Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour

Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Middle-earth, travelling from Auckland to Queenstown via many exciting Lord of the Rings filming locations, movie studios, and adventures. You will also meet those involved in the making of the movies, and get off the beaten track into the breath-taking landscapes and natural attractions New Zealand has to offer.

Along the way, there are opportunities to helicopter over and land on mountains used in the films, kayak in stunning film locations, visit wineries, tramp, skydive or 4-wheel drive into amazing locations. All within a small fellowship of like-minded travellers, led by our passionate  Lord of the Rings guides.

From 3.880 per person

Tour map

Highlights

  • Explore Bilbo's Shire!
  • Climb the magnificent Edoras
  • Visit the makers of the 'One Ring'
  • Experience breathtaking Mordor
  • Movie guest presentations
  • Behind the scenes: Weta Workshop tour

Tour details

  • A NZ$ 500 per person deposit is required to confirm a booking. Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable to another month should you need to alter your plans.

  • We strongly recommend you take out adequate travel insurance to cover personal accident, baggage, cancellation fees, delays or missed flights, sickness and medical expenses.

  • Meeting point

    Auckland. You’ll get the exact meeting point on confirmation.

  • Tour departs

    Click the “Book this tour” button to see the available tour dates.

  • Tour ends

    Queenstown. You will need a domestic airfare from Queenstown to Auckland.

  • Duration

  • Live guide speaks

  • Travel by

  • Tour type

  • Max group size

    35 persons

  • Tour operator

  • Cancellation policy

    45 days or more before start: full refund less NZ$ 500 per person (non-refundable deposit).
    21 days or more before start: 75% refund.
    11 days or more before start: 50% refund.
    After that time or no-show: no refund.

  • Exclusions

    Optional activities
    International airfare

Full description

Day 1: Auckland

The Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour begins in a central Auckland location in the evening, with a complimentary welcome dinner to get to know the other guests venturing to Middle-Earth with you. Visiting the tour during winter months will include a special movie guest presentation. The evening ends when you settle into your Auckland City hotel, with an early start beginning on Day 2.

Day 2: Auckland to Rotorua

Hobbiton Movie Set Matamata New Zealand
The Green Dragon Inn as seen from across the lake at The Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata, New Zealand.

Following a full cooked breakfast (provided from day 2 until day 14) guests will need to be ready for an 8:00 am departure, with transport taking the group to Hobbiton along the Rotorua route. You will see some fantastic scenery on the way to Hobbiton Movie Set. The stunning Waikato farming location provides unimaginable beauty, with fertile pastures, picturesque green countryside and a wealth of miniature village towns holding a heap of history behind them.

Once you arrive in Hobbiton, you will be able to explore the famous Hobbit Village, where the fantastic Middle-earth stories first came to life. Explore the Hobbit Holes which were dug into the sides of the hills in The Shire, before paying a visit to Bag End, Bilbo Baggins’ home. You might also like to get an inside look at the Green Dragon Inn that Frodo and Samwise often visited with friendsand enjoy a cold beverage or two while you are there. Lunch is on us, which you can enjoy in the Marquee located next to the Green Dragon Inn.

The rest of the day is yours to explore Rotorua, so you might like to relax in the Polynesian spa or enjoy a Maori Cultural evening with dinner and a show (at an extra cost). Night 2 is in Rotorua accommodation.

Day 3: Rotorua to Trollshaw Forest

We depart for day 3 leaving Rotorua on a journey to the picturesque Trollshaws which appeared in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,  located just west of Rivendell. Here you’ll witness some breathtaking scenery featuring a wealth of beech trees, and the filming location where trolls roamed to terrorise any passers-by. Heading towards Mt. Ruapehu and the Mordor filming location, enjoy a complimentary lunch before an overnight visit of Emyn Muil and Mt Doom where the stars from the movies stayed.

Day 4: Ohakune to Wellington

The morning of Day four sets off with a visit to the location of Gollum’s fishing pool, where Andy Serkis almost met his demise plunging over a waterfall. We also visit the Secret Entrance to Erebor before Smaug destroyed it in the movie. We then depart for Wellywood, located in Wellington City. An optional visit to dine at The Green Parrot Restaurant which is well-know as being one of Viggo’s favourites. You will spend the next three nights in Wellington accommodation.

Day 5: Wellywood Day

Day five commences experiencing the movie capital of New Zealand in Miramar. Visit the Windows into Workshop tour to Marvel at the spectacular weapon and armour displays from the movies, purchase a souvenir and watch behind the scenes footage detailing the Weta company’s history. Experience the Wellywood location as a guided tour shows you some of the special effects used in some of the biggest movies ever. Experience the Weta Cave before heading to the Roxy Theatre for lunch on the house. The latter part of day 5 consists of visiting the filming location of the Get of the Road scene featured in The LOTR, offering stunning views of the city.

Day 6: Presentation day with Daniel Reeve

Lord of the Rings Tour: Map Maker
Lord of the Rings Tour: Map Maker

Day six of the Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour won’t involve as much travelling,  as we enjoy an extensive and interactive presentation from Daniel Reeve, The LOTR and The Hobbit Calligrapher and Cartographer. For those visiting during the winter months, day two will also include a presentation from an additional special movie guest. Following the performances, you’ll have ample time to explore the attractions nearby. You might like to visit the Te Papa Museum, watching a movie at the Special Embassy Theatre or the stunning scenery around Wellington.

