While New Zealand’s South Island typically gets all the praise and glory, there is a lot to explore up in the north as well. We spent beautiful time discovering the city of Auckland, sampling wine on Waiheke Island, and hiking through the rain forest of Waitakere Range. Although, one place we were particularly anxious to get to was Hobbiton Movie Set. The 12-hour tour that we booked included a visit to the magical world of the Middle-earth, as well as Glowworm Caves in Waitomo – which is magical in its own way. Our bus driver Damien had a real gift for storytelling and kept us entertained the whole way with interesting facts and stories about New Zealand, as well as the sights we were visiting.
‘The Lord of the Rings’ Hobbiton Movie Set
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”
For well over a decade now, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Hobbiton Movie Set has been attracting crowds from all over the world every single day. And for a good reason. The place is every bit as spectacular as you’d imagine. For the uninitiated, the Hobbiton Movie Set is located on a stunning 1,250-acre sheep farm of Alexander family close to the town of Matamata in the central part of New Zealand’s North Island.
His very long search for a perfect movie set in 1998, finally brought Peter Jackson to the doorsteps of Alexander family. It was literally love at first sight. The location had everything he was looking for – the iconic rolling hills, lush green pastures, and a magnificent pine tree towering over a nearby lake. The surrounding areas were untouched; no power lines, no buildings and no roads in sight – ideal spot for creating a fantasy world of Middle-earth. Plus, it was secluded enough, which meant secrecy and no threat of exposure from media. Peter Jackson was able to tick all the required boxes, and after making corresponding arrangements with Alexander family, the crew started to create this imaginary world.
The initial movie set took nine months to construct and featured 39 temporary hobbit holes. It was never intended to turn into a popular tourist destination and the plan was to demolish everything and return the farm to its initial state. However, once the movie came out and the word got out about the location of the movie set (by that time there were 17 bare plywood facades remaining), public drew in to the Alexander farm to see the Hobbiton in person.
In 2009, Peter Jackson returned to the farm to film The Hobbit trilogy and was determined to create the most authentic-looking fantasy world a human eye had seen. He thought through every detail and made sure everything was constructed using high quality, durable material, which is now maintained all year round by a specialized staff. It is also worth noting that Hobbiton is the only full movie set left in-tact in New Zealand. Indeed, the attention to detail that went into creating this world is simply incredible and absolutely adorable: laundry lines with washing hung out to dry; a picnic set up on the dock, moss and lichen growing on the fences, brooms and gardening tools near hobbit doors, signs on notice boards. Unfortunately, you cannot go inside any of the hobbit holes, because there are just facades. The interior sets were all shot on a sound stage in Wellington.
Important thing to note about visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set is that you are not allowed to enter and wonder around independently. If you decide to get a rental car and drive here, you’ll join one of the tours provided by the staff on the set. There is a parking lot available. You can grab a bite at the café right there, buy souvenirs and, most importantly, purchase tickets for one of the tours – group, private or an Evening Banquet (delicious affair, but advance reservation might be needed). You’ll then board a bus that drives you through the Alexander farm to the movie set, get a guided walking tour and be escorted back to the parking lot. You can find out more about the available tours and events on their official website.
Needless to say, it was beyond amazing to wonder around the 12 acre set through the wandering paths of The Shire, past Hobbit Holes, the Mill and into the Green Dragon Inn, where we got to sample a pint of in-house brewed cider and beer to conclude our own Middle-earth adventure. By then we felt quite famished and were treated by a banquet lunch (included in the price of the tour) under a tent inside the movie set. I didn’t get the photos, but the food – served buffet style – was quite delicious and featured a variety of dishes. Overall, despite the hunch that it might be a tourist trap I must confess: Hobbiton was really worth visiting!
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
We then hopped back on a bus and set off to our second destination – Waitomo Glowworm Caves which sit in the heart of a lush New Zealand rain forest. The caves are actually a private property and belong to a Maori family. Every single person employed there is related.
