Lakeview Lodge Karapiro

Experience Middle-earth with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. Your guided tour starts with a drive through our picturesque 1,250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. Journey past the colourful Hobbit Hole™ doors that scatter the hillsides, including the iconic Bag End, home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, before arriving at Bagshot Row™ for a glimpse of the interior of a humble Hobbit’s home. Continue along the pathways past The Millhouse, across the double-arch stone bridge and into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will enjoy a complimentary, exclusive beverage Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ range to conclude your Middle-earth adventure.

Step through the pest-proof gate into another world, where an ancient forest tower majestically above well-maintained walking tracks and the air is filled with birdsong. Explore the Sanctuary at your own pace or with an experienced guide who will help you spot the wildlife, including kākā, takahē, tuatara, kiwi, tīeke and more. Relax in the clearing or take an optional walk up the 16-metre observation tower, offering a unique perspective from within the forest canopy. Sanctuary Mountain is located in the heart of the Waikato, and as a not-for-profit, every visit helps make our conservation efforts possible. So come and share the mauri and mana of Maungatautari. You will come away enriched and enlightened by this spectacular environment.

The winter light in the South Island offers superb conditions and we will be photographing an incredible variety of landscapes including Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, Moeraki Boulders, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, Fox Glacier, Lake Matheson and the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. We will also photograph at hidden backcountry locations which few others know of. One of the highlights of our journey is the private helicopter flight into the untouched wilds of the Fiordland National Park, where we capture compelling images of the glacier-carved landscape.

Travel in style from Auckland to Hobbiton Movie Set - set on rolling farmland, this is the world famous movie set where you'll see the intricately created 'Hobbit holes' the Green Dragon Inn, the Party Tree and so much more cinematic magic. Immerse yourself in the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of the Shire as featured in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Pause at the Green Dragon™ Inn to for a draft of Hobbit™ Southfarthing™, see the remarkable detailing that brought Hobbiton™ to life on screen, and visit the places where key scenes were created. Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did, as you journey through the unequivocal beauty of the land.

Visit the micro-distillery located at 92 Alpha Street, Cambridge to sample the array of award-winning spirits and liqueurs. We also offer private tours by appointment which offer the chance meet the distillers for an in-depth guide to the distilling process, cocktail making and complimentary tasting of our range of gins all whilst enjoying a grazing platter of local produce. Please email to arrange a booking.

Camjet is certainly an amazing jet boat New Zealand experience along the mighty Waikato River. Therefore, you can enjoy the stunning and breathtaking scenery as you travel via jet boat from Cambridge to the base of the Karapiro hydro power station. Learn about the history of the region as your tour guide or his manager has a diploma in environmental management. Therefore, his knowledge for the flora and fauna in the area is second to none. Bird species you may encounter during the Ecological Jet Boat New Zealand River Cruise may include: fantail, kingfisher, tui, harrier hawk, New Zealand falcon, heron, shag, mallard. Also, you will see many fish species also, koi, rainbow trout, brown trout, mullet and many more.