Search for "Paris" or "Colosseum"

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from Tauranga 5.5 to 6 hours CTT-17 - TRG-17

Mount Maunganui, New Zealand

From US$119.13

Select Date and Travelers

Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Tauranga Tours
All Tauranga Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Private and Luxury
Unique Experiences
  • 5 to 6 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

    What's Included

    • Live commentary on board
    • Professional guide
    • Air-conditioned vehicle
    • Alcoholic Beverages
    • Lunch
    • Souvenirs
    • Personal expenses

    Meeting And Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Port of Tauranga Ltd
      2 Salisbury Avenue, Mount Maunganui 3116, New Zealand

      The meeting point for passengers off the cruise ships is on the grass by the flag poll just outside the port pedestrian exit gate on Salisbury Avenue. If you are not travelling on a cruise ship then this is still the meeting point unless you have made an alternative arrangement with us.

    Start time

    Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

    Opening hours

    • 9/24/2022 - 7/31/2023

      Monday - Sunday : 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    What To Expect

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • If you have not already specified, you MUST advise supplier as soon as possible your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and departure time so that appropriate arrangements can be made
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
    • A rain jacket and layers are recommended
    • Stroller accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • We adjust the tour start and end time to suit the ships time in port, which varies greatley
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • These tour operate only for cruise ships passengers visiting Tauranga
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 36 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
    • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
    • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
    • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    See more

