For train bookings beyond June 2025 to June 2026, contact us at info@newzealandtravelteam.com.
An Immersive Rail Experience
We have some exciting news for your upcoming journey, we have made changes to our onboard audio commentary which is now available via our new infotainment app.
The infotainment app allows all audio commentary and stories to be available at a touch of a button via your phone.
Our commentary has been upgraded and revised and we are excited to have it available for our passengers.
The app is easy to use, and if you have any issues, please talk to the staff on the train, they will help you to troubleshoot any issues.
Please make sure you bring your own device, USB charger and headphones to enjoy the audio commentary.
We recommend you download the free “Great Journeys New Zealand” app in advance.
Some sections of the app won’t be available until you are on the train, but once connected to the Wifi on the train you’ll will be able to see the full content.
Your guided tour is set to depart from The Shire's Rest located at 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera, Matamata, 3472.
Please check in at The Shire's Rest no later than 20 minutes before your tour is due to depart. Our tours depart on schedule and our buses cannot be held.
Photos and video recordings taken on set are for personal use only and not to be sold, distributed or used for commercial gain due to our contracts with the film companies.
Join us and 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.
Fall in love with the Alexander family sheep farm, just as acclaimed director Sir Peter Jackson did, as you journey through the unequivocal beauty of the land, with the mighty Kaimai Ranges towering in the distance. Your guide will then escort you around the set, showing the intricate detailing, pointing out the most famous locations, and explaining how the movie magic was made.
You will be fully guided around the 12-acre set; past Hobbit Holes™, the Mill, and into the world-famous Green Dragon™ Inn, where you will be presented with a complimentary, exclusive Hobbit™ Southfarthing™ beverage to conclude your own Middle-earth™ adventure.