- NZ Road Trip – Day 24, 25 & 26
- Picton – Matamata – Auckland
- Tuesday 17th – Thursday 19th March 2026
And just like that, we were leaving the South Island, back on the Ferry and heading North to Auckland, where our journey had begun.
But there was, of course, one last place that had to be visited – Hobbiton – situated in Matamata, North Island.
Whether you’re a Lord of the Rings fan or not, this place is worth the visit and spectacularly done.
Walking through Hobbiton feels like stepping into another world. Every detail is so perfectly done, from the tiny hobbit holes to the gardens and winding paths. Itโs one of those places that completely lives up to the hype.
The attention to detail around Hobbiton Movie Set is honestly incredible. The gardens are absolutely immaculate, with every flower bed and vegetable patch perfectly maintained, making the whole place feel completely alive.
They even have real fires burning inside some of the hobbit holes, so as you wander through the Shire, you can see smoke drifting from the chimneys and actually smell it in the air.
We were told there are around 50 maintenance staff working behind the scenes, tending the gardens and even keeping those fires going, which just shows the level of detail they go to.
As you walk around, the houses genuinely look lived in. The gardens are growing, the paths feel used, there’s even washing on the lines and it all adds to that sense that this is more than just a film set.
Most of the hobbit holes are just fronts, with only a few having interior space, as much of the filming was actually done back in the UK.
But we were lucky enough to step inside one of them and it completely blew us away.
The detail inside was just as impressive as outside. Every room, every object, every little corner had been thought about. Even though we were given time to explore, it still didnโt feel like enough. There was so much to take in, you could easily have spent hours just looking at everything.
Once back in Auckland, we headed straight out for the evening and wandered the harbour area where we had enjoyed our first night on arriving.
The next day, we had the full day to spend exploring some more of the city we had not seen before catching our flight home, late in the evening.
We eventually had to say a sad farewell to Anaconda, who we had grown to love and who had somehow survived everything we threw at her, from mountain passes, long drives and everything else in between.
As our time in New Zealand came to an end, it was hard to take in just how much we had seen and experienced. From towering mountains and glaciers to quiet fjords, wild coastlines and endless open roads, this trip had given us a little bit of everything.
At times, it even felt a little like home. There were moments that reminded us so much of Scotland, the rugged landscapes, the changing weather, the raw, natural beauty, just on a much bigger, more dramatic scale.
Life on the road, especially in Anaconda, became part of the adventure itself, the early starts, long drives, last-minute plans and those unexpected moments that often turned out to be the best ones.
New Zealand has a way of getting under your skin. Itโs not just the landscapes, itโs the feeling of the place, its wild, open and untouched in so many ways.
And although itโs a long way from home, itโs a place that will stay with us for a very long time.
Mary's Outdoor Adventure's 