Tauranga to Magical Hobbiton Movie Set - Private Shore Excursion
Tauranga, New Zealand
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Fans of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” will enjoy this exclusive small-group private shore excursion from Tauranga to the Hobbiton Movie Set. Designed for cruise ship passengers, the tour includes port transfers and start times coordinated with ship arrivals. Enjoy a two-hour guided tour with behind-the-scenes insight into the movies. Even travelers who haven’t seen the films will appreciate the fantastical set and the guide’s stories.
- Small group limited to 4 people for a personalized experience
- Travel from Tauranga to Matamata in a comfortable private car
- Make the most of a short time on land with a shore excursion
- Hobbiton admission fees and meals cost extra;
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional local kiwi guide/driver
- Full audio commentary
- Admission tickets are not included - They are purchased online. I will provide details.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 2 Salisbury Avenue, Mount Maunganui 3116, New Zealand
Cruise Ship Tours; start times will fit in with ship arrival/departure times. I will meet you 10 minutes prior to the tour departing time at the Port entry/exit gates 5 -10 minutes walk from your ship. I will be waiting there with your name sign.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 04/04/2020 - 05/22/2027
Monday - Sunday : 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Itinerary
1
Hobbiton Movie Set
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Folding wheelchairs OK
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Featured review
Joseph_C
Patrick was a wonderful tour guide. On the way to Hobbiton he stop to show us a Kiwi fruit orchard and explained how they were cultivated. We also stopped a a scenic overlook of the Bay of Plenty. Along the way he provided interesting commentary as to where we were and what we were seeing. We arrived on time for our tour and Patrick customized our return to suit our time constraints (we were on a cruise ship). Be aware that Hobbiton sells out well in advance. We contacted Patrick 6 months earlier and he advised us as to which time slot to purchase from the Hobbiton website. At that time most time slots were already sold out, so plan well ahead. Regardless of the tour, we would recommend we highly recommend Patrick. It was a great adventure.
Reviews
5.0
based on 7 reviews
Joseph_C, Dec 2025
Patrick was a wonderful tour guide. On the way to Hobbiton he stop to show us a Kiwi fruit orchard and explained how they were cultivated. We also stopped a a scenic overlook of the Bay of Plenty. Along the way he provided interesting commentary as to where we were and what we were seeing. We arrived on time for our tour and Patrick customized our return to suit our time constraints (we were on a cruise ship). Be aware that Hobbiton sells out well in advance. We contacted Patrick 6 months earlier and he advised us as to which time slot to purchase from the Hobbiton website. At that time most time slots were already sold out, so plan well ahead. Regardless of the tour, we would recommend we highly recommend Patrick. It was a great adventure.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for your review. It was a pleasure to show you both this beautiful region of New Zealand and that you enjoyed the Hobbiton visit.
I hope the rest of the cruise tour went well.
Patrick
Nancy_T, Apr 2025
Patrick was very personable. He put me at ease from pickup location to delivery back to the ship. I could ask him anything and we talked about a wide variety of topics. Hobbiton itself was beyond my expectations. It was so so so cute and I took a lot of pictures. All in all a fun, relaxing experience. A private driver is a bit pricey but to me it was worth it as I travel with a walker. I like to get to know the people and the area not just a tour guide's prewritten script.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to write your review.
WEICHIEN_C, Jan 2025
It was a wonderful experience!
We enjoyed the private transfer to the Hobbiton Movie Set from Tauranga. It is fantastic to get behind-the-scenes insight in to the movies.
The view is very beautiful. A private Shore Excursion can fit in with ship arrival/departure times absolutely. Our driver guide Patrick was the best, he took great care of us. I recommend to go to Hobbiton and go with Patrick.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to write your review.
Stephanie_C, Jan 2025
I had set this up 6 months in advance. The cost did not include the Hobbiton tickets which I had to purchase separately. Basically, you are paying for a private car ride to the set, driver waiting 2.5 hrs while you are on tour and then the drive back. The driver communicated to me that he would touch base closer to the date. As the date approached, I never heard back from him so I texted the morning of to confirm meeting time. He texted me back. Whew, great. We go just outside the port and there are other tour operators with signs. We did not see our name so we sit on a bench. Meanwhile, time ticks by and we are now past our meeting time, I then go up to a different tour operator to find out if we are in the correct place. It turns out that our tour operator was there the entire time talking to this tour operator! He had no sign and was not wearing any name tag or shirt with the tour company logo. I thought he was just a local retiree waiting for family! Good grief so we head on out. I tell him that I got an email from Hobbiton that we need to check in 20 minutes before our appointment and he said don’t worry about that, we have heaps of time. Meanwhile, one the seats in the van has no head rest which my husband points out is a safety hazard. Fortunately, he had the head rest in the back of the van. The van was comfortable. Along the way, we pulled over to take a closer look at a kiwi fruit farm and the a lookout over Taurangea. We did get there about 30 min before our appointment time which was good because we needed to get a bite to eat before the tour in the cafe. Food there by the way isn’t great but just had to eat something. The Hobbiton tour was awesome. My husband at the end talked to our driver about not having a sign and he got defensive, showed me the sign which he had in the trunk and told us to overlook it. The ride back to port was quiet. We saw the beaches before we were dropped off. Overall, we paid a lot of money for a private car ride. It would have been fine if we got off to a better start but we successfully saw Hobbiton.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Surprise. Surprise. Do I detect a hint of vindictiveness in your attempt to damage my tour business in your review? As the tour driver on the day I was disappointed with your unfriendly attitude and reluctance to make conversation which put a damper on the tour.
As a tour operator I try hard to make each tour an enjoyable day but I need cooperation to achieve this.
I was disappointed with your negative comments about how average the food is at the Hobbiton cafe which is highly regarded for the quality and variety they serve to thousands of Hobbiton fans who travel there annually.
As stated very clearly on the booking website, due to Hobbiton’s booking policy, tour operators and ship tours cannot be booked directly by us. We forward the Hobbiton booking link and details needed, for you to make and pay for the booking.
Sometimes we create our own bad day, and a change of attitude can make that a wonderful day.
Karen_O, Apr 2024
We had an absolutely wonderful time in Tauranga and Hobbiton. Our driver and guide, Pat, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We would highly recommend both Pat and this experience.
woodlandraiders1, Mar 2024
Visiting Hobbiton, and on the way our driver Patrick shared lots of information about New Zealand. We enjoyed talking with him and hearing about New Zealand’s history.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for your review. It was my pleasure to show you this beautiful region of New Zealand.
Alison_J, Nov 2023
Lovely day with Patrick. All went really smoothly and car very comfy. Collection from our cruise ship easy and trouble free. Hobbiton did not disappoint
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you for your review. I hope the rest of your holiday went well.
Best regards,
Patrick.
From $620.00
per group (up to 4)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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