On a hot sunny summer's day we arrived at the Shires Rest Café, ready and eager for our Hobbiton Tour.  We had parked our campervan at the Matamata iSite and boarded a bus to be taken to the Shires Rest Café (don't miss their amazing chicken wraps and coffee!). From the café it’s a short ride out to Hobbiton village on the Hobbiton bus, where we meet our guide Stacey who was just as excited as we were to take us on the tour of Peter Jackson’s movie set. Our group was a mix of Americans, Australians, Italians and some Aussies.
 
Christy (prepared with a Tolkin book in his pocket) told us that hobbits are quiet creatures and we may not see any today but there was evidence of them being around as the washing was on the line and the vege gardens were well tended. He quoted parts from the movie and exact spots where things had been filmed for us to have photo opportunities.
 
As we went from hobbit hole to hobbit hole Stacey told us of stories of Peter Jackson’s excessive attention to detail, where native NZ trees were covered in bark to disguise them as English ones and apple trees were stripped bare and fake plum leaves and fruit were painstakingly wired on to be more accurate to the book. A whole oak tree was created atop of Bilbo and Frodo’s hobbit hole which had to have thousands of plastic oak leaves attached and it is very hard to tell which is a real tree and which is the fake one.
 
Although none of the hobbit holes can be entered, it’s a fantastic feeling being able to walk through the countryside and see the Hobbit Holes, the Mill, the double arched bridge and the Green Dragon Inn where we shared a free pint of beer (or ginger beer for the kids) at the end of our tour. They also now do dinners and night tours which look amazing! It’s hard not to feel that the magic of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies is still alive and preserved in this hidden, remote part of New Zealand. I would highly recommend coming to Matamata whether your travelling by Motorhome, campervan or just a camper. Come and experience a bit of Hobbit magic for yourself.

You can book your own hobbit adventure here...