Hobbiton Movie Set Group Tour Early Access (Avoid the crowds!)

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Auckland, New Zealand

8 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Movie fans will love this easy day tour from Auckland to Hobbiton, in Matamata. Avoid the hassle of self-driving and enjoy the views during the two-hour journey. You’ll arrive at Hobbiton early to beat the crowds and have more space. Learn all about the filming of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies, including fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, on an in-depth two-hour guided tour.

Ideal for both avid fans and those who don’t know much about the movies
Return transfers from central Auckland accommodation are included
This is a must-do tour for visitors to the North Island
Includes snacks and a drink at the Green Dragon Inn

What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Auckland City Center.
Professional driver/guide
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Snacks
Bottled water
WiFi on board
All entry tickets & guided tours

Lunch
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.6:00 am

Itinerary

Auckland & Beyond Tours

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hobbiton Movie Set

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate

Children must be accompanied by an adult
Infant seats must be requested at least 24 hours in advance (extra charges apply)
The Hobbiton is not Wheelchair due to uneven path but we can arrange a golf car to take you around (depends on availability)
A minimum of 4 people is required for the tour to operate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.8

based on 49 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Perfect Day at Hobbiton

Richard_H, Apr 2026

Beautiful and stunning scenery. Even if you’ve never seen the movies you’ll enjoy this place. We were spoiled with fantastic blue sky. Guides keep groups separate so no bunching up.

Rainy but wonderful day in Middle Earth!

Angelique_M, Apr 2026

Hobbiton is a fantastic place to visit even if you aren't a fan of LOTR. We had absolutely horrible weather but it didn't diminish how great visiting the location was. Our driver, Clint, was very friendly and knowledgeable. He pointed out many points of interest even though the rain made it hard to see. It pretty much rained the entire time and it did get very muddy. I had waterproof hiking shoes on and the mud splatter made it to just above my ankles. Also, you will have to walk up quite a steep hill so keep that in mind if you're physically impaired. The only minus was that the minibus was full and it was a tight squeeze for the 2 plus hour ride from Auckland to the location of the movie set. All in all a wonderful experience.

Difficult to work with

Kimberly_C, Oct 2025

Difficult to communicate with, they didn’t respond to cancellation in time and charged me $400 for the two of us. We got caught in the tropical storm on the South Island and couldn’t fly in. They didn’t respond in time and charged us.

Wow! What a Day!

Karen_G, Jul 2025

Awesome experience from the pick up to end of day exploration. The tour leaders were fun and informative, Hobbiton is totally worth the visit, and the pace of the trip was perfect!

Great tour! Our bus...

Eliza_F, May 2025

Great tour! Our bus driver Raymond was fantastic and could not have been lovelier. Highly recommend!

Very Unreliable

Kelly_F, May 2025

The tour guide never showed up. I waited an hour and a half and kept calling the company who told me the driver was on their way. Finally they told me that the driver accidentally picked up the wrong people so we were out of luck and they would just refund us our money.

Worth waking up early for

Greg_H, Sep 2024

Long day getting to Hobbiton but so worth it! The scenery was breathtaking. Going early was a great decision: less crowded, clean restrooms, pictures without tourists in them. Our guide, Adil, gave us a history lesson on the ride and from as well as interesting tidbits. We saw a lot of animals and lush vegetation. He was friendly and polite.

Beautiful Hobbiton

Lynn_W, Jan 2023

Beautiful beautiful scenery! Much more than I expected. So glad we went! A fairyland experience! Our driver Peter was excellent and informative. The Hobbiton was excellent

The effort to construct the movie set is truly impressive .

Danny_F, Jan 2023

It rained continually but Peter our driver turned it into a positive experience. He is a top notch fellow !

The Lord of Friends

MARIAEUGENIA_S, Apr 2026

It was an unforgettable experience. Although the tour was in English, our guide tried too hard for those who spoke Spanish to understand everything. Excellent tour

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