Hobbiton Movie Set Signature Tour

Make the first footsteps in the morning dew on the Movie Set as part of our first tour of the day. Your tour guide will escort you through the 12 acre movie set, recounting fascinating details from filming the trilogies and pointing out the most iconic sites and scenes. After a visit to The Green Dragon™ Inn where you will be offered a complimentary beverage from our exclusive Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ range, follow your guide back over the double arch stone bridge to The Millhouse, just across the water from The Green Dragon Inn, where you will be treated to a breakfast spread fit for a Hobbit. After you've had your fill, it's time to make your way back to The Shire's Rest, after all, this is only the second of a Hobbit's seven daily meals.

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.

Walk into the real-world landscape on a walking tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set, and continue visiting the mighty Whakarewarewa Valley, for a truly culture rich experience, the home to a living Māori village and the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute including a Hangi Pie Meal. Set amongst a highly active landscape erupting with geothermal activity where you can experience bubbling mud pools and the 30m-tall Pōhutu Geyser, which erupts many times daily. Explore an authentic living Māori village where people live on a daily basis, using natural geothermal resources to cook, bathe and heat their homes as they have for centuries. Enjoy a Hangi Pie Meal cooked in our hot pool topped with rich homemade gravy.

Experience the real Middle-earth at the Hobbiton Movie Set, where, in the heart of the Waikato region, you can step into the lush pastures of the Shire, as seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Enjoy a fully guided walking tour showcasing the intricate details, pointing out the most famous locations. Journey past the colourful Hobbit Hole doors including the iconic Bag End, before arriving at Bagshot Row for a glimpse of the interior of a humble Hobbit’s home. End your day with an exclusively brewed beverage at the Green Dragon Inn 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.

Equestrian events, by Takapoto Estate. Shows run throughout the year - the winter events a more informal affair, building toward the annual summer event, the Takapoto Classic; and most recently, the Spring Cups World Cup series. Dates and the day-to-day of the season land first on the showjumping channels.