Once you arrive, you join a guided tour that takes you through three different levels and begins at the top level of the cave and the Catacombs. You get to see breathtaking caverns featuring beautiful limestone formations of stalactites and stalagmites. The second level is called the Banquet Chamber where early visitors stopped to eat, while the third and final level goes down into the Cathedral which is absolutely beautiful and has perfect natural acoustics. Our guide even told us that their family often holds private events here, including weddings!
We then went further down into the bowl of the earth to an underground river and boarded a boat. The boat tour is unreal as you are led from pitch black caverns that are lighted by thousands of glowworms.
Glowworms, species found exclusively in New Zealand, glow to attract insects, which get caught in the glowworms sticky lines. When a female reaches adulthood it uses the light to attract a mate. The glow also protects them from getting eaten by predators and is used for burning waste. The glow is a reaction between chemicals given off by the glowworm and oxygen, otherwise known as bioluminescence. Glowworms can control how light its tail is by changing the amount of oxygen reaching its light organ.
Now, I should warn you that they are not as bright and shiny as they look on the photo above – adults are around the size of an average mosquito. Instead, imagine a night sky dotted with thousands of living lights. It was absolutely mesmerizing to see. We sat there for a while in total silence and darkness. The only thing I could hear was a soft echo of a trickling water and the only thing I could see were the myriads of these tiny creatures glowing beautifully replicating a starry night’s sky. I can honestly say that I have never had another experience even come close to what I saw in these caves.
I won’t lie it was a very long day. We headed home exhausted but full of great memories. We hardly made a dent on North Island, but I believe it deserves its own spotlight and is well worth the visit, if you plan to travel to New Zealand.
Have you been to any of these places? What did you think? I’d like to know!
xoxo, nano
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I am so glad this set was preserved. Thank you for sharing the pictures and info. I hope to visit someday.
So glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
Beautiful place! 😊
Hobbiton is super adorable! I can’t believe it’s not crammed with tourists though – was it busy?
It was quite busy, but everybody is moving in groups, so it’s organized. :)
I’ve wanted to visit New Zealand for a couple of years now specifically to visit Hobbiton. I recently spent several months in SE Asia and wanted to check this dream off my bucket list during that time, but wasn’t able to. Thanks for reigniting the dream with this post and your wonderful photos!
Kristine, so glad you enjoyed the post and were reinsipied . Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
OMG This is amazing
Thank you!
Really beautiful place… wanna visit it.
So glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
That’s really cool! I love the LOTR movies and would totally love to visit that place!
So glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
How very fascinating, thank you for sharing this experience with us;)
Wow! I haven’t seen the films but have to now after seeing this! I am hoping to visit NZ at the beginning of next year and I think Hobbiton & Waitomo Glowworm Caves deserve a prominent place on the bucket list. Amazing post with such beautiful photos. Do you have any camera recommendations? Jess x
Jessica, so glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit NZ one day too. Thank you for reading! As for camera, I use Nikon D750 and love it. Also, invest in good lens! xx
They are serenely beautiful. Nice pictures
So glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
Hope so too
Thanks
Fantastic! It isn’t quite a movie set, but if anyone cares to explore the upper peninsula of Michigan, you’ll find plenty of areas that would fit comfortably in LoTR. Very envious!
Haha I am sure the US has a lot of beauty of its own to offer. Cannot wait to explore more once we move there. xx
Reblogged this on Josh Brandwene | New Mexico.
Thank you!
😍😍😍 beeeeautiful photos
Thank you! xx
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The journey of paradise ❤
What a great post. I have always wanted to go see the glow worm caves and are finally getting to do it this year. I never really though of going to see hobbiton beause I’d always imagined it as a bit of a tourist hotspot that I was sure would be underwhelming compared to the film. Though your pictures make it look so amazing that I might just have to stop by whilst I’m in the area. Thanks for sharing. Megan x
Megan, it is touristy but still so beautiful and very photogenic ;) definitely worth visiting at least once, especially when you live in NZ :) thank you for reading! xx
This is amazing! It’s on my bucket list to visit both New Zealand and all the sites where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed!!
