So I have been working on a few blog posts of our trip to New Zealand for you all and places to see and do but I felt like this needed an entire blog post of it’s own so we will start here.
HOBBITON! It’s freaking magical and you only need to take a look at these pictures to truly understand that. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan than prepare to have your mind blown and if you haven’t seen the film you will still appreciate the beauty and magic of this place.
Hobbiton is located in the small town of Matamata on a 12 acre family farm, about an hour from Hamilton or just over two hours from Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. We were staying in Hamilton for our nephew’s 21st so we drove up after breakfast and were there in no time. I had booked our tickets a good few months in advance because I didn’t want to miss out and I would definitely recommend doing so as it books out quickly. There are a heap of tours going daily so you have a great variety of choice. We opted for lunch time to tie in nicely with the kids naps.
The drive there was the beginning of the magical experience as the greenery surrounding us in all directions was just spectacular, especially as we drove up the road to The Shire’s Rest, where the Hobbiton’s headquarters were located. There’s plenty of parking available and you need to make sure you’re 15 minutes early so you can go to the toilet, and line up for the bus. There’s also a souvenir shop here, an ice-cream shop and a cafe serving food and coffee.
Busses arrive promptly to take you down to The Shire and your tour guide welcomes you on. We had Charlotte and she was fantastic. There’s a small video on your bus trip where you get some insight in to the movie and this particular location from the likes of Elijah Wood and Peter Jackson.
When you arrive at the farm gates, the excitement really begins. This is the spot where Frodo runs up yelling “I’m going on an adventure” and you can picture it vividly. This place is honestly magical and seems slightly unreal. There are luscious trees and grass everywhere and everywhere you look reminds you of the film.
The tour is impeccably run. For the amount of people attending on a daily basis, when you start your walk through it doesn’t feel crowded even though your groups can be pretty large. There is a good distance left between groups so that they rarely catch up to you and a good amount of time spent at each spot to learn some of the history of the land and the story behind how the movie was made. Our tour guide absolutely knew her stuff and could answer any questions about the film whilst keeping us informed every step a long the way. There’s around 40 different Hobbit houses, all unique and unlike the other, so you will have plenty of photo opportunities and sufficient time is made at each spot to allow you to do that.
The tour is 2 hours but time feels like to flies because of how immersed you are in the magic. The paths are quite narrow and there’s a lot of up and down hills so a good pair of footwear is a must. There’s stops a long the way so you can have a rest and catch your breath. Finn was a trooper walking around for that long but make sure you pack snacks and water if you’re taking the kids. Even though he hadn’t seen the movie, he totally got involved in the magic of it and enjoyed every part. There are a few Hobbit holes that you can actually go inside but no, you won’t see any Hobbits (we had to let Finn down gently!). Arriving at Bilbo Baggins house was pretty magical and so was walking across the bridge in to the Dragon’s Inn at the end. The ambience of the pub really takes you back to scenes from the movie, especially the outdoor area where they through Bilbo’s party. Here you get a choice or beer, cider of ginger ale and you get about 10-15 minutes to relax and take it all in.
Overall I could not fault this tour at all and it was the most magical experience. Some people say tickets are expensive but I felt that every cent was worth it. We paid $79 each and the kids were free. Expectations are set from the start that it is a tour and you can’t just wonder off on your own so if you respect that you will have an amazing time. It is well thought out and organised and thr tour guides know how to keep the groups moving without feeling like we were rushed. I have raved about this to absolutely everyone and will be going back again to do the evening banquet tour without the kids because it looks specacular.
A definite MUST do when visiting New Zealand, with our without your kids.
Top tips for visiting HOBBITON:
- Take a backpack-you don’t want to be lugging things around and you won’t have anywhere to leave your belongings as the busses do round trips so you might lose your stuff if you leave it on there!
- Wear a good pair of shoes-It’s a very beautiful walk but it is up and down hills so you will want to wear a good pair of shoes (especially if you’re also lugging around a baby).
- Bring water & snacks and maybe a t-shirt. It got really sunny when we arrived and I was sweating but I didn’t have anything to change in to.
- Listen to your tour guide-they tell you heaps of awesome facts that you won’t want to miss out on.
- Don’t take a pram-we were told you can take one but we were glad we didn’t when we got to see how hilly and narrow it was. We had Leo in the carrier and it is the best way to go.
- Go to the toilet before you leave-there isn’t one until right at the end on the tour.
- Try and stay at the back of the group so you can take a bit longer getting your photos at each spot. Oh, and take LOTS of photos.
- Try and get an early morning tour as they are supposedly quieter than midday.
- Do the banquet if you can!
- DO run up the hill and yell “I’M GOING ON AN ADVENTURE!” 😉
If you have any questions about Hobbiton, please comment below! For bookings, head to http://www.hobbitontours.com/en/
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