Hairy Feet Waitomo

About

On North Island, Hairy Feet Waitomo - The Hobbit Movie Location draws visitors to the farmland where part of the Hobbit films was shot. The site sits at 1411 Mangaotaki Road Mangaotaki, Piopio 3971, New Zealand, in the countryside around Piopio. It is known for the guided tours that walk guests through the film location itself. First-time visitors can expect a working farm setting, with the tour covering the paddocks and rock formations used on screen. A 4.9 out of 5 rating from 202 reviews places it among the most praised stops in the region. The location is reached by road from towns such as Hamilton, Rotorua and New Plymouth, and the website at http://www.hairyfeetwaitomo.co.nz/ carries booking details.

North Island's road network makes the drive manageable from Auckland, Taupo, Tauranga and Napier as well. A hire car is the usual way to reach the rural address, since public transport does not serve the farm directly.

Seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere, with summer from December to February and winter from June to August. New Zealand weather is changeable, and the surrounding ocean keeps both summer heat and winter frost moderate, so layers are useful on any tour day. The country is a long, narrow group of islands, so almost nowhere in the country is far from the sea.

Polynesian settlers reached New Zealand around the thirteenth century, and British colonisation followed from 1840, which shaped the place names across the region. Visitors travelling between the main centres often combine the location with a wider loop through the central North Island.