Jasmijn and Julia explore Hobbiton Middle Earth

Jasmijn and Julia two of First Light Travel's latest interns venture into the Waikato to explore Hobbiton Middle Earth the now famous movie set to see what all the fuss is about.

Jasmijn is from Elst in the Eastern part of Holland near the German boarder and Julia is from Munich in Germany so both like the hobbits are no strangers to the delights of beer - but will the Hobbit village and especially the Green Dragon Inn meet their high expectations?

Hairy Hobbits

Likely to be the most clichéd New Zealand experience – or should I say Middle Earth experience? A small village which takes you to the ‘Lord of the Rings’. Yes, I’m talking about Hobbiton! Hobbiton is a beautifully preserved film set of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ and is located close to the town of Matamata, which is in the Central Northern part of New Zealand’s North Island and I must say it’s really worth the visit! There are lots of people taking the tour but it doesn’t feel like that. From the beginning till the end, everything was very well organized. This experience is magical and takes you to another world.

Note: If you would love to experience Hobbiton and other LOTR filming locations, then be sure to check out our hand crafted Lord of the Rings Tours and Itineraries that are perfect for LOTR fans.

Is it touristy? Yes, but you definitely can’t skip this tour during your trip to New Zealand. For that reason, nothing could stop me from having this small kitsch experience in the Middle Earth! From the Matamata Hobbiton Visitor Centre you make your way towards Hobbiton Movie Set. Believe it or not, this small bus trip really makes you feel like you are stepping into a fairytale. After a short drive through sheep paradise you will enter the hidden village of Hobbiton.

During the trip you get to listen to a lot of facts about how the movies were created. Besides that, you get an insight in the funny ideas Peter Jackson had while creating the movies. For example, Peter Jackson wanted to make the Hobbit celebration in the middle of the little village Hobbiton look real so he put some alcohol in the drinks of the actors. The thought of this makes me a little bit jealous, a job under these circumstances, surrounded by a beautiful landscape with a nice glass of Hobbit beer. But I won’t tell more funny facts, so the Hobbiton Movie Set Tour will keep surprising you!

For photo-lovers – every guide knows that everyone loves to take photos in Hobbiton so they will make sure you will have enough time to do that. They are even volunteering to take photos of you and really like to slip into the role of a photographer, so there is no need to feel awkward.

The Hobbiton Movie Set Tour ends in the Green Dragon where you can enjoy a pitcher of beer like a real Hobbit would do. Our golden tip: you can even try some cool Hobbit outfits and get the feeling of being a real Hobbit.

When the tour is finished, go on your own adventure in Middle Earth, because not only Hobbiton but also the rest of New Zealand feels like Middle Earth!