it wasn’t buzzing with visitors.
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| Sams House |
Upon arrival you can visit the Gift shop to get all sorts of
Middle Earth merchandise, not the cheapest of items as I’m sure you can
imagine, though I couldn’t leave this once in a lifetime experience without a
little souvenir, so I picked the cheapest item that I could find; a pack of playing
cards. You are then greeted by your tour guide and you embark on an adventure
of you own. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and are keen to answer all
your questions; no matter how geeky they are. We learned all sorts of
fascinating facts about the films themselves and about how the set was created
and the amount of intricacy that went in to each part. For example, we were informed
how a number of trees on set contain thousands of fake hand painted leaves to ensure
they matched the time of the year in which the scenes were set.
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| Enjoying a cider at the Green Dragon |
The attractions you get to visit are numerous different Hobbit holes, all created with different perspectives in mind: larger hobbit holes to make the actors look hobbit sized, and smaller ones for wide panoramic scenes. The tour also stops by Bilbo & Frodo Baggins’ and Samwise Gamgee's respective homes, as well as seeing the Mill and The Green Dragon Inn where we got to enjoy our very own glass of Middle Earth Ale or Cider.
After the tour there is plenty of free time to wander around
and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding Hobbiton and to appreciate the details
of the set itself.
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| The attention to detail was amazing |
PRICES
For Adults aged 17+ the cost is 79 NZD the equivalent of
around 45 GBP
For those 9-16 years the cost is 39.50 NZD the equivalent of
around 23 GBP
Those 0-8 years can enter for free
It’s not the cheapest activity, and as a backpacker I did
feel a bit of a pinch on the purse strings after. However it was 100% worth it
and not just if you are a die hard freak fan like me. It was an interesting and enjoyable day out which I think can be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages.
Next Stop: Taupo
Until next time,
Charlotte x
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