The Bombay Hills are a range of hills to the south of Auckland, New Zealand. Though only a small and seemingly insignificant range of hills, they lie at the southern boundary of the Auckland region, and serve as a divide between Auckland and the Waikato region. directly named after the ship Bombay, The ship itself was named after the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai). Bombay Means: a breed of black short-haired medium-sized cat.

We stop to get some great coffee at your own expense and a comfort break before we continue our journey into the Waikato region.

Walk into the real-world landscape of Middle Earth on a walking tour of the Hobbiton™ Film Set, where you get a behind-the-scenes look at ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit.’ Pause at the Green Dragon™ Inn to for a draft of Hobbit™ Southfarthing™, see the remarkable detailing that brought Hobbiton™ to life on screen, and visit the places where key scenes were created. Take a look at Bag End, where Frodo and Bilbo’s adventures began. Get lost among the hobbit holes and visit the Green Dragon Inn, the mill and the Party Tree. Listen to spell-binding tales of how Hobbiton came to be.​ 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. After returning to Matamata, re-join the luxury coach to travel through majestic tree-lined town that sits at the heart of New Zealand’s rural heartland to visit Lake Karapiro!

After an exhilarating fun-filled once in a lifetime experience at Hobbiton Film Set, it is now time to head back to Auckland to conclude your evening and drop-off at your hotel in Auckland. We can also drop you at your accommodation in Rotorua if you are staying locally in the region.