Sarah, So glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you’ll visit it one day too. Thank you for reading! xx
Beautiful photos. I didn’t make it up there, but did see some glowworms out in the forests of Paihia. We were looking for kiwis and found the glowworms : )
Beautiful photos. May have moved up a notch on the bucket list after reading this!
Wow you lived part of my dream 😁 One day I will get there.
XoXo
Kim
We love film, we love travel, and we love LOTR. This might need to go on our list for our upcoming travels. Thanks for posting! Nice photos!
Good article
Those photographs are mesmerizing!! And so does that part of NZ !!
I spent six months living in New Zealand, between Matamata, Cambridge, and Te Awamutu. It was about half an hour from Hobbiton, and I had wonderful experiences on every visit! These pictures are beautiful, and really show the charm of the location! Thanks for posting :)
very beautiful https://yavanalist.wordpress.com/
Great description and even better pictures! such a treat!
hmmmm nice pics..
i like it!
Loved this post and the gorgeous photos! Makes me want to pack up and go! Maybe next year I’ll make it over there! :)
So sweet of you to say so! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you so much for reading and for your nice compliments! xx
It is wonderful. I wish one day i could be there.
But you know in my country we have a lof of spectacular destination to visit. For more info just visit my page.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Hope to visit your country too. Thank you so much for reading and for your nice compliments! xx
Wanna visit once
I hope you do!
What a gorgeous place you visited, Nano!
Thank you, Shagun. It truly was a very memorable day :)
The photos are soooo beautiful 😍
Thank you, it means a lot! xx
Reblogged this on Wanderlust Mind.
I’ve been to both and they were amazing. Reading your blog was like walking around hobbiton all over again!
I’m so happy my post brought great memories to you :)
Holy cow, that’s gorgeous! Loved the Lord of the Rings movies, this will definitely be a place to put on my traveling bucket list. Lovely pictures, by the way!
Definitely! As a LOTR fan, you’ll absolutely love it! :)
My family and I are huge fans of the Peter Jackson movies and my oldest son and I in particular would love to take about a month and explore New Zealand. Bucket list!🙂
Steve, I hope both you and your son will get to visit this movie set one day. One month in NZ will be perfect, you’ll be able to explore the country from top to bottom. A lot of great adventures waiting for you, I’m sure :) Thank you for reading! xx
Very cool post. Looks like a very interesting place to visit some day. I am working hard in order to change my financial position, so I can do some traveling. New to blogging: http://www.sharemoneyideas.com
I hope things work out for and you’ll be able to make all your travel dreams come true! Thank you for reading! xx
Wow! It still looks authentic and idylic, not at all commercialised, like Disney Land. I wonder if the displaced sheep miss their old roaming home. Thanks for sharing.Please, if you would like to read something spiritual which you may find uplifting, please visit @ chrisbriscoeblog.wordpress.com
Amazing!
Thank you for reading! xx
Have recently introduced The Hobbit to our kids. About half way through the book and eagerly awaiting the first book of The Lord of the Rings. So adding this to our family’s bucket list of places to see.
Definitely, your entire family will love visiting this place. It’s magical. :) Thank you for reading! xx
It was funny timing when I read your post. We had literally just finished watching The Hobbit (for the second time)
That’s funny coincidence indeed! Hope you’ll get to visit the movie set too!Thank you so much for reading! xx
Lovely! I visited Hobbiton last August and enjoyed it. I had hired a car, so I was able to drive to the set itself at Shire’s Rest, then take the tour bus in. Your pictures are so lovely! I heard that the weather can be temperamental; a few visitors had been a couple times before but it had been rainy or cloudy.
I did manage to visit a glowworm cave, but it was in the South Island at Te Anau. Being in utter silence, stillness, and darkness while coming up close to the creatures was definitely a lovely experience.
I miss New Zealand terribly!
I imagine driving yourself gives you more flexibility. We really lucked out with the weather, it was sunny and somewhat warm the entire day. Caves were definitely unforgettable. I miss NZ too :) Thank you so much for reading! xx
Liked your post.Thanks for sharing and taking us to Hobit town ….stunning pictures….
Thank you so much for reading and your sweet words, it means a lot! xx
I loved this
Thank you so much for reading! xx
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