Day Trip to Hobbitenango from Antigua – Is It Worth It?

Did you know that Guatemala has its own version of Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings? It’s called Hobbitenango, meaning ‘the Place of the Hobbit’, and whilst it’s not as famous as the Hobbiton set in New Zealand where the original movie was filmed, it’s still considered one of the best day-trips from Antigua. If you’re a big fan of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, then a visit to Hobbitenango should definitely be on your Antigua itinerary.

In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know before visiting Hobbitenango from Antigua. You’ll find information on how to get there, how much it costs, what to do there, and why you should consider staying there for a night. But most importantly, we’ll also discuss whether it’s actually worth visiting or not based on our experience.

If you’d like to see our day trip to Hobbitenango, then make sure to watch our dedicated Antigua video on our YouTube channel. For more Guatemala videos, you can also check out our Guatemala series.

What and Where is Hobbitenango

Hobbitenango is located in Vuelta Grande, about 8 km (5 miles) to the northeast of Antigua in Guatemala. Hobbitenango means ‘place of the hobbits’ and it only opened in 2015. It’s not just a theme park but also an eco-park aiming to preserve the natural environment and support the local community.

Don’t expect Hobbitenango to be an exact replica of Hobbiton in New Zealand though. This park is just Guatemala’s own version of it. For example, there are other activities you can do here, such as archery and axe throwing, as well as a few hobbit houses to check out. Plus, they have dedicated Hobbit Hole accommodations you can stay at (more on that later).

You’ll also get to enjoy panoramic views from the site, which take in Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego volcanoes on a clear day.

How to Get to Hobbitenango from Antigua

Since Hobbitenango is located only a 20 minute drive from Antigua, it’s easy to do as a day-trip from the city. You can get there in multiple ways:

1. Tourist Shuttle. The easiest and most convenient way to get to Hobbitenango from Antigua is on their dedicated tourist shuttle. These leave every day at 8AM, 10AM, 12PM, 2PM and 4PM from the office in Antigua. The return shuttles leave at 9AM, 11AM, 1PM, 3PM and 5PM back to Antigua. A round-trip costs Q95 per person, which also includes your entry fee. You’ll need to give them your return time in advance, so think carefully about how long you want to spend at the site! We left with the 8AM shuttle and got the 11AM one back to Antigua. Unfortunately, you can’t book the shuttle in advance and it fills up on a first come, first served basis. So, during peak times and at weekends, we recommend getting to the office an hour to 45 minutes before your desired departure time to secure your spot.
2. Uber / Taxi. If you want to get to Hobbitenango on your own, consider taking either a taxi or Uber from Antigua. They’ll only be able to take you to the ticket entrance though, from where you’d need to hop into a 4×4 jeep the rest of the way up. Whilst getting there won’t be a problem, trying to get a ride back to Antigua might be slightly more difficult. For this reason, we recommend sticking with the tourist shuttle.
3. Hire Car. If you decide to hire a car whilst you’re in Antigua, you can easily drive to Vuelta Grande. You’ll need to park your car at the car park down in the village and take the 4×4 transport to the main entrance. Personally, we wouldn’t hire a car just to visit Hobbitenango.

Opening Times and Entry Fee to Hobbitenango

Hobbitenango is open every day, from 8AM to 6PM on weekdays and until 8PM at the weekend.

Admission fee is currently Q50 per adult and Q30 for children. This price includes your roundtrip transportation between the parking lot and the Hobbitanango entrance on a 4×4 pick-up truck. You’ll have access to all areas of the park but some activities do come with an additional cost.

They also offer a return tourist shuttle for Q95 per person. Your entry fee to Hobbitenango is included in this price too.

On the weekends and during holidays there is a Buffet All-U-Can-Eat promotion. For Q149 you can eat as much as you like from their breakfast menu, and for Q184 the same applies to their lunch menu.

You can buy your ticket at the Hobbitenango office in Antigua together with your transportation.

How Long to Spend at Hobbitenango

Depending on how much time you have in Antigua and how many things you want to do at Hobbitenango, we recommend spending a minimum of 2.5 to 3 hours at the site. You could easily spend longer, especially if you have to queue for some of their activities during peak times and at the weekends. In this case, you may want to spend around 3.5 to 4 hours there.

For reference, we took the 8AM shuttle and got the 11AM shuttle back to Antigua. That was enough time for us to walk around the site and sit down for a filling breakfast.

Best Time to Visit Hobbitenango from Antigua

You can visit Hobbitenango from Antigua all-year round. Of course, the best time would be during the dry season, which is from November to April in Guatemala. This doesn’t mean that you can’t visit in the rainy season, but make sure to check the forecast. Normally, the mornings are fine with heavy rain arriving in the afternoon.

