Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours — Attraction in North Island

This is a must have experience for the Lord of the Ring fans. A truly 5 star experience, from online booking, to the actual day of the visit. We got held back due to an issue with our rental vehicle, but we called and the staff were super efficeint and reschedules for a tour two hours later that worked perfectly for us. Our tour guide James was an amazing person, whose insightfulness and ability to tell stories and make jokes made our tour absolutely wonderful. Overall the tour took 3 hours from getting on to the bus at the recption, till arriving back at the reception after completing the tour. We were guided on the history, present, and the future plans of the location, entire set, and the surroundings. It was a hot summer day, but we had complimnetry umbrellas as soon as we arrived at the set, and there was sun screen available throughout the site. Ample drinking water is available throughout the tour site, while your general admission ticket also gets you a free drink at the end of tour in the Green Dragon Inn. Here is the detailed step by step review of the tour:

Online Booking: We booked online a month in advance and the online payment was smooth internationally and the confirmation was received immediately. On the day of the event we had to change the reservation time and we got really lucky to find space at a later tour. We communicated through their official phone line.

Checking In: The parking lot is really big and there were a lot of parking attendants ushering the drivers on available parking spots. At checkin the staff was wonderful, they took our booking number and assigned us the bus. The buses leave every ten minutes so you have to keep note of your bus time and board the right bus. The tour guide ensures that for you as well.

Transport to the Movie Set: Its a short ten minute ride to the movie set tour, on which the tour guide informs about the history of the land, the acquistion, and the creation of the set. Interactive tour right from the word go.

Movie Set Tours: As soon as you disembark from the bus, you are provided large size umberellas to cater for the weather in case of sub or rain. There is also sun screen available at that spot as well as throughout different sites. The tour starts from the bottom, and you walk right throughout the set till the end of it that is the Dragon Inn. The tour guide provides detailed information on each spot, while it is timed perfectly to allow the group ahead of us move, and allow the group behind us to take up the spot we leave. The tour guide also took pictures of everyone at sites where they wanted.

Interior Hobbit Holde Experience: Named the Bagshot Row, you can now enter the hobbit holes towards the far end of the tour before the dragon inn. he experience was really good, as it provided us an opportunity to relive those moments from the movie. The interior has been done really well, and the attention to detail is impeccable.

The Green Dragon Inn: This is the last part of the tour, where each tourist gets a free cold drink between beer, and non alcoholic ginger ale. You can also purchase food and more drinks here as they have an interesting menu.

From here the tour practically culminates, as you walk back to the bus boarding area, from where you are transported back to the reception and car park. At the reception area there is a gift shop which is priced slightly higher than regular souvenier shops. There is also a restaurant and a bar, andice cream shop. The prices for food and drinks are slightly higher but not too high. Overall a highly...

We did the Hobbiton Tour & Evening Banquet experience, and it was hands down my favorite experience in New Zealand (which is saying something as we did a ton of cool stuff all over both the North and South Island). I don’t really have the words to describe how wonderful the experience was, but I’ll try my best.

Hobbiton itself was so magical, made even more special by the knowledgeable and funny guides who were more than happy to take plenty of photos of the guests. I can’t believe we even got to explore inside a hobbit hole! My favorite part of the tour though was standing at Bag End, looking across Hobbiton and really feeling like it was a real place.

The Green Dragon Inn was simply delightful with delicious drinks. (I’m not a beer gal, so the cider and ginger beer were perfect.) The evening banquet was everything you could want out of a hobbit feast. Not only was the table set beautifully, but the food was magnificent. Roast chicken, lamb and mashed potatoes, beef stew, salmon, vegetable pie, roast potatoes and kumara, bread rolls, salad and more. (The beef stew was my absolute favorite.) As if that wasn’t enough, dessert consisted of pavlova with fresh fruit, crème brûlée, apple pie, and a couple of different cakes and sauces.

I truly felt like a hobbit; I had half a mind to set off on an adventure right then and there. My family ended up making good friends with a few folks and there was just so much merriment and laughter at the feast that I really felt like we were all in a movie.

