A Day at Hobbitenango in Antigua, Guatemala

Yes, you heard that right. Hobbitenango! It’s an eco-friendly park inspired by The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings complete with several iconic grass covered houses with round doorways. It’s located just outside of Antigua, Guatemala.

What started out as a passion project among friends has now become a popular tourist attraction. While it might not be as expansive and authentically LOTR as Hobbiton in New Zealand, but it’s the closest thing I’ve seen in the western hemisphere or anywhere else for that matter. Plus, it’s set up in the mountains outside Antigua at an elevation of 7,800 feet (2,400 meters), giving it great views of Panchoy Valley and the surrounding volcanoes. 

How do you get there?

Hobbitenango is located in an area called Vuelta Grande, about a 20 minute drive from Antigua.

Transportation options include:  

• Driving there yourself
• Taking an uber or taxi 
• Shuttle from the Hobbitenango Office in Antigua

For driving directions, simply enter “Hobbitenango” into Google Maps. You can’t drive all the way up to Hobbitenango, but there is a parking lot about 900 meters down from the park, where you can walk or shuttle the rest of the way up. If you are planning to drive, make sure you have the right kind of vehicle. Driving is not recommended unless you have a 4×4 vehicle due to the steep roads. 

We took the shuttle from the Hobbitenango Office in Antigua. The office is located at: 3a Avenida Norte #20A. And the shuttle costs Q45/$7 per person round trip. You can message the Hobbitenango office on Whatsapp at 3090-8812 to reserve a spot. 

The shuttle departs Antigua every 2 hours from 8:00AM-4:00PM and Hobbitenango from 9:00AM-5:00PM. 

When can you go? 

Monday-Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday-Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

How much does it cost?

Adults: Q50

Children: Q30

*Which includes access to all the games, viewpoints, and trails in the park, as well as 1 soft drink or beer. 

What’s there to do at the park?

The park’s biggest draws are the giant hand and giant tree swing, which were probably our favorite attractions, as well. 

One of the most iconic picture spots at Hobbitenango is the giant troll hand that juts out from the side of the mountain. It is one of the most popular picture spots at the park though. So you have to wait in a queue before you can take your photo. It wasn’t too bad when we were there. If lines are long, each group will get about 1-2 minutes. There’s also a park employee there who can take your photo at no additional cost. The guy working there when we were there was great. He took several good pictures of us with different poses and angles, which was really nice. 

The giant 2500 meter high tree swing was one of our favorite activities and is apparently the largest tree swing in Central America. We enjoyed it so much that we did it twice and probably would have done it again if we stayed longer. 

Entrance to the park also includes several carnival games like: slingshot, ax throwing, archery, mini-golf, giant jenga, and bags. We didn’t do most of the carnival games, but it would probably be fun for kids and families. 

After playing some games, check out the short forest trails with spots to sit, relax, and other scenic viewpoints. 

You can also shop for some snacks or souvenirs at their small artisan market, where you can find coffee, chocolates, craft goods, and jewelry. We bought some homemade chocolate, which was pretty tasty, and a handmade leather bracelet. 

Toward the end of our day at the park, we also enjoyed some live music from a local vocalist and guitarist.

The Hobbitenango website says the artisan market and live music is on weekends and holidays, but we went on a Friday and they had both.  

What are the best picture spots?

Aside from the obvious instagram spots in front of the hobbit houses and the giant hand, there are several other great picture opportunities, including: 

• The Hobbitenango sign and lantern covered tree
• Panoramic shots of Panchoy Valley and the surrounding volcanoes 
• The giant’s face 
• The Hobbitenango swing (different from the giant tree swing)
• Moss covered fairy wings 

What’s the food like?

There aren’t a lot of food options at Hobbitenango, just the main restaurant and tavern near the park entrance. 

Both the tavern and restaurant are great picture spots, and the restaurant is actually modeled on the Green Dragon Inn from the movies. 

I wasn’t expecting much for food since there’s just the one restaurant, but it really wasn’t bad. The restaurant serves breakfast, burgers, pizza, vegetarian, and meat dishes. I had tomato, mushroom, and cheese zucchini boats with a lemon ginger rum drink. And Tony had eggplant lasagna with a tamarind drink. The food was good, but a bit pricier than other options you can find in Antigua. 

On holidays and weekends there is also an all-you-can-eat breakfast and lunch buffet, which includes entrance to the park. 

Breakfast buffet: 8:00am-12:00pm

Adults: Q149

Children: Q69

Lunch buffet: 12:30pm-5:00pm

Adults: Q184

Children: Q79 

You can check out their full menu here. 

Special Occasions

For special occasions, you can also reserve one of their best lookout spots, El Nido “The Nest,” for parties of 2-12 people. The cost is approximately $50 per person, which includes decorations (white cushions, candles, and flowers) and $25 per person for food from the restaurant. Reservations can be made for: 

Breakfast (9-11AM)

Lunch (1-3PM)

Sunset Dinner (4-6PM)

If you’re interested in this, make sure to reserve it well in advance, because there’s only one. Reservations for El Nido can be made here.  

How much time should you plan to spend there?

We were there from 10:30am-3:00pm. I’ve seen other blogs that recommend 2-3 hours and other people choose to spend the night. So, it’s really up to you.  

If you just want to take some snaps with the hobbit houses and the giant hand and aren’t planning to eat there, then 2-3 hours is probably enough. We spent 4.5 hours there, but we took our time, had lunch, and sat in the grass and enjoyed the live music. 

Can you stay in Hobbitenango?

Yes, you absolutely can stay here. It’s a perfect place to disconnect from technology and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But there are only a few hobbit houses, so be sure to book your stay in advance. Hobbitenango has three eco-friendly hobbit houses, which are: The Dream House (sleeps 2), The Nest House (sleeps 4), and Emerald Cove (sleeps 6). All rooms include double beds, a fireplace, private bathroom, and furnished patio where you can enjoy the view. I even read you can see lava erupting from El Fuego volcano at night. Rooms start at Q892 ($114) per night. 

To reserve a room at Hobbitenango click here.  

Final Tips

• Everything at Hobbitenango is outdoors. So, check the weather ahead of time and choose a clear, sunny day for the best views. We were lucky and had pretty clear skies the whole time we were there, but I read that the sky is usually clearest earlier in the day. 
• If you can, go on a weekday to avoid bigger crowds that come on weekends. That way you won’t have to wait as long at games, food, or picture spots. Though, I did read that there may be more artisans and live music on weekends. 
• If you go on the weekend or a holiday, go to the troll hand and tree swing first, since those are the biggest attractions with the longest waits. 
• Wear shoes you don’t care about. The pathways are all dirt, so they will get dirty.      
• If you’re looking for more to do in Antigua, check out our list of fun things to do!