Pack Your Bilbo Baggins: 'The Hobbit' Returns to New Zealand

September 21, 2009 at 5:28 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

The Hobbit, the prequel movie to the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, is expected to start filming in March 2010 in New Zealand. While the exact locations in Kiwi country are still up in the air, redevelopment has begun at Hobbiton, according to a company spokesperson.

If you're not familiar with Hobbiton, don't worry, we won't judge you. It's a very geeky, middle earth kind of thing to be acquainted with.

For those who aren't Bilbo Baggins fanboys, Hobbiton is a private farmland in Matamata, New Zealand where the Hobbit Village was created and filmed for the Lord of the Rings movies. After filming, most of the farm was returned to its original state but 17 Hobbit holes and structures have been kept open for two-hour guided tours.

From the Hobbiton website:

Being shy of Big Folk, it is unlikely you'll see any Hobbits on your visit to the Hobbiton movie set, but you'll be able to see their favourite haunts. These include the Party Tree, the remnants of the reconstructed oak tree and Bag End, the famed Hobbit Hole of Bilbo Baggins and Frodo. There are 17 of the original 37 hobbit holes remaining on the property, tucked into the valleys of the picturesque New Zealand farmland.

The tour also takes you through the Kaimai mountain ranges and finishes up with a sheep shearing demonstration and a bottle-feeding of the lambs. (Seriously!)

The tours cost $58NZD for adults (about $40USD), $29 for youths 10-14 and $5 for kids aged 5-9. Now that redevelopment has started on the farm again for The Hobbit movie, it might be a good time to pop in for a tour. You can even spend the night on the farm for just $165 NZD a night. But if you really want to live it up Hobbit-style, then you need to book a hole at the Hobbit Motel.

For a complete list of Hobbiton tours and packages, go here.

Related Stories:
· Hobbiton Tours [Official Site]
· Best Geek Trips to Take in 2009 [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hobbiton Tours]

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