    Traveler Tips

    However, please know this is not a tour for anyone with any kind of mobility issues.
    Reviews
    4.5
    46 reviews
    Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    Reviews by Viator travelers.
    Showing 1-10 of 46 reviews
    A bus driver and tour...
    Masako_U, Feb 2023
    A bus driver and tour guide was great explanation for everything. Even though people don't remember stories exactly, everyone enjoy this place.
    Response from Host, Feb 2023
    Pleased you had a great time.
    Fun in Hobbiton
    Frank_E, Jan 2023
    It was amazing seeing the little hobbit houses and hearing the behind the scenes details about making the Lord of the Rings movie.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    It really is such a great place to visit, will be even better in 2024 when many changes will be made.
    Marvellous
    margotgullone, Jan 2023
    Knowable tour guide, Well organised. They were mindful of the return schedule, working well with cruise timetable.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Yes, we need to be very careful when planning the tours, this is why we adjust the start and ends times of our tours to fit within the ships time in port. Please also be aware that the ETA and ETD the cruise line gives the passengers is often not correct, more of a standard timing. We use the data on the Port Of Tauranga web site which has all the cruise ships correct times, so please check this before questioning us as to whether we have to tour start and end times correct. After 23 years of operating we have never had any of our clients miss the ship. Regards Ian
    Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Recommended Day Trip
    Allison_B, Jan 2023
    Enjoyable day spent travelling to Hobbiton. Informative driver. Hobbiton Movie Set was great. Tour was run very efficiently and we were never left waiting around. Plenty of time visiting site and extra time available for lunch and souvenir shopping. Few extra stops also thrown in.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thanks for the very positive review, we work hard to make the trips as enjoyable as possible and its nice when our clients give us a review like this. Regards Ian
    Hobbits done right
    Bill_L, Jan 2023
    Most of this tour was provided by Hobbiton. The tour agency handled transport from the cruise terminal to Hobbiton and back, plus a bit of commentary. They handled this part well, with a clean coach and personable guide. The Hobbiton tour was guided by a very personable lady from Texas, with engaging descriptions and a free beer at the end. Reccomended.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Pleased to know you enjoyed the tour. the only way to see Hobbiton is on their own official guided tour as our guides are not allowed to do that.
    A great value for an excellent excursion.
    Karen_H, Jan 2023
    Our driver was professional, knowledgeable and caring. The bus was clean, comfortable and excellent air conditioning. The tour of Hobbiton was amazing!!! If you have any interest at all in the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit or even like beautiful gardens, you will love this tour.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thanks for your very positive review.
    An enjoyable experience
    Vicki_H, Jan 2023
    Merlin was a great guide. Told the story well which helped create the mood of the Hobbiton picture. And of course all the sets were wonderful. After the tour the beer wasn’t bad either. Thank you.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    It is a great experience, what could we have done better to get that 5th star review?
    Great for everybody
    Marina_O, Jan 2023
    This is a beautiful place, and you'll love it, regardless whether you read the books / saw the movies or not.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thats my view as well, cant stand the movies but love the Hobbiton Movie set that we have been visiting since 2004 when it opened.
    Best tour for fans and non fans alike!
    sherry_s, Jan 2023
    Hobbiton is very pretty and special to see even for non fans of The Hobbit and The LOTRs. As an ultimate fan myself, it was wonderful to visit. It was walking into The Shire and a fantasyland all at once. The tour was great, it was easy to find the pick up spot in walking distance; other tours I've had to take transportation just get to the pick point of the tour. Very fun having a drink at The Green Dragon; only thing missing was little Hobbits gardening. This was my second trip to New Zealand and second time to Hobbiton. I will go again if I ever visit New Zealand a third time. It was our favorite tour of the trip.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thats great to hear you have enjoyed both tours to Hobbiton so far, if you come back again in 2024 you will be able to see even more of the life of a Hobbit as there is a lot of new and exciting things happening at Hobbiton over the next 10 months.
    Felt like I was in "The Shire"
    Tim_C, Jan 2023
    A great experience and feeling even on a second visit. Bus driver was knowledgeable, funny and safe, and on -time. Hobbiton Tour guide was great - engaging, informative and funny. The tour itself is fantastic, especially if you're a fan. Tips: Book far ahead to make sure you have a seat. Have a big breakfast or take some food, snacks and water. It can get warm in summer so wear a hat or take an umbrella. Make sure you have space for photos and video and take lots of both. Listen to the guides and absorb everything. Traffic around Tauranga each way was terrible so be prepared just in case. Possible improvements: Having Hobbitses and other characters going about their business could make it come alive. Allow more time to spend at the Inn and in the café for lunch and souvenir shop - always felt rushed. Really need an interior Hobbit hole to explore.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thanks for your review and pleased you had a great time. In late 2023 there are big changes at Hobbiton with a Hobbit Home for you to explore! Its an express tour so we can fit within the cruise ships limited time in port. Regards Ian
    Best tour ever!
    Suzanne_W, Jan 2023
    The scenery was magnificent, both the hobbit homes and flowers, trees, grasses, hills, and accessories. I also enjoyed our tour guide’s commentary about how they filmed the special effects.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    It really is an amazing destination, so pleased you enjoyed it. Regards Ian
    Bad weather prevented our...
    RogerDale_C, Jan 2023
    Bad weather prevented our ship from docking. As soon as the announcement was made on our ship that we couldn't dock I attempted numerous times to contact the tour company direct regarding getting a refund due to weather but they never responded.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    The review of the tour is incorrect as you in fact did not take the tour as your ship was unable to dock due to bad weather. As per the cancellation policy of Viator and also of our own company, Cruise Tours Tauranga, there is an automatic 100% refund given when a ship does not reach the port of call. So all Viator bookings will be refunded by Viator, as they are the ones they get your money. If the tour goes ahaed they then pay us less their commission. If you had booked directly with us then we would have refunded the money back to your credit card within 24 hours, maybe that is what you should have done. So i thinkit is totally unfair to rate a tour that you did not do as a one star rating. This really only show how little you know about the booking that you made, had you bothered to read the Terms and Conditions of the Viator web site then you would not have these totally unfair comments. As an operator of 23 years and providing over 40000 passengers shore excusrions each year, we do know what is happeing with the ships schedules usually way before the passengers on board as we also deliver some of the ships official tours. I would assume that other reading your review will also realise that the rating is unjustified.
