Lord of the Rings

When movie maker Sir Peter Jackson sent a team of location scouts on the hunt for rolling hills and green pastures to feature in the epic fantasy adventure, an aerial search over the mountains and valleys of New Zealand revealed the Alexander farm, a 1,250-acre sheep farm in lush Waikato.

Bearing a striking similarity to The Shire, as described by JRR Tolkien, the hometown of the novel’s Hobbit heroes was created, with 39 temporary Hobbit holes.

After an initial attempt at demolition, 17 bare plywood facades remained, which became the catalyst for the guided tours beginning in 2002.

In 2009, Jackson returned to The Hobbit Trilogy and he left behind the beautiful movie set, which became the tourist attraction that still stands today. It features 44 permanent Hobbit holes and The Green Dragon Inn, which was opened in 2012, is the finale to the $89 two-hour fan tours.

hobbitontours.com