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The Hobbiton Movie Set: what it is and how to visit

It's the actual Shire from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit — 44 hobbit holes on a working sheep farm just outside Matamata. Here's what the Hobbiton Movie Set really is, where to find it, and exactly how to get in.

Published 2026-06-02 · by the Matamata Guide team (local, Matamata-based)

What is the Hobbiton Movie Set?

The Hobbiton Movie Set is the permanent film set used for The Shire in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. After the first films the set was rebuilt in permanent materials, so what you walk through today is the real thing: 44 individually crafted hobbit holes, the Mill, the double-arched bridge, the Party Tree and the Green Dragon Inn. It sits on the Alexander family's working sheep and beef farm, which is why it survived — and why you can only see it on a guided tour.

Where is the Hobbiton Movie Set?

It's near Matamata, in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. Every tour departs from The Shire's Rest, 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera — about a 15-minute drive from central Matamata and signposted from town. From further afield it's roughly 2–2.5 hours from Auckland and about 1 hour from Rotorua, which makes it one of New Zealand's most popular day trips. See our guides on getting there from Auckland and from Rotorua.

How to visit — tour only

There's no gate you can just walk through: the set is on private farmland, so the only way in is a guided walking tour booked in advance. The standard tour runs about 2 hours over roughly 2 km of easy farm paths, led by a guide who talks you through how the set was built and filmed, and finishes with a complimentary drink at the Green Dragon Inn. There's also an evening banquet tour with a feast at the Inn. Tours sell out in summer, so book ahead — see tickets & prices.

What you'll see on the tour

Highlights include Bilbo and Frodo's home at Bag End with its famous oak tree, the colourful round doors of the hobbit holes, the vegetable gardens, the Mill and the stone bridge leading to the Green Dragon Inn, where your included drink is poured. It's genuinely photogenic in any weather — an overcast Waikato day gives soft, even light that photographs beautifully.

Make a day of it in Matamata

The set is 15 minutes from town, so build in time for a feed — see the best restaurants and cafes in Matamata, or turn it into a full day with our one day in Matamata guide.

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Quick answers

Is the Hobbiton Movie Set the real Lord of the Rings set?

Yes. It's the actual filming location used for The Shire in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, rebuilt in permanent materials so it can be visited year-round.

Where is the Hobbiton Movie Set located?

Near Matamata in the Waikato, North Island, New Zealand. Tours leave from The Shire's Rest, 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera — about 15 minutes from central Matamata.

Can you visit the Hobbiton Movie Set without a tour?

No. The set is on a private working farm and can only be visited on a pre-booked guided walking tour. There's no public access otherwise.

How long does the Hobbiton tour take?

The standard guided walking tour runs about 2 hours and covers roughly 2 km on easy farm paths, finishing with a drink at the Green Dragon Inn.

More guides

Visiting Hobbiton from Rotorua

Rotorua is the closest major base to the Hobbiton Movie Set — about an hour away — which makes it the easiest day trip of all to The Shire.