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After being picked up from your Auckland hotel at the time of your choice, sit back and relax on the two-hour drive to the country town of Matamata, so closely linked to the Lord of the Rings movie set that it’s been renamed Hobbiton by the locals!
Your scenic drive follows the route of the meandering Waikato River as it winds through the rolling farmland of the Waikato region. See where a famous battle took place in 1863 between Maori and British forces at Rangiri, have views of the sacred Taupiri Mountain and drive through the historic site of Ngaruawahia, seat of the ancient Maori king and a traditional Maori meeting place.
Pass through the small town of Matamata and photograph the Hobbiton sign before arriving at the Shire's Rest cafe, where your Hobbit movie set tour departs.
See where Peter Jackson brought Tolkien's vision to life on your tour, which lasts an hour and 45 minutes and begins with a drive through the sheep farm that hosts the movie set. See expansive views over to the Kaimai Ranges, and hear the story of how the location was selected, how the sets were made and which scenes were shot here.
Visit famous sites from the films, including the cute Hobbit holes cut into the ground at Bag End, the Green Dragon Inn, the Mill and the Party Tree.
Enjoy lunch before relaxing on the return trip to Auckland, following a different route back to see more of the beautiful countryside and be dropped at your city hotel.