    Magnificent Journey
    Roxanne_G, Jan 2023
    Excellent from the start! Gracious customer service, tour bus driver was #1 and the movie set was incredible to see. It was helpful to know a little about the characters and stories of The Hobbit, making the tour enjoyable. Books and sells out quickly, crowd control on site managed well by the guides and a bonus treat at the end…..a must on your itinerary!
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thanks for your review, so pleased you enjoy the amazing Hobbiton experience. Regards Ian
    Magical trip to a fantasy world.................
    Neil_S, Dec 2022
    The entire place is spellbinding for those familiar with the movies and the stories. Seeing the art and craft and walking the paths of the actors in a place of such beauty and peacefulness is truly an out-of-body experience
    Response from Host, Dec 2022
    Thats why its the most visited destination in NZ, regards Ian
    Hobbiton
    DENISE_H, Dec 2022
    Fantastic experience for all Lord of the Rings fans. And great scenery for anyone not interested in Lord of the Rings
    Response from Host, Dec 2022
    Thats the response we get from 99% of the visitors, regards Ian
    Hobbiton interesting
    Bernice_B, Dec 2022
    Great service . Professional driver Gary drove us from cruise ship dock to Hobbiton. Hobbiton quite interesting.
    Response from Host, Dec 2022
    Thanks for your feedback, pleased you had a great day. Regards Ian
    A fab shore excursion to Hobbiton
    Deb_L, Dec 2022
    We had a fabulous shore excursion and visit to Hobbiton, pick up at the port was easy and our driver Gary was excellent, he provided plenty of interesting facts about the region and was an extremely safe driver in terrible weather conditions. Hobbiton was quirky and awesome to see, our tour guide was fabulous and provided a lot of context from the movies to the actual set. We were returned to the port with plenty of time before departure, such a wonderful day!!
    Rushed trip, to just see doors and chimneys, built into rolling hills.
    Barbara_L, Dec 2022
    Before we set sail, the excursion was changed from 9 AM to 10 AM. Then when we arrived at the meeting point, we were informed that we were pushed back another hour, to 11AM. Then at 11AM, the bus driver didn't know that everyone was on the bus. We were left sweltering with no AC for about 20 minutes. This resulted in minimal time for lunch, using the restroom or taking pictures at Shire’s Rest. The entire tour seemed rushed. The tour guide kept telling us that we had to push on, because there was another group behind us. I could tell this was taxing for some of the people in our group, who would have loved the opportunity to sit and rest for a minute, on one of the benches provided. We had limited time at the Green Dragon, for taking pictures, getting a beverage, and using the rest room. The bus driver did take advantage of some of the extra time we had by stopping by some lovely viewing points of the city of Tauranga. If things had gone as originally scheduled, we would have had time to enjoy the city a bit.
    Response from Host, Jan 2023
    Thanks for the feedback but we just need to correct some of the errors in your review. The tour start time was not changed without you being advised. When we accept a Viator booking we send each client a message through the portal to advise of the tour start time. We have to adjust the tour start and end times to suit the widely variable ships ETA and ETD, so tours can start from any time between 9am and 12 mid day. We also have to slot our groups in at the allocated time at Hobbiton, which gives us a specific time as it is 100% booked out every day. The tours at Hobbiton are operated by their won guides, not us, and you are correct that the guides keep the group on track timewise as there are tour groups every 10 minutes. We do our best tp make every tour as enjoyable as possible and are sorry that in this case you were not 100% satisfied. Regards Ian
    Excellent day at Hobbitton with one caveat
    Christopher_S, Nov 2022
    So let me preface this review by saying that Hobbitton tour was absolutely amazing and was a highlight of our winter cruise. In addition, our driver for the day was excellent. The reason that I’m giving this a 2 star is that at the time of booking, this tour specifically stated that it was was limited to 11 people. We booked this tour for that reason so we wouldn’t have to work around a 30 person bus. Well, we were put on a 30 person bus to take us from Tauranga to Hobbitton. The probability of issues arise with a greater number of people on a tour and that is what happened. Three people were 20 mins late so we were rushed at the cafe gift shop because we had a specific tour time to meet. If you don’t mind a 30 person bus, I highly recommend this company and tour. But if you’re looking for a small 11 person tour as they advertised, this is not it. As of a November 27, 2022 the small group information was still listed on the overview of this tour.
    Response from Host, Nov 2022
    Thank you for your review but we do not think this is fair. Our listing that we have given Viator does NOT state that the tour is an 11 person small group tour. If you go to the Viator page where the listing shows you will see the correct details that clearly states this is a coach tour with a usual 34 or 36 passengers. We have tried without success to get VIATOR to update the various sub agents who sell the tour [and also take a big cut of the money you pay] to update the information. If you go to Hobbiton as an individual or a small group, then you are put on a Hobbiton bus with 44 passengers to do the tour. Because we book our own tour slot then the Hobbiton guide joins our coach [size from 24 to 36 pax] for the tour. You can NOT get a small group tour at Hobbiton. We are pleased you enjoyed the tours and the services of our own drivers and guides but would hope that you will follow up with the agency you booked with to correct their information rather than give is a low 2 star review. You can book our tours directly with as well, but like many people your enquiry or google search for a tour get hijacked by the big online travel agents, but that just business. Regards Ian
    Amazing
    Noris_R, Nov 2022
    This was one of the best tours we have been on. To see all the Hobbit houses and whole village set into rolling hillside was amazing.
    Response from Host, Nov 2022
    So pleased you enjoyed the tour.

    Explore Similar Things to Do

    Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
    © 1997-2023 Viator, Inc.
    Terms & Conditions