What glued everything together was the walk back to the bus through Hobbiton at night. There was a moment when we all stopped to look at the hobbit holes on the hill, lit up like stars against the night sky, and the guide asked us to picture it — Bilbo Baggins just up there at Bag End, settling down for the night when a wizard knocks at his door …

If I’m tearing up just writing this review, remembering it all, imagine how I felt during the actual experience. :’) For a Lord of the Rings fan, this was everything and more. Oh, to have to return to real life after this magic:

"How do you pick up the threads of an old life... when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back." -Frodo Baggins

What to expect: Check in at the Hobbiton pick-up location and explore the gift shop (this will be the only time to do so) and use the bathrooms Take a bus to Hobbiton, have another chance to use the bathrooms Explore Hobbiton for a couple hours and have plenty of opportunities for pictures Tour the inside of a hobbit hole Walk over to the Green Dragon Inn and enjoy one free drink, then start a tab Take in the beautiful sunset while dinner is getting finished setting up Feast on the evening banquet (and keep an eye out for the cat!) Enjoy a drink outside while dinner is being cleaned up and see Hobbiton at night Return back inside for the most delicious dessert Receive an old-fashioned lantern and walk back to the bus through Hobbiton at night Take the bus back to the pick-up location, say good-bye to any new friends and wave farewell to one of the best experiences New Zealand has to offer :’)

Note: We booked our tickets right when they were available about eight months in advance as the evening banquet experience...

We booked our tickets to the Hobbiton Set Tour’s Mid-Winter Feast six months in advance, and it was absolutely worth the wait. The whole experience was seamless from start to finish. We had one child travelling with us who qualified for a free ticket, but to secure this we needed to email them directly. They replied quickly and were happy to sort it out for us — no fuss at all.

Upon arrival, everything felt organised yet relaxed. We were greeted warmly, and within 20 minutes we were on our tour bus heading into the Shire. The on-site café was lovely and cosy, offering plenty of options, and the merchandise store had some charming pieces — a bit pricey, but you’re paying for the exclusivity. I would have happily walked away with a smoking pipe if I hadn’t been pressed for space in my luggage.

Our tour guide, Steven, was nothing short of phenomenal. If you get Steven, you’ve hit the jackpot. He was energetic, kind, and incredibly well-versed in the lore and behind-the-scenes stories of Hobbiton. More than that, he was brilliant with our child, taking the time to engage with them and make them feel part of the magic. By the end of the tour, the crew and several guests had affectionately dubbed our little one “Elven Royalty,” which completely made their day. Steven also helped point out the best places for photos and made sure everyone had time to soak in each location.

When we reached the Green Dragon Inn, it truly felt like stepping into another world. The live music was atmospheric and era-appropriate, and the platters of food laid out were delicious — perfect for grazing in front of the fire with a drink in hand. The inn itself is wonderfully authentic, every detail thoughtfully preserved or recreated.

Then came the Mid-Winter Feast — and what a feast it was. We were ushered into a beautiful tent decorated with glowing lanterns, and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. With our family group — including grandparents and a niece — they quickly arranged for us to be seated near an exit in case the little ones needed to duck out. They even allowed us to serve the children earlier than the usual table order so no one was left hungry or restless. High chairs and kid-friendly seating were all sorted without us having to ask twice.

The team encouraged our children to dance and enjoy the music, and not once did we feel judged or rushed. The staff’s enthusiasm and warmth were second to none — it’s clear they genuinely love what they do. It made all the difference.

The evening ended with the lantern-lit walk back through the Shire. It was a beautiful way to wind down the experience, although a few spots could use a touch more lighting — nothing major, just something to note for those with limited mobility or small children.

All in all, this was an unforgettable evening that exceeded every expectation. It never felt crowded or commercial, and the pacing was just right — spacious, generous, and full of heart. Even my mum, who has never seen a single Lord of the Rings film, came away raving about how magical it was and how much value we got for our money.

We’ll absolutely be back — again, and...