Today was the day we were going to experience the real Middle-earth with a visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, the setting for The Shire that featured in the Peter Jackson directed films, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The tour started with a drive through the picturesque 1,250-acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. Our guide escorted us through the ten-acre site, recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton Movie Set was c...

On the way to Waitomo we stopped at Karangahake Gorge, which has been voted, one of the 101 must do's for Kiwi's. This meant to fulfil our Kiwi Experience it was a must! Not only is this one of the most stunning stretches of river in the country it is home to one of the busiest and most lucrative goldstrikes in the country. The Windows walkway had windows blasted through the gold mining tunnels that provided stunning views into the Waitewheta River. The walk took...