Day 7: Wellington to Nelson

After finishing breakfast on day seven, we depart the Northern area of the island and make our way to the Southern Island for the next part of the adventure. We’ll set sail from Wellington on the Inter-Island Ferry to the Southern island which takes around 3½ hours. Lunch will be served (included with the tour), and we’ll then head for Nelson City as our next destination. While travelling to the city, you might like to stop off to see the filming location of the famous scene where the Elves moved in barrels along the river. As an optional extra you might also like to get a closer look at this location taking a kayak down the river. The day ends with an inclusive stay at an accommodation in Nelson.

Day 8: Nelson Day

Day eight is yours to explore at your leisure. We’d highly recommend the famous helicopter ride which showcases the LOTR sites located South of Rivendell (at an additional cost). The next step of the tour begins with heading back into Nelson City to meet the creators of the famous One Ring. While there you’ll meet Halfdan Hansen, Jens Hansen’s son to marvel at his breathtaking Hobbit and LOTR jewellery. Night eight is in Nelson accommodation.

Day 9: Nelson to Christchurch

Day nine will commence with an early start following breakfast to head South towards the Kaikoura Coast. While on the route you’ll stop for a second breakfast (or lunch) to witness the beautiful fur seals having fun. Day nine boasts some fantastic photo opportunities, and you’ll also get to enjoy an RCT coach quiz. Finally, we depart for our next stop at Christchurch, where we spend the night before a busy day ahead.

Day 10: Edoras

Lord of the Rings Tour: Edoras
Lord of the Rings Tour: Edoras

With an early morning departure, we’ll embark for the filming location of Edoras, set upon a hill in a valley of the White Mountains. Making our way up to the top of the area is where we find the site of the Golden Hall, and here is where we’ll fly our Rohan Banner. Afterwards, we experience Tekapo and Pukaki, the breathtaking mountain fed-lakes before witnessing the highest mountain in New Zealand – Mt. Cook. The evening will include an inclusive dinner while enjoying a presentation from a Hobbit-inspired special guest,  before settling into the Twizel accommodation.

Day 11: Pelennor Fields

Lord of the Rings Tour / Swordfight
Lord of the Rings Tour / Swordfight

The Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour day eleven kicks off with a visit to the Pelennor Fields, the location that’s known for the powerful sound of 250 horses charging after King Théoden made his battle speech. After experiencing this location, we move on to the Lake-town filming location before sitting down for lunch in Omarama. Following lunch, you might like to try your hand at archery before unwinding in your accommodation in Cromwell.

Day 12: Arrowtown, Queenstown

Venturing deeper into Middle-earth, we visit a variety of LOTR filming locations at Mavora Lakes. Purchase a picnic lunch to take along as we explore The calling up of Shadowfax, The Silverlode bridge, The Orc funeral pyre, and Fangorn Forest. Visit  Nen Hithoel, The log which concealed Merry & Pippin before Frodo left the fellowship and where Sam and Frodo paddled away on the next stage of their journey. You’ll have a wealth of astonishing scenery to take in here before being transported to Queenstown in the afternoon. Accommodation will continue in Queenstown for the remaining nights.

Day 13: Queenstown

Our next destination is in Arrowtown, and along the way, we take a route which follows the direction of a gold mining road, and we continue up the Arrow River. One of the highlights of Arrowtown is the filming location of where the One Ring dropped among the Gladden fields. You might like to try bungy jumping (at an extra cost) before heading to the Elements Restaurant for an farewell dinner.

Day 14: Optional Activities

Day fourteen is all about you. After enjoying breakfast, you might like to experience some optional Lord of the Rings activities. Ride the Dart river jet which heads past LOTR and Hobbit sites, or perhaps a helicopter flight over the Ford of Bruinen. You could enjoy a hot air balloon drive, or keep your feet on the ground with a Routeburn Track guided walk. If retail therapy is more appealing, then Queenstown shopping is the perfect treat. Your tour guide will be able to discuss all of the options available, and help with a booking should you wish.

Departure day

Waking up to the final breakfast of the Lord of the Rings 14-Day New Zealand Tour will see your Middle-Earth journey coming to an end. As you depart from Queenstown, you will require a domestic airfare to return to Auckland, followed by an international flight for your journey home from Auckland.

Locations (19)

2. Hobbiton Movie Set

Hillside Hobbit Homes at the Hobbiton Movie Set
The Hobbiton Movie Set in the lush countryside setting of Matamata in the Hamilton - Waikato region of New Zealand is one of the country's most-loved Middle-earth attractions.

3. Hairy Feet Waitomo / Trollshaws Forest

Hairy Feet Waitomo Hobbit Tour: Welcome Sign
Hairy Feet Waitomo Hobbit Tour: Welcome Sign

Major filming locations from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

The Company arriving at a destroyed farmhouse
The exit from the cave containing the troll hoard
Gandalf bestowing the sword, “Sting” upon Bilbo
Radagast arriving
The Orcs and Wargs attacking

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