New Zealand · LORD OF THE RINGS FILMING LOCATION TOURS
Most of the locations are back to being farmland and riverbed, which is exactly why a guide with the stills helps. The 15 below cover Glenorchy, Edoras and the Wellington sites, with prices, driving hours and which include Weta.
Ride from central Queenstown to Glenorchy and Mt. Aspiring National Park with guides such as Amy, Tristan, Max, Dan, and Solomon. See real Lord of the Rings locations, enjoy a picnic, walk to Twelve Mile Delta, visit Isengard, and try costumes and swords.
“Excellent LOTR half-day tour. Lots of information and details for fans and non-fans. Go on it and enjoy!”
Spend about eight hours tracing Wellington’s Lord of the Rings locations with a film-savvy guide. Visit Weta Workshop, walk through the forest used for Rivendell, stop at Mount Victoria and Isengard, and enjoy lunch at Aston Norwood Gardens. Guides such as Marc, Grant, Andy, and Hamish bring personal film stories.
“My experience was great! I was not staying within the pick-up area. They emailed me ahead of time, helped me find a good spot to be picked up, and even helped me find a cheap parking lot nearby. So, from before the tour even began, the customer service was exceptional. On the tour, our guide was fantastic. He had been an extra in the films and even brought some of his personal keepsakes to show us. We had lots of time to take photos, look at the photos, and compare where we were to stills of the movie. Plus, he had a wealth of knowledge. The lunch was a sit…”
Spend eight hours tracing Middle-earth around Wellington with an English-speaking guide, Wētā Workshop tour, forest walks, film-location reenactments, and lunch included. Guides such as Marc, Dixie, Grant, Gina, Robbie, and Waiwai bring film-set experience, local stories, and plenty of practical insight.
“The level of detail of the activities behind the scenes, the WETA workshop and the people working on making the movies is amazing. We did visit multiple locations where they recorded multiple scenes including a detailed explanation about where and what happened. while the tour is not focused on the story of LOTR(which is nice), we got a a lot off background information rather how the cast was chosen. How the movies came to exist. The Workshop came to ideas created props etc. The amount of details on those relics is amazing.”
Ride from Queenstown to Glenorchy in a small group of up to 11, stopping at 12 Mile Delta, the red shed, Lothlórien, Paradise, and Isengard. Guides such as Dan, Tristan, Solomon, Amy, and Max share film trivia, local stories, and time for costume photos with replica swords.
“Solomon was a very good driver and awesome knowledgeable host We soooo loved this trip,the stops & little walking along with the afternoon tea and the audio including couple of songs Solomon did added to magic of the day! Big thanks Martin & Brigitte”
Spend four hours tracing Frodo’s path through Wellington, from Embassy Cinema and Mount Victoria to the forest scenes near Buckleberry Ferry. Your English-speaking guide, such as Andy, Sarah, or Dixie, adds film-set stories before a Wētā Workshop exhibition visit.
“Gina was a great guide, super friendly and knowledgeable. We started at Weta and the tour there was fascinating and the work they do there with the number of staff they have is truly remarkable. After the tour, we drove to Mt Victoria lookout to see different filming locations from the movies and the skyline of the city. Overall the tour was super fun and a great value.”
Travel from Christchurch to Mt Sunday, the film setting for Edoras, in a small-group 4WD tour led by guides such as Cheryl, Peter, Nick, or Natasha. Expect mountain views, film-site stories, replica props, a picnic with sparkling wine, and a steep, windy walk to the summit.
“Firstly, it’s awesome! Secondly, be prepared for some extensive uphill walking. Walking poles are available but if you’re not fit (&/or young!) be prepared to take your time - the guide (Cheryl) was super patient either me. Thirdly, it’s completely awesome!!”
Spend four hours with a local driver-guide in a six-seat 4WD, visiting LOTR sites around Queenstown, Kawarau Gorge, Arrowtown, and Skippers Canyon. Expect film stories, river crossings, gold panning, tea, and big mountain views. Guides such as Jenny, Jorge, Ella, and John are known for lively commentary.
