✅ What’s Included
• Hotel pickup and return from central Auckland
• Modern air-conditioned minibus transport
• Expert Cheeky Kiwi guide throughout
• Official 2.5-hour guided Hobbiton Movie Set tour
• Entry tickets to Hobbiton
• Complimentary drink at the Green Dragon Inn
• Bottled water and snacks

🚫 What’s Not Included
• Lunch (available for purchase at Hobbiton or on route)
• Personal expenses and souvenirs
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)

Auckland and Waikato enjoy mild weather year-round.
Summer (Dec–Feb) • Typical daytime: 20–26 °C • Conditions: sunny with possible showers • Practical note: pack sunscreen and a light jacket
Autumn (Mar–May) • Typical daytime: 16–22 °C • Conditions: pleasant and settled • Practical note: layers for cooler evenings
Winter (Jun–Aug) • Typical daytime: 12–16 °C • Conditions: cooler with occasional rain • Practical note: warm layers and rain jacket
Spring (Sep–Nov) • Typical daytime: 15–21 °C • Conditions: mild and green • Practical note: comfortable walking shoes

Documents & Essentials
• Photo ID and booking confirmation
• Comfortable walking shoes

Clothing (layered for variable conditions)
• Light layers suitable for walking
• Hat, sunglasses and light rain jacket
• Comfortable clothing for a full day

Toiletries & First Aid
• Sunscreen and personal medications
• Reusable water bottle

Electronics
• Charged phone and camera

Accessories & Nice-to-Haves
• Small daypack
• Light jacket for the ferry or cooler moments

Hobbiton Movie Set was built for The Lord of the Rings films and has been maintained as a permanent attraction on a working sheep farm.

The Green Dragon Inn is a fully functioning pub built for the films and offers a relaxing end to the tour.

Waikato region is known for its rolling green hills and rich farming heritage – the perfect backdrop for the Shire.

Matamata is the small town closest to the set and proudly embraces its Middle-earth connection.

The set features 44 unique hobbit holes, each with its own garden and personality.

Cheeky Kiwi guides are known for their passionate storytelling and local knowledge of New Zealand.

The drive from Auckland takes you through scenic countryside with opportunities for dolphin spotting on clear days.

Hobbiton remains one of the most visited film locations in the world, carefully preserved for fans and visitors.

Quick Snapshot

Estimated CO₂e footprint per participant: 145 kg CO₂e
(higher-end conservative estimate – covers all on-tour impacts plus average local travel to/from Auckland pickup points)

Our 200% offset commitment per booking: 290 kg CO₂e
Funded through genuine landscape restoration in climate-vulnerable developing regions (reforestation, mangroves, soil regeneration, etc.). This creates real net-positive impact beyond neutrality.

Tour summary

• 9-hour full-day tour (hotel pickup ~8:00–9:00am, return late afternoon/early evening)
• Small group experience
• Starts and ends with hotel pickup/return from central Auckland hotels
• Modern air-conditioned minibus transport
• No accommodation included
• Meals: Complimentary drink at the Green Dragon Inn + water/snacks (lunch at own expense)
• Highlights: Official 2.5-hour guided Hobbiton Movie Set tour (44 hobbit holes, Bag End, Party Tree, mill pond), behind-the-scenes film stories, scenic Waikato countryside drive with photo stops, relaxing drink at the Green Dragon Inn

Overview

This report estimates the carbon footprint for one individual participant on this tour using higher-end data from trusted sources. We intentionally choose upper-range figures to fully cover every impact – including hard-to-measure parts like supply chains and indirect effects.

We then double it (200%) and fund genuine landscape restoration projects in developing and climate-affected regions worldwide. This goes beyond standard offsetting to deliver real, lasting benefits for ecosystems and communities.

All figures in kg CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent – the standard measure that includes all greenhouse gases).

Tour Details

• Duration: 9 hours
• Key locations: Central Auckland hotel pickups, scenic Waikato drive to Matamata, Hobbiton Movie Set (full guided exploration), Green Dragon Inn
• Travel style: Relaxed small-group film location day tour with expert guide and scenic commentary
• Assumptions: Average participant, standard behaviours, higher-impact choices where uncertain. Local travel to Auckland hotel pickup points is factored into the higher-end footprint for completeness.

Calculation Approach

• Sources: UK DEFRA 2025 conversion factors, Australian National Greenhouse Accounts 2024, UNWTO tourism data, IPCC guidelines, and peer-reviewed studies.
• Higher-end scale: Upper-range emission factors everywhere, plus well-to-tank fuel effects, +20% uncertainty buffer, and conservative assumptions for Auckland-to-Matamata minibus operations and tourism-level food purchases.
• Per person, full tour experience.
• Excludes only purely personal extras (e.g. souvenirs or lunch purchases).

Detailed Emissions Breakdown (per participant)

Transportation – 85 kg CO₂e

• Average local travel to/from Auckland hotel pickup points (higher-end mix of car, taxi or short transfers): 30 kg
• All on-tour modern air-conditioned minibus transfers (~300 km round trip, shared small group): 55 kg – higher-end diesel factor with realistic low-occupancy buffer

Accommodation – 0 kg CO₂e

• Day tour only – no overnight stay

Meals & Food – 35 kg CO₂e

• Complimentary drink at Green Dragon Inn + water/snacks + higher-end estimate for own lunch purchases (tourism-level portions and waste): 35 kg

Activities & Excursions – 25 kg CO₂e

• Official 2.5-hour guided Hobbiton tour, film stories, scenic photo stops and commentary

TOTAL ESTIMATED FOOTPRINT PER PERSON: 145 kg CO₂e

Our 200% Offset Commitment

• Amount we will offset: 2 × 145 kg = 290 kg CO₂e per individual booking
• How: Direct funding of landscape restoration projects – reforestation, mangrove protection, regenerative agriculture, wetland and soil carbon restoration
• Where: Developing countries and regions most affected by climate change (e.g. Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America) for maximum global benefit and community co-benefits
• Why 200% and higher-end estimates: To guarantee coverage despite any measurement discrepancies and to create genuine extra positive impact

Important Notes

• Numbers are deliberately conservative (higher) so we over-deliver on restoration – real footprint may be lower
• The tour already has strong sustainability practices (small groups, respectful site management, low-impact visitation to a working farm); our independent higher-end analysis adds extra certainty
• Carbon accounting has natural uncertainties – doubling it is the responsible way
• This directly supports long-term carbon-sequestering landscapes and local communities

How long is the tour?
The full day tour is approximately 9 hours door-to-door from Auckland.

Is lunch included?
No – lunch is available for purchase at Hobbiton or along the route.

What age is suitable?
All ages are welcome – it’s a relaxed day suitable for families.

Do I need to be fit?
The tour is easy with gentle walking on mostly flat paths.

Is transport included?
Yes – comfortable minibus with hotel pickup and return to Auckland.

What should I wear?
Comfortable walking shoes and layers for variable weather.

Is there a drink at the Green Dragon?
Yes – a complimentary non-alcoholic drink is included.

Can I take photos?
Yes – photography is encouraged throughout the set.