In terms of what day to visit on, we recommend visiting on a weekday if you can. Weekends are way busier. We also suggest arriving on the earliest shuttle rather than a later one. This way you’ll have more chance to enjoy the site whilst it’s quiet, without the long queues.

If you didn’t book an overnight stay, then we recommend checking the forecast before you go too. It would be a shame not to see the volcanoes from the park whilst you’re up there.

Can You Sleep at Hobbitenango

Yes, you can!

Hobbitenango has 3 hobbit-style casitas that you can book for a night’s stay. Check-in is after 3PM and check-out is at 11AM, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy what the park has to offer.

The advantage of staying there for a night is that you’ll get to experience the park without the crowds, enjoy a beautiful sunset and wake up to a magical sunrise. (Of course, only if the weather conditions allow it).

Plus, sleeping in a hobbit home is a cool experience in itself. The last time we could’ve stayed in hobbit style accommodation was at the Secret Garden Hostel Cotopaxi in Ecuador.

Note that due to the small number of accommodations available, we suggest reserving your room in advance. You can book your stay here.

Things to Do at Hobbitenango

1. Hobbitenango Troll Hand (El Coloso)

Possibly one of the most popular spots within Hobbitenango is the Troll Hand, and for good reason. This impressive hand sculpture overlooks the beautiful Panchoy Valley, with the majestic volcanoes of Agua, Fuego and Acatenango towering in the distance.

There’s an upper viewing platform if you just want to enjoy the views. However, you can also stand on the hand from the lower platform. This is where you’ll be able to see the troll’s head from. Being the highlight of the park, you may have to queue for a bit if it’s busy. Luckily, we were one of the first ones on site, so we could just walk straight on. There’ll be an employee of the park there who will offer to take pictures of you, as well as making sure that you don’t spend too long on the platform.

The structure reminded us of the stunning hand-shaped viewpoint called Las Manos de la Pachamama that we visited in Baños, Ecuador.

2. Tree Swing (El Grito)

Another popular activity and photo spot with a view is the tree swing. According to the website, this is supposed to be the largest tree swing in the whole of Central America. We swung on some crazy swings throughout Ecuador in South America, so for us it didn’t look overly special. We saw people really enjoying themselves on it though.

With the right angle you could definitely take some creative photos.

3. The Hobbit House (La Casa del Mago)

Our favourite spots in Hobbitenango were obviously the hobbit houses. As we walked along the bridge after entering the site we saw a few of these hobbit homes on our right. These are actually the accommodations you can stay at if you book an overnight stay. For that reason, you can only admire them from the outside.

However, there are are a few hobbit homes you can walk through. They’ve built them to look just like the hobbit homes from the movies. The interiors were nicely decorated and the beautiful views you get from the windows, overlooking the valley and the volcanoes in the distance, made them even more special.

4. Enjoy a Meal at the Restaurant

Since we arrived to the site early, we decided to treat ourselves with a late breakfast. There are a few cafes and eateries on site you can choose from. We went to Refugio de Aves and had a very delicious, and filling, breakfast there.

The whole restaurant was hobbit-themed and played music from the films on a loop, which definitely added to the ambiance.

5. Forest Trails and Viewpoints

We recommend taking a photo of the map of Hobbitenango before you start wandering around. There are many little trails leading to viewpoints and other small points of interest.

The Nest, or El Nido, is one of these lovely viewpoints, with a seating area designed to look like a bird nest. You can relax here for a bit with some snacks and enjoy the views. It may or may not be free depending on how busy it is, so you might have to circle back to it later.

6. Check Out Other Photo Spots

As we were wandering around the site we saw many cute photo spots, from angel wings to swings. Of course, they’re definitely geared more towards social media, but why not be a bit cheesy for a couple of hours and snap some fun photos.

7. Archery, Axe-Throwing, and Mini-Golf

If you’d like to do something active during your visit, you can try your hand at archery, axe-throwing, or even mini-golf. These activities are definitely geared towards younger age groups, but they can still be fun for adults too.

Note that you’ll have to pay extra for these activities.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Hobbitenango from Antigua – Is it Worth it?

If you’re a big Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan and you haven’t made it to New Zealand yet, then Hobbitenango is definitely worth a visit. Even if you’re not the biggest Tolkien fan, the site is located in such a beautiful location surrounded by volcanoes that for that alone it’s worth the visit.

As it’s close to Antigua and very easy to get to, it won’t take up too much of your time and you can still spend the afternoon wandering the cobblestone streets of the city. We definitely had a fun time there, so if you can squeeze Hobbitenango into your itinerary, we do recommend it.

Have you ever been to Hobbitenango in Guatemala before? If so, what was your experience like? Do you think it’s worth a visit? If not, would you add it to your Antigua itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.