Hobbiton Movie Set Small Group Day Tour from Auckland
Description
Hobbiton Movie Set full day return trip tour from Auckland. See one of New Zealand's most famous attractions, the magical Hobbiton Movie Set on this fully guided small group tour. Famous from The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. Our tours are run in small groups, in modern mini buses, specially built to enhance your tour experience and day. On board we have amazing, passionate guides always have a lot of stories, facts and commentary to keep you entertained along the way. There are so many little things that make our tours unique and memorable including secret stops, wildlife viewings, complimentary water and snacks, USB charging points for your devices and even Wifi access in the tour vehicle. We are proud that our customer reviews show it's not all about the destination... it's the journey that makes our tours special.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour starts in New Zealand’s largest city. As we drive out of the city your guide will not only set the scene for your adventure today but also point out and guide you past some of the city’s top highlights.
Exiting Auckland we travel south through the stunning Waikato countryside, the most extensive farming area in the world, encountering beautiful scenery, mighty rivers, great photo opportunities, impressive mountains and several farm animals along the way.
we board one of the big green Hobbiton buses to depart on a two and a half hour fully guided tour of this amazing 12 acre movie set with a professional Hobbiton guide to ensure you get the most out of your visit. During your tour step into the lush pastures of the Shire, visit 44 hobbit holes, see amazing gardens, hear the secrets and stories about the making of the movies and enjoy a cold beverage at the famous Hobbiton pub The Green Dragon Inn.
Sadly we must start to head north again but your day is not over with a fully guided return trip to Auckland including surprise stops. Depending on weather and timing our guides love doing other surprise stops. Maybe a scenic stop near a lake or the chance to try New Zealand ice creams, we love introducing you to local wildlife and animals. You will have to jump on the tour to see where you go!
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
*If no pickup is selected at time of booking, you will be allocated our default meeting point (skyCity Hotel). You are welcome to update this at any time. If your location isn’t listed, please choose your nearest available option & meet us there. *Pick-ups can begin up to 20 minutes before the tour departure time, depending on location. To ensure a smooth start, please be ready and waiting outside 5 minutes prior to your specific pickup time. *Pick-up locations are carefully planned for each tour and may vary by day. If your pick-up location changes, kindly inform us in advance. *Our guides make multiple stops and may arrive within a 10-minute window. We are unable to wait for late guests.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- If you are visiting off a cruise ship, please be aware we cannot guarantee to be back in time for a 6:30 - 8:30pm cruise departure
- The legal drinking age is 18, and ID may be required
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Not recommended for travelers with severe mobility difficulties
Reviews(27)
This was worth every penny. Hobbiton is breathtaking and Trent was a great tour guide! Very personable and made it so we didn’t have to worry about a thing the whole trip. Would do it again!
This was a good tour for our family of six. The pick up was on time and there were five other individuales on the van. The van itself was a Mercedes sprinter van and very comfortable. The driver, Vickey, had some commentary on the drive and it was a good mix of talking and listening to music. She had a good level of energy and was engaging. The drive back had a couple of stops for some photo ops and snacks. Overall this was a great option for our large family to get to and from Hobbiton. I like the smaller bus as compared to a large coach tour operator.
My visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set was a memorable and enjoyable experience. Although it rained during the visit, it did not diminish the enjoyment of the tour. Along the journey, the tour guide shared interesting information not only about the Hobbiton movie set and its connection to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, but also about New Zealand’s history, culture, and landscapes. This helped expand my knowledge and made the trip both educational and engaging.
Thank you for this lovely review! It's great to hear that even a rainy day couldn't dampen the magic of Hobbiton. We'd be delighted to welcome you back on another Cheeky Kiwi tour!
That was a great and memorable trip. Our driver and guide was really nice, trip was safe and sound, we learned a lot about New Zealand and enjoyed every minute.
Thank you for the kind review! We're so glad you had a great and memorable time at Hobbiton and loved learning about New Zealand along the way. We hope to see you again on a future adventure! - GM, Cheeky Kiwi Travel
We had Grant as our tour guide. He was very informative and we had a great day. Weather and tour were both great and I've never even watched movies! We only had 7 on bus which was great so we had 2 seats each. Thanks Jayne & Holly
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We're thrilled Grant made your Hobbiton day so informative and enjoyable. It's lovely to hear the small group size added to the experience too. We hope to see you again! - GM, Cheeky Kiwi Travel
Trent our driver was great and very knowledgeable. The trip to and from the Hobbiton movie set staging area was smooth and enjoyable. We were able to be there early enough to stretch, grab something from the souvenir and cafe shops before entering our bus to the set. Watching LOTR ( ROTK) on the way back was a nice touch as well, and a great way to end the day for our family. -Los WBs
Had a great experience visiting the Hobbiton set. What made it extra special was our tour guide Jeoff. He had tons of knowledge about New Zealand and had snacks and water prepared for us. He and Cheeky Kiwi made this experience unforgettable.
Vicki from Cheeky Kiwi made this trip so much more than just a ride from Auckland to Hobbiton. She was a genuinely warm and welcoming person - from the moment we got on board and made everyone feel at ease straight away. She kept us fed with snacks and food on the way, which was a lovely touch, and the journey flew by thanks to her sharing Kiwi history and local knowledge about the areas we were passing through. She clearly loves being a guide! At Hobbiton itself the movie set experience was so stuffed with nature and movie nostalgia, but Vicki’s care and attention on the day improved the 2hr journeys (with breaks). She was patient, knowledgeable, and always happy to answer questions or offer tips. Can’t recommend her highly enough, if you’re booking a day trip from Auckland, you want Vicki driving the bus ;)
Kia ora! What a great shoutout for Vicki. It’s lovely to hear how she helped turn the journey to Hobbiton into part of the experience, not just the ride there and back. The stories, local insights, and those little touches along the way can really make the day fly by. Hobbiton is pretty special on its own, but it’s great to know Vicki’s care and attention helped make the whole trip even more memorable. We’d love to welcome you back for more adventures in the future. Until then, safe travels and thanks again for choosing Cheeky Kiwi! Ngā mihi, Cheeky Kiwi Travel 🚌🥝
It’s quite a long journey/day. Hobbiton tour itself was great, beautiful place, very interesting, good tour guide.. Minibus ride was comfortable and driver was knowledgeable. It felt rushed as we didn’t really have time to have lunch and browse the gift shop. I felt a bit stressed as we were obviously partly rushing so someone could get back in time for his cruise ship departure.
Kia ora! Thanks for your feedback. I’m glad the Hobbiton tour and the driver made the experience enjoyable, and it’s great to hear you found the set beautiful and the guide informative. We completely understand how the timing for cruise passengers can make the day feel a bit rushed, and we really appreciate your thoughts about lunch and the gift shop—it’s something we’ll keep in mind as we plan future itineraries. We’d love to welcome you back for a more relaxed adventure in the future. Until then, safe travels and thanks again for choosing Cheeky Kiwi! Ngā mihi, Cheeky Kiwi Travel 🚌🥝
Simon my driver was very informative the entire day. Had a great experience visiting the Hobbiton movie set.
Kia ora, Great to hear you had such a good day at Hobbiton. Simon takes pride in sharing plenty of context and stories along the way, so it’s nice to know that added to the experience for you. We’d love to welcome you back for more adventures in the future. Until then, safe travels and thanks again for choosing Cheeky Kiwi! Ngā mihi, Cheeky Kiwi Travel 🚌🥝
