To ensure all our guests have the complete experience the only way to access the Hobbiton Movie Set is with a fully guided walking tour.

Yes, we strongly recommend booking in advance as our tours do sell out. You can make a reservation online by clicking here. Alternatively you can make a reservation by calling us on (07) 888-1505 or by contacting us here.

Please note, all of our tours are subject to availability at the time of booking. 

We are not currently offering transfer options from Matamata i-SITE or Rotorua. Our only tour departure option is from The Shire's Rest, which is approximately a 15 minute drive from Matamata town centre. 

You can find a selection of transfer options from key centres on our website here. For transfers from Matamata, we recommend contacting a local taxi company. 

Visit our Getting Here page to view a map with driving routes from Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo and Tauranga. You can also view a list here with transfer options from Auckland, Tauranga, and Hamilton. 

Absolutely! We recommend our guests bring a camera or a phone with camera capability as our Movie Set is the perfect place to get some great travel photos. Photos and videos taken on set are for personal use only and can’t be sold or distributed for commercial gain due to intellectual property restrictions. Please contact our reservations team for further information here.

Hobbiton Movie Set is an outdoor walking tour through meandering paths. For this reason, we recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for our tour, and checking the weather forecast ahead of your visit. You can find 10 Day weather forecast information for the Matamata area on Metservice. In the Summer months, we recommend sunscreen and a hat as the sun can become quite hot, as well as making sure you are well hydrated. In Autumn, Winter and Spring, it's best to be prepared with a rainproof outer layer and enclosed shoes as the paths can become muddy. In the event of rain, we have wide umbrellas available that you can use for the duration of your tour. We also recommend our guests bring a camera or a phone with camera capability as our Movie Set is the perfect place to get some great travel photos!

While our Movie Set is not very wheelchair friendly, we do have options available for those who may not be able to complete the walking tour. 

Please contact our reservations team before making your booking to discuss your needs. Subject to availability at time of booking. 

Amending a booking

If your travel plans change and you need to amend the date or time of your booking you can do this by contacting our Reservations team via phone on 07 888 1505 or by contacting us here. Once we receive your amendment request we will do our best to amend your booking.

Please note, all of our tours are subject to availability.

Cancelling a booking

If you wish to cancel your booking, you may do so by using the above contact details or replying directly to your booking confirmation that was emailed to you when you made your booking. Click here for our cancellation policy.

The Shire's Rest™ is our headquarters and location where all of our tours depart from. It is located at 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera, Matamata - click here for directions. 

It is located approximately 15 minutes from Matamata town centre, and from here it is about a 10 minute bus ride to the Movie Set which is included in our tours.

You do not need to book a tour to visit The Shire's Rest. On site here at The Shire's Rest is our Ticketing Centre, Retail Shop and Cafe. There is ample parking here on site, with plenty of space for large vehicles and camper vans too.