Visit Hobbiton from Auckland, the Hobbit village in Matamata, New Zealand! Discover the filming locations of The Lord of the Rings!
Who hasn’t dreamed of treading the ground and discovering the little houses of the village of Hobbitebourg while watching one of the films in the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the subject, it’s impossible not to marvel at the wealth of detail and magnificence of the settings in this village of the Halflings.
Today, this dream is possible, and it’s happening on the Matamata site on New Zealand’s North Island.
A dream region
Flickr – tara hunt
The Waikato region’s Matamata site offers the opportunity to discover the mythical village of the Lord of the Rings: the rural landscape of this corner of New Zealand was chosen for the reconstruction of the Shire’s Hobbit village.
The site belongs to Dean Alexander’s farm, and the man’s property naturally had everything it needed to bring the world of the author of JRR Tolkien’s saga out of the ground. There’s a lake, a towering tree and a field, and while construction began in 1999, filming took place over 3 months that same year. Today, the village is reborn to the delight of saga aficionados.
Numerous projects were launched, including 1.5 km of road, hedge design, tree planting, the construction of the famous Hobbit holes, the mill and the arch bridge.
An excursion to the land of Elves and Hobbits
Flickr – Jeff Hitchcock
Today, the sets ofHobbiton can be seen again, and excursions are organized to visit these life-size movie sets. How can you not soak up the atmosphere of such a place? How can you not imagine a Hobbit emerging from one of the little houses?
It’s a real treat for lovers of both trilogies (The Lord of the Rings and Bilbo the Hobbit) to wander around a bend in the road, near Bilbo’s house and Sam’s house. There are houses of different sizes to fit the shots and actors to « cheat » on the perspective effect. However, don’t expect to see the interiors of the houses, as they were all shot in studios.
At the end of your visit to Hobbitebourg, you can refresh yourself at the local « Green Dragon Inn « , where you can order a soda or a nice beer! After this break at the end of the tour, you can use your voucher for a free souvenir, and you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
For an 8-hour day in Hobbit country, the price (see button above) of your excursion includes :
- Guided tour of Hobbitebourg
- Lunch at Shire’s Rest Café
- Sodas, ciders and beers at the Green Dragon Inn
- Voucher for the purchase of a free souvenir
- Accompaniment by a professional guide (commentary in English)
- Transportation to and from your hotel in downtown Auckland