In the Waikato farmland in the peaceful countryside of northern New Zealand, travelers can explore a real Hobbit Village. Hobbiton, the enormous set piece of the quaint hobbit town known as The Shire in the Lord of The Rings films is now open to the public.
Tours start in nearby Matamata or Rotorua. From there, visitors are taken by vehicle through the amazing rolling hills of the rustic farms before reaching the site, located just two hours south of Auckland. Upon arrival, tour guides will lead groups through the set and tell some behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the filming of the movies. Then, guests can travel across the 10 acres and enjoy familiar sights like the old mill, the Party Tree and the arched bridge and even sip on homemade cider at the famous Green Dragon Inn. A favorite spot among visitors is the home of Bilbo Baggins himself — Bag End.
For those looking to visit other Lord of The Rings set locations — just two hours away from Hobbiton is Tongariro National Park. Here, travelers can find Mount Ruapehu, or as fans of the film know it, Mount Doom.
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