“had a great experience! sights where breathtaking, tour guide was amazing! overall the missus and I had a great time !”
Spend 3.5 to 4 hours with Wellington Rings Tours visiting Mount Victoria filming locations, the Embassy Theatre, and Weta Workshop. Guides such as Robbie, Marc, Gina, Dixie, and Chewy share film stories, while central hotel and cruise-terminal pickup keeps this a handy shore excursion.
“We were really looking forward to the half-day Lord of the Rings tour, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. The studio portion was underwhelming. While it’s interesting to see where some of the magic happened, we weren’t allowed to touch anything or take any photos—a restriction that wasn’t clearly communicated at the time of booking. That really took away from the experience, especially for fans hoping to bring back even a small memento. The visit to a filming location was also a letdown. Since the films relied heavily on CGI, being there without the set-piece didn’t feel very immersive or visually connected to what we saw on…”
Join Nomad Safaris for a four-hour, small-group 4WD trip from Queenstown. Guides such as Nick, Fiona, Ruth, and Josh share film stories and local lore as you visit the Kawarau Gorge, Arrow River, Skippers Canyon, and Lake Wakatipu viewpoints, with gold panning and river crossings included.
“We all enjoyed bumpy River Ride, Stunning Mountain View and Lord of the Ring spots. Overall great. 👍🏽”
Join a small group of up to eight from central Queenstown for a 4.5-hour Lord of the Rings tour with guides such as Eby, Shane, Annie, or Francesco. Visit Skippers Canyon, Arrowtown, Gibbston, Lake Hayes, and Lake Wakatipu, with licensed replica props, scripts, photos, and bakery tea.
“Eby is really a knowledgeable guy. I am not a big fan but I’d like to review the whole series of the movies in the future. He told us many interesting stories of making the movies and I truly recommend it. Fun with nice view.”
Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy and Paradise in a six-passenger 4WD with a guide such as Justin, Jono, Roger, or Rachel. See Isengard, Lothlórien, and Ithilien Camp, hear film and local stories, pose with props, and enjoy hot drinks and cake before returning.
“Great tour guide and a wonderful trip. Telaxed pace snd stunning drive ftom Wueenstown to Glenorchy. Must do if LOTR fan.”
Travel from Christchurch to Mount Sunday, the real-world Edoras, with guides such as Cheryl, Peter, Natasha, and Nick. Expect film stories, replica props, scenic stops, a short but steep summit walk, and a picnic lunch. The small group is limited to 12 people.
“A great experience to see New Zealand and where the Lord of the Rings was shot.”
Travel from Queenstown to Skippers Canyon, Arrowtown, the Kawarau River, Lake Hayes, and Queenstown Hill with a Lord of the Rings guide. Expect film stills, production call sheets, replica weapons, scenic stops, and a hot drink. Guides include Eby, Shane, Ian, Benji, and Francesco.
“the tour was awesome and Eby our guide was extremely friendly and knew many details regarding lord of the rings movies. i would definitely recommend it.”
Spend about 10 hours tracing Middle Earth around Queenstown. Guides such as Ian and Dan pair film stories, call sheets, replica props, and scenic stops at Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Paradise, and more. Expect two half-day tours, a Queenstown lunch break, and a small group of up to eight.
“We did full day tour (you can opt for full or half day tours). First half of the day, with Ian of Trail of Lord of the Rings, was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about all things Lord of the Rings (obviously a keen fan) and showed us some fantRead more”
Fly for 70 minutes from Queenstown over the Shotover River Gorge and Lord of the Rings filming sites including Isengard and Lothlórien. Land on a glacier and in the alpine country near the Misty Mountains, with a pilot’s commentary and hotel pickup included.
“The flight was postponed to another day due to bad weather, thankfully on the new date the weather was great, and I had one of the best flights ever. The views are breathtaking and left me quite speechless, especially when we approachRead more”
Pick a coastline, a crater rim or a cellar door.
